Victoria L. Avery: Allstate Insurance

Are you going to rent a moving truck? Typically, credit cards and most personal insurance policies do not cover damage to rental moving trucks, even if they cover damage to rental cars. That's why it's a good idea to purchase a damage waiver from the company who rents you the moving truck.... If you damage it, you'll be charged not only for the repair costs but also for the loss of income while the truck is out of service.

Keep in mind that insurance companies do NOT insure land. Yet, some lenders require it. Ask a lender if they will require you to insure the land that your home sits on before you start your loan approval process.

Communicate safety to your teen driver. Make sure they know that it takes thousands of bolts to build a car...but only one nut to destroy it. There is a reason why in driver’s training they don’t teach you how to text while driving or how to steer with your knee. ... Make sure they know that. Safety is a cheap and effective insurance policy, but, it can’t be the only one. While it may be tempting to reduce coverage limits when adding a teen driver to your auto policy to offset the costs, it's not a good idea.

Except for Arizona and Hawaii, the end of daylight-saving time for 2020 will be this Sunday at 2 a.m. Americans will push their clocks back and rejoice that they gain an hour of sleep. Well, maybe not this year.... No matter where you live, use this as one point in the year to make sure your smoke detector's batteries are working properly.

While Halloween might seem a little different this year, it will feature a spooky spectacle of skywatching with a rare second-in-the-month full moon, known as a blue moon. This 2020 Halloween full moon will also be visible to the entire world for the first time since 1944. Even cooler, right?... But, if you miss it, you'll have to wait until 2039 to see another global full moon. Here's wishing you and yours a safe Halloween!

A skimmer is a card reader that is disguised to look like part of an ATM. When you unknowingly slide your card into an ATM with a skimmer attached, it scans and stores all your information from the magnetic strip and captures your PIN from the keypad. The collected card data can be used to create a duplicate card which can then be used to make ATM cash withdrawals.... This is how a thief's ATM scanner can look. Experts advise pulling on every ATM and gas station scanner you use. If the device comes off in your hands, you'll be glad you tested it!

Why is chocolate toxic to dogs? It contains theobromine and caffeine. Both of which can speed up the heart rate of a dog's nervous system. ... As we are heading towards Halloween, here's a reminder to keep it out of reach of your four-legged friends.

Over the years, you may have heard the term 10 and 2 driving. This is regarding the position in which you should hold your hands on the steering wheel. This is typically described in terms of how your hands' placement relates to the numbers on a clock. ... But, the technique for proper hand placement on the steering wheel has changed over the years. NHTSA now recommends the placement known as 9 and 3. The 10 and 2 o’clock position is no longer recommended because it can be dangerous in vehicles with smaller steering wheels equipped with airbags.

Here's a common question. "If someone hits my vehicle while it is parked, what can I do to protect myself?" Hopefully, the person responsible left a note. Or there are security cameras or witnesses of the incident.... But if you can't locate the person who caused the damage, it's your auto policy's collision coverage, which will likely cover the loss. A deductible would apply here. And, collision coverage is optional, so if you chose not to buy it, you would have to pay for repairs out of pocket. Uninsured motorist property damage coverage could also pay for damage caused by hit-and-run drivers in states where this type of coverage is available. If your insurer locates the responsible party for the damage and recovers some or all of the repair costs, you may get a refund of your collision deductible. Side note: Only 12 percent of all reported hit-and-runs (2016 statistics) were solved, so ensuring you have the coverage to protect yourself makes sense.

Sure, dogs are considered by many as man's best friend, but that doesn't necessarily include the mailman. In one incident, when a dog bit the mailman, causing an injury... It was a renters insurance policy that paid out for his medical bills.... It's sometimes easy for people to think that they don't have enough "stuff" to justify carrying a renters policy. Yet, it can protect you from more than you might realize.

Knowing the right questions to ask will help you make informed decisions to serve your best interest in the long-term.

As urban habitats continue to merge upon rural areas, there has been an increase in deer-car collisions. There are over half a million incidents a year, with a significant number of fatalities. Experts say it's usually best to brake firm and stay in your lane if you encounter a deer while driving down the road.

Here are some interesting facts that you may not know: Supermarket apples can be a year old. Sloths can hold their breath longer than dolphins can. ... It’s impossible to hum while holding your nose. And property insurance policies don't automatically include flood insurance. Since floods ARE the most common and costly natural disaster AND 20% of the time, they occur in low-risk areas; we thought you would like to know! The good news is that there's a separate flood policy available, and we can help you put it in place! Are you ready to talk about it?