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UNLUCKY Protect your home from lightning during hurricane season—and all year—with these 3 expert tips.
It’s that time of year again—we’re at the halfway point of Hurricane Season. Hopefully, yours won’t be one of the unfortunate 1 in 200 homes that’s hit by lightning every year, but just in case, we decided to ask for some advice on the subject from insuranceQuotes senior insurance analyst Laura Adams. How can homeowners prevent lightningrelated damage? Have a qualified contractor install a certified lightning protection system. These systems can’t prevent a lightning strike, but they do help conduct
a charge to the ground, which reduces the likelihood of fire or explosion in your home. The easiest way to protect electronics and appliances is to unplug them when you first hear thunder or when you go out of town. Having surge protectors between them and your electrical outlets can help, but aren’t failproof if you get a powerful lightning strike. What is covered by homeowners insurance for lightning-related incidents? A standard homeowners insurance policy covers damage caused by lightning, such as fire or power surges. It also pays to repair or replace damaged personal belongings—such as appliances, electronics, and furniture—up to certain limits. Plus, if you can’t live in your home while repairs are being made after a strike, “additional living expense coverage”
reimburses a certain amount of your temporary living costs, such as a hotel and meals. Any other tips and resources for learning more about lightning safety? It’s important to know that if you hear thunder, you or your property could be at risk. Don’t stay outdoors in a storm. Some of the safest places to take shelter are in your home, any large enclosed building, or inside a hard-topped vehicle. If you’re indoors during a lightning storm, move away from windows and don’t lean on the walls. Avoid using the plumbing, since the pipes in your home may conduct electricity. Stay away from electronics, corded phones, or any device connected to an electrical outlet. Lightningsafety.noaa.gov is a good resource to learn more lightning safety tips.
HITTING ALL THE RIGHT NOTES
Juan y Nelson Entertainment has mastered the art of changing along with the music industry— and thrives as a result.
The history of Latin music cannot be written without mentioning Juan Hidalgo and Nelson Estevez. For 35 years, the Doral-based duo has led their record company, Juan y Nelson Entertainment (J&N Ent.), using innovation as the key to their success, and three decades later they’re still going strong. “We started with a $13,000 investment and thank God for the success he has given us ever since,” says company president Juan Hidalgo. “We are the only monopoly-free record company and very proud of that. Little by little, we have been changing the dynamics in the company to stay in tune with all the modern technology. Digitalizing is now an aggregate value in the business that helps music reach the most remote places
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throughout the world. I believe in innovation for world globalization.” Juan’s brother and partner Nelson Estevez notes that the bright side of this business is its unpredictability. “You never know where the next hit will come from,” he says. “So through the years you never get bored, and it all becomes something to remember. We have been changing, which is an important factor in business. Of all the independent record businesses created several years ago, we are the only one still in the market. We have produced merengue, salsa, balada, bachata and as a company are open to every and anything…and we are going to keep doing this, as long as it is well done and they are willing to be directed.” J&N Entertainment presently works with new talent in the urban genre, the most popular right now, according to
Juan, in addition to pop and salsa. They also have ongoing projects with other exponents of the tropical genre, have built a recording studio as well as a television studio to record music videos and presentations, and are working on a digital teaching format so that children from other countries learn music at low cost. For more information, visit juanynelsonent.com.