Avoid Holiday Season Distractions Behind the Wheel

‘Tis the season of multitasking: Mixing the cookie batter with one hand while trying to address holiday cards and wrap presents with the other.  While the holiday season is the most wonderful time of the year, it can also be the most stressful.

Drivers are faced with the added distractions of holiday music, traffic jams, and congested mall parking lots and other shopping areas with pedestrians and moving vehicles. With so many things to do, and so little time to do it, it’s no wonder why we try to multitask while driving.

Allstate has conducted extensive research, which has found that eliminating distractions in the car can help drivers avoid accidents and ultimately save lives. Texting, talking on the phone, changing the radio, eating, putting on makeup and joking around with friends all increase the odds of a crash.

Can you imagine if everyone invited these distractions in during the holidays? Multitask a little less, and keep the roads safer.

Don’t let distractions ruin your holiday spirit this season. Here at Allstate we encourage you to practice caution behind the wheel. We know accidents happen, but that shouldn’t get you down.

Here are some good driver safety tips from Allstate:

·                     Keep your eyes on the road.

·                     Be aware of your surroundings at all times.

·                     Do not eat while driving

·                     Do not apply cosmetics or groom if you are behind the wheel.

·                     Pull over if you feel drowsy.

For more information on these or any other safety tips, please contact me at 516-799-6900, 845-229-6109 or via email at robertzabbia@allstate.com.

Wishing you a very Happy & Healthy Thanksgiving

George

Washington's

1789 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me to "recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A.D. 1789.

G. Washington (his actual signature)

Thank you to all of our Veterans

The United States of America is the beacon of freedom to the world.  It is because of the dedication and sacrifice of our Veterans and their families.  A friend passed on this list to me, and I wanted to share it with you so you can share it with any Veterans you know.  Please pass it on.

Restaurants

Abuelo’s Mexican Food - Abuelo’s offerings vary by region, be sure to call ahead to see what the discounts or freebies are included.

Applebees - All veterans and active duty military eat free from a limited menu at Applebee’s on Veterans Day.

Chili’s — Veterans and active duty dine for free from a special limited six item menu on Veterans Day.

Golden Corral — Golden Corral Restaurants’ Military Appreciation Monday free dinner will be available on November 15, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Military retirees, veterans, active duty, National Guard and Reserves are all welcome.

Hooters — All Veterans and active duty eat free. The free entrees must be selected from a special Veterans Day menu.

Krispy Kreme – All active-duty, retirees & veterans get a free doughnut on Veterans Day. Be sure to call ahead to verify your local Krispy Kreme is par-ticipating.

McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants — Participating McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurants offer a complimentary entree to vets from a special menu on a space available basis, online reservations are highly recommended.

Outback Steakhouse — Veterans and active-duty military get a complimen-tary Bloomin’ Onion and non-alcoholic beverage on Veterans Day.

UNO Chicago Grill — UNO is offering a Buy One Get One free offer to Service members or Veterans with a military or veteran I.D. or in uniform or with a photo of themselves in uniform. The Veterans Day BOGO offer includes a free entree or individual pizza, with the purchase of an entree or pizza of equal or greater value.

Texas Roadhouse – Free meal from opening until 4pm. on Veterans Day. Call ahead to your local restaurant for more information.

T.G.I. Friday’s – Veterans and Service members Buy one get one free from Nov 11–14. Contact your nearest location for more details on their Veterans Day BOGO offer.

Retail

The Dollar General — Veterans, Service members (Active, Guard, and Reserve), and their immediate families will receive a 10-percent discount with a Veterans Day coupon. The coupon may be found in store circular ads or by asking a sales associate.

Home Depot — Offers a 10 percent discount to all Veterans during Veterans Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day.

Lowe’s — All veterans receive the 10-percent discount on Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July. The offer is available in stores only and is limited to in-stock and special-order purchases of up to $5,000.

Sam’s Club — Sam’s give away 36,000 collapsible Hugo Canes on Veterans Day to military veterans in need of mobility assistance. Sam’s Club will require membership for this offer, but proof of service may be necessary.

Amazon.com – Free ―Veterans Day Honor‖ MP3 album download. The album includes 12 songs by The Bands and Ensembles of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Cabela’s Outdoor Store – Offers their employee discount to all veterans, active-duty military and reserves, law enforcement, fire and EMS personnel November 11-12. Discounts vary from 5% to 50%, depending on the item.

Build-a-Bear Workshop – Members of the armed services including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Reserve Officer Training Corps, will receive a 20% discount November 11-15 on any one transaction at Build-A-Bear Workshop.

Fashion Bug – 20% off all plus-size and misses clothing purchases with a copy of military ID or spouse’s military ID.

Sports Clips Haircuts - The men’s hair salon chain is offering a free haircut to active military and veterans on Veterans Day.

Foot Locker — Veterans, Service members (Active, Guard, and Reserve), and their immediate families with a Foot Locker Veterans Advantage Card receive a 20 percent discount every day of the year. That offer is good both online and at any store location, including Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Footaction and Champs Sports — even on sale items.

It's almost time to put away your classic car!

Fall is a great time to get out and drive your classic car/hot rod.  The temparature are better for those without A/C!  For those classic car owners who live in more dramatic climates, it's almost time to put your cars to bed for the winter. We've put together some steps to help you do it right. Feel free to pass this information on to anyone who may benefit.

1. Top off your levels.

• Fill your gas tank and add a fuel preservative. The full tank keeps out moisture, and the preservative keeps the gas from breaking down. Take one last drive to circulate the preservative.
  
• Make sure your antifreeze is fresh and topped off.
• To avoid a nasty sludge in the spring, change the oil

2. Take preventative measures.

• Give your car a good wash and wax to protect the paint. Protect the chrome with wax or paint sealant.
• Over-inflate tires to avoid flat spotting, or jack up the car to take pressure off the tires.
• Put a battery manager on your car.
• To prevent rodents nesting in an engine compartment, try a rodent repellent under the hood. Just remember to remove it before starting up.
• Put down a few moisture pads on the upholstery to absorb moisture and prevent mildew.
• Cover the car with a breathable car cover to prevent corrosion and rust.
  

3. Re-circulate your oil.

• When a car sits, oil settles into the pan, leaving the engine without lubrication. Disconnect the coil wire and crank the engine

Child Passenger Safety Week

No parent would intentionally compromise the safety of his or her child. Unfortunately, when it comes to passenger safety, an innocent error can lead to tragedy.

In addition, many parents don't realize that children need the protection of a booster seat until they are at least eight years old. In NY the law is eight years old or under 100 pounds. 

With the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority's Child Passenger Safety Week being held September 18 - 24, 2011, it's the perfect time to think about having your child safety seat inspected. As part of Child Passenger Safety Week, the NHTSA is culminating the week with National Seat Check Saturday on September 24, 2011.

Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death and injury among children under eight in the United Sates. Despite very high levels of safety seat ownership and virtually universal access to safety belts, adults still take chances with children and do not use these safety systems on every ride. Such inconsistency has led to tragic outcomes, with adults confessing, "I didn't think it could happen to my child."

Irene Caused Widespread Flooding, here is what to do

If you need to file an insurance claim following floods and you have a policy through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), in many cases you can contact your private insurance company, such as Allstate Insurance Company, to help you begin the claims process.  Our clients can call us, and we will get you in touch with a flood adjuster.
Allstate policyholders who have purchased NFIP policies can file a claim by calling 800-54-STORM or by logging on to www.allstate.com or by contacting their local Allstate agent.
 
Here are some tips for starting your flood insurance claim: 

1. Gather all relevant policy information and numbers.
2. Call your insurance agent or company and make sure to mention that your damage is flood specific and you need to file a NFIP claim so your claim is processed appropriately.
3. Make sure your agent and claims adjuster know how to contact you. If you are in a shelter and not easily reached, provide the name of a designated relative or point-of-contact who can reach you. 
4. Remove water damaged items from the home as soon as possible. 
5. Take lots of photos. Take photos of any water in the house and damaged personal property. Your adjuster will need evidence of the damage and damaged items (i.e. cut swatches from carpeting, curtains, chairs) to prepare your estimate. 
6. Inventory your home for damaged or lost items before your adjuster arrives. This will help facilitate your claim process.

Obtaining a flood insurance policy is easy.

  

Since a flood policy does not take effect until 30 days after purchase, we encourage residents to consider their home's risk for flooding and call us well before the waters rise.  You never know when a storm will strike, and 30 days is a long time to wait, so act now, before it is too. late.  Flood insurance can be as low as $10 a day to protect your home.  That is a small price to pay, considering that flood claims cost tens of thousands of dollars. 

Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene has New York in her sites, so you need to be prepared for her before she hits.  Here are some important steps to take:


How to help protect yourself and your family in advance of a storm:

• Conduct a home inventory recording each of your possessions. It’s also helpful to keep track of model numbers and stores where items were purchased. Store your inventory, including photos and videos, in a safe place away from your home.

• Develop an evacuation plan that includes identification of safe areas, escape routes, meeting locations and plans for pets.

• Prepare an Emergency Supply Kit including a three-day supply of water, non-perishable food, radio and batteries, flashlight and first-aid kit.

• Remove any diseased and damaged limbs from trees to keep them from blowing around during a storm and causing property or automobile damage.

• Tie down any lawn furniture and toys that can become projectiles and damage your home, pool or cars.

• Purchase materials such as ¾-inch plywood that can be used to reinforce your windows, doors and garage doors. Install anchors and pre-drill holes for the plywood so you can install them quickly in the event of a storm.

• Install head and foot bolts in doors for extra protection.

Minimize your losses:

• Review your home insurance policy and coverage limits with an agent. Know what you are and are not covered for in the event of a hurricane.

• Find out if you have comprehensive auto coverage for damage to your car caused by falling objects or flood.

• Gather important documents such as insurance policies, birth certificates and identification. Make sure to place them in a waterproof container.

• Make sure you and your family are safe during and after the storm.

• Take steps to minimize further damage after a storm. Only use licensed professionals to take care of any damage.

Good Luck, and let's hope that Irene passes out to sea.  For more information, please visit my site: http://www.zabbiaagency.com/