Mike Arnold Insurance Agency

Grateful for our wonderful clients! From Mike Arnold Agency, happy Thanksgiving.

How To Prep For Thanksgiving Dinner You want to do all you can in order to get ready for Thanksgiving. You may be doing a lot of cooking and baking. Family and friends may be heading your way for the holiday as well. A little bit of planning can go a long way to make sure that everything remains safe. The National Fire Protection Agency identifies Thanksgiving as one of the top holidays where home fires occur. It doesn’t matter whether you are a homeowner or a renter. You want to make sure that you are doing everything as safe as possible. You may be cooking the turkey and lots of different side dishes. This may require working on a significant amount of things at once, and there may be a lot of people crowding around trying to help you. Focusing on organization is critical. There are a lot of safety tips that you can follow in order to prevent fires. One of the most important is to stay in the kitchen at all times when you are cooking on the stove top. This will allow you to keep an eye on food and ensure that nothing is boiling over or burning. If there are children around, be sure that they are at least 3 feet away from the stove area turn handles in so that they cannot bump into them. Coffee, gravy, and steam from vegetables can cause serious burns, and kids need to be educated about this. You also want to make sure that they keep toys out of the kitchen so that you don’t trip over them. Electrical cords need to be managed in the kitchen as well. You may have various kitchen electronics including mixers, coffee makers, plate warmers, and more. Ensure that the cords are tucked on the backside of the counter instead of dangling over where kids or pets could pull them down. You also want to make sure that you test your smoke alarms prior to doing any kind of cooking on Thanksgiving. There is a test button that you can push. If it doesn’t work, you will want to replace the batteries. Before you get into the holidays where you are going to be doing a lot of cooking and entertaining, you will want to take a good look at your renters or homeowners insurance. It may need to be updated so that you have sufficient coverage in the event that something happens.

Getting Fired up For Thanksgiving: Holiday Safety Tips Ensuring worry-free holiday fun needn’t be tiresome, but understanding Thanksgiving safety is vital for safe, happy memories. When gearing up for the holidays, remember the following tips; they’ll add some spice to holiday events while keeping your household, friends, and family safe: Stay in the Kitchen. It may sound boring, but Thanksgiving is one of the nation’s leading days for household fires. Remove objects that are nearby stovetops and make sure all mail, bills, paperwork, and other flammable objects are far from heated areas. Keep the Kitchen Floor Clean. We care about your safety, and sometimes dangerous situations arise from little-suspected places. Keeping the floor clean promotes healthy living while guaranteeing maneuverability within the household. Check the Smoke Alarms. Before guests arrive, give the household a good old-fashioned smoke alarm inspection. Are their security lights active? Do they need new batteries? Keeping your guests safe is a holiday priority, and keeping your smoke alarms up to date, refreshed, and active ensures household protection. #Thanksgiving #CookingSafety #localbusiness #safety #virginia #insurance #virginiainsurance #independentagent #personalinsurance #centralvirginia #homeinsurance

Unfortunately, the physical office will be closed again today due to plumbing issues. Our agents are still working and available by phone or email to assist with your insurance needs. For immediate assistance, please contact us at 434-295-2692. Thank you

Unfortunately, the physical office will be closed the rest of the day due to building maintenance issues. Our agents are still working and available by phone or email to assist with your insurance needs. For immediate assistance, please contact us at 434-295-2692. Thank you

What Drivers Need to Know to Stay Protected from Deer Collisions Safe driving is a must when deer are plentiful. During the spring and fall months of the year, it is common to see more deer on the road. Deer are difficult to see when it is dark, and they often dart out in front of vehicles at the last second. The vehicle body damage caused by hitting a deer can be very costly. The likelihood of running into a deer is higher when there is water or a forested area nearby. However, deer are also common in brush and plains, so drivers everywhere should be vigilant and take steps to prevent accidents. During fall and spring, deer are much more common to see on the roads. This is due to fall breeding and plentiful food during spring months. These animals are most active around sunrise and sunset, which are both times when it is especially difficult to see well on the road. If an accident does occur because of a deer, covered drivers should contact their agents immediately. Starting a claim in a timely manner is very important. When a deer collision happens, keep the following considerations in mind: If a deer that has been hit is blocking the road and creating a hazard, call local law enforcement immediately to report it. Always keep a safe distance from a deer after hitting it. If the animal is not dead, it may attack and has very sharp hooves. In some cases, a deer collision may be unavoidable. However, many collisions happen when people are not taking all of the necessary precautions. The following tips should be remembered and practiced when driving: Always wear a safety belt, and stay alert and aware of sensible speeds based on current driving conditions. Never depend completely on deer whistles, reflectors, fences or detection devices. Always use high-beam headlights at night when there is no oncoming traffic, because these lights will hit the reflective part of a deer's eyes. Watch closely for silhouettes of deer or their reflective eyes on the roadsides. When a deer is spotted on the roadside or in the middle of the road, brake firmly but do not swerve into another lane. It is less risky to hit a deer at a slower speed than to run into another vehicle or lose control of the automobile and roll it. Keep in mind that when one deer is sighted, it is very likely there are more nearby. Do not try to navigate around a deer in the middle of the road. If possible, pull to the side of the road, put the emergency flashing lights on and wait for it to cross. While defensive driving is a good habit to practice at all times, it is especially important when deer are thick in the spring and fall. To learn more about adequate coverage or to review a policy, discuss concerns with one of our agents. #localbusiness #safety #centralvirginia #independentagent #virginia #virginiainsurance #personalinsurance #insurance #autoinsurance #safedriving #deer

Tips to Winterize Your Boat Your boat is a big investment of not only money, but time. When it's time to winterize you boat, you want to do all you can to protect it. Here's a quick review of what you should do to make sure your craft stays ship-shape during winter weather: Inboard motors: Change the oil filter, drain old oil and refill with fresh oil. Flush the engine with antifreeze and wipe down the engine with a clean towel to remove dirt and moisture. Outboard motors: Flush the engine with fresh water. Remove the fuel line and run the engine to burn fuel from the carburetor, then add stabilizer to the fuel tank. Wash and wax the outside of the engine. Clean the interior and remove valuables as well as fire extinguishers, flares, and electronics. Inspect the stern drive for leaks or damage and remove debris. In-water storage: Close seacocks and make sure bilge pumps are operational. If you moor in an area where the water freezes, use water agitators to prevent your boat from ice damage. Out-of-water storage: Pressure wash then wax the hull and remove debris from rudders and props. Open seacocks so they can drain. Make sure batteries are fully charged and turned off. Clean the terminals and add water as needed. #personalinsurance #insurance #localbusiness #virginiainsurance #independentagent #virginia #centralvirginia #safety #BoatInsurance

Tips to Maintain Your Home This Fall The costs of not preparing your home properly for fall can be high. Here are some timely maintenance tips you may find helpful: Clean Gutters. Gutters clogged with debris can lead to damage to your roof line, soffit, exterior siding and even the foundation of your home. Clearing gutters allows them to perform their job of moving water away from your home. Check the Roof. Summer wind and rains may have lifted or even peeled away some shingles. Visually inspect your roof for damaged shingles and raised areas. Repair these areas before colder temperatures arrive. Have Your Furnace Checked. This is the best time for a professional tune-up of your heating system. You also want to replace filters to help it run more efficiently. Check Your Chimney. If you didn’t have your chimney cleaned in the spring, have it done now. A build-up of creosote in your chimney can cause a destructive fire. #virginia #localbusiness #independentagent #virginiainsurance #personalinsurance #centralvirginia #insurance #homeinsurance

Cybercrime is not just perpetrated by individuals, but often by highly organized criminal teams from countries like China, Russia and North Korea. Make sure your business is protected with a cyber insurance policy from Auto-Owners Insurance. #virginia #localbusiness #AutoOwners #independentagent #virginiainsurance #centralvirginia #insurance #commercialinsurance #businessinsurance #safety #CyberInsurance

You’ve worked hard to build your business. Make sure it’s protected from the unexpected. Give us a call today to learn more about the commercial policy options available through Auto-Owners Insurance. #virginia #localbusiness #AutoOwners #independentagent #virginiainsurance #centralvirginia #insurance #commercialinsurance #businessinsurance