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The Rhode Agency, Inc. - Your Insurance Agency

 

Trampolines - you should know

 

Most of us, if not all of us, think of tumbling and bouncing on a trampoline as a fun family activity to be enjoyed in our backyards. It's exhilarating. It's aerobic. It seems to be good clean fun. Unfortunately, trampolining can be very dangerous.

Contrary to popular belief, trampolines are not safe! A trampoline is a serious training device that has great gymnastic applications in a professionally supervised setting, but in your backyard, it's a device that puts children in harm's way.

There has been a dramatic increase in injuries requiring emergency-room visits....some injuries even resulting in death....due to trampoline use. According to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission, 269,397 people were treated for trampoline injuries in hospitals, doctor's offices, clinics and hospital emergency rooms in 1998. About 76 percent of those injured were under the age of 15. Almost all of the incidents occured on full-sized trampolines at private homes, usually in backyards.

You should give this some major consideration. Some feel trampolines should not be used for play at all: they should be used only for supervised training in gymnastics. Even close parental supervision cannot prevent serious accidents.

Safety enclosure systems reduce the risk of falling off the trampoline and act as a security fence to keep unauthorized and unsupervised users off. Although this is a step in the right direction, only one-third of trampoline accidents happen when a child falls off the edge; the other two-thirds happen right in the center.....

**Colliding with another person on the trampoline

**Landing improperly while jumping

Trampolines and the use of them, as toys in the backyard, have the potential to cause serious injury. If you have a trampoline you might want to give serious thought to getting rid of it. If you are considering buying a trampoline please consider the dangers and potential for serious and life long injuries that are a real possibility with trampoline use.

For a report on trampoline safety, contact the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission in Washington, D.C. and ask for CPSC Document #5116

 

Did you know......

 

The week of May 13th was National Dog Bite Prevention Week?

More then 4.7 million Americans are bitten by dogs every year -- most of them children, according to the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons.

It's hard to imagine that, annually, almost $165 million is spent treating an estimated 800,000 dog bite-related injuries. Dog bites cost society over $1 billion a year, with insurance companies paying out about $250 million of that in liability claims nationwide.

The worst part is children comprise 60 percent of all dog bite victims. Of children seen in emergency rooms for dog bites, 73 percent were bitten on the face, neck and head, compared to just 30 percent for adults. If you own a dog you are at financial risk if your dog bites someone. Most insurance companies, who provide homeowner type insurance, are increasingly limiting or denying liability coverage to owners of certain breeds of dogs considered more likely to bite. Please be aware of the financial as well as the physical implications of owning a dog. 70 percent of dog bites occur on the dog owner's property. Lack of proper training is the number one reason for dog bite injuries being on the rise. It is imperative that you as a dog owner take precautions to protect yourself and others.

Now...make Rover sit and tell him he's a good boy...then give him a biscuit.

 

Home Improvements/Remodeling

 

Planning on building that addition this year or remodeling the Kitchen? Don't forget to let us know so that we can be sure the value your home is insured for is in line with the increased calue of your remodeling. Most of us don't even think about reviewing our homeowner insurance after remodeling or building an addition and yet it's just as important to remodel your insurance coverage to reflect the increase in the value of you home. So don't forget to let us know. Also, if you are hiring a contractor to do the remodeling or build the addition, be sure and ask them for a certificate of insurance. Any responsible contractor will provide this to you without question. It's a simple form which shows you that the contractor has liability insurance and what his limits are. If you would like we would be happy to review the certificate. Peace os mind that the contractor doing the work has the right coverage if something goes wrong.

We are here to serve you in any way we can. Our goal is...if the worst happens you have the proper limits and coverage to minimize your loss.

 

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