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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by Downey Insurance Group | Aug 13, 2012 | Blog
As the summer winds down, and everyone is anxious about the kids going back to school, why not get out of the house and take to kids out to eat, right? Except, if you a couple kids, or more, that can get very expensive. Well no need to worry, there are many local Massachusetts restaurants that will feed your brood for FREE. Why not take advantage of a great deal, and have a great time with your family?
Local Massachusetts Restaurants Where Kids can Eat for FREE
The Halfway Café – Kids eat free every Monday and Tuesday after 4pm. The Halfway Café is also running a 7 for $7 deal through August, offering 7 entrées for $7! You can’t beat that!
Uno Chicago Grill – Kids eat free every Tuesday all summer with a purchase of an adult entree.
The 99 Restaurant & Pub – Kids eat free any day all day after the Red Sox Win with the purchase of and adult entree!
IHOP – Kids eat free on Tuesdays after 4pm with the purchase of an adult entrée.
British Beer Company – Kids eat free all day Monday with purchase of an adult entrée.
Moe’s Southwest Grill – Kids eat free after 4pm on Tuesday, with the purchase of and adult entrée.
Samba Steak + Sushi – Sunday kids eat free all day. Samba also offers a free Magic show on Sunday to amaze and wonder your kids from 5pm -8pm. That sounds like a great deal!
As always, please check your local dining establishments to make sure these deals are still active in case they have changed, and happy dining!
by Downey Insurance Group | Aug 6, 2012 | Blog
With some nine million households sending high school graduates off to college this year, the next year will be a hectic time. But during all the planning, one important thing is regularly overlooked by college-bound students and their parents—
Massachusetts Insurance.
Downey Insurance has been helping families through this transition for years. The most common question we hear is, “how will this transition affect my current Massachusetts Insurance policies, and what addition insurance should we acquire for our college student?” The answers vary greatly every family’s situation is unique. The knowledgeable professionals at Downey Insurance are prepared to walk you through all your options and give you the peace of mind that you need during this time.
More than 80 % of students who rent during the school year may not have enough insurance to protect their personal property—like computers and stereos—or to shield them from liability if someone should get hurt in their apartment. In addition, one in seven students has no health insurance.
Students and parents should visit a Massachusetts insurance professional like Downey Insurance to discuss student insurance needs like auto, health, and renters. Make a list of personal belongings the student is taking to school and keep it in a safe place in the event of theft or damage.
by Downey Insurance Group | Aug 2, 2012 | Blog
In this new digital era you may be planning your vacation differently that you used to. With the addition of smart phones, tablets, and digital apps to our lives we are behaving differently in every aspect of our lives including travel. We here at Downey Insurance, your
New Hampshire Insurance Company favorite, we want you to be as safe and knowledgeable about the new traveling experience as you can be. Some of these tips to follow have been learned the hard way! Here is our updated travel tips for the new digital era:
Post your vacation pictures to Facebook, Twitter, and Flicker upon your return. I know it is tempting to tweet your photos immediately. But heed our warning their are thieves perusing the web for this kind of content. A family vacation = Empty home = A New Hampshire Homeowners Insurance Company claim. It’s not worth it. People will love seeing your pictures just as much when you get home.
Use GPS and Google Maps to your advantage. Families are now able to explore like never before with the use of technology without getting lost! I am sure everyone has a fond childhood memory of getting lost on a family vacation. Mom and Dad yelling, kids wondering “Are we there yet?” Now, our new friend GPS can alleviate all of that. You may even be able to find a really interesting destination via Google Maps that you never would have found the old fashion way.
Check out interactive Mobile Apps for your destination. Some vacation destinations now offer a mobile app to add to your experience. Disney has a great one that allows your to make reservation for dinner in their restaurants and check wait times for rides. Some cruise lines are doing the same thing. Destination travel locations will be working toward this kind of interactive experience in the next few years. So if they don’t have it today they are probably working on it.
Most importantly enjoy your vacation with each other! Try not to check your smart phone or your email for a few days and just enjoy being with your family or friends. From Downey Insurance and your New Hampshire Insurance Company we know that you will have a great time!
