Executive Director’s Blog

The following article was provided by American National Insurance Company.

Your home is likely one of the biggest investments you will ever make. Protecting it – and the loved ones who call it home – should always be top of mind. Yet, every year, approximately 50,000 electrical fires start behind the walls of homes just like yours. Electrical fires are often caused by damaged wires or faulty appliances or devices. These hazards can be insidious and are often hidden from view inside the walls and can wreak havoc at any time. The results of electrical fires are devastating, and lead to more deaths, injuries, and damage than any other type of fire in the home.

What if there was a way to detect electrical hazards in your home before they lead to a devastating fire?

American National has partnered with property loss prevention service, Ting, to do just that. As part of an endorsement to the Special Farm Package 10, Ting is providing participants device that can detect early warning signs of electrical hazards before they can develop into a major fire and put your home and loved ones in danger.

“We’re excited to partner with Ting,” said Michael Derkowski, Senior Product Manager for American National. “Fires are devastating.  Unseen hazards such as arcing can cause significant damage. Providing security has always been a mission of American National and this continues that legacy.”

Using a smart sensor that plugs into the wall and connects to your Wi-Fi, Ting monitors the electrical network in real-time and issues text and phone alerts to homeowners if an electrical hazard is detected. If necessary, a licensed electrician may be scheduled to visit the home to mitigate the hazard with a credit of up to $1,000 to cover the cost of repairs. In addition, a credit will be applied to premiums to help offset the cost of the Ting service.

In addition to smart home monitors, other steps you can take to prevent home electrical fires are: inspect and upgrade. Approximately half of homes built before 1973 don’t have an updated electrical system. If you live in an older home, you may want to have your home inspected by a licensed electrician who can make recommendations to prevent an electrical fire. Your home electrical system isn’t the only thing that can become a hazard from years of use. Appliance cords and internal wiring can deteriorate from wear and tear, and lead to a fire. Consider upgrading old appliances.

When it comes to taking a proactive approach to your home safety, you don’t want to wait until it’s too late.

Contact your American National agent or find one near you. https://an.insure/findanagent