Bergen County Fire Safety For Homeowners

Bergen County Homeowners Fire Safety Tips | Bergen County NJ Homeowners Insurance

Bergen County Homeowners Fire Safety Tips

Fire safety in Bergen County is important for everyone to practice. It is also a very important element of any Bergen County homeowners insurance policy that homeowners must be sure provides them adequate coverage.  Bogle Agency Insurance will make sure that you have all the right coverage for your home, and also provide Bergen County Homeowners fire safety tips to help keep your family and your investment safe.

From installing smoke detectors to annual chimney sweeps and everything in between, knowing your home is safe and prepared for a fire is essential.  If you have any doubts about how prepared your home is in the event of a fire you can consult your local Bergen County insurance agent or your fire department.

Fire safety tips include:

  • having a working fire extinguisher in every floor in your home.
  • installing smoke detectors on every floor
  • monthly testing of fire alarms
  • installing an alarm system that notifies the fire department if tripped
  • creating a fire escape plan and talk about it with your family on a consistent basis
  • cleaning lint away from clothes dryers
  • keeping things away from light bulbs
  • not overloading your outlets

We honestly could provide a seemingly endless list of fire safety tips, but many of them come down to common sense. The most important thing is to be aware and alert.  Never assume your home is clear of obstacles. Take some time to look around your home each month to make sure it is free of fire hazards.

Homeowners insurance in Bergen County is necessary to cover unforeseen accidents, incidents, damage, and catastrophes.  However, following Bergen County Homeowners fire safety tips will significantly reduce your risk of a house fire.  Knowing your home is as safe and protected as possible is a key element of healthy living.

 Click here for an extensive list of fire safety tips from the National Fire Protection Association.

Contact our team at Bogle Insurance today to learn more about homeowners insurance and Bergen County Homeowners fire safety tips.  Our full service Bergen County insurance agency can help you with all of your coverage needs, including homeowners insurance, auto insurance, and business insurance.  Let us serve as your guide to insurance in Lyndhurst NJ and throughout Bergen County.

NJ Small Businesses Need Cyber Liability Insurance

NJ Cyber Liability Insurance | Bergen County NJ Business Insurance 

NJ Cyber Liability Insurance

By now it is doubtful there is anyone, especially anyone in business that is not aware of the threats business face to online security breaches. Companies as large as Amazon, Spotify and Netflix have all been hacked recently, and for small businesses the danger is not any less. In fact, hackers look at small business as a prime target due to their generally lower security standards and the ability for hackers to get into systems using your personal devices! That is why small businesses in Bergen County and beyond need NJ cyber liability insurance.

Bogle Agency Insurance Provides Cyber Liability Insurance in NJ

Cyber insurance is a very important and highly overlooked protection for small businesses. In addition to antivirus, antispyware and firewall protection, cyber insurance will cover you when these just are not good enough protection. A general business liability policy will not help you recoup losses or legal fees that come from a data breach. You need separate coverage to protect yourself and your business from these damages.

It is easy to assume that these types of policies are only necessary for large companies. However many insurance carriers now offer tailor-made cyber coverage for small businesses, offering them the protection they need that fits their budget.

There are different coverage levels to each type of policy and this includes cyber liability insurance. There are first party policies that will cover general costs of a breach that include legal expense, PR campaigns to help recover, business interruption and costs of notifying customers. Third party coverage will protect you if you are at the center of the breach and sensitive information has been stolen from you directly. Third party coverage will cover fees if you are sued.

Talk to us at Bogle Agency Insurance today to talk about cyber liability insurance and all of your business insurance and personal insurance needs in NJ. We have been in business for nearly 100 years and have always stayed up to date with the needs of our customers. We have seen the need for cyber liability insurance grow dramatically the last few years. Don’t wait until it’s too late!

While the need for cyber liability Insurance can’t be understated, there are steps you can take on your own to avoid cyber security breaches.

Remember these tip to keep your business safe online in NJ

  • Keep antivirus software up to date.
  • Educate your employees.
  • Set company security policies.
  • Prepare an incident response plan.

NJ Small Business Winter Safety Tips

Winter Safety Tips For NJ Small Business |Bergen County Business Insurance

Winter Safety Tips For NJ Small BusinessFor small business owners, winter weather can be extremely stressful. From the worry that the weather will cause a loss in income, to figuring out how to remain open while keeping both employees and customers safe, it can be overwhelming. Not to mention keeping the building itself from damage and heavy wear. These NJ Small Business Winter Safety Tips can help you prepare a solid plan and limit the stress.

Small Businesses Must Plan for Snow Maintenance In NJ

Put someone on your staff in charge of preparing for winter weather. This includes monitoring the weather and alerting staff the forecast.  You can also have this person arrange signage for your entry ways and parking lots alerting customers to be ware of ice, etc if this is applicable. Have them make sure you are fully stocked with shovels, salt, snowblowers, etc to make sure you are ready when the weather hits.  This person should also develop a plan to contact employees to advise them of the plans for the weather, ie. closed for the day, or a delayed opening. You and your staff should also develop a plan for who clears walkways and parking lots, etc.

When Snow Maintenance is to be Done by Contractors make sure you conform ahead of time that they will be taking care of your sow removal and have a guaranteed written contract. Also make sure you have a back up plan in the event something goes wrong. 

More NJ Small Business Winter Safety Tips

Prepare Entry Areas

It is a very good idea to place “walk-off” mats at entries during periods of rain or snow. Make sure to check the condition of the mats,  ensuring that the edges are flat and do not create a tripping hazard. Also be sure to keep tiled surfaces dry and place wet floor signs in all applicable areas.

Prepare Sidewalks

Determine ahead of time who is responsible for clearing the sidewalks. It will likely be you, not your town so you must make sure that you have a designated staff member n charge of doing this task, or your snow removal contractor includes sidewalks in their services. Snow covered sidewalks are a major liability!

Clear Snow

Make sure all of the following areas applicable to your business are clear of snow and ice.

  • Hydrants
  • Control Valves and Hose Houses
  • Sidewalks, Ramps and Entryways
  • Driveways
  • Roads
  • Heating and Ventilation Equipment and Ducts
  • Roofs
  • Overhangs
  • Canopies

Snow Placement

When snow is being removed, it needs to be placed somewhere else. This place will have to be on your property. You will need to determine the best placement for this snow that is safe during freeze and thaw temperatures.

Snow placement should always be away from:

  • Main Entry and Walkways .
  • Away from Hydrants, Fire Department Connections and Outside Sprinkler Control Valves.
  • Where it will not drain onto the parking lot, street or sidewalk and re-freeze.

In Bergen County and throughout New Jersey, we can always be sure to expect winter weather and need to be prepared as business owners. Neglecting these NJ Small Business Winter Safety Tips can leave you open to liabilities no small business owner ever wants to face.

Bergen County insurance
Bogle Agency Insurance, your Bergen County insurance agency of choice

Tips for Winter Driving

Tips for Winter Driving In NJ

Tips for Winter Driving In New Jersey | Bogle Agency InsuranceWith winter weather quickly approaching New Jersey, it is important to remember that just because the roads look clear, it does not mean they are 100% safe and can be driven on as you do normally. With the risk of ice, especially black ice, and extra narrow lanes it’s important to be extra alert and prepared for anything. Make sure you follow these tips for winter driving so you and everyone around you can stay safe.

See and Be Seen

Always make sure that you can see clearly and be seen clearly by other drivers. It is very important that you clean all the snow off of your car before you hit the road. This includes your windshield, all windows, outside mirrors, reflectors and lights. This will ensure that you will be able to be seen, and will prevent snow from flying off your car and blinding other drivers. In addition to clean, snow free lights also make sure you use the correct lights. Never drive with your parking lights as opposed to headlights in bad weather, or at dusk. Parking lights can cause other drivers t think you are much further away than you actually are.

Know The Road Conditions

Get the feel of the road before you get too far from home. Try out your brakes and see how slippery the road feels. Adjust your speed accordingly and remember the road conditions change along with the temperatures. Once You are out in traffic increase the distance you normally keep between yourself and cars ahead of you. DO NOT TAILGATE! The heavier your vehicle, the more space you will need to come to a stop. No matter the weight of your car, play it safe and stay several car lengths behind the driver in front of you.

Use Your Brakes The Right Way

Brake ahead of curves, not while you are already in one. Every vehicle is sensitive to over-braking and over-steering on curves. You may not know what is around the bend. Instead of possibly needing to slam on the brakes, just take it nice and slow around curves. In other words, minimize your risk.

If you need to slow down further, or stop completely,what you need to do next depends on the type of brakes you have. If you are equipped with anti-lock brakes then put your foot firmly on the brake and let the ABS system pump your brakes for you while you concentrate on steering. If you don’t have ABS then you will need to pump your brakes. This will help to keep the wheels from locking up, causing you to slide.

Be Prepared

Always be prepared. Check the forecast before you leave and the traffic reports. Give yourself more time than you need to get somewhere so you do not have to rush at all. Always keep the following items on hand in case of emergency.

  • A charged cell phone
  • A working flashlight
  • A shovel
  • An ice scraper
  • Blankets
  • Any critical medications and water/food.

If you get stuck, stay with your car and run it only as much as necessary to stay warm. Be sure that the tailpipe of the car is cleared of snow, or you risk carbon monoxide poisoning. Finally place a bright marker on your antenna so you can bee seen.

It is important to remember these tips for winter driving to help keep yourself and everyone on the road safe this winter. If everyone following these safety tips, we can really minimize the risk of being out there.