Massachusetts Tops in Healthcare Plans

Four Massachusetts health plans ranked in the top 10 nationwide according to the National Committee for Quality Assurance. The Committee rates plans based on performance, member satisfaction and accreditation. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care took first place; Tufts Associated Health Plan came in second. Fallon Community Health Plan and Health New England were also ranked in the top 10.

Homeowners and the New MA Oil Law Requirement

Effective July 1, 2010, Chapter 453 of the Acts of 2008 affects homeowners in 2 ways:

• Homeowners must make sure that their oil tank - above or underground - conforms to the new code requirement. There is no grandfathering.
• If the homeowner's oil system does conform, the insurance company must make coverage for loss due to an oil spill available to him or her.

The law states that: An owner of residential property utilizing a heating oil tank for consumptive use on the premises with 1 or more fuel supply lines or return lines in direct contact with conrete, earth or other floor surfaces shall:

1. enclose any fuel supply line with a continuous non-metallic sleeve,
2. cause an oil safety valve to be installed at the tank end of any fuel supply line in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions or
3. employ any other approved release prevention method.

There are exemptions and other details about this law that you should know. Contact your insurance agent for more information.

RMV announces Low Number Plate Lottery

The Registry of Motor of Vehicles has announced the 2010 Low Number Plate Lottery. This year there are 179 plates available for the low plate lottery including the following types:
Number only — three digits (e.g. 268)
Number only — four digits (e.g. 2062)
Two Numbers and One Letter (e.g. 19K)
One Letter and Two Numbers (e.g. B29)

To be eligible, applicants MUST mail the entry form to the Registry of Motor Vehicles • Attn: Lottery Plates • P.O. Box 55889 • Boston, MA • 02205 -5889. The submission must be postmarked no later than August 9, 2010.

Lottery Rules and Eligibility Requirements
Only one (1) entry per applicant will be accepted, regardless of the number of active registrations he/she may have.

An applicant must be a Massachusetts resident. An applicant must have a currently registered and insured passenger vehicle.

Companies/Corporations may not apply.

RMV employees, including contract employees, and their immediate family members are not eligible. (Black’s Law Dictionary defines “immediate family member” as the term generally referring to one’s parents, spouse, children, and brothers & sisters.)

Entry forms must be legible and printed in ink. The form must not have any missing information. Incomplete or illegible forms will be rejected. It may be helpful to have your registration in front of you when completing this entry form. Your accuracy will reduce the risk of your entry form being rejected. *Fields marked with an (*) are optional.

Requests for specific plate numbers will not be honored. Eligible applicants will be considered for all plates listed. Plates will be awarded in the order in which they are listed on the “2010 Plate List.”

An applicant’s registration and license cannot be in a non-renewal, suspended, or revoked status at the time of entry, the time of the drawing, or the time of the plate swap. As such, an applicant must not have any outstanding excise taxes, parking tickets, child support, warrants, or unpaid Fastlane violations.

Entry forms must be mailed and postmarked no later than August 9, 2010. Hand-delivered entry forms will not be accepted.

By law, lottery winners must be announced by September 15, 2010. Please visit our website (www.mass.gov/rmv) later in the summer for the official drawing date.
Lottery results will be available on the RMV website: www.mass.gov/rmv
All winners will be notified by the RMV in writing with instructions on how to transfer their current registration to their new lottery plate. Winners will have until December 31, 2010 to swap his/her plate by phone or at the Special Plate Section at RMV Headquarters. Unclaimed plates will be forfeited after December 31st. Plates will be registered to the winning applicant onlyAll plates remain the property of the RMV even after registration.

Lottery winners will be announced at a live drawing on August 28, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at The Larz Anderson Auto Museum located at 15 Newton Street in Brookline. Lottery results will also be posted on the RMV website.

Keep Your Driver's License With You

Did you know that if you are stopped in the state of Massachusetts and don't have your driver's license with you (even though you have a valid license), you can be fined $50? That a steep price to pay!!!

Insurance Rates - Who Sets Them?

Some customers of Independent Insurance Agents think that the agent is the one who determines the rates for insurance policies and retains the premiums. The truth is -- this could not be further from the truth! The insurance companies set the rates which must then be approved by the Massachusetts Department of Insurance. Most premiums are sent directly to the insurance company (e.g. Travelers, Safety, Plymouth Rock) who pay the agent a modest percentage of that premium.

Agents want to help their customers get the best rate for the best protection for their individual situations. Customers should fully answer agency questionnaires and provide complete answers to questions from their agents; that's how the agent will be able to find all the applicable discounts and rating advantages for the customers.