GENERAL INSURANCE BLOG

The past couple of years saw an increasing trend of people inculcating gardening in their daily lives. As people were locked down as the pandemic peaked, having a little plant companion was the best way to stay cheerful during challenging times. Having greens around not only enhances the house's beauty but also purifies the air and supplies oxygen.

While taking care of plants might initially seem daunting, gardening can become therapeutic once you know all the little knick-knacks. Today we will look at the tips and tricks that will help you start your gardening journey.

1. Start small:
Setting up your garden need not be expensive. Use the take-out boxes and old paint boxes lying around your house to pot new plants. You can find the seeds/saplings and the soil at dirt-cheap prices in your nearby nursery. Or you can even use the seeds from the groceries in your very own kitchen.

2. Succulents:
They can survive extreme weather conditions and require almost zero maintenance. They only need direct sunlight for at least 3-4 hours a day and water once a week. Since they are used to surviving in low moisture conditions, you can breathe easy, knowing your plant won't die.

3. Own your kitchen garden:
Having a kitchen garden gives you the positive reinforcement you need. Plants like tomato, ginger, garlic, and gourds do not take up much of your time. You can invest in the soil and see the returns. Using your homegrown vegetables and herbs will be the best reward you deserve.

4. Prepare your compost:
All you need to do is separate your kitchen waste and put it into a pot explicitly kept for this purpose. Then, mix the waste and soil every once in a while to ensure the soil takes up all the nutrients from the waste. This way, you will have your compost ready! Mix this while preparing your pot for new plants.

6. Preventing insects and mealybugs:
As a beginner, you might face challenges while buying insecticides. Making your insecticide solution at home can be an option for you. Adding 3 ml shampoo to one litre of water in a spraying pump and spraying it under the leaves is an excellent way to get rid of mealybugs.
Using diluted rice water is also an effective solution to get rid of tiny insect infestation on your plants. These home remedies are more efficient and cost-effective than the other chemicals.

7. Tools for beginners:
Tools are used to toss the soil, remove weeds and cut out any infected leaf. These can be done with any readily available tools in our homes. But if you must invest in your gardening toolkit, then spades, gloves, and pruning scissors are required in the beginning. Later, you can add forked trowels, garden forks, etcetera, when you build your garden further.

Since most of us are beginners, we should be careful when dealing with soil and tools. Chances are we might be susceptible to infections and Paronychia. They are mostly treated at home, but at times you might need to get yourself proper medications for the same. Getting a personal accident insurance policy would help you rest assured in case of any such mishaps. Planting and gardening can add value to your life, and having a safety net in the form of personal accident insurance only adds value to your experiences. Here's to hoping that this list is just the right motivation to start your gardening journey.

For more details on personal accident insurance policy, click HERE .

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Clear vision is critical for safe driving because it accounts for over 90% of our driving reaction time. Unfortunately, our eyesight changes dramatically at night, and we lose a significant amount of depth perception, colour vision, and peripheral vision. After dusk, the glare of oncoming traffic obstructs our eyesight even more.

As a result of this momentary blindness, accidents are bound to occur. Here, we bring some handy tips to reduce high beam glare problems while driving at night. However, remember that investing in a motor insurance policy is of utmost importance for all vehicle owners as it provides total protection against physical damage or loss due to natural or artificial disasters. Therefore, before stepping out, check your online motor insurance renewal and keep your documents in order.

Now, check these helpful tips to reduce high beam glare problems while driving at night.

1. Anti-glare glasses:
Examine your vision regularly. Ask your optician about no-glare corrective lenses if you wear prescription glasses. Check your glasses for scratches, which can exacerbate glare. Also, exposure to glare while day driving can hamper your vision at night. Wear polarised sunglasses throughout the day to protect your eyes and lower the possibilities of vision impairment while driving at night.

2. Spotless windshields and other glass surfaces:
During the day, a dirty windshield may not be apparent, but it might produce glare at night. Refraction of light and distorted vision on the road can occur due to the glass's streaks. Clean the inside of the windshield, as plastic compounds can accumulate on the glass over time. Remove the filth and oxidised rubber from the edge of the wiper blades with a paper towel and windshield washer fluid to help keep streaks at bay.

3. Position the car mirrors:
The placement of a car's mirrors can help control the intense glare and avoid blind spots to get an accurate judgement of vehicles approaching from both sides. Change the "night" setting on your rearview mirror with the lever on the mirror. Cars' lights will still be visible behind you, but they will be much dimmer.

4. Don't look straight, look right:
Avoid being blinded by high beams that hit you square in the face by looking down the right side of the road. Concentrate on the lane's edge or the painted edge line until the automobile passes. At hilltops, at curves, and crossroads, be mindful of oncoming vehicles' unexpected bursts of light.

5. Take a break:
If you're driving at night for an extended amount of time, take frequent stops. Taking a break relieves fatigue and allows your eyes to recover.

6. Be conscious:
Take basic precautions to avoid blinding other motorists. To begin, make careful use of your high beams. Use your low headlights most of the time and high beams only when essential. Slow down and make sure you have control of your vehicle if another driver uses high beams and fails to dim the lights as you approach.

These tips can assist in driving in the dark without being blinded by other vehicles' headlights. Shield your car with online motor insurance renewal against any such automobile accidents.

Click HERE to do your online motor insurance renewal in easy steps.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Today, it's no longer necessary to use drum brakes on commuter bikes. As technology has advanced, they've become unnecessary for the two-wheelers. Drum brakes operate by squeezing shoes against a lining in the drum itself; this causes friction and stops your bike. They become less effective as they heat up, so they're not ideal for biking over long distances.

To stay safe while biking, it's essential to have a bike with an anti-lock braking system. If your bike doesn't have ABS, you're putting yourself in danger. With cars, it's been a safety feature for years. And now, bike riders can enjoy the security of it too. However, safety is incomplete without ideal two-wheeler insurance that provides the best damage cover. Make the buying process hassle-free by opting for two-wheeler insurance online. Browse through numerous options, and then buy one that fits your needs.

What is ABS, and how does it work?
An anti-locking braking system (ABS) is a system that helps you avoid skidding on slippery surfaces, with its ability to stop wheels from locking up. It's a great way to add safety to your bike journeys.
ABS is the latest generation of motorcycle braking systems. It can avoid the sudden locking of wheels in all types of road conditions and terrains. ABS is a safety system that forces fluid through a circuit of valves and pipes to prevent the wheel from locking up while braking in hazardous conditions.

Importance of ABS in Bikes
Your car's brakes should always be at peak performance, whether you have ABS or not. There are several benefits of having ABS, the main ones being:

• The advanced traction control technology is effective because it improves traction on the road. That's why you can now find it in new auto models. It also helps you avoid slipping and sliding.

• Anti-lock braking systems are essential for slowing down in every type of weather. For example, these systems are crucial when the road is wet after a rainstorm. They prevent wheel lockups by pumping brake fluid to the brakes to control the speed of your bike. These systems can save lives because they allow riders to stay in control of their bikes.

• An excellent anti-lock braking system will increase the resale value of your bike. However, remember that ABS is standard on most modern cars or bikes, so not having one could lower the potential resale value of the vehicle.

• Anti-lock brakes are an investment that can reduce the risk of accidents. So, if you have ABS installed on your vehicle, you might get better insurance rates. Check your 2 wheeler insurance online policy for your bike with ABS.

The government made the Anti-Lock Braking System mandatory for all four and two-wheelers manufactured in the country. This is an important step towards improving road safety for commuters and lowering road accidents. With the Anti-Lock Braking System, your safety and riding experience certainly gains significance.

Click HERE to buy the best 2 wheeler insurance online.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.

Two Factor Verification (2FA) is recognized by many names, such as two-step authentication, two-step verification, and even multi-factor authentication (MFA). In simple terms, to get access to an app, platform, or network, the end-users must ascertain their identities using two forms of IDs. One is their password, and the other factor can be anything, an OTP, biometric scan, a security question, etc.

2FA adds an extra degree of security by safeguarding user IDs and preventing cybercriminals from accessing online resources. Cyber attackers have to confront an additional barrier to access with 2FA in place. Even if hackers know a user's password, they must guess the second factor, which might be challenging based on the authentication factor allowed.

In today's post, we'll go over how this technology protects individuals and organisations from people with malicious intents out in this world headed for Metaverse.

1. Looking beyond passwords:
Generally, offices use single-factor authentication (username & password) to grant access to their services. However, these procedures are insufficient to protect users nowadays.
This is due to users often not adhering to best practices when setting a password. Although strong password rules may help companies reduce these habits, other offenses, such as writing down passwords, using the same passwords across various accounts, or discussing passwords with others, are common challenges at the workplace.
This is where 2FA comes in. It is tough to bypass a second authentication stage as it generally involves biometrics (which can't be faked), TOTPs (Time-bound and ever-changing), etc.

2. An efficient way to fight phish based attacks:
Phishing is a form of cyber assault in which people with malicious intentions send a bogus email that mines for sensitive data. It is one of the top web hazards confronting businesses today.
Phishing emails seem to be sent by respectable organisations and often invite people to log in to their social network, bank, or business accounts. Unfortunately, many consumers are duped by the nature of these emails and input their credentials, giving their passwords and access to sensitive information to hackers.
Let's say you have fallen for the phishing trap, and the hacker has your password. They will try to log in to your account and fail because the second layer of authentication will be waiting for them. One wrong attempt on the second stage will prompt you about a possible breach. You can immediately reset the passwords.

3. A single compromised account might be the tip of the iceberg:
If the same password or its variants are used for multiple accounts, the hacker may acquire access to all of them. Since a typical user handles over 80+ accounts on average, there's a potential risk the hacker will access other credentials. They may steal critical information from inside and even sell the hacked credentials.
If hackers manage to crack into your account and try to work their way to other accounts, they will not be able to get in.

In the future, companies plan to include Geolocation, device type, time of day to assist if a user should be authenticated or restricted. Furthermore, behavioural indicators can be discreetly tracked in real-time to enable continuous authentication. These are things for the future, though. Use the 2FA technology available to secure your online identity from hackers.

Another great weapon to add to your arsenal is public liability insurance. It covers you against identity theft, cyber extortion, unauthorised transactions, and numerous other cyber hazards. In today’s technologically equipped world, your life can be on a digital marketplace in just a few clicks, even ensuring system security is made easy online. Compare different public liability insurance prices and select a plan that matches your requirements without being too heavy on your pockets. Trust us; it is well worth it.

Consider checking the public liability insurance prices HERE.

Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.