How Massachusetts SDIP Points effects MA Auto Insurance

by | Jun 7, 2013 | Blog

The MA Safe Driver Insurance Plan or Massachusetts SDIP, was created in 2006 to replace the old “Step Based” system that was previously in place.  The new SDIP Point system was designed to be a cleaner and easier system for Massachusetts drivers. The MA SDIP premium adjustment is the last rating factor that is applied during the Massachusetts Auto Insurance rating process.  The MA SDIP system allows drivers to have more control over their Auto Insurance rates, because your driving record controls your Point Value allowing the safest drives to be rewarded with the best rates possible.  If you are a good driver you will save money by receiving a significant discount to your Massachusetts Auto Insurance Premium.  If you have an at-fault accident or traffic violation your rates will go up as you incur surcharge points.

SDIP Points:

98: Excellent Driver Discount, a driver who has been licensed and incident free for the last 5 years. 99: Excellent Driver Discount Plus, a driver who has been licensed and incident free for the last 6 years. 0: Drivers with no at fault accidents or moving violations are considered a Step 0.  This will not increase or decrease your premium.   01 – 45: Accidents and Moving violations will increase your Premium.  Points are accumulated based on the following:  (For a more detailed explanation of points and what type of incidents are considered minor vs. major, our blog post Massachusetts SDIP Points Explained may be helpful.) Major Traffic Violations: 5 SDIP Points Minor Traffic violation: 2 SDIP Points Major at-fault traffic accident: 4 SDIP Points Minor at-fault traffic accident: 3 SDIP Points Surcharge Points will affect the rating of 4 parts or your Insurance Policy: Part 1: Compulsory Bodily Injury to Others Part 2: Personal Injury Protection Part 4: Property Damage Part 7: Collision How will this affect your Insurance Premium? An experience driver (that has been licensed for more than 6 years) will experience a 15% increase in premium in each of the above converges for every point they accumulate. An inexperienced driver will experience a 7.5% increase.  A driver with a 98 Excellent Driver Discount will experience a -7% rate reduction in these 4 coverages. A driver with a 99 Excellent Driver Discount Plus will experience a 17% rate reduction in these 4 coverages. As you can see your driving record is a very large factor in your insurance premium!   If you do have points what can you do to reduce your premium?  The best answer is to not accumulate any more points, and they will slowly start to come off based on the following: Points have a life span of 6 years, after 6 years they are removed. Regardless of additional points applied. If you have 3 consecutive years of clean driving you are eligible for the “Clean in 3″ provision: The value of surcharge points for each surchargeable incident is reduced by 1 point if: (1) you have 3 or fewer surchargeable incidents on your driving record in the 5 years immediately preceding your policy’s effective date, (2) the most recent surcharge date is at least 3 years before your policy’s effective date, and (3) you have at least 3 years of driving experience. For information on appealing a surcharge: Appealing MA SDIP Points If you have any questions about Massachusetts Auto Insurance or talk to one of our specialists about starting a policy call us today at 508-485-0130. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for Insurance and community related tips and information or subscribe to our blog to receive subsequent blog posts on this topic and other important Insurance related topics from your Insurance experts Downey Insurance Group.

Need All Home Remodeling Advice? Start With the Contractor

by | May 30, 2013 | Blog

June is a great time to spruce up your home with a remodel, but beginning a home remodeling project can seem daunting at first. Hiring the right contractor will make your home remodeling project a breeze.

Collect References

If you have never worked with a particular contractor it is important to get references from people who have. Ask the contractor for names and phone numbers of people they have completed remodeling projects for. Asking to see before and after pictures is also a good idea because you should be able to see the entire scope of the contractor’s work in the pictures. When you talk to the people who have worked with the contractor be sure to ask them if they would hire this contractor again. You may also want to ask if there were any delays or significant issues with their remodeling project.

Check the Contractor’s License and Insurance

You may talk to a contractor that is very personable on the phone and in person, but make sure that they have adequate insurance coverage and all the licenses they need to complete your remodeling project legally. The contractors should have personal liability insurance coverage as well as property damage coverage. It’s also smart to check the company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau to make sure there haven’t been any complaints filed. If your remodeling job is large enough that the contractor is planning to hire subcontractors to do some of the work you need to make sure that they have licenses and insurance coverage as well.

Communicate

One of the biggest issues that homeowners have with contractors is that they are hard to communicate with. The contractor you hire should return your phone calls or emails within 24 hours. They should be very direct when they communicate with you about the timeline, costs and other aspects of your remodeling project. If you call a contractor for an estimate and they are too busy to look at your project within a few days they are probably too busy to complete your remodeling project in a timely fashion. It’s best to find someone else to do the job.

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Natural Disaster Prevention & Recovery – Everything You Needs Is Right Here

by | May 24, 2013 | Blog

Hurricane season begins June 1st and is right around the corner for us here on the East Coast.  With all the rain storms, flood watches, and tornado warnings that we have been experiencing lately severe weather seems to be a constant threat this time of year.   Having the right protection, with Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance, MA Business Insurance or Flood Insurance can make a world of difference.

An Independent Insurance Agent is a great ally in navigating the insurance market and can be an excellent resource four you by evaluating your specific risk vulnerabilities, personally or in your business.  An unexpected disaster can drain the life blood from your business, or can cause tremendous headaches and financial hardship for you personally if you are unprepared.

Over the years we have shared some great information on our Downey Insurance Blog.  Here are a few that we think are the most helpful in regards to disaster preparedness and recovery:

Hurricane Preparedness Week –Do You Have an Emergency Preparedness Plan?

Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance + A Disaster Kit = Protection for Your Family

Steps to Prepare your Home or Business for a Disaster

Tips for Earthquake Mitigation Strategies

How to Get Flood Coverage with Your Vermont Insurance

Flood Recovery Information

Thinking about Business Interruption Insurance? 

Tornado Warning Terminology and Coverage with Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance

Protecting Your Homes Attached Structures from Strong Winds

Home Inventory and Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance

Does Running a Generator Affect My Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance Policy?

Earthquake Coverage – Homeowners Insurance MA

Would you be able to financially survive a Flood? 

Downey Insurance is dedicated to helping our clients in the unfortunate event of any natural disaster. We can discuss recovery from a storm or flood loss, whether or not the property was insured, offer unbiased claim information, and answer any questions that come up during the recovery process.  For a comprehensive look at your insurance needs, call us at 508-485-0130.  Also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for current Insurance and community related tips and information!

How to Celebrate National Employee Health and Fitness Day – May 15th

by | May 15, 2013 | Blog

We here are Downey Insurance take Employee Health and Fitness very seriously.  Last year we started running an in house Yoga program taught by one of our own very Customer Service Representatives who also happens to be a yoga instructor. We even have a space designated to Yoga, complete with candles, music, and yoga mats.  It really is like our own yoga studio.   We all appreciate this so much and feel lucky to have this offered at our place of work. Her lunch time class makes me feel fantastic.  Yoga is not only good for your body but can also do wonders for calming the mind and reducing stress.
Not every company is going to have the advantage of an in house yoga instructor, but there are many things you can do to encourage Employee Health and Fitness. Yoga for Business – Bring in a Yoga instructor once a week or as a special event.  You never know it could inspire someone to live a healthier lifestyle. A Walking Club – A walking club could walk during lunch, or before and after work.  Now that the weather is nice here in New England this might be a great option. A Weight Loss Pool – We have done this in the past.  All participants put in $10 or $20 and whoever losses the most weight, or drop their BMI the most wins! Smoking Cessation Programs – There are many models out there, thankfully we do not have anyone in our office that smokes so we have not had to explore them.  Therefore I don’t have one to recommend! There are so many benefits of offering an Employee Health program for your employees that can benefit both the employee and the employer.  

Benefits for the Employee:

Improve physical fitness Enhance wellbeing Lower stress levels Increase self-esteem and self-image  

Benefits for the Employer:

Improved productivity Decrease in employee sick time Lower heath care costs We love our employees as much as our clients and are happy to make their well being a priority.  We also love to support businesses that offer employee health programs, by offering insurance products that can fit their specific needs.   If you need Massachusetts Business Insurance we can help!  Call us at 508-485-0130.  Also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for current Insurance and community related tips and information!

Downey Insurance Insures Blue Grass on the Bogs, President Performs

by | May 14, 2013 | Blog

Downey Insurance’s own President, Charlie Downey, will be performing with his band at Blue Grass on the Bogs, a local blue grass festival happening this weekend May 17-19 at Camp Kiwanee in Hanson, Massachusetts. Not only will Downey be playing banjo and resophonic guitar with his band, the Railroad House Band, our agency will also be insuring the festival, which will feature more than 20 blue grass bands over three days. Bands include: No Spare Parts Dawn Kenney Band The Wilbas Riley Coyote Lizzie James & The Greystone Rail Railroad House Band Four Bridges Mary Maguire Band Nelson Hiller & Friends Wildcat Bogstompers Reunion Hill Tricky Britches Big River Stomp The Whiskey Boys One Way Track Swamp Yankees Heather Pierson The Nameless Trio Blue Around the Edges The Chickens Cold Chocolate The festival also features several workshops such as: song writing, introduction to Dobro, banjo, upright bass, mandolin, fiddle, and finger picking blue grass. There will also be gospel singing, artisan booths, raffles, and plenty of local food vendors, such as Wicked Smokin’ BBQ, Chariot Pizza and Evergreen Ice Cream, for attendees to enjoy. Friday night and Sunday tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children aged 13-17, veterans, and adults aged 65 plus. Saturday tickets are $25 for adults and $20 for children, veterans, and 65 plus. Full weekend prices are $45 per adult and $35 per child aged 13-17, veteran, and 65 plus. There is limited camper and RV space available for rent. More camping info can be found here.

Who Needs Massachusetts Workers Compensation Insurance?

by | May 9, 2013 | Blog

 
With a very small number of exceptions, every employer in the State of Massachusetts is required by law to carry an active Massachusetts Workers Compensation Insurance Policy.  Generally, if you have employee’s you need coverage.  Most business owners in the state know that they need to carry Massachusetts General Liability Insurance to protect themselves from law suits from the public, but not everyone is aware that not carrying the proper Workers Compensation coverage can also set you up for a law suit.  An injured employee has the legal right to file a civil action or lawsuit against their employer, and will most likely be guided to so by a personal injury attorney.   
The Massachusetts DIA is out in full force checking job sites and businesses for Workers Compensation violations.  If they find you in non-compliance with Massachusetts states law then a STOP WORK ORDER will be issued.  Fines are a minimum of $100 a day, and a violation can also put public contracts in jeopardy.  If you have been issued a stop work order, we can help you.  Call us at 508-485-0130. What are the Exceptions?
Partnerships, LLCs, LLPs and Sole Proprietors.  Non-Corporations are not required to carry coverage for legal owners or partners of the Business, but may choose to do so if they would like the protection that a policy would provide including medical care and wage replacement due to a work related injury.  Any party that is not a legal owner or partner would need to be covered by a Massachusetts Workers Compensation Policy. Corporate Officers.  Any corporate officer that owns at least 25% of the corporation can apply for an exception with the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents using the AFFIDAVIT OF EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN CORPORATE OFFICERS OR DIRECTORS – FORM 153.  Once approved, the corporation will receive an exemption letter that needs to be submitted to the insurance company for exemption on a current policy.  If the corporation has no other employees, and all officers are approved for exemption, then a Workers Compensation policy would not be needed.  Independent Contractors.   Businesses are not required to cover independent contractors that they hire, but the laws surrounding independent contractors are very strict.  The sure fire way to make sure an independent contractor you hire will not be considered your employee is to ask for a Certificate of Insurance.  If they are carrying their own active Workers Compensation coverage then you know that they will not be picked up by your insurance.   If you would like further clarification on any of the exemptions listed above, we can help you.  Our experienced Commercial Insurance department can answer any questions you may have, and can help you establish the right coverage for your needs without over insuring your business.   Call us today at 508-485-0130, and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for important insurance tips for your Massachusetts business.