This year, Take Your Kids to Work Day falls on April 24^th. As an employer or business owners, you will need to know about the liability, compliance and insurance issues in advance. Using this opportunity to share your workplace with your child can add new dimension to your relationship and offer your child the chance to begin thinking about their own work future. No matter what your role is in your company, it might be worthwhile to know how this special day began and how it has evolved.

From ErieSense.com: “It’s also a good idea to leave younger kids at home or at school. Though it depends on your child’s maturity level, age 12 is usually a good age to first bring a child into the workplace… make sure to check in with your child’s school well ahead of time regarding your plans.”

 Read the entire article for a few Take Your Kids to Work Day Guidelines to make the day worthwhile.

The William M. Sparks Insurance Agency in Lutherville - Timonium MD is a full service agency offering homeowners insurance, auto/car insurance, business/commercial insurance and life insurance to all of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania since 1981. Our experienced insurance agents welcome your inquiries and are glad to discuss your coverage needs at any time.

Happy Valentine’s Day! February is "Insure Your Love" month. Find out how you can leave a legacy of love for your family.

You’ll want to view this short video from the Life Foundation. We think you’ll find it compelling. It will make you think about how your choices affect the lives of your loved ones and how their futures depend upon your decisions and actions.

We challenge you to watch this video and then answer honestly: Would you be the "before" or the "after"? Be sure to watch all the way through to see the creative twist.

Since we can’t predict what is in our future, taking the necessary steps to protect your family’s financial future will give you and them priceless peace of mind. You will know that your loved ones will be able to go on with their lives and pursue their dreams even if they must go on without you.

Here at the Sparks Insurance Agency we know Life Insurance. We’d welcome the opportunity to help you in exploring the many policy options available. Why not give us a call at your convenience?

Dave and Janet Miller’s home near Denver. Colorado was destroyed by fire. Following that ordeal, they have been motivated to share the lessons they learned during the experience. In their video, you’ll see how an everyday 9-volt battery was actually responsible for this fire. The devastation which began in the garage quickly spread to the inside of the home, and dangerous thick black smoke penetrated throughout. It left extensive damage in every room. Dave was able to escape along with his pets, but it was a close call.

This family is sharing this story to alert you to the potential for something as seemingly harmless as a 9-volt battery to cause a raging fire and put a family out of their home.

Watch the video (6:26) for all the details.

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Video Note: You will hear loud beeps that might seem that your own smoke detectors are sounding. However, rest assured that it is sound from the video. Because the power had been turned off, the remaining smoke detectors in the Miller’s house were beeping periodically.

Homeowners Insurance Tip

You might be wondering whether your homeowners insurance would cover the replacement of your home and all your belongings in the event that your home were to be destroyed by fire. Unsure of your coverage? Then we encourage you to meet with your insurance agent for a homeowners insurance policy review so that you know what protection you now have. If needed, your agent can help you explore your options if you need to make changes.

Here at the Sparks Insurance Agency, our agents help residents of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania, each day to understand their insurance coverage. We would welcome the chance to do the same for you. Why not contact our office at your convenience?

You might have thought that the worst thing that could happen on a festive holiday like Thanksgiving would be that you would overeat. However, cooking that feast that the family will enjoy could present serious risks as well. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) warns that Thanksgiving Day is the most dangerous day of the year for home cooking fires, with 2-3 times as many house fires occurring on Thanksgiving compared to any other day of the year.

Deep Frying the Turkey Could Ruin Your Day

Perhaps the newest Thanksgiving trend is preparing the turkey in a deep fryer to get a delicious, tender, juicy and golden brown result that draws those “oohs” and “ahs” around the dinner table. If done with extreme caution, this cooking method can also greatly shorten the cooking time. However, far too many “cooks” take dangerous shortcuts, ignore the safety warnings and find themselves with serious property damage, injury and even death from the home fires that occur.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says that most turkey frying accidents occur while the oil is being heated, prior to even adding the turkey. This means we must be extra vigilant when heating the oil, and turn off the fryer immediately if any smoke appears. If the oil overheats, it can ignite.

This video shows what can happen when turkey deep-frying goes bad.

Planning to Try Turkey Deep Frying This Year?

If you’ll be deep-frying that Thanksgiving turkey this year, then be sure to do your homework in advance. To help you, we’ve included a Recipe for Deep-Fried Turkey to help with the preparation along with a video with step by step instructionsl

We’re also passing along a Cheat Sheet for you including the best Safety Tips from our good friend, Libby Green and Service Masters of Bel Air to help you stay safe.

Homeowners Insurance Tip

No one ever thinks they will suffer a home fire causing devastating property damage, injury or death to their loved ones – especially at a time when family gathers to celebrate Thanksgiving. But, you need to be prepared, nonetheless. So if you have not reviewed your homeowners insurance policy recently, why not do it now. Just contact your insurance agent to be sure of your coverage.

Here at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency, our experienced agents welcome your questions and would be glad to sit down with you to do an insurance policy review and let you know if you still have the best coverage at the best rates available to meet your needs.

According to the Washington Post, "Car theft continues to plummet" -- dropping by almost half from 2005 to 2011 in Maryland, Washington and Virginia. This seems to be due to improved automobile technology and the fact that police now have better tools to combat vehicle theft.

Even so, auto theft is still a significant problem.

A recent AAA motor club report, compiling federal and insurance industry statistics, shows that about half of all stolen cars were unlocked and a vehicle theft still happens every 43 seconds in the U.S. 

What vehicle makes and models are popular with car thieves? 

It varies, state to state.  In Washington, it's the Dodge Caravan.  The Jeep Cherokee is the thief's choice in Virginia, while in Maryland it's the Honda Accord.

Are you wondering how you can better protect your car? 

Take a look at these tips that we found on Anne Arundel Community College's website.  They were directed at students on campus, but they are just as meaningful to all of us.

• Install a vehicle alarm or mechanical lock for steering wheel or ignition.
• Lock doors and leave windows rolled up.
• Always activate auto alarms or anti-theft devices.
• Keep valuables out of sight. Displaying valuable items in plain sight invites theft even if the vehicle is locked. Don’t advertise the types of equipment you have in your vehicle.
• Place valuable items in the trunk – not the front or back seats.
• Know the license number, year, make and model of your vehicle.
• Do not leave money, checkbooks or credit cards in the vehicle at any time.

Would your auto insurance cover auto theft?

If you have not done so recently, maybe it's time to check with your insurance agent to be sure that you have the appropriate insurance in place.  Don't wait until the worst happens only to find that your coverage is incomplete.

Here at the William M. Sparks Insurance Agency in Lutherville - Timonium, Maryland (MD), our experienced agents welcome your inquiries.  We can review your auto insurance policy and help you explore your coverage options if necessary. Feel free to contact us at your convenience.