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How to best keep your car clean in Denver, Colorado

You will undoubtedly need a car in Denver, Colorado and along with the cost of it and driving it will come the responsibility of setting up an auto insurance policy with AFI Insurance, who serves the greater Denver area. However, you will also need to get into the habit of keeping your vehicle clean, as there is a wide variety of seasons in the central Colorado area. If you don’t, not only will your car look filthy and lose some resale value over time, but it can be dangerous, due to lower visibility on windows and mirrors which can lead to an accident. Below are some ways to best keep your car clean in Denver, Colorado.

CHECK THE WEATHER

Pay attention to the local weather in Denver, so that you aren’t washing your car right before a rain or snow storm. This will save you money and make all your car cleaning more useful when rain or snow doesn’t immediately dirty up your vehicle again.

WIPE THOSE WINDOWS AND MIRRORS

Clean your windows and mirrors regularly to ensure you have the best possible visibility in your car when driving in Denver. While you can use basic window cleaners and rags, the best way to clean these smooth surfaces in your car is with alcohol, vinegar and water mixed together and then wiped down with old newspaper. This cheap solution can be kept in your garage or even in your trunk so you can clean these surfaces with ease.

ADD WAX

After you wash your vehicle, make sure you spend a little extra money and time to wax it. This will keep it’s exterior looking nice and clean and also make it easier to clean in the future, saving you both time and money.

What You Need To Update Your Insurance Policy

Living in Denver, CO can be a lot of fun. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, you may have various insurance policies in place. When you are ready to update your insurance policies, it is important to know what you need. For every policy, you may need a few different things.

Auto Insurance

For starters, you will need:

  • Policy Number
  • VIN number
  • Case numbers if you have DMV issues

You may want to explore more coverage, especially if you have been involved in an accident. This can minimize the amount of money that you spend out-of-pocket if there is another fender bender in your future.

Home Insurance

To update your home insurance, you will need:

  • Policy number
  • Value of items in your home
  • Safety features

You may want to increase the level of coverage that you have based upon any valuable items in your home, such as artwork or collectibles. You may also qualify for discounts if you have installed any safety features, such as a security system or smoke detectors.

Renters Insurance

If you rent, you will need:

  • Policy number
  • Requirements of property owner for coverage
  • Value of your items

If you move from one place to another, you will want to confirm that the level of coverage required is the same as the last place you lived in.

Business Insurance

For your business, you will need:

  • Policy number
  • Vehicle VIN numbers
  • Value of inventory

Your business needs to be protected and if you have experienced any growth, you may want to explore more coverage.

Contact us at AFI Insurance today to learn about updating your insurance policy. Our agents can also help to get you quotes to compare premiums and answer questions you may have about coverage in Denver.

 

 

 

3 Different Uses for Cleaning Supplies in Denver

You likely recognize the necessity of having cleaning supplies around the house for various tasks, but sometimes you have to look beyond the label to realize the value of what’s within. These versatile products can do a lot for you if you just give them a chance. Cut down on your broom closet with these tips. 

Liquid Soap Is a Cure-All

There are several different uses for liquid dish soap you may not have realized. When you use it as part of a trio of white vinegar and salt, you can start killing the weeds in your sidewalk. Take one tablespoon of soap, a cup of salt and a gallon of white vinegar and then just pour it in the crack. Works much better than pulling every few weeks. You can also put it in a bag and then place in the freezer to make an effective ice pack. 

Window Washing As a Pest Killer 

Take down bugs by spraying window washing fluid where they stand. You can actually use this as a stain fighter on your couches and chairs too if you happen to spill and need an emergency fix. 

Denture Tablets 

From time to time, your drains probably clog up with dirt, debris and hair. Unfortunately, products to unclog your drain can be costly, but denture tablets can be used as an alternative to break up the damage and clear it away. Just break the tablet open, put it down the drain and run the hot tap right over it. 

From cleaning supplies to having the right insurance, you care about your home in Denver, CO. AFI Insurance is here to protect it, and we want you to call us if you need more information about available policies or just need a quote!

Car Cleaning Tips for all Seasons in Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado has four distinct seasons, which is great for those who live there and love the beautiful summers and the cold, snowy winters. However, it’s not so great for resident’s automobiles, which take the brunt of the weather year-round. Because of this, it is important to keep your vehicle clean in Denver no matter what the season is. Below are tips for keeping your car clean in the Mile High City in all seasons of the year.

IN WINTER

You need more light while driving in those winter storms in Denver. One easy way to do this is to clean the plastic covers over your headlights if they have become cloudy and oxidized. The best way to do this is the home recipe of adding toothpaste to a rag and scrubbing out the cloudiness. They will be as good as new and allow more light to come through during those snowy winter days.

IN SPRING

Spring will bring showers in Denver, so it’s important to not only pay attention to the weather to not wash your vehicle until after the storms pass, but to also wax it a couple times with good car wax. This way, when it does inevitably rain again, you can just give your car a simple wash and the dirt will come right off without damaging the exterior.

IN SUMMER

The heat can cause your dashboards to weather inside the car, but this can be easily remedied with a damp cloth that will remove dust and grime or maybe a small amount of laundry detergent that will remove tougher stains.

IN FALL

It will start to be getting cool so washing your car may not be ideal. Instead, just use a couple soft cloths to wipe away any excess dust and pollen unless your car is incredibly dirty.

Keeping your car clean will also create less of a chance of you having an accident due to bad visibility out your windows, keeping you from having to tap into that auto insurance policy. If you don’t have auto insurance for your new, clean vehicle, look up a company like AFI insurance, who serves the greater Denver, Colorado area.

Things You Need To Know About Someone Before Letting Them Borrow Your Car

From time to time, you may be asked by a friend or family member if they can borrow your car. This is a question that you should not answer on a whim. You should know who is driving your car as well as some other pertinent information before giving them an answer. There are also some other things to consider. Before letting someone borrow your car, make sure that you know these things.

  • If someone asks to borrow your vehicle, you will want to ask them about their license and ensure that it is valid. If it is expired or suspended, you will not want to let them drive your vehicle.
  • Know about the driving history of the person before you let them drive your car. Find out about any issues they may have had in the past. Some of the things you will want to consider is whether or not they have had speeding tickets or accidents in recent years. This will give you a good indication or whether or not they will drive your car with care.
  • Make sure that they will be covered by your insurance in the case of an accident. You will want to check your current policy to ensure it is active and also ask them if they have their own policy. You can never have enough insurance protection when someone else is driving your car but you may be in trouble if there is no protection by your current policy. If they need to use your car often, you may even want to consider asking them to get their own policy or even adding them to yours.

Before letting someone borrow your car, contact AFI Insurance serving Denver, Colorado to ensure you have proper coverage. 

How to Protect Your Family During Emergencies

As the head of your household, the thought of something happening to your family is inconceivable. However, your family may be vulnerable while they are inside of your home when it comes to weather-related threats. At AFI Insurance, we recommend that you take the following steps to protect your family in each room of your home.

Equip each room with emergency lights. Having the ability to see during an outage can protect you from other dangers. You should outfit each room in your home with battery-operated lighting to keep everyone safe.

Place emergency kits strategically throughout your home. The number of emergency kits you have and the contents of each depends on your family’s needs. With at least two emergency kits in your home for a family, a four will help you ensure they are safe during a weather-related emergency. One kit in your kitchen and another in your bathroom will allow any family member to access easily each kit when it’s needed.

Store extra food and water in the kitchen. It’s not enough to simply have more food than you need in your kitchen at any time. You must deliberately pack a kit full of extra food and water so that you will have enough for a few days. Relying on the food you have in the refrigerator will not work during a power outage, since it could spoil.

In addition to extra food, placing a fire extinguisher in your kitchen will help you in the event of fire.

Purchase communication devices. When you know what is going on, you have a better idea of how to protect your family. You should have a radio and a corded phone in your living room.

Protect your family with smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. In your entryway and near each of your bedrooms, you should have a smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. With these devices strategically placed near bedrooms, even sleeping family members will spring awake at the sound of the alarms.

Additionally, homes with multi-levels should have a prepared exit strategy for individuals that may become trapped in their rooms. Exit strategies should include emergency ladders, extra blankets, and emergency lighting.

At AFI Insurance, we do all we can to ensure our families are protected, including offering homeowner’s insurance. If you are paying too much for your existing policy, take a look at the features included in our policy on our website.

 

Three Keys to Picking the Right Commercial Insurance

Your business needs commercial insurance. It is the most reliable way to protect yourself from catastrophic damages and unavoidable liability. When you have adequate coverage, your company can stay in operation no matter what craziness life throws at it, providing you with stability in even the worst of times. If you feel a little inexperienced in commercial insurance, fear not. These are the three key tips to making the right choice.

Ask the Right Questions

When you contact an agent about commercial insurance, there are specific things you need to know. The two biggest questions are “What is the scope of services?” and “What is the capacity of coverage?” When you can thoroughly answer these two questions, then you know whether or not an agency can fit a policy to your business needs. By all means, don’t stop here. Anything that is unclear or particularly important to you or your company should be added to your list of questions.

Consider a Business Owner’s Policy

This is a simpler policy that is aimed to meet a small business’s needs with a single framework. Essentially it combines the elements of property insurance with general liability, to protect you from physical damage and loss as well as legal reprisals. Some policies will offer have packages to help your business when circumstances shut operations down for a short period. Always remember that every policy is unique, so double check the exact scope of coverage when you make your choice.

Think About the Future

Ultimately, you want your business to grow and succeed for years to come. This means you’ll need to maintain your commercial insurance for that duration, so choosing your partners in this is a long-term commitment. There are tons of experts in the insurance field, so you can find a great choice, but you want to have the appropriate conversations to make sure you and your agent are a good fit and that you can work effectively with your insurance providers.

Talk to an AFI Insurance agent today, or schedule an appointment to get started on the path to a properly protected business future.

Why It Is Important To Develop Safe Driving Habits

It is so important to develop safe driving habits the moment you obtain your driver’s license, and even before. This will keep you and your family safer while you are out on the roads, and ensure that you are keeping the roads, in general, safer. Further, it can help to reduce the cost of your insurance by being accident-free.

Set a Good Example

You may have children and teens in your car from time to time. By developing safe driving habits, you are going to set a good example for them. They will know as they get older that it is important to buckle up and look both ways before turning.

Staying Safe

If you don’t develop safe driving habits, you can easily get into an accident. This could be a simple fender bender or something more serious. Many times, cars will change lanes without signaling or brake at the last moment, not giving the other cars on the road any indication as to what they are doing – and this can be extremely dangerous.

Practice makes perfect, and this means taking the time to practice and employ the safe driving habits every time you get behind the wheel.

The reality is, insurance premiums will go up when you don’t have a safe driving record. This means that you want to develop a safe driving habits so that you can avoid accidents with higher frequency – and save on your premiums at the same time.

At AFI Insurance, we want to do whatever is possible to help you find affordable insurance that fits your needs and your budget. Call us today and one of our agents will look forward to helping you every step of the way. This will ensure that you have the necessary coverage to be confident on the roads throughout Denver, Colorado.

 

 

 

Clear Out Trunk Space for These Tools

If you are like many individuals in Denver, CO you probably have a nice collection of items in your trunk. Only problem is, most of these items you don’t really need. Some papers from the office, a few kids toys, and the set of golf clubs from when you drove down to Arizona for golf. Well, not only is all of this dropping down your fuel economy, but there are better uses for the trunk space. So, clear out your trunk and make way for a few of these tools. 

Self-Jumper Battery

Nothing is worse than letting your car run to heat up, only to have the battery die out on you. Now you have a dead battery in the middle of a snow storm. Instead of abandoning the car or searching out someone to help you out, AFI Insurance recommends having a self-jumper battery. This is a portable charge with a pair of jumper cable pliers coming out of it. This gives you a jump readily available, you just need to charge it up ever 30 days or so. 

Better Jack

Sure, your vehicle came with a jack, but it usually isn’t all that great, especially if you have a larger vehicle like an SUV or truck. Instead, invest in an improved jack. There are nice lever action jacks that go up easily, can hold more weight and can lift different areas of the vehicle. 

Bag of Salt/Kitty Litter

The bag of road salt can come in handy if you’re ever stuck or if you are parked on an incline and just can’t gain traction to get out. Additionally, even if you don’t have a cat, kitty litter adds traction to a slick surface without melting it. Both are extremely helpful while driving in Denver. 

Call AFI Insurance today for all all of your auto insurance needs, or to review your current policy. 

Independent Agents, Keeping the Big Guys Honest

Some things in life such as a home or vehicle, are important enough to warrant an insurance policy. These items typically represent your biggest investments, and it’s important to keep them protected. It would be far too expensive to have these items replaced on a whim so we have them insured against damage. Insurance is one of the most important aspects of home and automobile ownership, and independent insurance agents help to make it more affordable. 

The True Value of Independent Insurance Agents

Many people prefer the personal approach of using an independent agent. These professionals have an in-depth knowledge of insurance laws, and they simplify the claim filing process. However, these agents also keep the larger companies competitive, by providing more affordable rates. Without independent agents, the larger companies could monopolize the industry, and charge absorbed fares. Everyone would still need the coverage, even if they couldn’t afford it. Just the price of insuring a vehicle would prevent some people from driving. Fortunately, there are also independent agents who can keep everyone protected from incident. 

What do AFI Insurance Agents Do

Independent Insurance Agents provide a litany of services, after an accident. They also vary in the types of coverage they offer. In essence, every insurance policy is a financial tool, and some independent agents offer different types of policies. Some agents may offer auto and home while others offer only life insurance. The biggest advantage to using an independent agent his his or her knowledge of your state’s laws. These individuals can also outline a plan that best suits our needs and not the needs of a corporation. 

 

 

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