Farmers Insurance® Provides Tips to Help Stay Safe in Summer 2018

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif., June 19, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The summer sun and fun is just around the corner, but schools letting out and the opening of pools and amusement parks aren't the only signals that the season is upon us. The Farmers Insurance^® Seasonal Smarts Digests for homeowners and drivers remind readers that even these months of brilliant skies, weddings and vacations have their own particular set of potential hazards and troubles.

The Digests note that homeowners and drivers should plan carefully for upcoming travels by taking steps to promote safety both on the road and back at home. Lightning, collisions and theft are among the top hazards that homeowners and drivers should keep in mind. In fact, more than half (53%) of all lightning-related homeowners claims filed with Farmers^® each year occur between June and August, according to the previous five years' worth of Farmers claims data.

Summer weather is often overlooked, but its storms can rank among the most damaging Americans will experience all year. Further, seasonal activities such as road trips and vacations bring additional layers of complexity and potential risk to the equation. Jim Taylor, head of claims customer experience for Farmers Insurance notes, "Seasonal preparations to secure our vehicles and homes should be as much a part of our vacation planning process as packing our bags. Taking just a few minutes to complete simple preventative actions can go a long way to safeguard against the most common claims we see every summer."

No amount of planning can stop storms or even fully deter determined wrongdoers, but there are steps that may be taken to help safeguard both homes and automobiles against potential issues that may arise in the balmy months ahead. Drivers and homeowners should consider the following, according to Taylor:

On the Road

• Keep Rover off your lap. Bringing your furry friends along can be a lot of fun, but their wagging, clambering and barking can be significant distractions. Make sure any pets are contained in a safe area where they have enough space to relax but can't interfere with your driving.¹
• Out of sight, out of mind. Avoid getting distracted by your cell phone: put it out of reach, turn the screen around or shut it off entirely. Families with teen drivers may want to consider equipping their smartphones with programs that prevent use while the car is in motion.

At Home

• Go dark. Unplug anything that doesn't need to stay plugged in, like your television or computer. These items could be damaged if there is a lightning storm and your home is struck.²
• Secure irreplaceable and expensive items. Unforeseeable events such as burst pipes or break-ins can threaten expensive and irreplaceable items. Consider placing anything of great value on the top floor of your house and keep those items off the ground. Further, if you have a safe or other security measures, you may want to lock up expensive jewelry, important documents and other valuables before you leave town. An alternative can be placing those items in a safety deposit box with your local bank or credit union for an added layer of protection.
• Get smart. Smart home devices can be an excellent aid to keeping your home safe and secure, no matter where you are. Setting lights to timed schedules or turning them on and off randomly via an app can help eliminate the signs that you're away. Likewise, smart thermostats can keep your home temperature regulated, while also saving you money on unnecessary heating or cooling.

About Farmers Insurance

"Farmers Insurance®" and "Farmers®" are tradenames for a group of affiliated insurers providing insurance for automobiles, homes and small businesses and a wide range of other insurance and financial services and products. Farmers Insurance is proud to serve more than 10 million households with over 19 million individual policies nationally, through the efforts of more than 48,000 exclusive and independent agents and approximately 21,000 employees. Farmers Insurance Exchange®, the largest of the three primary insurance insurers that make up Farmers Insurance, is recognized as one of the largest U.S. companies on the 2018 Fortune 500 list. For more information about Farmers Insurance, visit Farmers.com, Twitter and Instagram, @WeAreFarmers, or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.

¹ Pet's Best: https://www.petsbest.com/blog/road-trip-with-dog-and-cat/

² Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/thunderstorms-lightning

SOURCE Farmers Insurance