Boating Season is coming to a Wrap… Here’s some information that could help you for the upcoming season….

Winterizing Your Boat’s Motor

When the boating season ends, many folks are anxious to get their boat out of the water and get it into storage. They might do a few quick winterizing activities, such as thoroughly drying and draining the boat or cleaning the hull, but some folks neglect to take the time to winterize the boat’s motor. The fact of the matter is that your boat insurance isn’t going to cover damage that occurs to your boat’s motor during winter storage, so you need to be diligent about getting it ready for those cold temps and the long months of storage.

Here are the things you need to do in order to winterize your boat’s motor:

·       Get your boat out of the water and do the rest of your winterizing. Start with the rest of the winterizing steps. Clean your entire boat, including the deck and cockpit. Make sure you drain your bilge pump. Drain and clean your toilet facilities per your manufacturer’s recommendations. Open up your storage areas so they don’t build up any moisture. Make any necessary repairs.

·       Check your owner’s manual. Make sure you can use moisturizing spray lubricants, for example, and see what else the manufacturer recommends and suggests you should avoid when it comes to storage and winterizing.

·       Clean the fuel system. To clean your boat motor’s fuel system, fill the tank with some fuel stabilizer and marine fuel. Run your motor for a while to make sure that the treatment gets to the engine and the fuel lines. This keeps your fuel from spoiling or getting gummy over the winter, and helps to avoid oxidation as well as condensation.

·       Flush the cooling system. Take out the plug and drain the water from the engines. Use a flushing kit on the engine. After you’ve flushed it, pump anti-freeze into the system. If you don’t flush, you’re looking at the possibility of your lines freezing and causing engine damage.

·       Oil the engine. Apply a spray oil to help keep rust from building up. Consider a fogging oil specifically made to not slide off your boat cylinders. Change the lubricant in your gear casing, making sure to not leave any water in there to freeze.

COTTAGE & BOAT INSURANCE

A ‘Basic Seasonal’ policy will usually cover: fire and lightning, explosion, smoke, falling object, impact by aircraft or land vehicle, riot, certain water damage losses, windstorm or hail, and electricity.

A ‘Broad Seasonal’ will usually cover all of the above plus vandalism or malicious acts, burglary, robbery and damage caused by bears.

A ‘Seasonal Homeowners’ policy will usually cover all of the above plus theft, attempted theft, glass breakage, transportation, collapse or partial collapse of the building.

Contact you’re nearest PMC Insurance Branch for further information.

Renter's Insurance... Or Not?

 This article is a great tool for helping you to choose whether or not to purchase Renter's Insurance.  At PMC Insurance we offer a variety of different Renter's Insurance options. 

The first time most people think about insurance is with their first car or home. Usually this is because the law or bank requires us to do so. Although renter's insurance is usually not required, it is just as necessary to have. Not only will renter's insurance protect your personal items, it will also give you help with temporary housing and liability protection such as medical expenses for people on your property or a lawyer if you are sued by someone unintentionally injured by you. Once you determine your need for renter's insurance, knowing your options will help you choose the best policy.

Is Your Cottage Protected?

It's a good idea to review all of your insurance policies on an annual basis to make sure that you've covered everything you need to cover and ensure that you're not paying for coverage you no longer need, and cottage insurance is no different. 

This helpful article provides you with all of the information necessary to help protect and insure your Cottage!

Cottage Insurance

Buying insurance for your cottage is very similar to buying insurance for your home. In fact, cottage or seasonal properties are most often listed as an add-on to your home insurance policy, and many companies will not consider offering you insurance for your cottage if you do not already have home insurance with them as well. 

There are different types of home and cottage insurance that you can buy:

8 Ways To Save on Home Insurance

For many people, the cost of their home insurance premiums may seem to grow year after year.    This equates to an ever tightening strain on many homeowners’ annual budgets, and can be a real difficulty.  However, it may actually possible to reduce the cost of your home insurance premiums considerably, if you know how to go about it.  These tips will help you try to reduce your rates! Contact PMC Insurance to reduce your home insurance today!

Car Insurance For Teens 101

For families with teenagers learning to drive, car insurance doesn't have to be confusing - and if you are smart, it shouldn't send you to the poorhouse either. Here are some ways to make sure you are getting the best coverage for your teen at the right time and at the best price.

When should you insure your teenage driver?

When your teen walks in the door with that learner's permit in hand, don't immediately see dollar signs floating out behind them. If your child has their first level of driver's licence (G1 in Ontario and Class 7 in other provinces), they are required to have a licensed driver in the car with them at all times. Since they are under constant supervision when behind the wheel, insurance companies often consider their risk of accident to be relatively small. As a result, insurers often do not "rate", or charge you if you will, for drivers who only have their first level licence. Even so, based on your original agreement with your insurer, you still have a responsibility to notify them there is now a Learner's/G1 licensed driver now in the household.

As soon as your teen is licensed to drive on their own (G2 in Ontario and Class 5 in other provinces), you are also required to report this 'material change in risk' to your insurance company and arrange for coverage for your teen.

Factors affecting a teen's insurance rate

One of the things that will affect your rate the most is if your teen has completed an approved driver-training course. New drivers can receive significant discounts off their insurance for the first 3 years they are licensed if they have driver training. It's a good thing to consider, since your insurance savings are usually greater than the cost of the course.

As a general rule, if your teen is female the impact on the parent's policy will be less than if your teen is male. This is because, statistically, young female drivers are a better risk for insurance companies than young male drivers.

The cost of adding a teen to your insurance policy will vary depending primarily on the type of car(s) you own, the age of your teen and their driving history.

Getting the best value for your insurance dollar

Your current insurance company may have given you a great rate when you shopped around last time, but when you add a teen to your auto insurance policy, that company may no longer offer the best option for you. It's important that whenever your insurance profile changes (marriage, moving, adding a new driver) do some research to make sure you are still getting the best rate available.

Your teen is probably excited about the prospect of being in the driver's seat. Don't let their excitement translate into overpriced auto insurance premiums

Car Insurance Myths Exposed

There are a lot of information sources and perceptions regarding car insurance, some of which are considered fundamental truths; but, closer investigation reveals that what we think to be true is simply urban legend - word of mouth gone awry. The trouble with insurance myths is that they can cost us money in higher premiums if we don't know how to properly assess our coverage and current rates. Read on to find out some common misperceptions and how to make sure you don't fall victim to overpayment. 

1. Red cars are more expensive to insure than any other colour.

This is false.  The make, model and year of your vehicle will ultimately affect your insurance rates.  Rates charged, contrary to popular belief, do not stem from car colour; but, rather the claims history and average repair cost of the vehicle - not to mention its popularity with thieves. In fact, insurance companies don't even ask for car colour when providing quotes or building a policy.

2. My loyalty discount offsets any savings I would get by changing insurance companies

This is also false.  Switching insurance companies may cause you to lose your loyalty discount (if in fact you receive one from your current provider); but, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll pay more for car insurance in the end. The fact is, some insurance companies may provide a small discount on your premium if you’ve been with them for a long time, but that small discount can quickly become irrelevant if another company has a rate for you that is significantly less than what you’re currently paying. After all, what good is 5% off of an annual rate of $1,500 (a $75 savings) if you could pay $1,100 (a $400 savings) with another company? 

3. Higher rates mean more coverage

False again.  The rates charged by different insurance companies to insure the same driver, with the same car, for the same exact coverage, can vary by hundreds and even thousands of dollars. And with so many insurance companies providing car insurance, odds are you may not be currently insured with the company that offers the best rate for your driving profile. The reason for the discrepancy in rates is that each provider uses their claims experience to determine premiums charged and each company will have a different history with each driving profile and car combination. 


4. No fault insurance means "It's not my fault"

True? False. There’s always fault assigned in an accident. Whether it is all assigned to one person or it is shared between the parties involved, depending on the situation. No Fault only means your insurance company pays for your damages regardless who is at fault for the accident. This was introduced so that claims will be processed much faster as everyone would deal with their own insurance company directly, versus having to deal with another company. Even though fault is assigned in a car accident which can impact your rate, insurance companies treat situations and how they affect your insurance premiums differently;

5. Males pay more than females for car insurance

This too is false to an extent. Males under 25 years old can pay from $1,500 to $10,500 more than females drivers. At 25 years old gender is usually no longer a rating category; hence males and females over 25 with the same car and driving history may receive the same rate. However, one thing to always remember is that regardless of your age rates can vary by hundreds or even thousands of dollars from one insurance company to the next for the same driving profile. If you're wondering about your rates and if they're too high, 

6. All car insurance policies are created equal

False. The rates charged by different car insurance companies to insure the same car and driver, for the exact same policy, can vary by hundreds and even thousands of dollars, so it pays to shop around.

7. If I have tickets and accidents I will always pay a lot for car insurance

This isn’t entirely true. While you may pay more on insurance than someone who has no tickets or accidents, insurance companies offer different rates for the same driving records, therefore the chances that you are paying the lowest rate for your particular driving profile aren’t very likely. Shop your driving profile around and you might be surprised to find another insurance company that will offer you the same coverage for your profile at a lower rate. Also, tickets usually affect your insurance rate for three years and accidents usually have an impact for six years. By driving better today you’ll be investing in lower premiums for the future.

8. If a friend drives my car and causes an accident, it won’t show up on my insurance record

False. Insurance coverage is tied to the vehicle and not the person driving the vehicle. Therefore, if your vehicle is involved in an accident it will be the policy that covers said vehicle that will be affected.

Source: Insurance Hotline

Use Safety & Proper Insurance when Boating

Summer here and boaters are taking to the water for aquatic fun. Now is a great time make sure you are doing everything you can to protect yourself, your passengers and other boaters while cruising Manitoba waters throughout the summer.

Practicing water safety and having the appropriate insurance will help reduce your personal and financial risk while enjoying your time on the water.

Insurance Council and the Evergreen Safety Council are encouraging you to check your insurance coverage, make safety a first priority and follow all boating laws to ensure a fun and safe boating season.

"Make sure your boat has the appropriate safety items, most importantly proper Coast Guard-approved life vests for everyone on board," said Evergreen Safety Council president. "Be sure to have a fire extinguisher. On the water is one of the worst places to experience a fire."

Also, check to make sure you have the appropriate amount of insurance to cover damage to your boat and any damage or injuries you may cause to other boaters and passengers.

"Owners of both sailboats and powerboats need insurance coverage just like car owners need auto insurance"

Insurance Tips

Most homeowners or renters insurance policies offer limited coverage for property damage to small boats like canoes, small sailboats or powerboats with less than 25 horsepower.

Property damage coverage is typically limited to $1,000 or less, and liability coverage is subject to the limits of your Homeowners or Renters policy. For larger watercraft, a separate policy is needed to cover both damage to the boat and liability for damage caused to others due to owning and/or operating the boat.

Safety Tips

Carelessness and inexperience are the leading causes of boating accidents and fatalities in Manitoba. On average, 27 people die from boat-related accidents each year, according to the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Evergreen Safety Council offers these tips to help you enjoy your time on the water:

• Always wear a life jacket. Most boating fatality victims are not wearing a personal floating device.

• Avoid drinking alcohol while boating.

• Take water safety classes.

• Always operate at safe speeds.

• Have a passenger serve as a lookout in addition to the operator.

• Watch out for low water areas and/or submerged objects.

• Maintain at least 50 feet of distance from other boats and personal watercraft.

• Check weather forecasts before heading out onto the water.

• Obey all marine traffic laws and understand distress signals.

• Be sure your boat's fuel, lights and electrical and exhaust systems are working properly before launching.

• Keep a first-aid kit, additional food and water in case you are ever stranded.

Source: CDA Press

Insurance that Travels with You!

When traveling outside Manitoba, remember that Manitoba Health excludes some of their coverage even if you are traveling within Canada.

We work with several travel insurance companies so we can compare coverage and costs in order to offer you just the right policy.

In addition to travel insurance, we also offer many other kinds of insurance:

• Visitors to Canada
• Student Health Coverage
• Extended coverage for Snowbirds
• Multi-trip and annual travel insurance
• Trip Cancellation
• Baggage Insurance
• Tour Packages
• 

Heading to the States? Call us first!

Heading to the States any time soon? remember to bump up your liability to $5 million before the road trip. Here in Manitoba we have no fault insurance, in places like Ontario, Alberta, and in the States, they are privatized in which they can sue even if they hit us in our province.. Having your liability bumped up insures you up to $5 million and then MPI will deal with anything beyond.

Meet our team! Joelle’s energy is infectious throughout our office. She specializes in travel and auto insurance

The benefits of being a non smoker, is a discount on your home insurance policy, that’s just one of the benefits check out our website for more discounts that you may be eligible for to SAVE YOU MONEY

Visit our site here

Need help setting up or refinancing a mortgage? We recommend Castle! Explore their page here http://www.mycastlemortgage.com/about.php

EDGEWALK! Don't try this new thrill-seeking attraction coming to Toronto this July without an insurance policy!

Walk on the edge 356 metres up right here

Looking for condos? This Downtown Biz link can help in your search. We’re close to downtown, we can help with your insurance!

Check our the Downtown Biz site here.

Have you seen PMC on Youtube yet?

Meet our team! Roger is our resident tech enthusiast and loves spending time outdoors with his pooch. He specializes in commercial insurance.

First known introduction of compulsory auto insurance: Massachusetts, 1927

For a history lesson in auto insurance, click here

Curious about your tax rate? Find it fast!

Find your rate here!

Do you understand your insurance policy? New report says most Manitobans don't.

According to the TD Insurance 2011 State of Insurance Report released on Wednesday, if you live in Manitoba, probably not.

Manitoba is among the most insured in Canada. However, as it turns out we know little about policies, and which is the best one for us. Only 13 per cent of us know what policy to choose - below the national average of 17 per cent.

Most alarming is 34 per cent of Manitoba residents don’t know what their insurance covers. Residents admit to skimming the fine print - 56 per cent - while 27 per cent don’t read it at all. One in ten worry they may not have enough insurance.

Be PROactive rather than REactive - buy flood insurance!

Report urges Canadian homeowners to invest in flood insurance.

Fantasy sport leagues have become so popular an insurance policy has been created for them!

Fantasy sports are a popular activity for many people that love sports. An individual drafts a team of real-life players in baseball, basketball, football, hockey and other sports, and then competes against other managers with points awarded based on the statistics of these players. While some of these fantasy sports leagues are free to enter and played for fun, many others have entry fees and provide big payouts to the winners.

One problem faced by all managers is the chance of a real-life injury to a player on their team. Although managers can drop and pick up new players during the season, these roster moves can be expensive and add up during a typical season. Insurance companies now offer fantasy sports policies to reimburse managers if a key player is injured for more than a set number of games. These policies are customized based on the sport and can cover the entire entry fee in the case of a major injury.