by Downey Insurance Group | Feb 2, 2012 | Blog
It’s Ground Hog Day, and according to Punxsutawney Phil we have 6 more weeks of winter in store although it doesn’t feel like it! Traditionally we have seen snow well into March so we still may have a few large New England snow storms to look forward to over the next few weeks. Surprisingly during this very mild winter we had had some inquiries about snow plow coverage and MA Auto Insurance so I thought it would be helpful explore some common insurance questions that you may want to consider if you are plowing this winter.
I have a Personal Auto Policy for my light truck and I would like to plow, do I now need a Commercial Auto Policy?
This depends on whether you will be performing any other business operation with your vehicle. Strictly plowing (even for money) is not outside the parameters of a Personal Auto Policy. You would need to contact your agent and have them amend your policy to include a class 30 Businesses rating or assess your business operation to see of a Commercial Auto Policy would be a better fit.
I have a Commercial Auto Insurance Policy would this cover slip and fall accident at a residence or business that I have plowed?
No, your Commercial Auto Insurance policy will only cover damages caused by your vehicle or your plow. You would need to have a plowing endorsement on your general liability policy that includes products and completed operations coverage to cover this type of liability claim.
Will my premium go up on my Commercial Auto Insurance policy if my business offers plowing services?
If plowing will be less than 20% percent of your business your premium may not go up. Trucks that are plowing more than 20% of the time will need to be rated as Commercial which is charged a slightly higher rate than a vehicle that is rated as a Service vehicle.
Is my snow plow covered for physical damage or theft?
Your plow will be covered only if the vehicle that it is attached to is carrying physical damage coverage. If you add a plow to a vehicle it is important to let your agent know so they can adjust the value of the vehicle to reflect the addition of the plow.
If you have any questions regarding plow coverage and you’re Massachusetts Commercial Auto Policy or your Massachusetts Personal Auto Policy please feel free to call to talk to one of our agents who can answer any additional question you may have. Happy Plowing!
by Downey Insurance Group | Feb 1, 2012 | Blog
Have you been considering increasing your level of home security in order to help reduce the risk of a claim having to be made against your Massachusetts home insurance policy? During your research you may have come across the term “passive infrared” or PIR, this is the technology used in motion sensors or detectors to detect movement.
They work by sensing a change in the heat in the area they are set to control. When a change of heat is detected some PIR devices trigger an alarm while others trigger a spotlight. Slow heat changes such as the sun warming up shouldn’t be detected. To reduce false detections, many PIR devices have two sensors side by side and one must detect a heat change immediately after or before the other sensor for an alarm to be triggered.
Some people hesitate to install PIR detectors if they own pets for fear that the pet would constantly set off an alarm. Many modern detectors ignore movements below sixteen inches from the ground. Some models allow you to choose the detection height, but remember a burglar with a slight build may be able to wriggle under a detection limit set higher than sixteen inches.
While PIR detectors may not be 100 percent burglar proof, their visibility alone may make a potential burglar hesitate and then move elsewhere. Inform your Massachusetts home insurance agent about your detector installations, as you may be eligible for an insurance discount.
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by Downey Insurance Group | Jan 24, 2012 | Blog
Vermont is known as the Green Mountain State because of the lush tree covered mountain range that runs down the center of the state. The abundance of trees makes parts of Vermont the perfect setting to build a log cabin home. Before you start making too many plans, here is an overview of what you might typically expect concerning Vermont insurance for your log home.
Home insurance for a log home usually costs more than insurance for the same sized traditional house. Also, there are three factors that may significantly increase your premiums:
- A free standing wood stove may have the potential to negatively affect your insurance rate so consider installing a traditional fireplace.
- Check the distance between where you would like to build and the nearest fire station. Your premiums may be lower if your log home is situated less than ten miles from a fire station.
- Your insurance company may offer you a discount if a fire hydrant is situated less than one mile from your log home.
Consider purchasing a construction insurance policy if you intend to have your log home built. This insurance usually offers coverage for materials on the job site and the value of the property while it’s under construction. Liability isn’t usually covered by a standard policy and may need to be purchased separately.
Log home kits are popular with people who want to build their home themselves and should ideally be protected by log home insurance. Enquire at your Vermont insurance agency for an insurance package that covers kit home materials from delivery to completion.
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by Downey Insurance Group | Jan 19, 2012 | Blog
As your family grows it is only natural to want to protect it every way possible. We see this cycle every day in our office. A customer service representative helping a newlywed couple take out a Life Insurance policy, or increase their Liability Insurance Limits to protect their assets in the event of a lawsuit, transferring from a Renters Insurance Policy to a new Massachusetts Homeowners Insurance Policy, and unfortunately because of the nature of our business we sometimes get see the flip side of this cycle and we are helping a family through a devastating loss. We consider all of these functions equally important. That is because we see the difference a truly educated decision can make when you need it most. At Downey Insurance we have been helping people protect their most valuable assets for 84 years.
A young family can actually be the most vulnerable when I comes to how a devastating loss would affect their future. They may have just purchased a home and could be living very modestly without a large savings cushion to help them through an uninsured or underinsured loss. So if you are just starting a family and have not taken the time to have a professional insurance analysis of you ever changing insurance needs, please give us a call. We would love to help you.
by Downey Insurance Group | Jan 17, 2012 | Blog
Shopping centers may be chaotic places, especially the car park area with everyone seemingly intent on getting in and then getting out as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, many dings and dents seem to mysteriously occur in car parks with no one appearing to take the blame. This may result in a potential claim against your New Hampshire auto insurance policy for something that wasn’t your fault. Here are some tips that may help you avoid car park door dings.
- Choose a parking space in a less crowded area of the car park. While you may have to walk a bit further, with fewer cars competing for a space the chances of someone hitting your car may be significantly reduced.
- When choosing your spot look at the height of the car that will be parked next to your car. Vehicles that have higher doors than your vehicle, such as trucks or SUVs, may accidently cause a dent in your door due to your protective rubber door moldings being lower and likely to be ineffective if contact is made.
- Check the car next to yours for child car seats. Child car seats usually mean the parent must fully open the car door to secure the child and may unintentionally swing the door into your car.
Accidents can happen to anyone so if you hit another car always leave a note explaining what occurred along with an apology and your contact details. Call your New Hampshire auto insurance agent or your insurer as soon as possible and they will usually take it from there.
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by Downey Insurance Group | Jan 13, 2012 | Blog
Recently the U.S. Department of Transportation released a final ruling on the use of cell phones for commercial truck and bus drivers in an effort to cut down on distracted driving. This new ruling states that all drives operating under a CDL license that are participating in interstate freight or bus transportation will be banned from using a cell phone while driving. Only hands free devices that require a “one-touch” answer or call feature will be allowed. This includes a ban on using the push-to-talk feature, where a button has to be continuously held down like a walkie talkie.
Commercial Auto Insurance companies are paying attention to this new law, they are hoping it will bring claim rations down for the commercial trucking industry. According the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) dialing a cell phone makes a commercial drive 6 times more likely to be involved in a crash or accident. The ban will allow drivers to focus completely on driving and all the complexities that are involved with driving their vehicle.
In 2009 alone 5,474 people were killed in distracted related accidents, constituting 16% of all driving related deaths. Operators who violate this new law will be facing fines up to $2,750 for a first offence, and a loss of CDL license after repeated offences. This truly is a public safety issue for the drivers of these vehicles and for the other drivers on the road.
If you have any questions regarding this new law you can read put out by the Department of Transportation. If you are a Commercial Auto Insurance holder and have questions regarding this new law and how it will affect your business, please feel free to give us a call to discuss.
