Insurance For Newlyweds

February is one of the busiest times of the year for engagements and weddings. And if you’re planning to tie the knot soon - congratulations!

Now it’s time to think about what this means for your insurance! When you get married and combine two households, there are some important insurance things to think about. Let’s go over some of the most common (and often overlooked).

Once you’re married, you’ll want to combine your vehicles onto one auto insurance policy. Bonus? Many times you’ll get a discount when you have multiple vehicles on one policy! If you only own one vehicle, just make sure to add your spouse to the policy.

Next you’ll want to make sure that you have renters or homeowners insurance in place for your new household. If you’re keeping your current residence, just have us add your spouse to the policy. If you’re renting and don’t have coverage, have us quote a renters insurance policy! You’ll save on your auto insurance PLUS protect all of those fancy wedding gifts!

And finally, have a conversation about Life insurance. No one wants to think about this important coverage but if you’re planning to start a family or if your spouse depends on your income, then now is the time to get it started. We can quote an affordable life insurance policy to protect your new family.

None of this is time consuming or difficult! In fact, it can usually be done in one short phone conversation. Call us today at 508-347-9343 to discuss your policy!  

Get Financially Organized This January!

Getting organized is one of the top New Year’s Resolutions each year.  And while you might not be ready to organize your entire house, here are a few things you can do to quickly organize your finances!

Review Your Statements - Look over your bank and credit card statements for the past year.  While it’s great to check for mistakes on a regular basis, this time you’re looking for things that you pay for each month.  Those recurring monthly charges or fees can cost a lot if you’re not actually using the service.  Look for anything that you can cancel in the new year and put that money in savings instead! 

Check Your Credit - You should check your credit report at least once per year.  You’ll want to look for mistakes as well as see your credit score to determine how healthy your finances are.  Use a website like www.annualcreditreport.com to request a free copy of your credit report.  Sites like Credit Karma are also an easy way to estimate your credit score.  Your credit card company may also offer credit monitoring services. 

Backup Your Computer - This might not be directly related to finances, but it’s a good reminder anyway!  Take a few minutes to back up your computer, phones, and photos.  Use a tool like Dropbox or iCloud to securely backup your documents. 

Getting organized doesn’t have to be difficult!  Take care of these quick tasks and be on the road to financial wellness in 2016. 

Want to save money on insurance while you’re at it?  Give us a call today at 508-347-9343 to request a free quote.

How Healthy Are Your Finances?

January is not only the beginning of a new year, but also the official Financial Wellness Month.  It’s a great time to look over your family finances and see where you can improve.  Here are a few great places to start…

Get rid of debt.  Debt reduces your monthly income, costs you money in interest, and can make it harder to purchase a home.  Maybe 2016 will be the year that you get rid of it once and for all? One simple tip you can start with is leave your credit card at home. Only having cash on hands limits your spending. For more great tips on where to start and how to create a debt payoff plan, check out books by Dave Ramsey or Suze Orman.

Put more money in savings.  The easiest way to save money each month?  Put it on autopilot.  Set up an automatic transfer from your checking to your savings account on the day you get paid.  Or find out how you can save money tax free in a retirement account through your employer.  The less you have to think about it, the easier it will be to save! 

Get the right insurance.  You don’t want to skimp on insurance coverage, but you don’t have to overpay either!  Call us today to schedule a free no-obligation insurance review.  We’ll look at all of your needs and find you the best policy for the best price.

What Is Insurance Really For?

Thanksgiving has almost arrived. This is the time of year when we sit back and reflect on all the things that we are thankful for. What immediately comes to mind?

For most of us it’s things like our family, our home, and our good health. And guess what they have in common? All of these things are what insurance protects!

That’s why it is so important to me that my clients have excellent insurance coverage. It’s not just about having getting your proof of insurance for your car before you go to get it registered or fulfilling your mortgage company’s minimum loan requirements.

Insurance is there to make sure that if the worst happens, you can recover from it. It might not be easy, but we’re here to ease the financial burden after your house burns down or a loved one passes away.

All of those TV commercials that just tell you to find the cheapest rate are completely wrong! Of course no one wants to pay more then they have to, but it’s not the most important part of the equation.

Rather than looking for a cheap bare bones policy, take the time to interview and meet with local agents. See who is looking for the best coverage and truly meeting your needs while keeping the rate affordable. Ask about how they handle claims and if they do annual policy reviews.

This Thanksgiving, our agency is extremely thankful for all of our wonderful clients. If you need a local agent to look out for your most prized possessions, give us a call at 508-347-9343 today for a free no-obligation quote.

Halloween Insurance Tips

It's October and that means that Halloween is on it’s way!  We love any excuse to celebrate around the office. However, I wouldn't be a good insurance agent if I didn't give a few good liability insurance tips too.

You've heard most Halloween advice over and over.

Pack a flashlight for when it gets dark.

Put reflective tape on children's costumes.

Check the kid's candy before letting them eat any.

But what about the risks at your home?

Your Homeowners Insurance covers you if someone is injured on your property. But there are a few things you can do to prevent accidents before they happen!

1. Change your lightbulbs. Is your porch light burned out? What about lights along sidewalks? Good lightning will help prevent children (and adults) from tripping.

2. Clear hazards. Tree limbs in your yard? A hole you've been meaning to fill? These are all potential hazards that could cause an injury and subject you to a liability claim. Clean them up before you have people trick-or-treating at your home!

3. No open flames. While candle filled pumpkins are fun to make, they can be dangerous too. If you use any open flame candles, make sure they are up high and away from any loose costume pieces.

And the easiest way to protect yourself? Make sure you have plenty of liability insurance! Call us today to schedule a free review and detailed explanation of how we can keep your home and family protected.

Your Insurance Financial Plan

There are many aspects to successful financial plans.  Most include a family budget, emergency savings, retirement savings, and…insurance!

So today, let's review the important parts of your insurance financial plan.

Protect Your Stuff - 

This is what we think of first when it comes to insurance.  Fixing your car after an accident and replacing your belongings after a fire.  When you review your financial plan, you want to make sure that all of your valuable assets are protected.  Cars, homes, high priced jewelry or artwork, boats, motorcycles, ATV's, etc.  Protect it all and make sure that the deductible is reasonable and that you have full replacement cost coverage.  (We can explain all the details.)  

Protect Your Money - 

Liability is a misunderstood coverage, but it's extremely important.  When you are held responsible for an accident, your assets and money are at risk!  What if your teenager caused an accident and your were sued?  What if you caused a major accident and didn't have enough liability coverage?  Good insurance can make sure this doesn't happen!  We look at how much you have to protect (total assets) and create a plan to cover it all.

Protect Your Family - 

You can protect all of your belongings, but the ultimate way to protect your family is with good life and disability insurance.  If something happens to you, you don't have to worry about your family being protected.  You can plan to pay off debt, pay for college, or anything else that is important to you.  

All of this might seem like a lot for think about, but it doesn't have to be.  With a great insurance agent, you can meet once a year and trust that all of these things are taken care of.  Why not take a few minutes to schedule an insurance financial planning review with one of our agents?  Call us today at 508-347-9343!  

"Back To School" Insurance

August is over, and the kids are going back to school! What does that have to do with insurance? Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Good Grades - Do you have a teenage driver in the house (or one on the way)? Many policies allow discounts for students with good grades. Don't forget to talk to your kids about the importance of keeping those grades up! These discounts can apply to college students too.

Driver Training - There are different discounts available for Drivers Ed classes. We

can review all the options and let you know which discounts will impact you the most.

Moving To The Dorm - Is your college student living in the dorm this semester? Your Homeowners Insurance may cover their belongings without additional coverage being needed. This is called Property Off Premises coverage.

Remember, any claims would be subject to your deductible which is usually higher on home policies! Let us review your policy to check for the specific amounts of coverage included.

Moving To An Apartment - Let's say your college student has graduated from the

dorms and moved on to an apartment. If your child is financially independent, your Homeowners Insurance would not cover their belongings and they would need their own Renters Insurance policy.

Renters Insurance is very affordable and covers all of the contents of the property. It also provides liability insurance if someone were injured in the property or if the student caused a fire, etc. By making sure they are properly insured, you are also protecting yourself.

We work hard to make sure all of our clients have the right coverage at all times. The fastest and easiest way to make sure your student is receiving all the discounts they qualify for and that their belongings are covered at college is to schedule a review! Call to review your policy and situation and we'll make sure all of your questions are answered.

Do you have ice dams?

You can help prevent serious damage to both the roof and inside of your home by minimizing the likelihood that an ice dam will develop, and by removing one as soon as you spot it. Ice dams can form when water from melting snow re-freezes at the edge of your roofline. Without roof snow removal, an ice dam may grow large enough to prevent water from draining off the roof. This water can then back up underneath roof shingles and make its way into your home. 

  

How Do You Know if You Have an Ice Dam?

• Look carefully at the icicles around the exterior of your house. If they are confined to the gutters and there is no water trapped behind them, then an ice dam has likely not formed. Nonetheless, icicles can pose a danger to people when they fall off, so try to safely knock them down while standing on the ground, making sure not to stand directly beneath them. If you cannot safely reach them from the ground, consider hiring a contractor to help.
• Check for water stains or moisture in the attic or around the tops of exterior walls on the top floor of your house. Stains and moisture may indicate that an ice dam has formed and water has penetrated the roof membrane.

  

How to Remove an Ice Dam:

• Melt the ice dam. Fill a nylon stocking with calcium chloride ice melt, and place it vertically across the ice dam so that it melts a channel through the dam. If you try this, make sure you can safely position the ice melt on your roof, and make sure to use calcium chloride, not rock salt. Rock salt will damage your roof. Also, be aware that shrubbery and plants near the gutters or downspouts may be damaged.
• Get professional help. If you cannot safely reach the roof, avoid using a ladder in snowy and icy conditions. Consider hiring a contractor to remove the ice dam.

I you need the help of a contractor, we recommend Mike Dhembe, he can be reached at http://www.mdhembeschimneysweep.com/ and 508-765-9600.  

If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call. 

Long Term Care Insurance

The use of long-term and home health care are on the rise because of medical advances and people living longer. If you think that Medicare will provide coverage for nursing home or at-home care, you could be shocked to know limited that coverage is. Medicare will pay for a short nursing home stay if you’re hospitalized for at least three days prior to your need for skilled care. Medicare will pay for the first 20 days, but you will be responsible for $148 a day for days 21 through 100. After that, Medicare coverage runs out. Medicare also provides limited coverage for home–health services: only when your doctor states that it’s medically necessary. Medicare Supplement Plans may provide more coverage but it is not extensive.  Long-term care costs can cripple a family if they don't plan ahead.. To prepare for long-term care issues, speak to your Financial Planner for options that are available to protect your future.

Grave Marker Insurance

With the Memorial Day holiday just around the corner, we often visit our deceased family members' plots in the cemetery.  Did you know that your homeowner’s policy covers your relative’s grave markers or mausoleums? Unfortunately, vandalism and theft happen to grave markers and even though your homeowner’s policy won’t cover your emotional upset, it will cover the damage to the grave markers anywhere in the world. The standard Homeowner’s policy pays up to $5000 but check with your Insurance Professional to see what your particular policy covers. 

Fiction: The least expensive insurance policy is usually the best

Fact: Choosing an insurance policy based on price alone is a big mistake. It's important to read through the policy details and understand what's covered. Otherwise, you could end up paying a large portion of the claim if the maximum payout amount doesn't fulfill your needs. A low price may also land you an insurer that fights every claim and delays payments. Making price the key factor in your decision could cost you more money and hassle in the long run.

Traveler's Discounts on Massachusetts Auto Policies

Effective Nov, 2010, Travelers now offers new and improved discounts for drivers who are:

• Good Students
• College student at school at least 100 miles from home

This is a potential savings of up to 18%.

There is also a 5% discount for new customers who submit a application at least 5 days prior to their renewal date.

Annual Low Mileage Discount: The discount used to be given for cars driven under 7,500 miles annually. Travelers has changed this to under 10,000 miles a year.

Check with your Independent Insurance Agency to be sure that you get all the discounts you're entitled to.

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.

Do a Home Inventory

It's a good idea to have a inventory of all the contents of your home in case of theft, fire or other damage. Here's a free service from the Insurance Information Institute that makes it easy to document your belongings.

http://ezasset.appspot.com

Wedding Insurance

You can now purchase insurance in the event that something goes wrong with your wedding in spite of all your careful planning. There are many things that can go wrong - things that are beyond your control - like your reception venue going out of business, your bridal shop closing, wedding rings getting lost or sudden serious illness.

A wedding is an investment; the average cost is now up to $27,000. For as little as $200, you can purchase wedding insurance that help make things right when things go wrong.

Requiring Certificates of Insurance from Contractors

Copies of Insurance Certificates should be obtained by a homeowner before he or she hires any worker for some work to be done on the home. For example, a chimney sweep, roofer, painter, etc. all should show proof of current insurance before any work begins, to protect the homeowner.

Do's and Don'ts When Disaster Strikes

For Fire and Smoke Damage - This list of Emergency Tips has been compiled from many years of experience in fire and smoke damage repair and cleaning.

DO:

• Clean and protect chrome trim on kitchen appliances with a light coating of Vaseline or other oil.
• Blow off or brush-vacuum loose smoke particles from upholstery, draperies and carpets.
• Open windows for ventilation.
• Change furnace filters if blower is operating.
• Empty freezer and refrigerator completely if electricity is off and prop doors open with a rolled towel or newspaper.
• Clean and protect smoked bathroom faucets, tub fittings and towel bars with light coating of oil.
• Pour antifreeze in toilet bowls, sinks and tubs to prevent freezing if heat is off in winter.
• Wash plants with water on both sides of leaves (water softener helps).
• Call plumber to drain heating system if heat is off in winter.
• Remove pets (especially birds) to clean environment.

DO NOT:

• Wipe or attempt to wash walls, ceilings or other absorbent surfaces.
• Use upholstered furniture if it can be avoided.
• Use exposed food items or canned goods which have been subjected to excessive heat.
• Use TVs, stereos or electrical appliances until they are cleaned and checked.
• Send smoked garments to an ordinary dry cleaner (improper cleaning may set smoke and odor).

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.

Why Choose an Independent Insurance Agency

There is a difference. Some people think it doesn't really matter where they buy their insurance. But this misconception could be costing them money, service and protection. Buying insurance isn't like buying bread or milk. Insurance is an important safety net for your family, your home, your car or your business. Don't treat the purchase lightly!

There is a difference in where you buy your protection.
1. Captive Agents, who can sell you the insurance products of only one company.
2. Telephone Representatives, who can offer you the insurance products of one company and only on the telephone.
3. On line websites often limit coverage options available, provide quotes that significantly differ from the actual premium that you will be billed and don't allow customization to meet your needs.
4. Independent Agents, who represent an average of eight insurance companies and research with these firms to find you the best combination of price, coverage and service.