How to Prevent Mail Theft in Seattle, WA

Mail theft is an unfortunate reality in most of the country. Thieves drive around during the mid-day and night time looking for mail that has not yet been picked up. What are they looking for? Gift cards, credit card applications, and utility bills – pretty much anything that would allow them to steal your identity.

Take these steps to avoid being the victim of mail theft:

  1. Get a locking mailbox

This is one of the easiest steps you can take and also the most effective. While the cost of a locking mailbox varies (usually starting around $80) it can be enough of a deterrent to stop theft. If you live in a community with other neighbors, consider getting together with other neighbors and purchasing a community box. If a neighbor is handy, they can easily install the mailbox. One quick tip, be sure to check for postal service approved mailboxes. It usually requires some minor paperwork.

  1. Pick up mail frequently

Make it a habit to routinely pick up the mail as close to delivery time as possible. Most of us work throughout the day, so grab it on the way in from work. Do your best to not leave mail in the box until the next day.

  1. Avoid using the red flag

If there is one “red flag” (pun) for thieves, it is using your outgoing mailbox’s red flag. Simply waiting until the time the mailman is coming or even better, bringing your outgoing mail to work (with your postage paid already of course). This will ensure a secured delivery.

  1. Have a neighbor help you out from time-to-time

Do you know you have something valuable coming in the mail? Perhaps it is your birthday or around the holidays. Ask a neighbor to pick up your mail for you. Since the USPS is now delivering for Amazon on Sundays, if you have a small package coming, be sure to check your mailbox on Sundays for special deliveries.

Do you have other ideas about how mail theft could be avoided? Feel free to share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

If you have questions about your insurance, call the insurance agents at Secord Agency in Seattle, WA. We are right on NE 45th right in the middle of the neighborhoods of Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Fremont and the University District. We have years of insurance experience and can help you insure everything from your home to your auto or business Insurance. We live where you do and are an independent insurance agent, so we can help you find the right company to fit your needs. You can also check out our website, 24/7.

Do You Need a Renters Insurance Policy in Seattle?

If you’re one of the millions of Americans that rents a home, condo or apartment, chances are you’ve either had renters insurance in the past, or currently do have a policy. If you don’t have a policy, you’ll want to really pay close attention to this post.

In its most basic form, renters insurance helps cover your personal belongings from fire, theft, vandalism and other losses as well as provides you with some basic liability coverage in the event you’re found liable for bodily injury or property damages. There are also different types of renters insurance policy. A replacement cost policy will help pay for replacement of your items as if they were new. A nice thing considering that depreciated jeans, furniture and computers won’t help you become whole again.

A recent article from the Insurance Information Institute states that less than one-third of all renters (31%) have a renter’s insurance policy. Why is that? Do people assume that since they pay rent, their items are covered by that rent cost? Do they assume their landlord has insurance and it would cover this loss? Do they think maybe their auto insurance covers some items? The answer to this is that none of these items will likely cover any of your items. Only a renter’s insurance policy will.

There are 2 basic types of renters insurance:

  1. Actual cash value: Pays to replace your damaged or stolen items up to your policy limits, less depreciation.
  2. Replacement cost: Pays to replace your damaged or stolen items up to your policy limits with new ones, no depreciation.

Some additional things to consider is if you have expensive jewelry, musical equipment or collectibles that you want to insure. This may require a “floater” to be added to your policy.

One last item to ponder is how much liability you want to be covered for. You can get up to $500,000 in liability coverage. This will protect you from lawsuit. If you want even more coverage, you should consider a personal umbrella insurance policy. This goes above and beyond your renter’s limits to provide even more coverage.

Renters insurance is very inexpensive. It can come in around just 50 cents per day.

If you have questions about your home, auto or commercial insurance, call the insurance agents at Secord Agency in Seattle, WA. They’re right on NE 45th right in the middle of the neighborhoods of Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Fremont and the University District. They have years of insurance experience and can help you insure everything from your home to your auto or business Insurance. They live where you do and are an independent insurance agent, so they can help you find the right company to fit your needs. You can also check out their website, 24/7.

Do You Receive Too Much Junk Mail? Follow Our Five Steps to Stop It.

If you’re like most people, you really don’t like getting junk mail delivered to your home. Not only is it wasteful to you, but the companies paying for the marketing don’t want the wasted funds for print and distribution either. If you’d like to be removed from mailings to your home or business, follow these easy steps!

  1. Junk mail: Visit https://dmachoice.thedma.org and create an account. The DMA (Direct Marketing Association) created this site to help people opt out of unwanted solicitations. Seems counterproductive, but it is actually a cost savings to them as well as their customers, the companies sending you the unwanted mail.
    1. Have a deceased family member that still gets mail? You can opt out here too by filing out the deceased do not contact list
  2. Credit Card Offers: Opt-out of credit card offers. If you’ve ever filled out a warranty card, credit card application, refinance application or other form, your information was likely gathered and used for solicitation purposes. Sounds wrong, but it is allowed. If you’d like to opt-out of credit card offers from Equifax, Eperian, Innovis and TransUnion, Consumer Credit Reporting Companies simply visit https://www.optoutprescreen.com/ . You can request to be removed from credit card offers and other credit related offers right on this site – Permanently!
  3. Phone Books: Many people don’t rely on the phone books like they used to! Smartphones have really impacted this industry. If you don’t want to receive a phone book and it goes immediately into the recycle bin, you can contact the phone book companies directly. Usually from their own websites. Here is DEX.
  4. Phone Solicitations: Not exactly junk mail, but unsolicited nonetheless. If you’d like to register your phone number with the Do Not Call Registry, it is free. Click here.
  5. Junk Email: Getting off of junk email lists can be challenging. Who knows where they get your email address in the first place. In most cases, in order to be compliant with email marketing regulations, emails must have an unsubscribe feature. Look towards the bottom of the email and simply click. Do not enter personal information, just confirm your unsubscribe desires.

While getting off of unsolicited mail, credit card offers, phone solicitations and email offers may be difficult with some work you can curb a large majority of this. While we can’t help you get off of these lists, we can help you with your home, auto and renters insurance. If you have questions about your home, auto or commercial insurance, call the insurance agents at Secord Agency in Seattle, WA. They’re right on NE 45thright in the middle of the neighborhoods of Wallingford, Green Lake, Phinney Ridge, Fremont and the University District. They have years of insurance experience and can help you insure everything from your home to your auto or business Insurance. They live where you do and are an independent insurance agent, so they can help you find the right company to fit your needs. You can also check out their website, 24/7.