Holiday times are filled with family traditions.  From setting up your tree, to elf on the shelf, to driving around and seeing everyone’s lights – the holidays are filled with fun activities for everyone.  Here’s a list of activities that you may have not known is around:

Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks:

• Hamilton Town Center
• Federal Hill Commons
• Carmel’s Center Green

Events:

• Carmel Christkindlemarkt – This authentic German holiday markets comes back for it’s second year on Carmel’s Center Green.  November 17 – December 23
• Country Christmas – Visit Stoney Creek Farm to get a different view of the farm.  Go pick out a Christmas tree if you haven’t already got one yet and other festivities. November 17 – December 23
• Nickel Plate Express Reindeer Rides – Start a new tradition on our local railway.  Hop on in Atlanta to sing songs and visit with Santa. November 23 – December 23
• Gingerbread Village & Conner Prairie by Candlelight – Take a step back in time and visit the Prairie to see how our first settles celebrated the holidays. December 7 – December 22
• Holiday Porchfest – You may think of Carmel’s Porchfest and think summer, but it is back with a different twist. Join carolers and other performances right from the porches along Rangeline Rd.  December 8

Light Display:

• Reynold Farm Equipment Light Display – Fishers
• Circle of Lights – Indianapolis
• TPA Park – Frankfort

Lights at Reynolds Farm Equipment, Fishers, IN

We are your local agent, which means we are in your community!

Deer in the headlights LOOK! Let’s hope not!

We were hoping to get this posted before we had the first deer claim this year. Bad news it didn’t happen. First claim in the books.

WOW, Indiana has more than 14,000 deer-vehicle related collisions reported annually according to DNR. The weather is changing and if you are like us, you have noticed that the deer have been out and on move. We’ve compiled information to share with you to keep your family vehicle out of this statistic.

Deer in your headlights?

“Prime-Times”  Collisions are Occurring

Dawn & Dusk

While you can commonly see a dear anytime of the day in Indiana, dawn and dusk are when deer are most active, foraging for food. It is also the times that can be the hardest to see due to poor road conditions – foggy, icy, or wet. Give yourself appropriate stopping distance, that may be more than your typical distance depending on the conditions you are dealing with.  

Autumn

Another time to be more aware is in Autumn.  Deer are mating in the fall, and are more focused on a potential mate showing less caution at road sides then other times of the year.

People – Anytime

Then there is us, people causing problems. People stopping near roadsides to see wildlife in the field can cause other traffic issues for those continuing on the road.  Even people swerving into oncoming traffic to avoid hitting any type of wildlife can compound a collision and cause more issues.

Tips To keep you and your Family Safe:

• Never Never Swerve: Our roadways have other drivers we need to be cautious of, even in times like these.  Should you be on a rural road without much traffic there is still your safety to be concerned about in case you were to lose control when swerving.  Applying your brake and hitting a deer is much safer than swerving to avoid hitting one. While it sounds cruel, it’s the safest move you can make.
• If you hit a deer its a “not a fault accident”, if you swerve and hit something else or roll you vehicle over it counts as a “at fault accident”. So just be aware and slow down.
• If you’ve already spotted a deer there are probably more lingering around as well.  It is their nature to follow each other, especially when frighten and one begins to run.
• Seatbelts & General Safety Laws:  This should go without being said since wearing your seatbelt is the law, but we will say it anyways – Wear Your Seatbelt!

What to do if you hit a deer:

1.  Move your vehicle to a safe place:  Pull over to the side of the road and turn on your hazard lights. Like mentioned before the best time for these accidents is at dusk and dawn so you want to make sure other drivers see you.

2. Stay Away from the Animal!

3. If necessary, call the Police:  If more then just your vehicle is involved you will want to call the police to get a report of the situation.  If your car has significant damage and you would like the support of an officer while you wait for other help. Even if there are no other vehicles involved and you would just like a report for your own records, that is duty of our Police Department to come out and assist.

4. Call us (317-867-5433):  Once you get to safe spot and we can get a claim started for you. If it’s after business hours you can find the claim number to your insurance company on our webpage. We will need general information about where it happened, when it happened, and if the vehicle is able to drive.  Please don’t forget to include if you contact the Police Department.
5. Pictures & Estimates:  Photo documenting an accident is so easy these days you can take pictures of the damage and quickly email them to us (INFO@insurewithdean.com).  Also getting an estimate of the damage is always helpful when determining how to proceed.
6. Keep Smiling:  An accident is never an exciting event, but there is no reason to get frustrated about it.  We’ve got your back and will walk you through it!

Other Facts:

Since we are your insurance agents we have some insurance facts for you too.  We find these interesting and you may as well. First, remember that if you just hit the deer it is a “not at fault” accident.  According to Insurance Journal, nearly 45% of deer-vehicle collisions occurred  have been recorded between October and December. The majority of these accidents are happening on State Roads (36%), the next most common place is County Roads (28%), and then U.S. Routes (17%).

In 2016 the total cost for deer-vehicle collisions was estimated to be $119 million based on the average estimated cost per collision. Now, here is some information we certainly hope you won’t need for a deer-vehicle collision, but is good to keep in your back pocket.  The MedPay portion of your auto coverage covers any injuries caused to people inside your vehicle. We recommend $10,000/person in coverage so that should you need medical assistance extending past 1 year after the claim you can still receive it. Carrying this higher limit allows the funds to be available for 3 years.

Questions about your coverage? Or just questions in general?  Let us know, we are here to help!

Have you or someone you know had a water claim?  Your sump pump fails and next thing you know you have a basement full of water.  Or you are out of town in the winter and the temperature drops, have you been worried about your pipes freezing?

We have a free opportunity for you to look into.  All you need is a Smartphone and Wi-Fi in your home.

NEW technology called Roost is available to all of our policy holders.  Roost is a smart detector to help you detect a water event in your home.  The detector monitors changes in temperature and humidity within your home. The idea is that it can help minimize claims because you will receive alerts on your phone when there are significant changes in your home.

Roost Smart Water and Freeze Detector

Do these scenarios ring a bell?

So say that you have an event to attend one evening, or maybe all weekend.  Before you head out you notice that storms are looming in your area, and you hope your sump pump will be able to handle the extra water.  With Roost you can stick the detector in your basement while you are out to monitor the temperature and humidity.  If significant changes are detected you may not be able to stop it entirely, but you would have the information to be able to call for someone to check on the problem soon.

Maybe it’s not the sump pump you are worried about, but rather your pipes while visiting family for Christmas.  You can move your completely mobile Roost detector near pipes you are most concerned about to monitor temperature changes.

Perhaps this one sounds familiar, you have young kids and periodically they flush things down the toilet that shouldn’t go down the toilet.  Or possibly your little one is potty training and experimenting with how much toilet paper to use.  Roost could sit right in your bathroom as an “extra pair of eye”.

Get one for your home

If you are interested in getting a free Roost for your home, now is the time.  Winter will be here before we know it!  Please Contact Us and we will get you one for your home.

For any technical questions, please contact Roost:

Send an email to Support@getroost.com – or – call toll free 1-888-446-1365, 8am-9pm EST

Download the App

After you let us know that you would like a Roost to monitor temperature and humidity in your home don’t forget to download the app.  Look at the picture below so you know which app to get.

Roost App

The pumpkins are ripening and the leaves are getting ready to change.  The smell of fall is in the air!  While you are out scouring stores for the perfect costume for your little ones to wear on Halloween (or maybe a costume for yourself) here are a few things to keep in mind:

Community Events:

• 10/5 – First Friday Fall Festival – Downtown Noblesville 5-9pm –  Join in on trick or treating at the different stores downtown, the scarecrow contest, a soup cook off, hay rides, pumpkin decorating, CanStruction, live music and more!
• 10/6 – Pancake Breakfast – Station in Downtown Noblesville 7-11am – All-You-Can-Eat Pancake Breakfast at Noblesville Fire Station. Admission is a $5 donation.
• 10/6 – Potter’s Bridge Fall Festival – Potter’s Bridge 11-4pm – Enjoy a special autumn day at Potter’s Bridge Park during the 19th Annual Potter’s Bridge Fall Festival. Listen to live music, visit the more than ninety arts, crafts, and food booths, watch your little ones play in the KidZone, or simply take in the natural beauty of Noblesville’s most scenic park on the White River Greenway Trail.
• 10/6 – WYAP Fall Festival – Asa Bales Park 11-2pm – Join in celebrating family and community at the annual WYAP fall festival. This free family event will feature inflatables, face painting, music and more. Hot dogs will be available to purchase.
• 10/8 – Fall Break Fun Days – Tuttle Orchard – An array of activities to join in on at the orchard: pumpkin patch, corn maze, narrated wagon rides, U-Pick apples, and much more!
• 10/11- 10-28 – Headless Horseman Festival – Connor Prairie – This annual Halloween festival is full of activities, shows and spooktacular family fun. Don’t forget to try out our 11-acre corn maze, the Apple Store and, of course, our famous Headless Horseman Hay Ride.
• 10/17 – Fireside Tales – Simon Moon Park 6:30-8pm – Stories come to life around the campfire at Fireside Tales!
• 10/23 – Noblesville Octoboo – Hamilton East Public Library 6-8pm – Celebrate this spooky season with a family visit to the library! Dress in costume and visit the treat stations throughout the library.
• 10/24 – Fishers Octoboo – Hamilton East Public Library 6-8pm – Celebrate this spooky season with a family visit to the library! Dress in costume and visit the treat stations throughout the library.
• 10/24 – Wear Purple! – Wear your purple with Prevail today! Let’s stand together and use our voices to help end all acts of violence in our community.
• 10/25 – Little Haunt on the Prairie – Cool Creek Park 5-9pm – Little Haunt on the Prairie at Ghoul Creek Park is fun for the whole family! Spooky, yet age-appropriate Halloween activities will be offered for children ranging from preschool to school ages and their families! You are welcome to come in your costumes and enjoy nature interpretation, entertainment, a hayride, food for purchase, and activities for the little ones as they trick-or-treat their way through this spooky event.
• 10/26 – Family Halloween Party – Federal Hill Commons 6:30-8:30pm – Bring your little ghoul or goblin out to our annual Halloween Party at its new location, Federal Hill Commons. Stop by the trick or treat village filled with local businesses offering a variety of treats and activities for your little one. Don’t forget to take a ride on the trackless train or stop by our free photo booth! Food trucks will be on-site for purchase.
• 10/31 – Halloween – Click Here for times for each of the communities in the Hamilton County area

It was hard to pick which truck to stop at: Caplingers, Market Distict, Limonez, Papa Smurf Concessions, Pi Indy, and many more choices!

Craig Thurston Music

Phil Schaefer, Margie Altekruse, Ralph Allison, Gregg Pulley, along with Rick & Donna getting their vouchers

Thanks to all the food truck vendors for such great lunches!

After lunch conversations on such a gorgeous day!

Brad & Dean talking about their options

Eric even brought out their new pup to enjoy the afternoon at the park

check in

Good seeing you Jim & JoEllen

Jim & Marcia thanks for coming out

Not only did we give out lunch we had t-shirts for everyone too! Trina,we want to see you model our T-shirt because you make every T-shirt look better.

Baylee was getting the vouchers lunch.

Jim & Sharon enjoying their Caplingers! (Caplingers is an angency favorite!)

Thanks from our entire team!

to

Youthful Driver

Perhaps you have already done it: loaned your car to a friend for the day, or had family in town and let them use your car while you’re at work, or something along those lines. Loaning your vehicle to someone without even thinking about your insurance and how coverage actually works when someone else is driving your vehicle. While all family members living in the household are covered because they are listed on the policy, what about family not living in the house or non-family members?

This is a question that seems to come up often, so we thought we would share the answer with everyone in our newsletter. Allowing someone to use your vehicle falls under permissive use and your insurance becomes the primary coverage for your vehicle, not theirs, even if they have their own auto insurance. So, technically, any driver with a valid license that is not excluded on your policy, would be covered in the event of a loss.

Keep in mind, this is not intended to insure someone driving your vehicle for a long period of time.  That scenario increases both your and the insurance company’s liability exposure with unlisted drivers. If the intent is to allow family members not living in the household or a friend to drive the vehicle exclusively, the expectation is that this “permitted operator” would be added to the policy and assigned as the primary driver of the vehicle. The address where the car will be garaged will be included on the policy as well. The insurance company will then verify their driving history, just like they would for any other driver in your household. If their driving history is adverse, it will affect your policy eligibility and rate.

Keep in mind that if you allow someone to use your car and they have a claim, it could result in cancellation of your auto policy, causing you to pay much higher rates for an accident you never had.

Just like loaning money to your family and friends can be a bad idea, so can loaning someone your car to use for a long period of time.

Permissible Use

Key Points:

• Valid Driver’s License
• Not intended for Long Periods of time
• Claim would affect your policy