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How do we keep ourselves protected in an online world?

Do you ever log onto Facebook and the first thing you see is an advertisement for a pair of shoes you just were looking up the night before? Fellas? We all know you were eyeing up those new pumps (Christian Louboutin…?). Well the reason is, social media and many online companies are collecting data on everything you view. The data that from your device is then analyzed by companies like Google and then sent back to your device giving you information that is relevant to what you were just looking for. Google’s whole business model is to provide you with the most accurate information in the quickest amount of time.

This is insane! I mean, you don’t even have to type “Blingy 4 inch heels for wedding” into Google anymore without it already having advertisements for those shoes on your facebook timeline. The data and analytics that is being processed every second is astounding. So with that all being said, this is all very cool, but how do we keep ourselves protected from people who want to use that information against us online.

Many banking and online payment websites have added security measures to make sure it is indeed you logging into the website to make a payment or transfer. They also have guarantees that if you are hacked or someone accesses your account, that they will refund your money. So please contact your banking institution for their information on these types of scenarios.

For businesses who store data and privacy information on their computers at work, you need to make sure you are taking similar precautions. Having proper internet security software on your servers and computers is crucial. This software can be frustrating at times, as they can hold up day to day operations to keep added security in place. So talk to you IT analyst and make sure your software is going to be compatible with the security provider.

Next, you want to keep everything backed up, preferably off-site. What does this mean? You can do a few things. Some people manually backup their information onto a hard drive or USB flash drive daily and take it home with them. Others have IT departments that can backup information online in their database overnight. Either of these options are good as long as you’re able to restore your data in a quick and efficient manner if an attack or crash were to occur. You don’t want your business to be disrupted for too long. Having these measures in place beforehand will save you a huge headache in the future.

One more thing you can do, is purchase a cyber insurance policy. Many companies are offering added cyber security endorsements onto business policies to help protect people/businesses from these types of risks. These policies include coverages such as:

  • Coverage for cyber liability if your computers are hacked or a virus attacks your system causing personal or financial information to be leaked and someone brings action against you for the leaked information.
  • Payment of the costs to repair your systems if they are damaged and any losses of revenue you may suffer as a result of this damage
  • Coverage for data held ‘in the cloud’
  • Coverage for regulatory actions or investigations as a result of a privacy breach
  • Coverage for threats and extortion conducted online
  • Data Recovery Coverage

The internet is one the most amazing inventions of our generation. However, like anything we must treat it with respect and take precautions when working with it. Identity theft, viruses, hackings, malware emails all happen on a daily basis. We don’t want this to happen to you, so hopefully this information can help you prepare ahead of time for when these situations arise.

How to snap that cold spell and hopefully not your pipes.

With the weather hitting -50’C last week. It was a nice reminder of how fortunate we are to not have any mosquitos nearby. That being said, a lot can go wrong at these temperatures. Vehicle trouble, heating problems in the house, power outages – equipment does not like to work in these temperatures.

We are lucky we live in a place where we have people/companies who are quick to respond to emergencies or we have access to backup heating appliances to protect ourselves from these types of problems. Here are some insurance tips to make sure you’re prepared for these “conditions.”

  1. Leaving for extended time

If you are leaving on a vacation or for an extended period of time, you must either drain your water lines or line up someone to check on your house daily. This is to make sure if your heat goes out, that your water lines do not freeze and rupture. A day or two of minus 40 and a house can cool down in a hurry. These are requirements of most insurance companies when leaving your house for more than a couple days during the heating season. Some thermostats & smart home systems allow you to monitor the temperature of your house from your cell phone.

  1. Backup heating system

If you live in a rural area, sometimes the power can go out for an extended timeframe before it gets fixed. In the rural areas, your heat is usually limited to electric, oil, or propane; and most furnaces run on electricity so unless you have a backup generator, your furnace will not run without power. Therefore, many people install a wood stove, fireplace or some type of auxiliary heat in their house as a backup for these scenarios. If you decide to install a wood burning appliance, please contact your insurance broker beforehand to see how this will affect your insurance. If you have an old fireplace you haven’t used in while, make sure you have it cleaned properly before you fire it up.

  1. Power Outages

As already mentioned, power outages can directly affect the heating in your house. There are other areas it can affect, such as keeping your fridge and deep freezers running (in winter this shouldn’t be a problem), keeping your block heaters going in your vehicles that are plugged in outside, etc.  In rural areas again, there are other important areas such as the watering bowls for your cattle, or septic tank systems for your sewer that relies on power to pump out the tank which will prevent a sewer backup. It might be worth looking into a power source such as a generator or something that would backup your power for these types of situations.

When everything runs great, we never have to worry about any of these things. However, these extreme temperatures can cause a ton of problems. We need to be prepared for them. We live in Canada and we should know that -10’C is a dream temperature. We live in reality and the temperatures can change drastically overnight. All the more reason to hire your neighbour to check on your house and fly to Mexico. 🙂

Christmas Lights, Thieves, Tips and Safety – What you need to know this holiday season

This time of year is full of events, gatherings, food, family and friends. You are running from the mall, to the next turkey dinner, to work, back home and then to another get-together. This season is packed with shopping, decorating and christmas events. It is exciting and busy, and some people love it, while others don’t, but regardless, there are things you will do, or need to do, and we want to make sure you have your bases covered. 

First of all, the decorations. Some people go all “Griswold-like,” and decorate like mad men. Others don’t, but they will put up a tree and a few lights. Either way, it is important to take some precautions before you start.

  • Do not overload your power circuits / breakers and remember to use 3-wire ground extension cords outside. Contact an electrician if you are unsure about your capacity.
  • Inspect the lights beforehand, not only so you know they’ll work, but to make sure there aren’t any damaged bulbs or wires showing that could cause potential shocks, sparks or fires.
  • If you can, use LED lights as they burn cooler, which will help reduce the chance of overheating and causing a fire.
  • Never leave your tree on when you leave the house.
  • If you are using a real tree, make sure you keep it watered, so it doesn’t dry up.

Next concern, why don’t thieves ever seem to take time off around Christmas? In fact, it seems like they are more busy this time of year. Naturally, it is because people fill their houses with toys and gadgets all in one convenient place – under their tree. Many shop in large quantities, so if you leave your vehicle, you are leaving many new possessions inside of it. Some tips to avoid potential issues include:

  • Don’t leave a message on your voicemail that you are “Gone to a wedding in Jamaica, be back in 2 weeks.” This is an easy opportunity for burglars to access your house while you’re away.
  • Leaving a key in the flower pot or under the doormat. This isn’t the burglars first rodeo and they likely have some experience checking these convenient places.
  • Make sure your windows and doors are locked while you are away.
  • Installing a security system is always a good way to deter unwanted traffic. This also benefits you by giving you a discount on your home insurance.

Lastly, here are some shopping tips for you:

  • Be careful when you purchase gifts online from stores you are unfamiliar with. Quickly do a google search to check out some reviews beforehand. Check your credit card to make sure you have fraud protection.
  • Buying gifts when the prices have dropped significantly. This can result in fake items, or the sale of much older models that they have had for many years.
  • Keep your wallet and purses well protected while walking in crowded stores and malls.
  • Park your vehicle in a busy, well lit location so your belongings are safe in your vehicle while you continue to shop. Make sure you keep your purchases out of sight.

Some insurance information for you:

  • Most home insurance policies include identity theft coverage, so if your wallet or purse goes missing and this becomes an issue – check your policy to see if you have this coverage to protect yourself.
  • Theft coverage on belongings, again, most home insurance policies will include theft of your belongings, check to make sure your policy has this coverage. Some items, like jewellery have a cap on the value of coverage when it results from theft, so if you have high-end jewellery or lots of it, make sure you talk to your broker about making sure it is properly protected.
  • If you have a copy of your policy, you can check your coverage by matching your policy coverage in your companies wording booklet. We have them available on our website for your convenience.

We want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, full of love, joy and laughter; and a Happy New year.

Keep your family safe while driving during the busy holidays

During the holiday season, it seems as if everything speeds up. Mundane tasks like getting groceries, filling up your vehicle with gas, trying to find that perfect throw pillow at Urban Barn. Okay, maybe that last one was just me, nevertheless, the stores and traffic gets a little chaotic during this time of year.

When we travel during this time, we need to make sure we are prepared for the types of scenarios that can occur. Accidents may occur without any fault of our own and cannot be avoided completely. However, there are things we can do to make sure we practice safe driving to avoid as many as possible.

Weather
We live in Canada, so we should know by now that weather patterns change frequently and without warning. We can have -35 degrees and a blizzard, one day, and then the next day can be -2 and raining.  

How do we prepare for this? Well the main thing you can do, is go and install winter tires on your vehicle. The softer, more flexible rubber that winter tires are constructed of allow more control on cold icy roads. This flexibility is something all-season tires lose in cold conditions.

Another thing you can do is make sure all your headlights, brake lights, fog lights and signal lights are operational. During these snow storms, we need all the visibility we can get. Please make sure you can see, and that others can see you.

Distracted Driving & Impairment
Despite the penalties involved, cell phones still seem to make their way into many peoples hands while they are driving. No matter how good a driver you are, these light brights will distract you from driving and can cause a potential accident. Put the phone down or pull over if you have to use it.

The holidays are busy and there are many parties to attend. Make sure you plan for a safe drive home if you plan on drinking. You are not only putting the people in your car at risk, but innocent families on the road as well.

Proper Insurance Coverage
An insurance policy may not prevent an accident from happening, but it can sure help you if you end up having one. In Saskatchewan, your base insurance on your registration includes 200,000 liability coverage and a 700 deductible for damages to your vehicle. This is basic coverage. While it does provide coverage for most scenarios, we recommend looking into a package policy, even if it is for only additional liability coverage. Many people don’t realize that if they injure someone severely, that those people can sue for additional income if they are a high income earner. As well, if the property damage associated to the accident is greater than 200,000; you will be responsible for the additional damages. Example, you derail a train with your F350. This claim could be in the millions, and your coverage will run out at 200,000. For as little as $3 a month, please consider increasing your liability coverage. For more information please read our auto pak blog, visit our online equote page or feel free to contact us.

We want to make sure you have a safe holiday season, full of love and laughter. Please take care of yourself and your family. Hopefully some of these tips help you out and as always, if you need anything, please give us a call. We are here to serve you.

Staying healthy through the winter – easier said than done.

Welcome to that time of year, where your house becomes a living, moving, breathing Petri dish. Wherever we go, hockey rinks, Christmas concerts, basketball games or going out caroling (Do people still do that?); there are sick people that will make a point to sneeze and cough in your general direction. If they’re miserable, they want to make sure everyone else is miserable as well. Kidding! It just seems like that when we are healthy. 

So how do we stay healthy through the winter? If I had the magic formula, I would likely not be writing this blog, but would rather be making a ton of money as a doctor or naturopath. That being said, those are the people you want to talk to when it comes to preventative medicine or flu shots or things of that nature. However, here is my two cents on some natural methods.

Wash your hands

This may be something so simple that it probably gets forgotten. In case you didn’t notice, we touch everything. Door knobs, cutlery, countertops, bathrooms, our faces, etc. Germs travel around like your gypsy Aunt Catherine – “when will she ever settle down?” So it is important to wash our hands to stop the germs from spreading.

Drinking Water

We live in a society of energy drinks, coffee, beer and booster juice. These things have their place when you need a pick me up. But nothing helps replenish our body than drinking plenty of water. 6-8 glasses is what is recommended. This will help with your digestion and keep up your hydration. After all, our body is made up of 60% water, we should try and keep it up there. For men, the other 40% is hot air & gas, but who’s keeping track.

Vitamin C

This happens to be the most powerful immune boosting vitamin around. It is found in many fruits and vegetables: Oranges, broccoli, Kiwi, Red & Green Peppers, Strawberries, etc. You can also purchase some chewable vitamin c tablets in most health food stores; if you need the extra kick. Taking a good quality multi-vitamin will also contain Vitamin C alongside other supplements.

Activity

It is important to stay active. Continuing with your exercises will help you stay fit, but will help boost your immune system function, decrease your stress level and keep your weight down. It is almost like the doctor recommends it. I wish binge watching netflix with a tub of ice cream was one of the recommendations. Just once!

We take our health for granted when we feel good. So let’s try and take some steps so that we don’t have to catch that dreaded “Men’s Cold” where we are knocked out for a day (woman) or month (man). Be proactive and keep yourself healthy and strong this winter.

 

Christmas Shopping Tips: What NOT to buy for loved ones.

Well we have survived the tornado of chaos that is “Black Friday.” Hopefully everyone still has all their teeth, hair and no black eyes. Come to think of it, that might be why it’s called black friday. So what do we do with Christmas shopping, now that we have spent all our money. We have some award winning advice for you.

Winning scenario number 1 – Some of you might have been smart enough to do some of your Christmas Shopping during this pandemonium of “outrageous savings.” Thinking about this, there are likely 2 kinds of people who used this as an opportunity to: A) Spend more on your loved ones as you have saved money on the gifts you planned on buying anyways; or B) Save your money, give them the gift you were going to give and pocket the savings. #notcool. I prefer option C) Give them the gifts they wanted, and then allow them the opportunity to donate the savings to a charity of their choosing. Win. Win. Win.

Winning Scenario number 2 – Spend some time researching what your kids or partners like. There are always little subtle hints that you can pick up on and then BOOM – you blow their mind with an awesome surprise like Criss Angel on Mindfreak. (He is a famous magician in case you live under a rock like me.)

Sometimes the hints are too obvious to ignore. “If I got those pair of earrings, I would just die.” Now guys, this sentence has two meanings to it. If you buy the earrings, you will make your wife very happy and will have succeeded at life. The other meaning, refers to the fact that if she doesn’t get them; she won’t be the one dying because you’ll already be dead. So make sure you pay attention. If you blindly reply “yes dear” you better have actually heard what you agreed to.

Winning Scenario number 3 – do not buy clothes or exercise equipment for your spouse. Unless they specifically ask for something, DO NOT “go out on a limb” on this one. You will only screw it up and end up living in the doghouse well into the new year. Again, if you paid attention, you should have some idea what to get her. If you haven’t been listening, go with something of sentimental value or an event that will give you some time together. This does not mean, buying her Oilers Tickets because you love hockey and want to take her with you. Unless she is in love with Connor McDavid, this will not fly. Plan a date night at her favourite restaurant and go to a Broadway play or something that she will appreciate. Put your pride aside and do it for her.

Now what to get those in-laws. This is tough, because no matter what you get for them, it will likely be wrong. But that’s okay, just continue to try and make it as thoughtful as you can. If you can’t win, you’ve had enough and you’re at your wits end; maybe this is where you give that piece of exercise equipment.

At the end of the day, you know you friends and family better than anyone. Putting some thought and effort into finding a gift that suits them and is authentic, will speak volumes. Go the extra mile and people will notice it. Buying them a gift card from the closest gas station, does not count as “thoughtful.” So do your best, that is all you can do.