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Saturday 28 December 2019

Christmas Fire

If you have a real Christmas tree, please consider the safety of everyone and remember to water it regularly.



Dried Christmas trees spark over 150 fires each year and endanger you, your family and neighbours, as well as the firefighters who respond to the blaze. With an annual average of 14 deaths and approximately $17 million in property damage, this should be considered a serious issue.


Set a calendar reminder on your smart phone to schedule regular watering, and consider these facts as a good point for the argument to switch to an artificial Christmas tree!  

Wednesday 25 December 2019

♫ Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells ♫

Wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas, but adding in some unusual facts about the occasion just to put my own quirky twist on things! haha


So, you think that "dashing through the snow, in a one horse open sleigh" is the quintissential Christmas song, but did you know it was originally written for Thanksgiving?

James Lord Pierpont wrote the tune back in 1857, as a tribute to the (famous at the time) Medford Sleigh Races held on or near to U.S. Thanksgiving. Some say that the song was for Pierpont's Sunday School class but the fact that it was actually written in a tavern and that the sleigh races were the olde day version of "drag races", it's more likely that it was a "drinking song". 

What about love and romance associated with this time of year?

Two of the world's most romantic and loving occasions, Valentine's Day and Christmas, are also the two dates that see the most breakups leading in to or out of the occasion. In the case of Valentines Day, many breakups occur two weeks after, but for Christmas it's the two weeks before the day that see many couples call it quits!

Nothing says Christmas like Kentucky Ducky!

Yes, back in 1947 the U.S. based food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken tried to appease tourists and ex-pats living in Japan with a "holiday meal" of  their secret recipe fast food. The idea caught on with the locals and has been a tradition in Japan ever since. Even odder, since most Japanese are not Christians and don't actually celebrate Christmas.

Battle With The Pagans!

I've written about this sort of thing on numerous occasions and think Christmas is another example of cultural appropriation by "the Church" . If one is to believe in the birth of Christ as told by the Bible, it is most likely that it occurred in Spring. However, the Pagan ritual of Saturnalia was a merrymaking and gift giving festival typically held in December, and circumventing it was a great way for the Christian movement to take over the occasion and push the Pagans aside.

Saturday 21 December 2019

Xmas

Yes, there are many who dislike the term "Xmas" instead of using Christmas, stating it's an abomination but the facts of the matter are quite different.



Using the term Xmas is no slag against Christianity or the occasion of Christmas, as some people are want to proclaim. Rather than being what some think is a secular way of taking the "Christ" out of Christmas or being some hipster abbreviation of the term, it has roots in history which revolve around language.

In ancient Greek,  the first letter in the word Christ is X, as pronounced Chi. In 1100 A.D., Chrstianity was spelled as Xianity. It is recorded that as far back as 1550, the celebration of Christmas was actually called Xtemmas, eventually changed to Xmas.

So to all you picky Christians out there...Merry Xmas! haha




Wednesday 18 December 2019

The New "Star Wars" Movie Is Here!

Yes, the new Star Wars movie "The Rise Of Skywalker" is out in cinemas this Christmas and I couldn't help but share this meme from the internet. haha!


Saturday 14 December 2019

CHRISTMAS PARCELS AND THE MAIL

Just about everyone sends or receives a parcel or package in the mail annually, either from a postal worker or a courier service, and it's pretty obvious that the busiest time of the year is the month or two leading up to Christmas!



Check Out These Fun And Interesting Parcel And Mail Delivery Facts

  • Canada Post delivers approximately 40 million parcels per year, with 25% of those being in the months of November and December. That equates to approximately 167,000 parcels per day.

  • December 14 is probably the biggest delivery date for Canada Post and they estimate they'll handle approximately 3,400 parcels per minute that day.

  • As for other mail, Canada Post in Calgary will probably handle about 1 million pieces of mail per day in November and December, requiring an additional 3000 extra employees and 1000 extra vehicles. No doubt that with that much volume there will be overtime involved!

  • In 2018 the U.S Postal Service delivered an estimated 850 million packages and an addition 15 billion pieces of mail between the dates of Thanksgiving and New Year's Day.

  • The Postal Service in Canada and the U.S. aren't the only ones who handle deliveries and courier companies like UPS and Fed Ex each ship approximately 800 million packages during the peak delivery season in November and December.

  • Interesting side note...15% of all online purchases will be returned to retailers, 

Wednesday 11 December 2019

Unhappy Or Happy?

Here's something I read about happiness that is definitely worth a share. There was no author's name attached but despite the fact that it wasn't written by me, it was tweaked a little to make it an easier read.


With a new year fast approaching and the usual trend of people making resolutions and wanting to improve their lives, perhaps a good first step is thinking about happiness in general. 

One way to consider this part of your life might be to look at what you may be doing that sets you up for unhappiness.


Unhappy Habits


When people are unhappy, it’s much more difficult to be around them, let alone work with them. Unhappiness drives people away, creating a vicious cycle that holds you back from achieving everything that you’re capable of.

Unhappiness can catch you by surprise. So much of your happiness is determined by your habits (in thought and deed) that you have to monitor them closely to make certain that they don’t drag you down into the abyss.


Some habits lead to unhappiness more than others do and you need to watch yourself carefully to make certain that those habits are not your own.

Ten Habits That May Lead To Unhappiness


1) Waiting for the future.

Telling yourself, “I’ll be happy when …” is one of the easiest unhappy habits to fall into. How you end the statement doesn’t really matter (it might be a promotion, more pay, or a new relationship) because it puts too much emphasis on circumstances, and improved circumstances don’t lead to happiness. Don’t spend your time waiting for something that’s proven to have no effect on your mood. Instead focus on being happy right now, in the present moment, because there’s no guarantee of the future.


2) Spending too much time and effort acquiring “things.” 

People living in extreme poverty experience a significant increase in happiness when their financial circumstances improve, but it drops off quickly after reaching a “living” annual income. There’s an ocean of research that shows that material things don’t make you happy. When you make a habit of chasing things, you are likely to become unhappy because, beyond the disappointment you experience once you get them, you discover that you’ve gained them at the expense of the real things that can make you happy, such as friends, family, and hobbies.

3) Staying home.

When you feel unhappy, it’s tempting to avoid other people. This is a huge mistake as socializing, even when you don’t enjoy it, is great for your mood. We all have those days when we just want to pull the covers over our heads and refuse to talk to anybody, but understand that the moment this becomes a tendency, it destroys your mood. Recognize when unhappiness is making you antisocial, force yourself to get out there and mingle, and you’ll notice the difference right away.

4) Seeing yourself as a victim. 

Unhappy people tend to operate from the default position that life is both hard and out of their control. In other words, “Life is out to get me, and there’s nothing I can do about it.” The problem with that philosophy is that it fosters a feeling of helplessness, and people who feel helpless aren’t likely to take action to make things better. While everyone is certainly entitled to feel down every once in a while, it’s important to recognize when you’re letting this affect your outlook on life. You’re not the only person that bad things happen to, and you do have control over your future as long as you’re willing to take action.

5) Pessimism. 

Nothing fuels unhappiness quite like pessimism. The problem with a pessimistic attitude, beyond it being hard on your mood, is that it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy: if you expect bad things, you’re more likely to get bad things. Pessimistic thoughts are hard to shake off until you recognize how illogical they are. Force yourself to look at the facts, and you’ll see that things are not nearly as bad as they seem.

6) Complaining.

Complaining itself is troubling as well as the attitude that precedes it. Complaining is a self-reinforcing behavior. By constantly talking—and therefore thinking—about how bad things are, you reaffirm your negative beliefs. While talking about what bothers you can help you feel better, there’s a fine line between complaining being therapeutic and it fueling unhappiness. Beyond making you unhappy, complaining drives other people away.

7) Blowing things out of proportion. 

Bad things happen to everybody. The difference is that happy people see them for what they are—a temporary bummer—whereas unhappy people see anything negative as further evidence that life is out to get them. A happy person is upset if they have a fender bender on the way to work, but they keep things in perspective: “What a hassle, but at least it wasn’t more serious.” An unhappy person, on the other hand, uses it as proof that the day, the week, the month, maybe even their whole life, is doomed.


8) Sweeping problems under the rug. 

Happy people are accountable for their actions. When they make a mistake, they own it.
Unhappy people, on the other hand, find problems and mistakes to be threatening, so they try to hide them. Problems tend to get bigger when they’re ignored. The more you don’t do anything about a problem, the more it starts to feel as though you can’t do anything about it, and then you’re right back to feeling like a victim.

9) Not improving. 

Because unhappy people are pessimists and feel a lack of control over their lives, they tend to sit back and wait for life to happen to them. Instead of setting goals, learning, and improving themselves, they just keep plodding along, and then they wonder why things never change.

10) Trying to keep up with the Joneses. 

Jealousy and envy are incompatible with happiness, so if you’re constantly comparing yourself with others, it’s time to stop. In one study, most subjects said that they’d be okay with making less money, but only if everybody else did too. Be wary of this kind of thinking as it won’t make you happy and, more often than not, has the opposite effect.

Bringing It All Together

Changing your habits in the name of greater happiness is one of the best things that you can do for yourself. But it’s also important for another reason—taking control of your happiness makes everyone around you happier too.


Wednesday 4 December 2019

Why Are My Insurance Rates Rising?

I work in the insurance industry here in Alberta and one of the most asked questions these days is "why are my insurance rates rising?"



Certainly, premiums are on the rise, and have been for heading upward for awhile. If you've read any of my previous posts like "Rising Insurance Premiums Partly Caused By Fraud" or "Rising Insurance Premiums Partly Caused By Distracted Driving" you'll know that there are many contributing factors to those rate increases. Still, people will questions why they, as good drivers with no claims, are still getting dinged?

To answer that, we need to go back to the foundation of how insurance works.

We all know that insurance is provides a guarantee of compensation for specified loss or damage, or death, in return for payment of a premium. What people forget is that insurance companies collect the premium payments and pool them, which is then used to pay for losses of the few who make claims in that annual time period.

That "pool" concept is the key to the puzzle, since it doesn't matter if you are a good driver or not if everyone else is getting into accidents, making serious claims, and requiring serious repairs to their vehicles. Everybody pays into the pool to cover the losses of a few but if those few become many and the pool of money runs out, rates will rise!

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 4 Reasons That Accident Costs Are Rising


  1. Computerised Cars
    Most vehicles on the road rely on fairly advanced computer systems and damage to this technology is costly to fix.

  2. Safety Features
    Yes, they help prevent accidents but when a vehicle with those sensors and other special devices gets into an accident, the cost of repairs is greatly compounded.

  3. Windshields
    Just like those fancy safety features in vehicles, windshields are no longer just pieces of glass and have increasingly complex technology built into them that cost more to replace, not to mention the need to recalibrate the vehicle's computer system.

  4. Higher Medical Costs
    The damage done in an accident doesn't just occur to a vehicle and people get hurt, requiring medical attention that is getting more costly each year that passes.
Hopefully you used the links and read the related posts on this site that were connected, but you can also check out some on our BlueCircle insurance blog page to help you understand some of the other factors involved in these rate increases.  

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5 Factors Which Also Contribute To Rising Insurance Costs

  1. Distracted Driving
    Sadly, this is now the leading cause of accidents and deaths, surpassing even driving under the influence.

  2. Weather Related Events
    As mentioned in the related blog post links, hail, flooding, wildfires and other damages relating to extreme weather has caused catastrophic losses.

  3. Fraud
    Not just unscrupulous vehicle owners are defrauding the insurance companies, but theft by service providers are also running rampant, including those in the medical profession, towing industry and auto repair and body shop business.

  4. Theft
    One in 250 vehicles gets stolen every year in Alberta, some of it even facilitated by careless owners who leave vehicles running with the keys inside.

  5. Where You Live
    Yes, certain areas in the province or in a city or town have higher rates of thefts, accidents or vandalism and where you reside is a factor in rating your premiums. 


Wednesday 27 November 2019

You're A Winner!

Here's an interesting take on winning "the lottery"



Imagine that you had won the following *PRIZE* in a contest, whereby each morning your bank would deposit $86,400 in your private account for your use. 


Here are the rules:

1. Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.

2. You can only spend it and may not simply transfer money into some other account.

3. Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with another $86,400 for that day.

4. The bank can end the game at any time, without warning, and close the account permanently.

So, what would you do? Without a doubt, you'd buy anything and everything you wanted right and not only for yourself, but for all the people you love and for whom you care. You'd probably have so much money that you'd even spend it on people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself. Knowing it will be replenished the next morning, you would try to spend each and every penny.

So, you may be surprised to find out that this game is real, with each one of us already a winner of the PRIZE!


As you may have surmised by the image, the prize we get daily is time!


1. Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life.

2. And, just like the rules say,  when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is not credited to us.

3. What we haven't used up that day is forever lost.

4. Yesterday is forever gone.

5. Each morning the account is refilled, but the ‘bank’ can close your ‘account’ at any time without warning and you won’t get a new one.

SO, what will YOU do with your prize of 86,400 seconds?

Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars. Think about it and remember to enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.

Take care of yourself, be happy, love deeply and enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful and beautiful day of spending!!!
 




Wednesday 20 November 2019

Grain Bin And Silo Homes : Similar, But Not Quite!

After doing several posts featuring silo homes and grain bin homes, here's one about a water tower conversion in Steenokkerzeel, Belgium, originally built near the beginning of WWII and suppying water to surrounding villages up until it was decommissioned in 1990.

Fortunately, the water tower, now referred to as "Chateau d'Eau" ( Water House), was designated as a monument at that time and subsequently preserved. Since then, interior architect Mauro Brigham worked some magic and helped convert the tower into a beautiful home. 

Here's some photos, borrowed from the internet, to show you what the home looks like inside and out.

Funky interior

Cool that they kept some of the old plumbing apparatus!

Lots of natural light, coming in from all sides.

Would you guess you were inside an 'old" water tower?

Stairs on the exterior wall.

Evening lights

Amazing what people with creative minds and time can accomplish! 


Wednesday 2 October 2019

Motorcycling In The Snow

Sometimes you have no choice but to ride in the snow or you get caught in a squal of some sort, sometimes you head out there on purpose to do a bit of snow riding or racing, but whatever the scenario, it does make for some interesting images.

Here's a dozen snapshots of riding in the snow..... 

A unseasonal snow squall perhaps, but thankfully the roads are fairly clear

The Ural motorcycle with sidecar ( and a reverse gear) probably fares well in snowy conditions

Expect some spills when adventure riding, especially in snow. 

Old school bikers had to endure the snow too

There are a series a snowbike racing under the mantle of NASBA

Sometimes the temperature is hovering around zero, making for a wet and slippery mix

Did i already mention that some people like to go for a ride in the snow

Based on the ski poles strapped to the back of the bike, this person knew exactly what to expect.

This shot is of some riders motorcycling through the Himilayas

Wearing shorts while riding is probably not the best idea, let alone in the snow.

This shot was from a ride in Alberta, where you can sometimes get snow at anytime of the year


When in mountainous regions, expect snow to happen

Saturday 28 September 2019

October: Celebration and Caution

October has the distinction of being a celebration of one specific activity while warning about the dire consequences of another, the latter directly affecting the business of the former and requiring education and extreme caution.


Cyber crime" is such a prevalent activity that we now have the distinction of an entire month dedicated to raising awareness about the issue and educating people on how to avoid becoming the victim of this unscrupulous act.


And October is Small Business Month, a time to celebrate the people whose entrepreneurial spirits make very important contributions to our communities. Of course, if there was anyone who needed to be extremely aware and cautious about cyber risk, it would be that very group of people, as small businesses often do not have the resources to mitigate all risks, nor deal with cyber attacks when they happen. There are plenty of steps that one can take and education will go a long way in adding a layer of protection.

What are the types of cyber crimes that exist and what pro-active measures can a person or business take to lessen the chances of becoming a victim?

I've done several posts on this very topic, including "How Serious Is The Scourge Of Cyber Crime Becoming?", "This Means (Cyber) War", and "Cyber Security For The Kids And Teens". Still, many people are unaware of just how many types of cyber crime exist, the names and terminology that relate to them, or proactive steps and protocols needed to stop them from falling prey to cyber criminals.


Here are 5 common types of cyber crime of which to be aware, and a few tips on ways to avoid becoming an easy mark.

  • Phishing: a fraudulent attempt, typically by e-mail, to steal your personal information or get you to participate in some activity that sees the transfer of money to the perpetrators.
    • Watch for generic greetings, forged links contained in the e-mail, requests for any personal information, and other unusual requests that typically come with some sense of urgency or emergency.
  • Malware: also known as malicious software, are programs or files that are harmful to a computer user and can include computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses and spyware.
    • Always check domains of log-in pages to confirm accounts and ensure security by implementing updates frequently and storing passwords in locations such as password managers.
  • Scams: a deceptive or fraudulent act that has a special offer or deal for the targeted victim, like the "too good to be true" scenario.
    • Just like the saying, "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably isn't" and you should be immediately suspicious.
  • Identity Theft: criminals take personal information about a person and use it to set up credit cards in your name or hack into your bank accounts and steal your money.
    • Be very careful about what personal information you share on social media or other websites, and do not send any of this type of information in e-mails, as they can be intercepted by savvy criminals.
  • Ransomware: just as it sounds, cyber criminals take control of websites and demand ransom payments to have them released.
    • Use the same precautions as you would in Phishing protection, plus back up your data regularly and have a data recovery plan. 
Did you know that you can get various degrees of insurance coverage to protect you and your business from cyber crime. Check out the offerings at BlueCircle and speak to one of their knowledgeable brokers.

For more detailed information on cyber crimes and proactive ways to protect yourself, use the handy search bar on the main page of this blog and type in "cyber crime.

As well, check out the BlueCircle blog page for our post about this topic.

Wednesday 25 September 2019

Autumnal Equinox

Fall has arrived, this past monday, Sept 23, but do you know why this season exists and occurs when it does, and that the reason for the season is actually scientific, since the Earth rotates on a tilted axis that sees different effects on daylight during it's orbit. 

Since the earth spins on a tilted axis of approx 23.5°, as it orbits the sun the surface faces different angles to the sun at different times of the year. In Canada we are fairly familiar with the longest day of the year, a.k.a. the Summer Solstice. Hard not to notice daylight hours that start as early as 4:30 a.m. ( in my home of Calgary, Alberta) and run through as late as 11:30 p.m. Go further north and it gets even longer, with the extreme being the sun not even dipping below the horizon. 

Conversely, in our northern hemisphere, we all know and dislike the opposite, that being the shortest day of the year, a.k.a. the Winter Solstice occuring on December 21st. In Calgary, that means the sun comes up at around 8:30 a.m. and goes down around 4:30 p.m.. Of course, in both cases, there is a slow buildup to these solstices, so you get a lot of days with either a lot of sunshine, or very little, and no-one particularly likes the latter. haha.


e·qui·nox
/ˈekwəˌnäks,ˈēkwəˌnäks/
noun
  1. the time or date (twice each year) at which the sun crosses the celestial equator, when day and night are of equal length 

So how about some balance? Enter the Equinox, when the sun sits on the plane of the earth's equator. As shown in the diagrams, the tilt of the earths' axis sees dramatic swings in daylight hours for the Summer and Winter Solstices but there are two points of time each year where the sun is directly atop the equator, meaning a balance between the hours of day and night, and a balance between the temperatures in the northern and southern hemispheres, relatively speaking. In the southern hemisphere at this time of year, they would be experiencing the Spring Equinox and we would experience our version in March. 

The Equinox occurs when the Earth's orbit takes it to the point where the sun crosses the Celestial Equator, an imaginary line that runs above the Earth's equator. At this juncture, there are an equal number of hours in the day and night (12 hours), so the Latin word Equinox literally means equal (equi) night (nox).

From here on in, we begin to see shorter and shorter daylight hours until we reach the Winter Solstice, which is the least amount of sunlight in our northern hemisphere. Maybe this is another reason for the ominous sounding phrase "Winter is coming!". 



Saturday 21 September 2019

Silo Sweet Silo Pt.2

Here's another post which is part of a series that started with "Silo Sweet Silo", showing how some creative people have turned the old standard grain silo into a comfortable and cosy home.


There's a cool bed and breakfast place in Oregon that is part of an 82 acre working farm, including winery. Abbey Road Farms turned three silos into a unique, luxury accommodation for guests at their acreage. Another example of how to beautifully blend a building into it's surroundings!
The grand entrance

Looks inviting

Sweet sleeping space

The farm and vineyards in the area

Another look at the sleeping quarters

Beautiful and inviting 








Thursday 19 September 2019

Who's At Fault?

Any time there's an auto accident, there is quite often an immediate reaction to find fault and ascertain who is ultimately responsible for the injuries and damages suffered in the collision.


Nobody wants to be guilty of causing an accident and it must be human nature to deny wrongdoing or assign blame elsewhere, whether it is true or not. Accidents are, well...accidental, and anything else might be considered attempted murder perhaps.If there is an accident, the involved parties are likely going to think it was the fault of "the other guy"!

Of course, the first course of action after an accident should always be attendance to those who are injured, and calling for the police, ambulance, or other emergency services. You may even be injured yourself and need medical attention, so all other concerns should be secondary.

Fault will inevitably be assigned by the police during the initial investigation. Sometimes this is fairly simple and straight forward, especially in minor fender benders. Other times, the investigation takes a long time and may involve traffic accident reconstruction experts, especially if there are serious injuries or a fatality. And, even should the police assign fault, legal action could change that should a judge determine guilt different to that of the initial investigation.

Naturally, accidents and injuries are the reason why we have insurance, as even the costs associated with a minor fender bender can add up quickly. And just consider how an individual would fare should they face the financial consequences of a serious injury or death. Assigning fault is an enivitability and the guilty party will responsible for costs associated with the accident. Sometimes this cost is indirect, as claims for "at fault accidents" are a determining factor for insurance premiums.


As for that assigning of fault and how it may not be clear as to who is guilty, consider a rear end accident scenario where there is often an assumption that the fault automatically lies with the driver of the vehicle who runs into the back of the car in front. But hang on a second! Did that car in front pull out of a side street or parking stall and not give the other vehicle any chance to avoid the accident? Or did they change lanes and cut in front of the other vehicle without allowing for a proper following distance, then slamming on their brakes and getting rear-ended? Suddenly things are not so cut and dry!

So, what's the point of all this talk about fault? It was meant to bring up a couple of points, one being that we all have a duty to drive in such a way that we prevent accidents. Defensive driving is meant to prevent accidents due to the action or inaction of other drivers, regardless of who's at fault. Regardless of fault and regardless of which vehicle operators or passengers are injured and/or killed, no-one wants to be part of that horrible scenario. Even the mental health implications can be difficult to deal with, like PTSD!

Secondly, think of the other costs associated with an accident. Car repairs, damage to property, emergency services response, hospital bills, physiotherapy. Yes, it may all be covered by insurance and our national health care system, but we, as consumers, are the ones paying for it with our taxes or our premiums and inevitably the cost will trickle down.

The government has been critisized for raising taxes and lately the same can be said for the insurance industry in raising their rates. In the case of the latter,  as with any business they are there to make a profit and when that stops happening, rates will rise. If you think of the underlying cause of profit loss being accidents and injury claims, suffice to say that if we all took a bit more care and avoided these scenarios altogether, those rates will stabalize.


Ultimately, we all want to get to where we're going safely and in good time, and need to watch out for one another, avoiding the devestating cost of accidents. Drive safe...drive defensively!

Wednesday 4 September 2019

To Tell The Truth

There are many reasons why people don't tell the truth and when it comes to the insurance industry, there's a perception that by not admitting or omitting certain facts a person may save some money on their premium.

Yes, people sometimes lie to us when they think it may save them a few dollars on the cost of their insurance. One of the more common "untruths" is typically the commuting distances for auto insurance, as people do understand that the longer your commute, the more daily risk exposure you face and subsequently will see higher rates.

What most people don't remember is that insurance is based on the principal of good faith, and not telling the truth, also known as "non-disclosure", is grounds for a claim to be denied should the offending party be involved in an accident or incident!




The Most Misrepresented Facts When It Comes To Insurance!

  • Dangerous Dog Breeds: considering the fact that some animals have a bigger bite which could be more injurious or even deadly.

  • Home Use: If you rent out your home, including AirBnB, if you are not living in the home at all, or you are away for extended periods without someone checking in on a regular basis as outlined by the insurer, your home is at a higher risk and may need additional coverage.

  • Wood Stove Or Fireplace: As you can imagine, either of these features use wood for fuel and are an added risk for fire.

  • Renos: If your home is under construction your insurer needs to know, or if you have repairs that are needed, you must get the work done.

  • Pools: The risks in having a pool are very high, which is why there are so many regulations regarding fencing and gates and other such safety requirements, but which are also factors that affect your insurance premiums.

  • Trampolines: Another dangerous item to have on your premises and one which attracts children, just like the pool. Anytime a child is at risk for injury or death, there are much stricter rules and regulations, and proper insurance coverage is a necessity.

The reality is that honesty is the best policy, so make sure your insurer knows what's going on with your home to ensure you're properly covered and can avoid the chances of having a claim denied should a tragedy occur.










Saturday 31 August 2019

Silo Sweet Silo

Living in and around the prairies, seeing a silo is an every day experience and it's quite common to see multiple units, large and small, together on the same farm.


Given the normalcy to have a silo on one's property, how easy would it be to have one on your farm as a home? Of course, I'm talking about a nicely retro-fitted version of a silo, as was done in Utah with "Monte-Silo".

Check out these great photos of this custom designed and built silo home and I'm sure you'll agree that it would blend in seamlessly with it's surroundings when placed on a rural acreage.