Nonprofit Spotlight: The Jonah Project

Every month we align ourselves with an organization that will overall benefit our clients, our community and our hearts. A client recently encouraged us to look into The Jonah Project as our community Partner for Refer for a Cause. Refer for a Cause is our Referral Program that have the potential to benefit you and your community. For each referral we receive, we donate $5.00 to a local non-profit. In researching this organization, our team was a unanimous “heck yes” to the partnership! Thank you to your referrals, we contributed $450 to this nonprofit!

If you are unaware of The Jonah Project, we strongly encourage you to get to know them. The Jonah Project is a local organization here in Spokane, Washington that aims to end sex slavery in Spokane and the surrounding communities by working to help young people trapped find freedom. The Jonah Project is entirely volunteer based, and they work with local agencies and use social media to reach out to victims for help and to receive aftercare.

We joined with Diana (below) who is amazing and had such a heart for this cause. She is the Jonah Project’s Fundraising Director & Volunteer Coordinator. If you are interested in partnering, donating, volunteering or more information about JP, Diana is a great resource! In talking with her, you will understand the deep compassion they have for this cause.

Through partnering with Diana & The Jonah Project we were able to also sponsor a Bunco Night with the Jonah Project and “WOW” did we have a great turn out. The night was fun, the dice was rolling, and everyone had a great time fundraising for a great organization.

The Jonah Project will be hosting an event – VOLUNTEER INFO NIGHT: Wednesday, February 21st @ 5:30 PM. If you have wanted to volunteer with The Jonah Project but didn’t know where to start, then this meeting is for you. Jennifer Thomas and Diana McMillan will be leading this informational meeting and will answer all of your questions. Learn what the volunteer opportunities are, what the next steps will be and how to get started.

For more information about The Jonah Project, Click Here

RESCUE LINE – 509-655-7886

Why UMPD Is Important

With winter driving conditions as they are this year in the Spokane area, a lot of drivers are paying more attention to what their coverage’s are on their insurance policies.  With the icy conditions, drivers are often not only worried about their own driving, but everyone driving around them as well.

At North Town Insurance, lately we have had a lot of people checking on their coverage’s, to make sure they have Uninsured/Underinsured liability coverage.  When people inquire about the uninsured motorist coverage, a common question that is asked is: “If I already have collision coverage on my vehicle….why do I need to have Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) coverage as well?”

In answering this question, it is important for our clients to understand what each of these coverage are and how they work.

Collision Coverage:

When your vehicle is damaged in an accident with another vehicle, collision insurance is an optional coverage that pays the cost of repairing or replacing your vehicle, minus your deductible…..regardless of who is at fault in the accident.  If you lease or finance your vehicle, you will be required by your lender to purchase collision coverage, but if you own your vehicle outright, it is an optional coverage.  Many drivers still opt to have this coverage in place, because if they did not have collision coverage, if they were at fault in an accident, they would not have coverage to repair or replace their vehicle.

Uninsured/Underinsured Property Damage Coverage:

UMPD is liability coverage designed to pay for damage to your vehicle, in the event a driver who does not have insurance causes an accident that damages your vehicle.  In addition to paying for damages to your vehicle, UMPD coverage may also cover damage to other personal property.  Examples of this would be your house, your fence, or personal items inside a vehicle such as a laptop or cell phone.

In understanding that collision coverage comes into play no matter who is at fault, at first it would seem that it is a redundant coverage that is not necessary if you have collision coverage on a vehicle.  But that is not the case.

Reasons to keep UMPD coverage if you have Collision coverage in place:

If you have multiple vehicles on your policy, you may have decided to only cover some of your vehicles with collision coverage.  As a liability coverage, when you have UMPD in place, it applies to all vehicles on your policy (you can’t have UMPD on some vehicles on your policy, it would be required to be on all or none).

UMPD usually carries a $250 deductible, which is much lower than typical collision deductibles of $500 or $1000.

If you use your collision coverage for a UMPD claim, it will show up on your CLUE (insurance reports) as a “collision claim” and typically will require proof that the incident was not their fault.  Or it may be rated as a “fault claim”.

UMPD covers more than just your vehicle, it also may cover personal property that is inside your vehicle.

Overall, although both UMPD and collision coverages are optional coverages, they are very important coverages that every driver should have in place in order to be properly protected in the event of an accident.  Drive safe out there in these winter conditions!

 

Assembling Your Car Emergency Kit

Fall and winter in the Spokane area is a wonderful time!  From Green Bluff pumpkins and corn mazes to the Coeur d’ Alene Christmas Tree lighting and Christmas Lights Cruise there is a ton of stuff for everyone to enjoy.

As we are heading into the Fall and Winter months, there is an increased likelihood of facing hazardous conditions while driving.  Additionally, while your car may appear to be in good shape, there is not guarantee that problems are going to arise, no matter how well you may maintain it.  While some auto issues may occur at or close to your home, the vast majority of issues you will run into will be on the road.

In light of this, it is important to be prepared for when the inevitable and have an emergency car kit.  You can purchase a number of pre-packaged emergency car kits ranging anywhere from $20 to $100 online or in stores…. but you can also save a lot of money assembling your own kit, as well as add several additional must have items.

Here are some items that are essential to any car emergency kit:

• Your cell phone and a car charger: A charged cell phone can make all the difference in an emergency. It can be the difference between life and death, and getting help right away, versus no help at all.
• First-Aid Kit: A well-stocked first aid kit is essential for a number of emergencies. It is important to make sure if your family has any special needs (i.e. life threatening allergies) that any special items are included in this kit.
• Three Reflective Warning Triangles: Most emergency kits only contain one triangle…for increased safety it is helpful to have three that are placed 50 miles apart to warn oncoming traffic of your car.
• Tire Gauge: It is important to be able to check that your tires are properly inflated, especially your spare tire. It is important to have a properly inflated spare tire for when you need it.
• Fire Extinguisher: You should have a Class B and C rated NFPA fire extinguisher in your vehicle. These ratings of extinguisher cover flammable liquids like gasoline or diesel and electrical fires as well.
• Jumper Cables: Car batteries die. Jumper cables are an essential item to your kit.  They should be at least 10 feet in length and have 8-gauge rubber covering them.  Optionally, a car battery charger is a great item to have in case there is no one around to jump your battery.
• Flashlight and extra batteries: Car’s break down at night, and as such a solid waterproof flashlight is an important item to have in your kit.
• Foam tire sealant: This is a great, cheap way to repair a flat without changing the tire.
• Duct Tape: Useful for all kinds of purposes. Having a roll of duct tape is essential.
• Tow Strap or Rope: It may be necessary that you get a tow from a friend with a truck. Having a tow rope that can handle 6,000 lbs is a must have.
• Gloves: During the winter, winter gloves or mittens are an essential item. Leather work gloves are also handy for working on your car.
• 1 quart of motor oil and 1 gallon of coolant: These essential fluids are important for your car to maintain operation and are the most likely to run low. Having these on hand can help save you in a pinch.  It is also handy to have a funnel in your car for adding these to the vehicle.
• Rags: Handy to have around to clean up fluids and check dip sticks in your engine.
• Multipurpose utility tool: This can be something like a Leatherman Tool or a Swiss Army Knife. If you have the space for a socket and wrench set, this can come in handy as well.
• Rain poncho: Even an inexpensive plastic poncho is better than nothing when fixing a tire in the rain.
• Warm blanket: During the winter or at night if you’re stranded it can get cold. Staying warm is important when away from shelter!
• Drinking water & non-perishable snacks: Having bottled water and some food with you is essential in case you are going to be stranded for a while. Protein bars are a great choice!
• Snow Shovel: Important to have with you during the winter in case you get plowed in or stuck in a snow berm.
• Cat Litter: During the winter this is great to add traction to icy surfaces to get you unstuck. It weighs significantly less than sand as well.
• Windshield ice scraper: A must have item to take care of your windshield during the winter.

In addition to having your emergency kit in the car, it is vital for you to check your spare tire kit and ensure that you have the tools you need to change a tire as well as the jack, so that you know you have what you need to change a tire.

While Fall and Winter are an exciting time with a lot to do in the Spokane area, it is important to be prepared for the unexpected and to be safe.

As a part of being prepared, don’t forget to understand everything there is to know about your auto insurance policy.  If you’d like one of our experts here at North Town Insurance to go over your current policy with you and check that you have adequate coverage at the best rates, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us for a review and a quote!

http://www.northtowninsurance.com/

 

 

 

Dogs & Insurance

This month we are so lucky to be partnering with Rescue4All! The work they do with dogs that cannot be adopted because they need medical treatment, it is inspiring. Check out Facebook for videos of these awesome success stories.

For this month we are donating to them for each referral that we receive. We are hoping to bust our goal of $200.

How does insurance come into play? Well…we now have Pet Insurance! This coverage will help cover your pet’s medical treatments and other issues. Contact us to get more information.

Cold Weather Donations

It is still cold outside! Our office is taking cold weather donations for local crises shelters. Those donations include new or used blankets, gloves, jackets, scarves, socks, hats, cocoa, soup or anything else that will keep people warm.

Cup of Cool Water is a nonprofit drop in center for youth, starting at 13 years old. They provide meals, showers, washers, haircuts, games & a safe place for kids to get out of the elements and build healthy relationships. http://www.cupofcoolwater.org/

Our hope is to give back this winter season by stocking up their donation room.

Thank you for partnering with us to help our community!

December Calendar!

For the month of December, we are encouraging Random Acts of Christmas Kindness! Our NTI Facebook page has an event that will give ideas, encouraging stories and inspiration – please join the event & make Spokane feel loved this December.

Along those lines, we hope to see you at Donut Parade sometime the week of 12/14-12/19 for a free coffee or donut. It’s the time of year that we want to say “hi” and “thank you” for helping our office be the best we can be!

November: Thanksgiving Feast Giveaway

Did you know that the 2nd Harvest Food Bank can use $1 to contribute to creating 5 meals? It’s amazing! This month we are taking food or funds donations to help our community this holiday season.

For each contribution given, we will put you in a drawing for a Thanksgiving Feast Giveaway. This giveaway will include a turkey, fresh & canned vegetables, stuffing & other items needed for a great Thanksgiving dinner!

Thank you for working hard with us to give back to Spokane.

NTI MONTH: Octo-Brew

We have been the most excited for our Octo-Brew Month!  In honor of our local brewery, wine & hard cider clients we are hosting a Brews & Bands event at the newest Brewery in Spokane – Bellwether Brewing!  There will be tastings, food, live music & much fun mingling.  The event is open to everyone…the more the merrier.

October 21 we will also be hosting a Cider Press Party at our North Division Office!  Bring your apples, jars & families and we will press our own cider!

October 24 Spokane’s Lantern Fest!  Get a discount using promo code: peak72015

October 24-25 is the Girls Day Out!  North Town is giving away a raffle at that event, so look out for it…it’ll be something good!

So much fun going on this month and we hope you join us in it all 🙂

Pet Appreciation Month!

This month we are highlighting Pet Appreciation!  Please enter to win one of two pet gift baskets.  Pass the word that for each new like on our Facebook Page, we will donate $.50 to Rescue4All!

Back-to-School Giveaway!

We are taking nominations for a back-to-school give away!  Email your entries to lisa@northtowninsurance.com