Do you make New Year’s Resolutions? A lot of us do. The most common New Year’s resolutions are: (1) exercise more; (2) eat healthier; (3) save money. We all have such good intentions and then life gets in the way. In fact, by February, 80% of New Year’s resolutions are out the window. So if you have already messed up on your New Year’s resolutions, you are definitely not alone, and The Law Offices of John Day has some good news. We have some quick and easy resolutions that can protect you and your family and help you feel better about yourself for having a cheeseburger, fries and milkshake for lunch. We are calling them New Day’s resolutions because all four can easily be accomplished in one day.
- One of the best new day’s resolutions you can make is to give yourself an insurance check-up. Do you have adequate collision & comprehensive, medical payments, property damage, bodily injury, non-owned auto, underinsured/uninsured motorist and excess coverage? For example, did you know Tennessee rates as the 5th worst state in the country for the number of uninsured/underinsured motorist? If you get hit by an uninsured/underinsured driver, do you have any coverage to protect you and your family? Just as importantly, is it sufficient coverage? For more information on this issue and a handy worksheet to use when reviewing your policy or calling your agent, go to www.johndaylegal.com/insurancereview.
- We all know it is dangerous to text and drive, but too many drivers continue to do it. Perhaps, some folks have good intentions but then they hear the ding of their phone and are unable to resist the urge to check it. If this is you, protect yourself from your own Pavlovian tendencies and use an app to block incoming texts while you are driving. Not only will you be safer but everyone else on the road will be too.
- If you own a dog, you need to do two things. First, make sure it is adequately controlled so it can not harm others. Each year, there are millions of dog bites and dog attacks and those types of claims are the most common type of homeowner’s claims. For more information on a dog owner’s responsibilities under Tennessee law, click here. Second, make sure you have either homeowner’s or supplemental insurance to protect yourself (and the victim) in the event you dog does inflict an injury on someone. I know you might be thinking your dog has a sweet disposition and would never bite someone, but dogs are animals and animals can be unpredictable. Also, dog-related injuries can come in many forms from causing bicycle, motorcycle, scooter and even car accidents to jumping up and knocking people down. If you own a bully breed of dog, coverage may be excluded under your homeowner’s policy but supplemental insurance can be purchased.
- Make sure you and your family wear a helmet when bicycling, skate-boarding, roller-blading etc. to reduce the risk of serious brain injuries. A helmet can reduce your risk by more than 85%. Last year, The Law Offices of John Day gave away, for free, hundreds of bicycle helmets and we are going to do it again this year. Follow us on social media to learn about upcoming events.
We wish you the best of luck with your resolutions and your New Year. And, as always, we are here if you need us.