by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 29, 2011 | Blog
Tornadoes commonly occur in Massachusetts. Most Massachusetts homeowners insurance policies classify tornado damage as wind damage. Destruction to your property from a tornado is usually covered by basic home insurance, but some policies may have a higher deductible for wind damage so it is important to read your contract carefully. Understanding the two main terms usually used to describe tornado danger can help you stay safe when living in a tornado prone area.
Tornado watch: this means a tornado is possible so make a point of listening to media updates. Your family may have to move to a safe place extremely quickly so remind everyone to stay close to the appropriate tornado shelter. The signs of a tornado threat may be a low, dark cloud or a spinning funnel shaped cloud. Be aware that sometimes a tornado can develop so rapidly there may be no obvious danger signs beforehand.
Tornado warning: this means you need to go to a tornado shelter immediately. A passage way or inner room on the lowest level may be the safest area in a multi level building. Leave vehicles and mobile homes and take shelter in the nearest solid structure. Lie flat in a ditch or low point if caught outside in a tornado and stay aware of flying debris.
After a tornado has passed remember to keep listening to media alerts for potential emergency situations that may have been caused by the storm. It is also a good idea to take photographs of any damage for your Massachusetts homeowners insurance claim. With Downey Insurance Group, you can get the coverage you need with our agency’s assistance. Contact us today for more information!
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by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 25, 2011 | Blog
It is such a wonderful time of year, and celebrating the Christmas season would not be complete in Marlborough without visiting the Festival of Trees. This year The Marlborough Historical Society will be holding ”The 4th Annual Festival of Trees “ in a new location: Hellenic Hall at Sts. Anargyroi Greek Church, 9 Cashman Street, November 25, 26th, 27th and December 2nd, 3rd, 4th. Everyone in our MA Insurance office loves sponsoring this event because is brings so much Christmas Spirit to the Marlborough area. Even though this is a relatively new tradition, it has already stolen the hearts of many locals and we believe it will continue for many, many years to come. Then to bring this wonderful program to and end on December 10th The Marlborough Historical Society will be holding “Christmas at the Farm” at The Peter Rice Homestead (the home of the Historical Society).
This year the Festival of Tress will include Santa’s Workshop, Candyland, Holiday Decorations, Miniature Victorian Village and Train Display, Crafters, Santa Claus, and an Animated Display from Edaville USA Railway. But the main event, the trees, is not to be missed! Dozens of beautiful trees will be decorated and on display ready to be raffled off for you to take home! We have a coupon for discounted admission. Don’t let this tradition pass you by!
by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 23, 2011 | Blog
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! If your house is like ours on Thanksgiving there will still be an abundance of leftovers after everyone eats themselves into a food coma. If you struggle with what to do with all those leftovers I have the perfect leftover recipe for you brought to you by your MA Auto Insurance Specialists. See we do think about things other than Insurance, although everything relates to Insurance in our world! This also is a great solution for all of those who are lucky enough to be guest this Thanksgiving and are sent home with a plate full of goodness. I am sorry I don’t have any pictures; these have never lasted long enough to photograph!
I introduce the Perfect Leftover Recipe – Leftover Turnover Pies! These are so yummy my mouth is watering just thinking about them. What could be better than combining all your delicious Thanksgiving foods and pie crust! Super yum!
Thanksgiving Leftover Turnover Pie’s
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For this recipe you could use pre-made pie crust, homemade pie crust, puff pastry or pre-packaged crescent roll dough. All of these will add their own unique flavors to your turnovers. I always use whatever I happen to have on hand, or I whip up a pie crust from scratch.
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Combine your filling ingredients. My favorite combo is: Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Stuffing, Mashed potato, and Gravy.
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Cut or shape your dough into circles or rectangles, fill and seal! The size and shape of your Turnover Pie’s is totally up to you, you can’t really get this wrong. You may want to seal your edges with a little egg wash, but it is not necessary.
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Cooking time and temp will vary by size and type of crust. Check the baking directions for your crust of choice, for a good estimate. You don’t need to “cook” your filling as it is already cooked just make sure it is heated thoroughly. Your cooking time will mainly be for the crust. If you have an oven light this is a great time to use it! 400 degrees for 20 Minutes usually does the trick. When your crust is golden brown, remove from the oven. Let stand for 10 minutes, then enjoy!!!!
This is one of our favorite recipes and I hope your family comes to love it as much as we do. Thanks everyone, from your MA Auto Insurance specialists at Downey Insurance Group!
by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 22, 2011 | Blog
Investing in Vermont insurance for your car may give you the peace of mind that if you are involved in an accident you’ll be protected financially. Unfortunately it won’t prevent accidents or injuries so keeping your baby as safe as possible while in your car is vital. Your baby’s safety may come down to your choice of baby car seat.
Rules and regulations regarding baby car seats change from time to time so be sure to check the current regulations in your state before you make a final purchase. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
- The size of a newborn baby and the size of a six month old baby are significantly different; even at birth babies come in many different sizes and shapes. Making sure the baby car seat you choose is the correct size for your baby is a vital first step.
- Think twice before buying or accepting a second hand baby car seat – the normal wear and tear a baby car seat is dealt often means that by the time its first little occupant has moved on to bigger things, the seat is no longer safe to use.
- Your friends and family may be excellent sources of tried and true information so don’t hesitate to ask about their baby car seat experiences.
When it comes to your baby don’t settle for less than maximum safety in your new baby car seat, and if in doubt ask your local police to inspect the seat and installation. With a quality car seat for your baby and, Vermont insurance coverage for your car in place, all you need now for trouble free motoring are your safe driving habits, and a safe and comfortable vehicle! With Downey Insurance Group, you can get the coverage you need, so contact us today for more information!
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by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 21, 2011 | Blog
Who is venturing out for Black Friday this year? Is this your first year or are you a Black Friday veteran? While some people revel in this mayhem, others do not share their enthusiasm. But one thing is for certain, you cannot beat the deals that are offered on Black Friday! We have all heard the horror stories about Black Friday, so here are a few tips to keep yourself and your purchases safe this year, from your Massachusetts Insurance partner Downey Insurance Group.
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Be aware of your surroundings. This may sound obvious, but people have died by being in the wrong place at the wrong time on Black Friday. Make sure you are not waiting in a “trample zone” for a store to open.
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Don’t shop alone. Shopping with a friend or “buddy” is not only fun, you can watch out for each other.
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Forgo your purse or wallet all together. It is just one less thing to worry about, right? Having your money and credit card in a zippered pocket on your person is the safest way to go. Thieves love an open purse with a wallet floating around inside for the taking.
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Lock all of your purchases in your trunk. Make frequent trips to your car with purchases if you are shopping more than one store at a time. This will make you less vulnerable to theft. If you put your packages down, don’t let them out of your sight.
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Keep your receipts with you, not in the bag. If there is a theft you want to have the proof of purchase easily accessible to you.
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If you are shopping with children set a meeting place in case you get separated. This is always good to do but in the mass chaos of Black Friday it is even more important.
If you follow these Black Friday Safety Tips, and you are extra vigilant this Black Friday you should be able to avoid being taken advantage of. The thieves will be out in masses this year as well as the shoppers. If you do experience a theft, or break-in to your car call the police first, then your insurance agent. We can file the insurance claim with your Massachusetts Insurance company for you.
Happy shopping and stay safe!
by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 18, 2011 | Blog
General Contractors(GC) are the ringmasters for most construction projects. These projects may include the use sub-contractors and other employees of the General Contractor. Many general contractors have a construction specialty such as single or multi-family homes, commercial property, or other larger scale commercial venues. Their level of experience is crucial to effectively and efficiently completing complex construction projects. This expertise opens them up to a Commercial Liability Insurance exposure, that if not properly managed could put them in a tough spot.
General Contractors may divvy out work in some of the following ways:
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Line up all the specialty contractors for the projects such as the plumber, electrical, HVAC, and excavation.
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They also my use their own payrolled employees for certain jobs and tasks.
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Schedule inspections with officials.
A design plan will be supplied by a professional architect drawn to the specifications of the general contractor and the client. The general contractor will supply most materials for the build, except for those supplied by a sub-contractor pre-arranged in their contracts. It is of utmost importance that the GC is aware of all zoning and code requirements of the project. Making sure the project is properly insured with a builders risk policy, and collecting insurance information from the subcontracts is also required of a GC.
General Contracts operate many different ways. They may be the hands on type that actively take part in the construction, or they may be more hands off and let the subcontractors handle the dirty work. General Contracts may lease equipment for certain jobs; this would also require proper insurance. General contracts do face a myriad of loss exposure through the build process. Having an insurance partner who understands their Commercial Liability Insurance and Commercial Property Insurance needs is crucial to obtaining the proper coverage.
