GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

Buying a home is probably the most significant investment that someone makes in their life. But how often do we cherish and maintain it? The idea of climbing over roofs and crawling in small spaces to clean and check things does not excite anyone, but it certainly is necessary.

Few things need to be done more regularly than others, such as weekly cleaning your windows and wardrobes. Cleaning the drainage pipes, washrooms, and bathrooms can be done once or twice a month.

If thinking about home maintenance gives you a headache, do not worry. We have created the seasonal maintenance checklist for your home to make things easier for you.

But what are the main things you need to focus on?

• The exterior of your house

• Plumbing and drainage systems

• Electricals

• Security system

• Heating and cooling systems

1. Spring:

'Spring cleaning' is crucial as this is the humid transition period between winter's cold temperatures and upcoming summer heat.

• Check the overall condition of the roof.

• Pour water into floor drains; this will help prevent sewage odours and clean the gutters.

• Schedule your AC for service and replacement of its filter.

2. Summer:

Summer is all about spending time with your friends and family. So, this checklist suggests what you would require to do to prepare for a fun summer holiday.

• Remove dead grasses, lay flower beds, ensure everything looks fresh, and water your garden or house plants regularly.

• Check all the hoses for any wear and tear or leaking issues and fix them immediately if you find any.

• Deep clean the interiors and exteriors of your house, including the driveways and sideways.

• Pest Control during this season is crucial, mainly to prevent mites from damaging your furniture.

3. Monsoon:

Monsoons dominate India’s climate. Indeed, they bring the much-needed water for our crops, but they are also accompanied by strong winds, floods, and power cuts.

• Ensure no stagnant water accumulation as it is the breeding ground for mosquitoes and many other insects.

• Install an effective ventilator to prevent the musty odour from the damp walls and things.

• The constant dampness can cause bugs and fungus on your carpet and rugs so take measures to prevent that.

• A complete waterproofing of walls and ceiling is necessary.

4. Autumn:

The autumn season is the best time to run an overall maintenance check of your home as it is dry, and the temperature is often comfortable.

• Inspect your doors and windows for any cracks, and if there are, get them fixed.

• Check the paint, and if you are planning to paint your house, autumn is the best time.

• To remove the accumulated sediments, clean your water taps, showerheads and water heaters. This will prolong their life and their efficiency.

5. Winter:

Most of us love to be cosy and stay indoors during winters, so it makes sense to focus more on the indoors during this chilly time of the year. But, winter is a season of a few marquee festivals of India, so take this opportunity to keep your home shining. This will even keep you engaged during the cold season.

• A thorough inspection of plumbing is essential. The pipes will likely develop cracks and leaks when the water gets cold.

• Check the heating and air ventilation systems of all appliances.

If you follow this easily doable checklist, you will considerably save your time in maintaining your home in the long run. Not just the maintenance but also the security of your home is equally important. Include a point of home insurance in your checklist for additional protection from unexpected mishaps. Buy home insurance online to get the best deals on your plan. You may even stand a chance to get lower premiums if you have worked upon the security of your home by installing safety equipment and systems.

Click HERE to buy home insurance online.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

As per recent statistics, India has got into the top 5 of most cyber-attacked nations globally by recording more than 1.1 million cyber security assaults in the previous year alone. With the corporate industry being a large sector of revenue generation and economy booster in India, assuring digital security becomes a primary concern.

Businesses are a primary target of cybercriminals as they can gain access to clients’ sensitive data and severely compromise it. Data is the new oil, and the industry is valued in trillions. No business can afford the risk of data leaks, living in the internet-driven world where we are surrounded by many mischievous minds known as hackers.

The practical ways that businesses can implement to ensure safety from cyber threats are mentioned below.

1. Set up Firewalls:
It is the initial line or rather a wall of defence against cyber-attacks. It blocks unauthorized access from outside of the organization and blocks people from within the organization from visiting or opening malicious links.

2. Keep your systems up to date:
System updates are crucial as they consist of security patches designed to protect from the latest security threats. Keeping your system up to date will also help in boosting the operational performance and deriving optimum results.

3. Anti-virus software:
Antiviruses identify, block, and respond to harmful software on your system. Even if you use your system carefully to prevent it from malicious software or files, antivirus software is an essential component of a comprehensive security plan.
Antiviruses scan every file on your system and compare it to known viruses and other forms of malware. If it detects a harmful file, it will block the program from executing and avoid the multiplication of viruses to corrupt the system.

4. Virtual Private Network:
Businesses can improve their online security by setting up a Virtual Private Network. A VPN will shield your business' internet traffic from hackers by channelling all of your data via a strongly encrypted tunnel. The initial milestone to hack systems starts with targeting an IP address. As a VPN hides your IP address, Attackers won't be able to take control of your system.

5. Insurance to the rescue:
A public liability insurance policy protects businesses from the impacts of cyberattacks. This includes security for lost revenue resulting from a cyberattack, payments made to hackers to retrieve data, third-party coverage for losses, lawsuit expenses, and fines.

Other Security measures to practice:

• Reduce the collection of personal and sensitive information from clients as much as possible.

• Educate employees about cyber security through assessments.

• Encrypt important data using the best encryptions procedures available in the market.

• Back up your valuable data at regular intervals.

• Don't forget to shield your cloud storage.

While businesses must digitalize to meet the demands of their consumers, at the same time, they must show their preparation for the adverse technologies and the hackers behind them. Despite having all efforts, if a security breach occurs, a public liability insurance policy can offer the cushion that allows the business to survive the crisis.

So, wisely invest in effective antivirus software technology to ensure a safer environment in the working ecosystem.

Click HERE to buy a public liability insurance policy for your business today.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Rising fuel prices have compelled car owners to find practical solutions to improve the mileage. There is a way out; substituting petrol and diesel-run cars with CNG options. With India putting more effort to reduce pollution and fossil fuel consumption, CNG is receiving more consideration as a more affordable and ecological fuel alternative.

But, do CNG cars have an excellent reputation now? It is because of the assumption that these cars do not require much maintenance, which is entirely wrong! Irrespective of the fuel type, all vehicles need proper care to give a better performance. Now the question arises; how exactly do we boost the mileage of our CNG cars?

Here are our best tips to improve the fuel efficiency of your car and cover more distances.

1. Servicing:
This might sound obvious, but many people still fail to do it. Servicing your car on time improves the mileage of the vehicle. If both the engine and the gas kit are appropriately maintained, the car performance goes up.
And just like the car, the fitted CNG kit also requires proper servicing. It does not matter whether your service station installed the CNG kit or the company had already fitted it; regular inspection and servicing are necessary.

2. Inspect for leakage:
When you get a CNG kit fitted locally, there are chances of damage to your vehicle. Also, when the CNG kit gets old or uses local parts, there can be a leakage in the pipe connecting to the cylinder. It may lead to the wastage of gas and a possible reduction in the car's mileage.
To get the best mileage from your car, you should regularly check your vehicle for any leakage issues. This will improve your car's performance and even reduce the chances of any mishaps.

3. Tyre pressure:
This alone can make a huge difference. Always keep your tyres inflated. If you have ever used a bicycle, you know how difficult it is to drag it with a flat tyre. The same concept applies to cars; cars will have to use more power to pull themselves if the tyres do not have sufficient pressure. Here is an extra tip; overinflate your car's tyres a bit, not to the point where they explode but a bit extra than the company specifications. Here is why; tyres will never be perfectly round in shape. They always squish a little at the bottom to create a flat contact patch with the ground, and more the air, less the area of the contact patch. This will make the car move quickly.

The mileage of a CNG car is approximately two times more than that of a petrol car, and by following the above tips, you can upgrade it to a better level. Don’t wait to refuel the gas until the indicator drops to the empty sign. Driving with less gas in the tank can affect the mileage.

Only improving the car's mileage is not enough to cover more miles. Another thing to consider about CNG cars is their maintenance and repair cost in case of an accident. Therefore, you require additional protection by purchasing insurance. Check out Magma HDI’s online car insurance and make your journeys stress-free and financially safe against adverse situations.

Buying a new car? Click HERE to get the online car insurance quotes.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Have you experienced dull headlights of your vehicle during your journey in the night? Your vehicle headlights get faded over time, and they appear unappealing and significantly decrease the light output. The protective layer on the headlight wears off due to the Ultraviolet radiation from the sun, dust particles in the air, and even the heat generated by the headlight bulb.

You might consider purchasing a new pair of headlights in such a situation. This, however, would be a costly affair. There are solutions by which you can clean those hazy headlights without buying a whole new set or even replacing them. Here are some ways you can fix the foggy headlights issue.

1. Cleaning the vehicle's headlights with a toothpaste:

Here's how you can do it.

• Initially, moisten the headlamp with some water to allow the toothpaste to distribute evenly on the surface.

• Apply a layer of regular toothpaste on the headlight and rub it using a toothbrush or your finger. Gently rub it for a few minutes.

• Keep the toothpaste for around 10 minutes.

• Then, it's time to clean the toothpaste.

• Use a paper towel or a microfiber cloth to wipe. And you’re done.

• To wrap things up, apply a coating of vehicle wax to ensure that the headlights remain clean for an extended period.

2. Using Vinegar and Baking soda:

• Dust off the headlights.

• Dilute some vinegar with water and spray it on the headlights.

• Wipe off the solution using a microfiber cloth or paper towel.

• Mix vinegar with baking soda in the proportion of 2:1 (2 for vinegar and 1 for baking soda)

• Begin rubbing this solution onto your headlights. Wipe in circular movements with a clean cloth until you get the desired results.

• Once finished, clean the headlight using a wet sponge and apply vehicle wax.

3. Using carbonated soft drink:

Surprisingly, this hack works!

• Wipe the headlight using a wet cloth.

• Spray the carbonated drink onto the headlights.

• Let it rest for around 10 minutes.

• Wipe it off with a sponge and later rinse it with water.

• You may not get the desired results in one attempt. This process is time-taking and reflects its results late, so repeat the process until satisfied.

• Apply vehicle wax.

These were some quick DIYs for your foggy headlights. And, if done correctly, you’ll observe optimum results by saving a considerable amount of money.

But, there are specific detergents and products available for this purpose in the market to give you more detailed results. If you're not satisfied with these home remedies, choose an off-the-shelf product to clean your headlamps. You must maintain your headlights in good and shining condition because they ensure clear vision during the darker hours of the day and even signal an approaching vehicle while overtaking.

Despite all these DIYs, if the headlights’ situation appears severe, then visit the automobile mechanic to replace them altogether. Your motor insurance company in India mostly covers the cost of servicing and replacements. So, don't bother making payments out of your pocket. Instead, contact your insurer and inform them regarding the repairs, and you will indeed receive help.

Click HERE to browse through the motor insurance plans.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.