Month: December 2012

Avoiding Any Mishaps with Your Moving Trucks this Winter

During the winter, your drivers are going to be driving in less than ideal weather. While the rules are generally the same in terms of driving a regular vehicle and a moving truck, adapting to cold, icy roads in the winter is a bit different for the latter. When your employees are driving during the winter, make sure they pay attention to these driving tips to increase employee safety and limit the chance of having to file a mover’s insurance claim:

1. Trucks take three to ten times longer to stop under normal operating conditions than cars. When driving in inclement weather such as rain or snow, increase your following distance substantially.
2. Completely remove snow and ice from all windows, lights, hood and rood. Always have a snowbrush and ice scraper in the truck during the move. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority can prohibit vehicles from using roads if debris, such as snow and ice, could fall from the vehicle.
3. Make sure your windshield washer fluid, oil and anti-freeze are changed periodically.
4. Don’t let your fuel tank get below the one-quarter mark. When temperatures dip below freezing, sometimes vehicles may not start if there isn’t enough fuel in the tank.
5. Don’t force too much power to the drive wheels. This can cause you to lose traction when driving in the snow and result in a skid.
6. When driving through fog, slow down and turn on your lights. Keep lights at low beam! Turning on your high beams will cause the light to bounce back at you from water particles in the fog.
7. Use caution when getting into and out of the truck cab as well as on the cargo ramp. These areas can get slippery in the rain and snow and freeze up.
8. When snow is on the ground and the sun is out and shining, vision can be hindered by all the bright sunshine reflecting off the snow. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and  keep your eyes on the road.
9. Stock your truck with supplies such as warm clothing, blankets, flashlights, bottled water, road flares, jumper cables and a first aid kit.
10. Be aware of wind conditions and load weight.

At Wolpert Insurance & Risk Management, we want movers who are operating company trucks to be as safe as possible this winter. For more information on staying safe and avoiding any moving company insurance claims, contact us today for more information.

What Labor Only Movers Should Tell Customers Ahead of Time

If you’re the owner or operator of a “labor only” moving business then you obviously know the ins and outs of your operations. However, customers who are not familiar with what you do will not know the ins and outs and will need the necessary information when inquiring about your services. Because your company is unique, it’s a good idea to let customers to know how to prepare for your services. Mainly, your employees are only doing the packaging, loading and unloading while the customers are the ones transporting. Here is some information courtesy of our movers insurance agency to pass along to customers so they can better prepare for their move:

•    Get furniture pads: Furniture pads are for storing furniture safely in a rental truck and usually a business like yours will not carry them. Let your customers know they might want to have these on hand if they are moving furniture that they don’t want to get scratched up.
•    Appropriate amount of space: Unlike a standard moving company, your business does not provide on-site visual survey estimates. It is up to the customers to plan out how much space they will need to complete their move.
•    Rope & tie downs: Not all businesses carry these equipment items, so if yours does not, make sure to let customers know that they should supply them during the move.
•    Proper packaging: Packaging valuable items is important and giving this information to customers ahead of time may be a good idea. Reusing boxes is a solid way to have a green move, but it gets to a point where boxes become too worn down and new ones must be used. In the case of expensive, fragile items such as TVs, the best way to protect them is to use crates. Keep in mind that it is also more expensive.
•    Access conditions: Customers who require service in a large metropolitan area, apartment complexes, high rises or similar locations should be knowledgeable about the site conditions. This includes looking into the requirements for parking permits and reserving elevators. By reviewing any potential moving day issues ahead of time, customers will allow your movers to complete your load or unload in a timely manner without delays.
•    Household preparations: It is the customer’s responsibility to make arrangements for the protection of wood floors, carpet, walls, doorways, doors and similar property. Although every precaution possible will be taken to avoid damaging any household property, the responsibility for providing the necessary materials lies with the customer. Protective materials such as floor runners and carpet masks can be obtained from a local moving supply store or from an online retailer.

At Wolpert Insurance and Risk Management, we want labor-only moving companies like yours to benefit itself for the future, just like any company would want to. For more information on labor-only moves or moving and storage insurance, contact our agency today.