by Downey Insurance Group | Oct 24, 2012 | Blog
As MA Insurance specialist, we always have our clients best interest in mind and that includes every member of the family. Sometimes on Halloween in the hustle and bustle of getting ready for trick-or-treating a very special member of the family is overlooked and can get themselves in some serious trouble.
Who do we mean? The family dog… Pepper, Jasper, Chewy, Sophie, Cocoa, whatever their name make sure you are doing your best to keep them safe on Halloween along with the rest of the family. Halloween can be confusing for animals. People are dressing up and wearing strange hats or masks and never mind the doorbell. Here are a few tips to make sure your family dog stays safe on Halloween night:
- Chocolate is poisonous to dogs. Make sure all Halloween candy is out of reach of sniffy noses and hungry doggies.
- If you get a lot of trick-or-treaters keep your dog in a safe place. You don’t want all the scary costumes to scare your dog or vise versa. A scared dog can be unpredictable and could easily cause a MA Insurance liability claim.
- Lit candles inside pumpkins pose an obvious hazard. Excited animals can knock over almost anything to get to that interesting ghost or goblin trick-or-treating outside your front door.
- If you take your dog out trick-or-treating on Halloween make sure their costume is safe as well. Non-flammable is best and anything tied around their neck could pose a chocking hazard.
- Whether you take your dog out or not, make sure on the hectic night that your dog is wearing his or her ID tags. You never know, with the craziness of the night if they might make a break for it.
More tips and Halloween dog safety tips can be found on the ASPCA web site. No matter what role your dog plays in your Halloween festivities, don’t for get to keep their safety in mind as you enjoy your Halloween night! Happy Haunting from your MA Insurance specialists at Downey Insurance!
by Downey Insurance Group | Oct 11, 2012 | Blog
You are probably already aware of the benefits of preparing your home for winter. Undertaking a few basic preparatory measures can help you stay safe from storms, reduce your heating costs and potentially avoid having to make a claim on your
home insurance for fire or preventable winter damage. Have you considered the benefits of winter proofing your backyard at the same time?
Tie up loose furniture
Kids’ play equipment, outdoor furniture and garden tools can all become dangerous projectiles in high winds. Make sure any loose objects are secured so they won’t blow around and potentially damage your home in a storm.
Trim trees and remove dead branches
A tree falling on your home could cause serious damage. Now is a good time to go out and check any trees that are on your property, particularly if they are near buildings and trim off any dead branches. Make sure trees are healthy and unlikely to be blown over in a storm.
Drain any gas operated garden appliances
It is a good idea to remove any fuel from gas operated appliances such as ride on mowers as they could be a potential fire hazard. While you are doing this why not check over and service your winter equipment including snow blowers and shovels?
Look after your yard this winter and you could help avoid unnecessary damage to your home. Winter proofing your property should not just extend to your home, but include outdoor areas too.
by Downey Insurance Group | Sep 27, 2012 | Blog
Having kids play in a fall sport is a great way to keep them active. Schools all over the country are cutting back on physical education time, so kids need to find other ways to get the exercise they need. Sports can help supplement a dwindling physical education in many ways.
Unfortunately, while gym class hours are diminishing, childhood obesity rates are going up. Children are suffering from obesity and other health problems because of the lack of exercise they are getting. Couple it with a poor diet, and the same children can be facing a lot more health issues than they should. Watch what your children eat and help keep them physically active.
The recommended amount of time children should be exercising every day is 60 minutes. It doesn’t need to be a consecutive 60 minutes, but the amount of exercise should equal at least one hour every day. A great way to accomplish that is to get your children involved in sports. An hour of soccer practice every day can help keep your child on a healthy track as well as teach him the fundamentals of teamwork. It will also help build self esteem and teach kids different types of discipline they might not know.
If your child is not getting the exercise he needs, think about signing him up for a sport. Talk to other parents in the neighborhood or school to see what’s available. Fall is a great time to start a sport – the weather is cooling down and it’s pleasant to exercise outside. Soccer, football, cheerleading, cross country… whatever your child takes interest in, support it to the fullest. You will be doing him a serious favor by helping to stave off obesity and lead him down a healthy path. You never know, he might actually like it, too!
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by Downey Insurance Group | Sep 21, 2012 | Blog
Do you have all of your Insurance policies with Downey? Most of our clients do, and we want to offer you the same valued service. With our
combine and save program we can save you time and money by reducing your monthly premium, having less paperwork, and the relief of only having one agent. Let us take a comprehensive approach to your insurance. As an independent agent we have the ability to match you with the company that best suits your unique needs.
The direct writers don’t want you to know this, but it is in your best interest to have your insurance with an independent insurance agent. We can act as an advocate for you during the application process, claims situations, or billing questions. You can always count on our dedicated staff to listen to your concerns and offer the best solution based on our 82 years of dedicated service.
This fall is a perfect time to reevaluate your insurance. Let us take care of you and be your advocate for the things that you value most.
Call us today to request a comprehensive review of your Homeowners Insurance, Renters Insurance, Auto Insurance, Business Insurance, and Life Insurance.
You will be glad you did!
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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