by Downey Insurance Group | Sep 13, 2012 | Blog
It seems like it is harder and harder to get up off the couch these days and with obesity now being found as the root to many health problems, a local Marlborough church is offering up a walking/running program for Marlborough residents that would like to give thier health and waistline a little attention. Couch to 5K, a nationally recognized program founded by
coolrunning.com, has helped thousands of new runners get up and running 3 miles in just two months.
The program, being sponsored and organized by Connecting Point Church in Marlborough, MA was off to a great start this week with a large turnout of around 75 people! With this many participants it would be easy to find someone on your level to walk or run with. This program is open to all that are interested in participating, they are a very inclusive group ready to accommodate all levels of ability. Experienced runners are also welcome to help train.
This program will run from September 10th thru Thanksgiving, concluding with an actual 5K run. Organizers will be at Ghiloni Park (Concord Road) Monday – Thursday at 6PM and they will be holding a Church Run on Sundays at 8AM! Participants can join at any time and are encouraged to commit to at least 3 days a week as recommended by Couch to 5K.
See you there!
For more information on this program you can LIKE their Facebook page
ConnectingPointMarlboroughCouchTo5K-Facebook Page or visit their website
Connecting Point Church
by Downey Insurance Group | Sep 12, 2012 | Blog
Are you looking for a suitable policy for your new business from an insurance company in New Hampshire? When you are shopping for insurance, it pays to be armed with a few tips for saving money. These include:
• Consider buying a package policy. BOPs (Business Owner Policies) are package deals that have been developed with smaller and mid-sized businesses in mind. BOPs include coverage for property and contents, liability, and business interruption, and are usually flexible enough to have some specialized types of insurance added-on if required. However, they do not include insurance for workers compensation or commercial vehicles, and these would require separate policies.
• Look into the policy deductibles. This is the amount that the policyholder needs to pay in an accepted claim before the insurance applies. Higher deductibles usually mean you pay a lower premium. Whether to go for a higher deductible depends on how likely you think you will be to file claims for losses.
• Take action to help prevent losses from occurring. This includes good building security to help prevent burglaries, and developing a safe workplace – which involves learning how to apply good risk management strategies in your business. Should you own your business property, you could also look into ways to improve its resistance to local hazards such as high-winds and wildfire.
Lastly, it may help to speak to an agent who understands the local region and economy for advice on strategies that could help you save money. Contact one of our agents if you need guidance and help in sourcing a suitable policy from a local insurance company.
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by Downey Insurance Group | Aug 29, 2012 | Blog
In a high wind situation, structures that are attached to a home, such as porches, balconies, or carports, are more likely to suffer roof collapse and come away from the main building. This can result in gaps in the home that allow wind and water entry.
While home insurance may provide financial protection for situations like these, to avoid claims and out-of-pocket costs as well as the inconvenience of repairs, you need to take steps to decrease the risk of attached-structure collapse occurring in the first place.
Weaknesses can be present in attached structures where the roof has poor resistance to the uplift forces of a strong wind. It’s important to check the connections at the top of the posts holding up the roof to ensure they are adequate. Nails and thin metal straps are likely to be inadequate and the roof may be vulnerable to coming apart. In addition, the situation may be worsened where the bottom of the posts has become soft over time, and/or connections to the foundations have deteriorated.
To help prevent attached-structure collapse, it’s important to have a professional contractor make retrofits to ensure that the roof is well-secured to the posts holding it up, and that the bottom of the posts are well-anchored to the foundations.
More details on securing attached structures can be found at the Institute for Business and Home Safety (IBHS). For help in sourcing suitable policies for New Hampshire homes, contact one of our expert agents to arrange a quote today.
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by Downey Insurance Group | Aug 20, 2012 | Blog
School is right around the corner, and back to school shopping can be hectic to say the least. Are you sure you have everything your kids need to start school? Here is checklist of the top ten items that your child can’t live without for a seamless back to school transition.
- 1. Backpacks and laptop cases. Some backpacks now are being made with special lined pockets to store you laptop, tablet, and IPod.
- 2. Lunch Boxes, and freezer packs to keep them cold. Reusable food containers are also nice to have and reduce waste.
- 3. Notebooks, composition notebooks, and homework notebooks. You can never have too many notebooks!
- 4. Writing Instruments like pencils, pens, markers, colored pencils, crayons, highlighters, and lots of extras so they don’t run out during the year.
- 5. Erasers, whiteout, and corrective tape for that last minute quick fix.
- 6. Three ring binders, pocket folders, hole punches, and self-adhesive hole reinforcement stickers for those special documents.
- 7. Glue, tape, staplers, and extra stapes to keep things put together.
- 8. Locks for lockers. Don’t forget to keep a copy of your combination in a safe place!
- 9. Flash Drives, for research papers and presentations to easily transfer data from home to school or school to home. Calculators, protractors and any other Geometry can help make Math a breeze.
- 10. If you have any money left over after all this, don’t forget to take your child to pick out a special “first day of school” outfit so they will feel confident and ready to take on school year!
by Downey Insurance Group | Aug 16, 2012 | Blog
With parts of New Hampshire being vulnerable to earthquakes, it’s important for local business owners to develop and implement earthquake mitigation strategies. Doing so should help enable businesses to keep functioning through, or shortly after an earthquake, while minimizing the risk of injury, loss, and damage.
According to FEMA, earthquakes occur as a result of a stress build-up over time along a fault-line, resulting in sudden movement of rock and ground vibration or shaking. While most quakes are relatively minor and cause little if any damage, all earthquakes are unpredictable.
Severe earthquakes can result in property structural damage, loss of contents, injury and death, and secondary damage such as floods, landslides, tsunamis, damage to roads, power and water distribution lines, and fires.
Business owners need to take steps to protect their assets to continue to provide goods and services and to meet their financial and other obligations. Tips for earthquake preparation include:
• Structural improvements through strengthening the connections between the building’s components and the installation of shear walls.
• Prevention of injuries and internal losses by anchoring shelves to walls, fitting latches on cabinets, and securing computers and other items such as ceiling fans.
• The development of a sound disaster response plan for earthquakes and other perils.
• For financial protection, earthquake, and business coverage from a local insurance company are vital in case of property losses, interruptions to business operations, and extra expense coverage if an alternate premises needs to be utilized following a quake.
Business owners can find out more about earthquake mitigation strategies at FEMA. To find out more about how insurance coverage can provide financial protection for business enterprises, contact us.
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