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For many, the holiday season is a time for celebration and fun with loved ones. But for others, the season can be one of the loneliest times of the year. 

We know how precious the gift of time can mean to someone during the holidays. Here are a few ways you and your family can share the spirit of the holidays with others.

Share a holiday dinner with local heroes. Many firefighters, medical specialists, and law enforcement professionals spend their holidays on the job. Bring a holiday dinner or treats to your local hospital, fire station, or police station, and share the gift of thanks with local heroes who protect and serve our community every day.

Offer comfort to those in need. Connect with local organizations in St. Louis that help to feed the hungry or provide warmth and shelter for those out in the cold. If you’re not sure where to start, spend just a little time researching the websites of local volunteer organizations like Heat Up St. Louis. Find out how and when you can help – and make it a family affair! Teaching children that the holidays are as much about giving as they are receiving is a lesson they won’t soon forget.

Make some new friends at our local retirement homes. While many of our senior citizens are included in holiday celebrations with family and friends, some spend the season without anyone. Call your local retirement home and check into the volunteer opportunities they offer for helping with crafts, special events, playing cards, or just spending time visiting.

At O’Connor Insurance, we know that giving the gift of time is sometimes the best gift of all. We hope you find time to share your time this holiday season – you’ll be glad you did!

It goes without saying that keeping yourself and your family healthy through the holiday season can be a challenge. When you combine chillier temps, housebound days, year-end deadlines, and pre-holiday preparation – not to mention kids passing around colds at school like they’re playing “Hot Potato” – you can end up spending the holidays under the covers.

No matter how many inherent seasonal risk factors you face, there are ways to prepare for and get through the season virtually unscathed. At O’Connor Insurance, we wish for you a happy and abundantly healthy holiday season, so here are a few tips to help you stay well and enjoy!

Consider ‘sticking it’ to The Flu. Flu shots seem to be available at practically every drug store or pharmacy in St. Louis. Discuss with your doctor the pros and cons of flu shots for yourself and your family. People over 65, pregnant women, and anyone with a compromised immune system should get the shot each year.

Get some zzz’s. The holiday hustle and bustle can interfere with normal sleep patterns, yet sleep is essential to health and healing. Prioritize getting enough sleep – or taking a quick nap – despite your busy schedule.

Fill the fridge. It’s easy to allow your pantry to start looking like a sweet shop as the holidays near. Take care to stock your refrigerator and cabinets with healthy snacks and ingredients for balanced meals. Think fruit, nuts, lower-calorie snacks, veggies, and lean proteins. Take extra snacks to the office so temptation won’t be in your home.

Get real. Emotional health is important, too, so be realistic about what can be expected through the season. Take stock of your stress level, and don’t feel guilty declining invitations when you need some personal time. 

Keep moving.  Despite the many holiday temptations to just relax, don’t give in to being a couch potato. Get to the gym or yoga studio, go for a walk (maybe check out the lights at the zoo or botanical garden), jump on the treadmill, or dance. The important thing is to just move!

From all of us at O’Connor Insurance to you, we wish you a happy and healthy holiday season!

The holiday season is here and that means it’s time to eat good food and join together with loved ones. For many who have families far away, this is also the time to pack up and get on the road.

If you are gearing up to travel and have pets at home, you’re probably considering their holiday options, perhaps a dog sitter, cat spa, or kennel. If you just can’t bear leaving your furry friends behind, you’re in luck!  With the following tips, you and your cuddly companions can be on your way — via car, plane or train — in safety and comfort.

• Pre-travel honesty. Before you consider making Fido your backseat driver or your wingman, consider whether he will feel safer en route or at home. Some pets simply don’t like to travel, while others are more versatile.
• Hit the rails. If you’re traveling by train, plan ahead. Make sure pets are allowed on the train and find out what rules apply. Also, ensure your pet can stay with you in the passenger compartment, versus needing to be placed in cargo.

• Comfort your four-legged friends in flight. Before you book your flight, make sure the air carrier allows pets in the cabin or if they need to ride in cargo. Research weight requirements ahead of time, and check the airline’s website for additional regulations.
• Pack their bags with care.  Pack a travel bag for your pet, just as you do for yourself and your family. Consider items like food bowls, leashes, treats and favorite toys, as well as immunization records and identification tags.
• Put the pedal to the metal. If you have a choice, travel by car. This way you can stop as frequently as necessary for potty stops and feedings.
• Avoid accidents. Regardless of your mode of travel, be cognizant of the duration of your journey. Gauge how much your pet eats and drinks according to the length of the trip. If you’re traveling by train, find out in advance if there are stops when you and your pet can get out and get relief.

At O’Connor Insurance, we hope you and your pets have a comfortable, safe journey wherever you travel for the holidays.

If there’s anything more satisfying than melting into the couch following a multi-course Thanksgiving dinner complete with all the fixings, it has to be shopping for the best deals of the season the day after.

Hitting the shops on Black Friday has become a ritual that is as all-American as watching fireworks on the Fourth of July. And why wouldn’t it be, considering what a win-win it is for customers and retailers alike? 

Over the years, however, Black Friday has evolved. Stores that used to open at 6 a.m. now open at midnight, and Cyber Monday has entered the picture, offering bargain prices online the Monday following Black Friday. All of this means that getting the best deals now requires a bit of strategy. 

We want you to get the best deals for your holiday shopping, so here are a few pointers for maximizing your experience.

• Be willing to forego the shut-eye. It’s a fact: stores open early. Accept that you will not get eight hours of sleep Thursday night (and remind yourself that your wallet will thank you).
• Do your research. Go online before the holiday and note who has deals on what and when. Remember to factor in your opportunities for Cyber Monday.
• Pick your favorites. You probably won’t have time or energy to go everywhere, so narrow your shopping store list down to focus only on your favorite stores or those that are offering sales on exactly what you’re looking for.

• Create an itinerary. Before you go, make a list of stores in order of priority based on times they open and items you want to snap up.  Then, map it so you know your route.

We wish you a very productive and enjoyable Black Friday!

Finally, we’re welcoming fall, that eagerly anticipated season when we get to enjoy cooler temps, colorful leaves, the start of school and, of course, football season!

While we may not have a professional team anymore, high school and college game days are just as exciting as ever. We want your football season to be both exciting and safe, so as you cheer your team to victory, consider the following tips.

• Keep it clean: Tailgating is one of America’s favorite pastimes! If you’re tailgating, opt for non-breakable, recyclable containers. This will make cleanup easier and help avoid injuries resulting from broken glass.

• Be smart: Whether you are tailgating, hosting a football-watching party at your house in St. Louis, sitting in the stands at Mizzou, or joining your buddies at the local bar, know your limit on alcohol intake and make sure you have a designated driver.
• Know where you’re going: Pre-plan travel to and from the stadium to avoid getting lost and to make finding parking easier if you drive.
• Fill those bellies: Whenever alcohol is consumed, make sure food is too!
• Be weather wise: If you’re heading to the stadium, be sure to prepare for the weather. In colder temps, bring layers and blankets (especially if you’re bringing the little ones along).  Also, avoid umbrellas if you find yourself in a lightning storm.
• Keep it close: Whether you’re hitting the live game or the local tavern, be sure to keep your valuables, such as wallets, mobile phones and purses, safe.  Also, keep it close to you (better yet, attached) at all times to avoid theft.

Wherever and however you’re watching the game this weekend, we hope you enjoy every last minute.  Go team!

Game day insurance tips

Here are a few pointers for making sure your insurance provides an additional safety net on game day:

• Make sure you have adequate auto coverage to cover any contents that may be stolen in the unfortunate event of a break-in at the stadium parking lot.
• Ensure you have sufficient liability coverage on your homeowner’s policy, as well as medical payments coverage and possibly umbrella coverage. These exist to protect you in the event someone becomes injured while at your house.
• Consider roadside assistance coverage. In the event your vehicle breaks down or you lock your keys in your car, it can save the day.

Home improvement: It’s a never-ending process for many people, and for those of us who aren’t necessarily handy, it can be a hassle, too.

But there are plenty of simple maintenance tasks and other improvements you can handle to make your home safer – whether you’re handy or not. And you won’t have to break out the power tools (or any tools at all in some instances) or worry about getting in over your head.

Water Works
You need running water in your home – but not water running in your home, if you know what we mean. Even minor leaks can cause major problems, from higher water bills to damage requiring costly repairs (maybe even the kind you can’t tackle yourself). Here are some easy ways to make sure your water stays where it should:

• Check your appliances. They’re the most common source of water leaks in homes, so it’s worth taking a look at least once a year to check for problems. And the hoses that come with your washer and dishwasher can mean big trouble – they break down over time. Look for kinks and cracks, and replace if needed. Consider using reinforced hoses, too; those with steel braiding or mesh won’t hold up forever, but they’re stronger than rubber or plastic.
• Watch the pressure. Water pressure that is set too high can cause pipes, hoses and water lines to leak or burst. Inexpensive gauges are available at home-improvement stores to test your pressure.
• Consider installing water sensors. These can alert you to a leak or other problem soon after it occurs – some can even send messages to your smartphone.

Keep Your Family (and Your Guests) On Their Feet
Millions of Americans – many of them older adults – are injured in falls each year. About 2.5 million were hurt in 2013 alone, according to the National Safety Council and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Look around your home. Should you make some of these fixes?

• Reduce clutter. Everything from small pieces of furniture to area rugs can pose a hazard, so make sure they’re in appropriate places and out of the way if possible.
• Add stability to stairs. Make sure stairways have sturdy rails, and maybe even non-slip strips, particularly outdoors.
• Let there be light. It’s hard to walk safely when you can’t see obstacles or potential trouble spots. Make sure your home is well-lit, and don’t forget night lights, too.

Give Everyone Some Air
Pollution isn’t just an outside thing – the air in your home can be unhealthy, too. But helping people breathe a little easier isn’t hard when you follow these steps:

• Test the air (and your detectors). Make sure you have working carbon-monoxide and smoke detectors and test them regularly. Also, consider testing your home for radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can be dangerous over time.
• Check your filters and ducts. Keeping your furnace filter and air ducts clean will keep your air cleaner as well. And consider adding some of nature’s air filters: plants.
• Keep your home clean. Dust doesn’t just build up on the furniture – it ends up in the air as well. Regular cleaning means cleaner air (just be sure to use safe products).

Home improvement doesn’t have to mean a kitchen remodel or finishing the basement. Making your home safer, in fact, just might be the best improvement of all.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

Fall is a (arguably) the best time of year — if your home is ready for it.

Yes, this is the time of year to fix small problems before they become big, and big ones before they become catastrophic. Here are 10 tips to help:

1. Look up. Examine your roof closely. Remove moss, clear debris from your gutters and downspouts, and repair any damage.
2. Look down. Check for signs of animals and insects around your home and garage, including in the basement and crawlspace. Bring in a professional to get rid of unwanted guests.
3. Keep things warm. Heat escapes through leaks around windows and doors, so seal up any drafty areas. Outside, put covers over faucets before temperatures drop.
4. Keep things dry. Drain outdoor hoses, faucets and irrigation systems. Look in the basement and crawlspace for wet spots. And, make sure your water heater or boiler isn’t leaking.
5. Clear the air (or vents and filters, at least). When’s the last time you checked your dryer vent? You should take a look at attic vents and exhaust ducts, as well. And, change that furnace filter!
6. Take a walk. Cracks in your driveway or walkways will only get bigger, so get them fixed soon. If your deck has signs of wear, make repairs now.
7. Get a tune-up. You or a professional should clean and tune your furnace, boiler and/or water heater, as well as your oven and range.
8. Don’t play with fire. Before building your first fireplace fire of the season, check for soot or creosote build-up.
9. Don’t play with fire extinguishers, either. But, check them to ensure they still have pressure. Don’t have fire extinguishers? Put them on your shopping list, ideally one for each floor.
10. Don’t forget those smoke and carbon-monoxide detectors. Replace batteries when needed, and test regularly that alarms are working.

Keeping your home insurance policy in tip-top condition is smart, too. Remember to check in with us at least once a year to update your policy so you’re covered for your new remodel, additions or personal possessions. For the rest of September we are focusing on home improvement and renovations, so stay tuned for more.

When getting your fire pits and places all ready for fall s’mores and bonfires, consider the following landscaping tips to keep your property fire safe. While there’s no such thing as a “fire-proof” plant, you can make your property safer while still maintaining its appeal. Here’s how:

• Within 30 feet of your home, less is more.
  In the event of a fire, firefighters need room to work, so space plants widely, and choose low-growing ones. Keep your grass mowed low, and don’t use mulches that burn easily, such as pine bark.
• Be choosey about your plants.
  According to the California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection, plants that contain a lot of moisture and aren’t resinous are good choices for a fire-wise landscape. As a bonus, many of these will also be drought-resistant. Although the options in your area may vary, here are some general recommendations:
  • Plants: Rockrose, aloe and iceplant
  • Shrubs: Sumac, cotoneaster, currant, hedging roses and bush honeysuckles
  • Trees: Hardwoods, such as maple, poplar and cherry
• Not everything has to be natural.
  Gravel and rock features, such as stone pathways, can help slow fires. And, colorful garden art and containers can help you add visual appeal.
• Plant at the right time.
  This varies depending on your region, but typically you want to avoid extreme temperatures on either end of the thermometer. Your local county extension service or nursery can help with options that work well in your area.

Remember, how and where you plant is more important than what you plant. So, try to imagine a fire on your property (we know it’s a rather unpleasant thought). Is there natural fuel that would make it worse? Could it easily spread from the ground to your trees to your roof?

If you’re unsure or if the answers indicate your property has a high fire risk, consider making some changes.

Of course, we’re here to keep your homeowners insurance up to date in case anything were to happen. Please call us any time to check on your coverage. We’re here for you.

 

By now, your kids are probably deep in the thick of summer laziness – they are bored of the pool, tired of the park, and everyone is feeling a little antsy. Unfortunately, that’s when accidents can happen. It’s never a bad time to review these basic safety tips with your little ones:

Those tips, of course, are:

• Walk with a buddy
• Stay in well-lit areas
• Never accept a ride with strangers
• Once home, lock the door and don’t let anyone in

However, Dr. Michele Borba, author of The Big Book of Parenting Solutions, urges you not to overestimate your kids’ safety smarts. Kids under 10, for example, may not grasp the concept of crossing a street safely, she says.

She suggests teaching them: “Stop. Left. Right. Left.” Meaning that children should, “stop at the curb, look left, right, then left again before crossing, and keep looking as they cross.”

Another thing kids need to know, says Borba, is how to ask for help. Have kids practice saying, “I need help,” out loud and instruct them to “find a uniformed employee, a police officer or a woman, preferably with a child,” when they need assistance, she says.

Once home, kids will likely use the Internet, so be sure to discuss digital safety too.

Staying Safe Online

Internet safety advocate Sue Scheff, author of Wit’s End and Google Bomb, says that, “we need to put parental controls/security measures on computers and cell phones. Unfortunately, these aren’t guarantees, so having a cyber-smart child is your best defense.” 

Teach kids about the dangers of sharing personal information, such as their home address and phone number, online. And about using social media responsibly.

While online, it’s best for kids – and adults – to converse and connect only with people they truly know and trust, to keep their social accounts private and to still be cautious even then. After all, photos and information that go online today will still be there years later, when kids apply for college scholarships and jobs.

Above all, stay involved in your kids’ digital lives. Let them know you’re there for them, always – to talk, not to judge or punish, says Scheff. “Many kids fear having their Internet removed if they tell their parents they are being bullied online,” she says.

So keep the lines of communication open to help keep everyone safe, both in and outside of your home.

Thank you to all who participated in our annual Shred-A-Thon at O’Connor Insurance. The rainy days we’ve been having gave us a break, and we were able to have a wonderfully sunny event with over 100 of our insured customers.

We are fortunate to have the best staff in the business, who helped serve frozen drinks, beer and wine, and, of course, the famous Charlotte’s Rib BBQ. The Ballwin restaurant provided us with their impeccable barbecue, delectable sides, and even dessert.

After all was said and done, we shredded around 5,000 pounds of unwanted paper! We hope you’ll join our team next year for what is becoming a beloved tradition at O’Connor Insurance. For now, enjoy some photos from this memorable day.