How to: Keeping Your Car Clean from Coronavirus

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Cleaning car to prevent spread of Coronavirus

The statistic we’re going to share with you is going to change how you view the inside of your car.

According to a study conducted by CarRentals.com, steering wheels are “Six times dirtier than an average cell phone screen, four times dirtier than a public toilet seat and two times dirtier than public elevator buttons.”

Anyone else ready to clean their car and steering wheel after reading that?

We are.

Considering COVID-19, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you keep your car clean and reduce germs from Coronavirus.

Please share this with your family, friends, team, and coworkers.

Keep Your Hands Clean

We’re going to sound like a broken record saying the same thing everyone else is telling you: wash your hands!

Keeping your hands clean will help you to minimize the spread of germs in your car. Make sure your passengers keep their hands clean frequently too.

Keep hand sanitizer and wipes in your car, so you can clean your hands in between trips in and out of your car.

For instance, you don’t want to go inside a grocery store, touch items in the store, and then spread these germs right onto your steering wheel or door handle and other parts of your car.

Click here to see tips from the CDC for tips on proper hand washing and sanitizing.

Clean These Germ-Prone Areas of Your Car

Everything you frequently touch in your car should be cleaned often to reduce the spread of germs and Coronavirus.

Essentially, everything should be cleaned and wiped down, but here are some of the top areas of your car that you should clean daily and regularly:

  • Steering wheel (remember that statistic?)
  • Gear shift
  • Door handles
  • Knobs for wiper blades and turn signals
  • Radio knobs
  • Heat and cooling knobs
  • Seatbelts and latches
  • Armrests inside and out
  • Glove department
  • Cupholders
  • Car keys
  • Children’s seats and seatbelts

Just remember to be careful how you clean your car because certain products may not be suitable for fabric or leather as we’ll mention below.

Keep Cleaners in Your Car

Keep hand sanitizer and leather/fabric EPA approved cleaners in your car.

Avoid using products that are harmful for leather surfaces such as bleach and hydrogen peroxide.

Consider using a mild soap and water solution to clean your car in cases where you don’t have car cleaning products. Don’t forget to invest in a bottle of leather conditioner to keep your leather surface in good shape after cleaning it.

And be sure to keep clean gloves in your car, so you can have them while you clean. If you haven’t been able to find gloves, you may be able to find a box or two at your nearest auto parts store.

Keep Following CDC and State Recommended Guidelines

It’s a little difficult to keep your distance from others while in a car. Try to limit the number of people riding in a vehicle with you to keep the spread of germs at bay.

If you have a job that requires you to have others in your vehicle or company vehicle, you’ll want to take extra care in keeping your vehicle clean as often as possible.

Keep washing your hands. Keep sanitizing. And whatever you do, don’t stop cleaning. We will weather this pandemic together.

We hope this blog finds you well. Please continue to be safe and healthy as we mitigate COVID-19.

 

ISO Sprinkler Inspection: What You Need to Know

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sprinkler valves outside building for ISO Inspection

Are you prepared for an ISO inspection, especially those which include the evaluation of your company’s sprinkler system?

It’s okay if you feel a little unprepared.

And in case your answer to that question is yes, we have the perfect set of tips for you.

Courtesy of our partners at Cincinnati Insurance, here are documents and tips you’ll need to get ready for your ISO inspection:

  1. Name Plate with a Hydraulic Design: You’ll need a placard with the design criteria for each area that is secured to the applicable risers based on the company who installed the system.
  2. Blueprints with the System Design: Your sprinkler blueprints should include information on the underground piping for your sprinkler system. The information or details should be given based on the size and type of underground piping that was used to supply the sprinkler system. The plans should also indicate where the water flow test was used in the sprinkler calculations that was conducted.
  3. Material and Test Certificate from the Contractor for Aboveground Piping: Be sure to contact your sprinkler contractor and request that they provide the Test Certificate for Aboveground Hydrostatic Testing. Keep the original documentation on file.
  4. Material and Test Certificate from the Contractor for Underground Piping: Be sure to contact your sprinkler contractor and request that they provide the Test Certificate for Underground Flushing. Keep the original documentation on file.
  5. Get Verification of the 2” Main Drain Test: There should be documentation attached to the riser to indicate the results of the last main drain test. Make sure this drain and alarm test is conducted and completed at least annually. Remember to keep other inspection and test documentation in a dedicated file as well.
  6. Obtain: As-built Drawings of the Contractor’s Installation.
  7. Obtain: The Contractor’s Hydraulic Calculations.
  8. Have Your Alarm Monitoring Certificate on Hand: Check to see if you have a document from the company that monitors the sprinkler system alarm. This document describes what type of alarm is installed, who monitors it, and whether the sprinkler system is UL certified.
  9. Get Verification Showing the Alarm is Wired to a Locked, Dedicated Circuit: Contact your contractor and request that they verify your sprinkler system alarm is wired to a dedicated circuit. This circuit should be locked so that it cannot be inadvertently or intentionally turned off.
  10. Get Cooking System Fire Suppression System Certificate: Make sure your installation contractor provides you with a document that shows the system was installed and approved by the local authority.

Additional Tips and Info to Keep in Mind

Please note that supply of spare sprinkler heads that are readily available. See the list of supply spare sprinkler heads to the number of sprinkler heads in the system below:

Number of Spare Sprinkler Heads to Number of Sprinkler Heads in the System:

  • 6 spare sprinkler heads for 300 sprinkler heads or under
  • 12 spare sprinkler heads for 300 to 1000 sprinkler heads
  • 24 spare sprinkler heads for over 1000 sprinkler heads

*Note: NFPA 13 requires a minimum of 2 sprinklers for each type and a separate wrench for each type.

Don’t Forget

We’ll conclude with these final tips.

Be sure your sprinkler system has fire department connections that are capped & accessible.

Make sure your risers are accessible and that there aren’t any combustibles or flammable items stored near it.

Finally, double check that your gauges are readable.

And there you have it.

If you have any additional preparation questions and concerns regarding your inspection, feel free to reach out to us and we’ll be glad to help!

Copyright [icon name=”copyright” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] ISO Services, Inc.

Frequently Asked Questions about Michigan’s Auto Reform Law

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closeup of white car in driveway for auto reform concept

Michigan’s new auto reform law is now in effect.

Understanding the new changes can be confusing, but don’t worry.

An independent insurance agent is your best option for handling auto reform. That’s why you can trust us with your auto reform needs.

We’ll work with you to help ensure you get the coverage you need.

Courtesy of our partners at Hanover Insurance Group, here are some frequently asked questions regarding the new auto reform and answers to those questions:

What Is Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage?

Personal Injury Protection is coverage for injuries you and other passengers in your vehicle sustained due to a car accident.

This coverage covers medical bills and lost wages for you and your passengers from injuries sustained in the accident. The cost of PIP coverage varies based on the coverage limit you selected when you started your policy. 99% of all PIP claims are covered with a $500,000 limit.

What Is Bodily Injury (BI) Coverage?

Bodily Injury Coverage is a liability coverage that helps pay for the injuries a driver and/or passenger received in an accident in which you were at fault. Just so you know, your BI coverage limit must meet the new state required minimum of $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident.

What Is the New Michigan Auto Insurance Law?

Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed Senate Bill 1 into law to help lower the cost of auto insurance for Michigan drivers.

This new auto reform law now allows you to pick your coverage limits for your PIP and your BI portions of your policy.

Before the new law, the PIP coverage limit had to be unlimited. Now, you can completely opt out of PIP coverage or choose a different coverage limit if you wanted to.

According to Michigan.gov, “The new auto insurance law will allow you to choose a level of PIP medical coverage. Insurance companies are required to reduce the premium for this coverage so that there will be an average reduction per vehicle based on the level of coverage chosen.”

For BI coverage, the minimum limits will increase from $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident to $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident, with a default minimum of $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident.

Will My Auto Insurance Rates Change with Michigan’s No-fault Reform?

Your savings and rate will depend on the coverage limits and options that you choose.

However, per Senate Bill 1, “An insurer shall not establish or maintain rates or rating classifications for automobile insurance based on any of the following: sex, marital status, home ownership, education level attained, occupation, the postal zone in which the insured resides and credit score.”

Senate Bill 1 is aimed towards reducing PIP premium costs based on the coverage you select, starting at a 10 % savings.

Also, policies with unlimited PIP coverage will see a 55 % reduction in Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association (MCCA) fees, from $220 to $100 per vehicle. You will only be charged this fee if you choose to keep your unlimited PIP coverage.

If you choose to lower your PIP limits, you may avoid the fee altogether.

Senate Bill 1 also requires insurance carriers to increase bodily injury minimum limits from $20,000 per person/$40,000 per accident to $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident.

BI coverage will default to $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident under the new law. However, you can choose lower coverage limits by completing a selection form.

Still Have Questions?

If you’re still unsure about how the new auto reform law will affect your policy and rate, please reach out to us and we’ll be glad to help even if we aren’t your insurance agent.

To check out additional resources regarding the new auto reform, check out the links below.

https://www.michigan.gov/autoinsurance/0,9555,7-405-96601—,00.html

https://www.michigan.gov/autoinsurance