10 Pet-Friendly Home Additions

reprint from MSN.com:

An estimated 73 million dogs and 90 million cats live in U.S. homes, and Americans are increasingly remodeling not only for themselves but also for their four-legged friends.

"People want to live comfortably in their home, but they also want their home to be a safe haven for their pet," says Charlotte Reed, a pet expert and author in New York. Creating such a pet sanctuary can include some small — and a few large — renovations.

Here are 10 smart ideas on how you can make your home friendly and safe for your pet — and what impact these changes might have on your home if you decide to move out.

end of article.

For many, protecting your pets is just as important as protecting the homefront.  

Here are some of our other pet related blogs:

Pets and the Fourth of July.

Micro-chipping pets.

Make your yard a No-Bite Zone.

Protecting Furry Dependents.

Rescue Dogs.

* The content of this blog is for informative purposes only. It does not reflect official standing of any agent, agency, or company mentioned on the blog. Nor is this blog necessarily an endorsement. Please consult with your insurance, tax, or legal specialist before making any decisions. This blog is purely meant to spark the thought process.

Auto Safety: "The Swoop & Squat"

From Farmers Insurance, Feb. 2012


‘Swoop and squat’ - It’s no accident


No, this is not an exercise routine although it is a routine — a fairly common one designed to cause an auto accident. In 2010, The National Insurance Crime Bureau reported that questionable claims from “staged” accidents rose 46 percent between 2007 and 2009.¹ (Most recent available at time of writing.) 

These staged accidents cost the insurance industry billions of dollars each year.


How it happens
In this staged scenario, you’re stuck in heavy traffic on a busy highway when another car cuts off the driver in front of you forcing him to slam on the brakes. You try to stop, but there’s no time and you rear-end the vehicle. There you have it — the perfectly executed swoop and squat. The first car “swoops” in while the second car “squats” in front of you. After the “accident” everyone in the car you rear-ended files bogus injury claims with your insurance company — complaining of injuries that may be difficult to diagnose such as whiplash. The well organized stagers even have physical therapists, chiropractors, lawyers and auto repair technicians working together to further exaggerate their claims.
  
Similar scams to look out for:

• Drive down — You’re trying to merge into traffic when a dishonest driver slows down and waves you forward. You proceed and then he crashes into your vehicle but, of course, denies he waved you into traffic. Guess who could be at fault for the accident? You.