Acquanette Chatman: Allstate Insurance

Have you ever wondered if the food in your freezer thawed out during a power outage while you were away? Here's how to know for sure. Place a cup of water in your freezer. ... Freeze it solid. Then, put a quarter on top of it and leave it inside of your freezer. If your food has thawed out and then refroze, the quarter will have fallen to the bottom or midpoint of the cup. Thanks to this straightforward trick, you'll know if your food is still safe to eat.

Were you impacted by the recent snowstorm? To file a claim, please call 800-54-STORM, use the Allstate Mobile app or visit https://al.st/2ECgkVQ. Please remain safe. The safety of you and your families is our primary concern.

Want the coverage you expect for less? Allstate’s new lower auto rates and increased bundling discount give you just that. I can get you started on the path to savings.

Saving over $700 by switching to Allstate is worth singing about. To learn more, give our team a call!

Becoming a Sales Professional at my Allstate agency involves more than just selling insurance it’s providing a sense of security for the things people care about most, especially in times like these. If you’re looking to make a difference, contact me today.

Without unique and unbreakable passwords, you could lose access to important accounts! How can you protect yourself? Here are four things to keep in mind when it comes to creating stronger passwords:... It should be at least 11 characters long. It should include at least three unique character types: uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Use personal dates that are easy for you to remember, but don't use your birthday. That's too easy for hackers to figure out. Make sure that your email password is extra strong since hackers can use your email to change the passwords for the other accounts linked to your email address.

In 2015, two Girl Scouts, Hailey and Kiley, went out on a mission to earn the Silver Award, one of the top award given to Girl Scout Cadettes. They sold t-shirts to raise funds for pet-sized oxygen masks to donate to their local fire department. These small, round animal oxygen masks are made to fit snugly around a cat's face or a dog's snout.... Hailey and Kiley's efforts paid off in 2017, when a Bakersfield, California firefighter, removed a Shih Tzu's limp body from a burning home. One of the firemen volunteered to go back into the home to search for the dog, Jack, after the owner described his favorite spot in the house. As the firefighter laid Jack on the ground, he was lifeless, and his tongue was hanging out. The pet oxygen mask was placed around Jack's snout. It was the first time the firefighter had ever used one. Minutes later, a dizzy and confused dog opened his eyes, wobbling to his feet. Jack spent a few days at the vet's office and made a full recovery. Girl Scouts, Hailey and Kiley, earned their Silver Awards later that year. About 700 fires per year are caused by wild animals or pets, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). They recommend keeping pets away from stoves, candles, lamps, electrical cords, and space heaters.

Today, let us be reminded of the brilliance of our country's founding fathers.

With the New Year on the horizon, now is a good time to review your finances. It's never too late, or too early, to make sure your goals stay within reach. Call me today for a complimentary financial review.

According to a recently published study by the Automobile Association of America (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety... Approximately 50,000 crashes in the U.S. annually involve road debris. This results in nearly 10,000 injuries and 125 deaths per year. 37% of these fatalities result from the driver swerving to avoid hitting an object.... 66% of debris-related crashes result from items falling from an unsecured load. In February of 2004, a young woman was critically injured when an entertainment center fell from a vehicle in front of her. In January of 2006, a man was killed, and a 5-year-old boy critically injured after a tow truck crashed into their vehicle while swerving to avoid a tarp. In June of 2016, a motorcyclist was injured after colliding into a foam pad after it flew off of a towed boat. Let's all do our part to make our roads safer.

When Jeff and his friend Dave broke out the brushes, wood stain, and rags to stain Dave's porch, they noticed that their can of oil-based stain included a warning saying that stain-soaked rags could spontaneously catch fire if discarded improperly. We chuckled and remarked. How often does spontaneous combustion occur? Jeff recalls. But, while their project was drying, and no one was nearby, a tiny fire started right by the porch. ... It was just two hours after they had tossed the soaked rags into a pile next to their supplies. When returning from lunch, they discovered the fire. Luckily, it was small enough that they put it out with a garden hose. We were grateful that we didn't burn the entire house down, Jeff recalls. So what happened? Rags that are wet with oil-based products can spontaneously heat up, which can cause a fire. What's the safest way to dispose of stain-soaked rags? Do not put rags in the trash while they are still wet. Let them dry before you throw them away.

While poinsettia, mistletoe, and holly are all associated with the holiday season, they are also poisonous to cats and dogs. They can cause vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death. Be sure to keep them out of reach!

A holiday grief-saving tip... If you have a live tree, make sure the water reservoir inside of the tree stand is not accessible to dogs and cats.