It is November 3 and the temperature in San Francisco is projected to be 75 degrees.  It is on days like today that we can easily forget that it is autumn and soon will be winter.  However winter is coming and with it will come increased insurance claims.  There will be roof leaks and automobile accidents from the rain that we all hope will come.  Some experts have even predicted that this will be a year of heavy rain. 

It is great to have insurance coverage, but it is even better to avoid having an insurance claim.  Now is the time to take some simple preventive measures to keep yourself and your family safe.  Here are a few ideas:

1. Clear out your roof gutters so that water drains properly.
2. If you know of a leak, now is the time to patch it.  Once the rain comes it is not possible to work on your roof until the weather clears.  By then you will be standing in line with other people who have leaks.
3. If your car has not been serviced in a while, have your breaks and tires checked to make sure they are safe.
4. Change your windshield wipers
5. Keep heaters and holiday lights away from flammable materials. 

And finally, the pressure of the Thanksgiving holiday meal can sometimes bring on humorous disasters.  Here is a story from the NPR.org website provided by Rachel LeMay:

"A few years back, I made Thanksgiving for my in-laws and few friends. I had a schedule posted on the frig of what time everything had to be done to stay on schedule for dinner. I made every effort to be cool, calm and collected; despite the fact that my townhouse kitchen was so small I had to take over my neighbor's kitchen as well. I even remembered to bring out a special glass baking dish that my mother-in-law had given me. My mother-in-law noticed. I scored brownie points.

I made oyster dressing in the dish. As I pulled the dressing out of the oven, it was perfect -- in every way. I set it on the stove top to cool while I started the gravy. I was in the home stretch of a flawless meal. It felt like a culinary coming of age. While still in my 20's, I was about to master Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, blinded by my impending success, I turned on the wrong burner -- the one under the dressing. After a minute or two I smelled something burning. In horror, I realized it was the dressing and as I reached to remove it from the heat, the glass baking dish exploded. Glass shards went everywhere. The gravy and carrots were taken out by shrapnel. The only saving grace was that the explosion occurred in my neighbor's kitchen so the turkey and side dishes at my house were saved.

After I cleaned up the mess, I returned to my kitchen to find that a friend had playfully added "4:52 p.m. Explode the dressing" to my schedule. I guess you can't plan for everything."

I hope your holiday meal is less explosive.

Jerry Becerra