by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 1, 2011 | Blog
via csmonitor.com
Your home is
probably the most expensive asset you’ll ever have. In the event of it being
destroyed or damaged it may take several years at least to have enough money to
invest in another home. Massachusetts
Homeowners insurance can help
pay for repairs or replace your home and may even help out with additional
expenses incurred if you need to live elsewhere while your home is being
repaired or rebuilt.
Natural
disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and fires are out of your control and
could destroy your home. Your home could also be at risk of frozen pipes,
damage from a leaking roof, or burglaries. Homeowners insurance is intended to
cover the expenses of unforeseen damage – it doesn’t cover any repairs needed
to maintain your home in good order. By buying the correct insurance policy for
your needs you may be able to protect yourself from the financial burden of
unexpected losses.
Massachusetts law doesn’t require mandatory
purchase of home insurance but it is a good idea to consider coverage to help
safeguard your investment. Should you need to borrow money to help pay for your
home, your lender usually requires your home to be insured for the cost of
replacement should it be destroyed or damaged. We just experienced an unexpected
snowstorm in October, so don’t you want to be ready for the next batch of
sudden weather?
Unexpected
household problems are common occurrences and without suitable insurance you
could potentially lose everything that you’ve worked to achieve. Massachusetts Homeowners
insurance can be tailored to your
needs and we can advise you if you may need additional coverage for events
excluded from a standard policy. With Downey Insurance Agency, Inc., you can
rely on our agency to get you the coverage you need when it comes to this
policy. Contact us today!
by Downey Insurance Group | Nov 1, 2011 | Blog
It may sound like a no brainer. But it could mean the difference between surviving a disaster physically and financially. The last year in Massachusetts has been intense. We have had tornados, a hurricane, and an early snow storm that has left many without power for many days. Insurance claims for 2011 are much higher than expected. It seems like being prepared is taking on a whole new meaning.
Massachusetts Homeowner Insurance is so important for your family in the event of a disaster. Most natural disaster damage (except for flood or ground water seepage) is covered under your standard homeowners policy. Would you be able to afford to rebuild your home after a disaster?
A Disaster Kit is not something that most homeowners have, but they should. Having the supplies to feed and take care of your family in an emergency can mean everything when you need it. Some people in Massachusetts have now been without power for 3 days. Stores in the area can quickly sell out of staples like bottled water and canned food. FEMA provides a good list for a Complete Disaster Kit. If you cannot assemble a complete disaster kit, you may want to consider having the following on hand or whatever you think your family would need for the recommended 3 days of provisions:
Water
Baby Formula and/or Baby Food
Canned Meats/Fruit/Veggies
Peanut Butter and Jelly
Crackers
Nuts
Coffee or Tea
Toilet Paper
Paper Plates and/or Utensils
Small Camping Stove
by Downey Insurance Group | Oct 28, 2011 | Blog
Every year after my kids and I come home from trick or treating we are exhausted. But the kids are not too exhausted to dump all the candy that they have just collected on the floor and revel in it. This is usually when I start to feel nauseated, either from all the candy I ate along the way or by the fact that my children now have at least 20 lbs. of candy at their disposal.
With the obesity epidemic we are experiencing in America, and type 2 diabetes on the increase, I always stop to wonder: why on earth do we do collect all this Halloween candy? Because it is soooooooo much fun! So until Trick-or-treating comes with a disclaimer I have decided that we are going to get the best of both worlds. We are going to dress up and freeze our bums off, collect the candy, bring it home and revel in it, and then here comes the fun part: DONATE IT!
The Halloween Candy Buy-Back Program also known as Halloween Candy Give-Back has collection sites all across America. One of our MA Insurance clients Tesini Pediatric Dentistry in Sudbury, MA is participating in this program. Here is the info from their Facebook Page:
“Bring your unopened candy to our office on Nov 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, or 10th and we’ll be sending it to “Operation Gratitude” to make care packages for our troops overseas. Our office will also be sending hundreds of toothbrushes, floss, and toothpaste to include with the care packages.
Every patient that brings in candy will receive a Spinbrush and an entry into our drawing where you could win an iPod Shuffle! We’re also giving away a $50 iTunes gift card to the person that brings in the most candy!”
All the candy that is donated is put into care packages by Operation Gratitude. The care packages are then sent to our soldiers currently serving in the military. Last year Operation Gratitude shipped 125 tons of candy. Now that is something we can all feel good about.
If you would like to donate your candy this year you can visit their website and search for a drop off location near you: http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/index.html
by Downey Insurance Group | Oct 26, 2011 | Blog
Massachusetts Insurance professionals are confident that a law will soon be passed to ban the predatory rating practice of using credit score for rating purposes. These rating practices are not being used in this state, or on a very limited basis. Currently, Massachusetts insurance regulators are not approving rate filings from insurance companies that are using these predatory practices for Massachusetts Auto Insurance.
MAIA the Massachusetts Association of Independent Agents believes that it is important to put a law on the books preventing lobbyist and special interest groups from having an effect on this practice in the future. Many of the large insurance companies such as Nationwide and Geico regularly use predatory rating systems to charge higher rates based on credit, education, and occupation.
“In our opinion, the use of credit, education, the occupation in the rating and underwriting of auto insurance is unfair and discriminatory,” MAIA President Mancini said.
“Those socioeconomic factors — credit, education, occupation — have nothing to do with the way people drive. This is not a new position. We’ve said for many years that a person’s auto insurance rate should be based primarily on their driving records and their driving experience,” he stated.
MAIA is lobbying for a ballot question for the 2012 election to let the people of Massachusetts decide, but they may not have to wait that long. MAIA is working with like-minded legislators to pass a bill banning these practices.
by Downey Insurance Group | Oct 25, 2011 | Blog
Everybody wants to avoid getting into a car
accident, but there is a strong likelihood that at some stage in our lives we
will be involved in one. There’s a chance your New
Hampshire auto insurance will cost more after an accident, but how
much more? Well, the answer depends on a lot of things, so we’ll run you
through a few factors that insurers take into account when determining your
premiums after an accident.
Of course, the first thing insurers want to know
is whose fault the accident was. If it was not your fault, you should not be
penalized at all, but if it was your fault, you may see an increase in your
premiums.
If the accident was serious (and your fault),
your premiums could go up by about 10 percent. If the accident causes serious
bodily injury, your costs could even increase by more. It comes down to the
increased risk you now represent to the insurer.
If you are found to be driving with gross
negligence (driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol), your policy might
be scrapped altogether and you could end up in an assigned risk policy pool,
which is very expensive.
If the crash is minor, your premiums might not
go up at all, particularly if you have a good history.
One piece of good news is that your premiums
won’t change until it’s time to renew the policy. In the meantime, drive with
care, and keep your future New
Hampshire auto insurance costs down. At Downey Insurance Group, we can
help you with anything you need, so don’t hesitate to contact us!
by Downey Insurance Group | Oct 24, 2011 | Blog
With Halloween right around the corner, Downey Insurance wants to help you prepare your property for a safe and fun Halloween. The last thing we want for you is a homeowners insurance claim horror show on your hands this year. Even if you do not give out candy or participate in Halloween, it is amazing the amount of kids (and parents) that will tromp through your yard and ring your door bell. Here are a few tips to keep the horror to a minimum.
Do not burn candles in your yard on Halloween, even in your jack-o-lanterns. Candles may give off the best light but it only take a second to catch a costume on fire, especially a homemade costume that is not fire safe. For the big night use flashlights in your pumpkins instead. Some people still put candles in paper bags along their driveway, why would anyone do this? It’s not a good idea.
Make sure your yard is free of rakes, toys, and other obstacles. Don’t let little Tommy trip and fall in your yard, Tommy’s daddy might see $$$. This is sad but true.
Keep pets safely out of reach. Animals can get spooked on Halloween, even if they are usually calm. With doorbells ringing, food, and costumes (I know my dog does not like anything covering faces) things can get unpredictable. Gating off part of your house for your dog is a great idea so everyone is safe.
If you have any questions about Halloween safety for your New Hampshire Insurance Company or any other New England state, please ask away. Downey Insurance is here to help.
