Shannon Harvey

Allstate's "X the TXT: Thumbs Up to the Safest Holiday Ever" is a national public awareness campaign aimed at minimizing one of the most dangerous driver distractions facing teens today- texting. The campaign includes stops in 30 cities (including The Today Show), where participants will pledge not to text and drive by leaving their thumb prints on a pledge banner making its way across the country.

By taking the pledge, Allstate hopes teens and parents will take personal action to help save lives this holiday season and beyond. The holidays are one of the deadliest times of the year for teen drivers, and this campaign is the latest in Allstate's long-standing commitment to promoting teen safe driving.

Allstate is partnering with singer Jordin Sparks and her mom, Jodi Sparks, to help us X the TXT. Beginning with a national kickoff on November 17, the campaign tour will include live pledge events in 30 cities from November through January, with a "Top the Tally" competition to see which city can gather the most thumb pledges. Other components of the campaign include:

• Teens who take the pledge will receive thumb bands they can wear as a reminder and symbol of their pledge.
• Reaching out to the public to encourage them to join our Facebook cause page and make a virtual pledge not to text and drive.
• Allstate donating $1 (up to $25,000) to the National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) for every Facebook pledge supporter of Facebook.com/thumbsuppledge.

How can you get involved?

There are a number of ways you can get involved:

• View a complete list of cities where the tour will stop at Facebook.com/thumbsuppledge.
• Will the tour stop near you? I encourage you to attend the event to make your public pledge.
• Share the family pledge with parents of teens and encourage them to have a discussion about safe driving. The family pledge and other teen safe driving resources are available for download at Allstate.com/teen.
• For more information visit www.ShannonHarveyInsurance.com or give us a call at 864-268-9580.

Dangers of texting & driving.

Texting is one of the most dangerous distractions facing teens today. According to a recent Allstate Foundation study, 82 percent of driving teens claim to use cell phones while driving, and 49 percent admit to being extremely distracted by texting and instant messaging while driving. Recent research conducted by Virginia Tech's Transportation Institute reveals that texting while driving can increase the risk of an accident by 23 times.

The study also shows parents can have a profound effect on their teen's driving behavior. 81 percent of teens admit their parents have the most influence on how they drive, and 79 percent say they are most likely to take driving safety advice from their parents.

Introducing Digital Locker, a home inventory application for the iPhone. Digital Locker allows consumers to easily catalog the things they buy and create an archive of their belongings on their mobile device. The application makes it easy to document home contents, so the information will be readily available when filing an insurance claim. Digital Locker is now available to download for free in the Apple App Store and is available to any iPhone user, not just Allstate customers.

How it Works

The mobile application, which utilizes the iPhone's camera, allows users to take photos of valuables in their homes and create organized lists by item, room or category. Consumers can take new pictures or choose from their existing iPhone photo library. In addition, consumers will be able to store their agent contacts, have access to relevant catastrophe information and most importantly, a detailed visual catalog of everything they own.

Recalling lost or stolen items after a traumatic event can be one the most difficult parts of the claims process. Despite this, a 2008 national Allstate survey of renters found that two thirds of respondents had not done a home inventory of their belongings in the past two years and anecdotal claims data suggests similarly low usage of home inventory tools by homeowners. Digital Locker is a key component of the Allstate Mobile Strategy.

If you're like me, you not only like for things to be easy but you also like iPhone applications that make your life easier. We hope our Digital Locker will be helpful for you in that department. And since it's better to hope for the best while planning for the worst, this should be extremely helpful in case you ever have to file a claim.

Eating turkey on Thanksgiving is a tradition that is as American as apple pie. In fact, the National Turkey Federation estimates that 88 percent of Americans eat this particular poultry on Thanksgiving. In 2008 that one-day consumption added up to more than 690 million pounds, based on an average turkey weight of 15 pounds.

In recent years, deep-frying has become an increasingly popular way to cook this holiday bird because the process creates tender, juicy meat enveloped in a crisp outer skin. But there is a downside to the deep-frying method - the increased potential for fire or injury.

The combination of extremely hot oil, a large item to fry, outdoor conditions and turkey-frying inexperience pose dangers including:

•· The Spillover Effect: Many units easily tip over, spilling the hot oil within the cooking pot. If the cooking pot is overfilled with oil, the oil may spill out of the unit when the turkey is placed into the cooking pot. Oil may hit the burner/flames causing a fire to engulf the entire unit. Additionally, partially frozen turkeys placed into the fryer can cause a spillover effect.

•· Combustion: With no thermostat controls, fryer units also have the potential to overheat the oil to the point of combustion.

•· Burns: The sides of the cooking pot, lid and pot handles get dangerously hot, posing severe burn hazards.

Given the added dangers, I recommend all soon-to-be turkey chefs carefully consider the risks associated with deep frying. Unlike Homer Simpson, don't compromise your safety and the safety of those you love just to achieve a better tasting turkey.

Should the deep-frying still become the cooking method of choice, we recommend that backyard chefs closely adhere to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission's safety guidelines for frying turkeys:

•· Keep fryer in full view while burner is on.

•· Place fryer in an open area away from all walls, fences, or other structures.

•· Never use a fryer in, on, or under a garage, breezeway, carport, porch, or any structure that can catch fire.

•· Raise and lower food slowly to reduce splatter and avoid burns.

•· Cover your bare skin when adding or removing food.

•· Check the oil temperature frequently.

•· If oil begins to smoke, immediately turn gas supply off.

•· If a fire occurs, immediately call 911. Do not attempt to extinguish fire with water.

For more information on this or any other safety tips, give us a call at 864-268-9580. We want you to have a Safe & Happy Thanksgiving and hope no turkey will stand in your way.

Are you like me & looking for a little extra room in your budget? Especially since the holidays are just around the corner...but that's another conversation. Well, I have some good news for you. There are lots of little shortcuts you can make that will save a few bucks here and there. Here are seven easy switches you can make to keep more money in your wallet:

1. Mow your own lawn.

Sure, it's nice to hire a lawn service and keep your Saturday to yourself. But if you really want to cut your costs, simply decide that this is a chore you'll do on your own. Be sure to treat yourself to a nice, cold drink after. Now that the weather has changed, you can also rake your own leaves...and enjoy a nice, warm drink instead.

2. Paint your own nails.

Practice makes perfect. Even if you make mistakes at the beginning, doing your own manicures can save you hundreds of dollars a year. And chances are, no one will notice or think much of the difference...unless like me, you're a guy, and this gives you the bright idea to paint your nails for the first time ever. I can't be held liable for that since it's your call.

3. Make your own pizza.

Instead of shelling out $20 a week for delivery, practice making your own pizza at home. It's easy if you use frozen bread dough for the crust. There's lots of room to experiment, and you can get the whole family involved. (Jackson, our 3-year old, really gets a kick out of this.) Plus, everyone can add their own favorite toppings...which are raisins in Jackson's case.

4. Have your own movie night.

Grab some popcorn and blankets and snuggle down for a cheap night of entertainment in your own living room. You can save even more by renting the movie from your local library. Jackson's choice? Bee Movie or Shaun the Sheep.

5. Do your own basic repairs.

Speaking of the library, don't be afraid to check out their books on home maintenance. A little knowledge of basic repairs can save you a lot of money over the course of your life. Recently I saved us $50 by fixing the dishwasher myself. Not too bad for someone who's mechanically-challenged.

6. Wash your own car.

All it takes is water, soap, a sponge, and a towel. Once you get in the habit of doing it, you'll wonder why you ever paid someone else to...unless you drive a Monster Truck.

7. Grow your own vegetables.

Even a single plant can produce pound after pound of delicious food, which you can pick when it's perfectly ripe. Vegetable gardening does take a bit of practice, so start with an easy-to-grow plant like cherry tomatoes. Get a book from the library or check out gardening websites like Garden Web for tips and tricks.

Hopefully you can choose one or two from this list that will work for you. If you decide to skip one (perhaps getting your car washed is something you're not willing sacrifice) you're not going to hurt my feelings.

These are a few of the Frequently Asked Questions that we receive regarding Homeowners Insurance:

• DOES A HOMEOWNERS POLICY INCLUDE FLOOD INSURANCE? Homeowners policies usually do not provide coverage for flood damage. However, if your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program, you may be able to purchase flood insurance from a local insurance company. The cost varies based on a number of factors. What happens if you decide not to buy this type of insurance and your home is flooded? You'll only receive federal disaster assistance if the flood is declared a disaster by the U.S. president. The assistance is typically a loan which must be paid back with interest. If you buy flood insurance from an insurance company, claims are paid even if a disaster is not declared by the U.S. president. Better yet, there's no payback requirement.

• I HAVE A POLICY WITH "REPLACEMENT COST". DOES THAT MEAN MY INSURANCE WILL PAY TO REBUILD MY HOME? Typically, replacement cost means your insurance will pay the cost (up to policy limits) of rebuilding or repairing your home without a deduction for depreciation. However, it may not take into consideration price increases for labor and supplies. A policy with extended replacement costs, like Allstate's Your Choice Home with Coverage Cushion, may provide better protection by paying a percentage over the limit to rebuild your home. For example, if you purchased insurance with an extended replacement cost of 20% on a $200,000 policy, you could get up to an extra $40,000 in coverage to pay for the additional expenses of replacing your home.

• IF I FILE A CLAIM, DO I HAVE TO WORK WITH THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S CONTRACTORS? The process for selection of a repair company may vary by insurance company. With Allstate, you can choose the repair firm, and an Allstate claim representative will work with them to agree to the cost. Or, you can choose a contractor participating in the Allstate vendor referral program, and a workmanship guarantee will be issued on behalf of the vendor for up to three years from the date the repairs are completed.

A friend who has worked for many years in our Claims Department often says: "A Homeowners Insurance Policy can take a left-turn on you in a hurry." We've found the better a customer understands the policy, the less often they'll be confused when a bit of bad luck turns up and a claim has to be filed.