Finally Summer!  Over the past few years with Covid many have opted for stay-cations and buying a boat instead of flying to a destination.  With the increase in the number of boaters, there is even more reason for boat insurance.  We are surprised to find out so many people have boats but no insurance.  Just like cars, boats can get in accidents.  There can be property damage or even liability issues arising out of  a boat accident.

What does boat insurance cover?

• Property damage to your vessel (excluding poor maintenance)
• Liability lawsuits arising out of use or ownership of your boat
• Medical payments incurred as a result of the boat (other than family members)

What is the boat insurance premium based on?

• The deductible you choose
• The amount of liability coverage you have
• The size, age and condition of your boat
• Your boating accident history as the owner

We offer a few different companies for boat insurance; including, Travelers, Foremost and Navis.  We will place your boat with a company that has the best coverage and lowest price.  Give us a call for more information!  www.mancuso-nowak.com

The short answer is yes.  Think about what your homeowners insurance covers.  If there is a loss the cost to repair your home increases every year, especially this year!  We are seeing significant increases in home insurance premiums.  The cost of wood is up, the cost of labor is up, the cost of gas to transport goods and labor is up.  

Aside from the cost to repair your home, the likelihood of damage to your home increases with age.  If you have out dated HVAC, your premium can be higher.  You are more likely to have a loss when your home systems are not current.  If you have made any updates to your your home systems, let us know, it could affect your premium.

What can you do to offset increases in premium?  You can increase your deductible.  The deductible is how much you will pay before your insurance coverage kicks in.  We have been seeing customers with $2500 deductibles because they want to save money.  The thought behind a high deductible is that you are only planning to use your insurance for larger claims.  You save on your premiums every year and are willing to pay out of pocket for claims under a certain threshold.

Also smart home technology is helping to lower home insurance premiums.  There are devices that detect if you have a water leak, or security systems that alert you when a door or window is opened in your house. Finally, if your home and auto are not bundled together with the same company, you are losing out on a significant discount.

If you have any questions about your homeowners policy, please let us know.  We are happy to answer all of your questions and give you advice on how to best cover your biggest asset. www.mancuso-nowak.com

The Massachusetts Hands Free Law started in February of 2020.  The law seems obvious, you can’t hold on to your phone and use it while driving.  That in fact is true, but there are also stipulations when not necessarily driving and a strict age restriction.

To begin with, drivers under the age of 18yrs are not allowed to use an electronic device at all, not even hands free.  No exceptions, not for GPS, not for music.  Many drivers, especially young drivers and their parents are not aware of this part of the Hands Free Law.

Drivers over the age of 18yrs have the following rules within the Hands Free Law:

• can only touch phone to active hands free mode
• device needs to be properly mounted to windshield, dashboard or center console not to block vision or inhibit proper functioning of vehicle
• GPS is permitted only when electronic device is properly mounted
• voice to text is only permitted when device is properly mounted
• use of headphone, one ear only, is acceptable
• can only hand hold device when vehicle is stationary and off of a public travel or bicycle lane (no red light texting!!!)

If you are caught not obeying the Hands Free Law the first offence is $100 fine.  The second time is $250 fine plus mandatory distracted driving course.  The third offence (please just keep your phone at home if you can’t stop using it on the road!) is a $500 fine.  With the third time you also need to do the distracted driving course plus get an insurance surcharge.  You will not enjoy paying more on your insurance for 6 years!  Let’s make the roads a safer place together : )  www.mancuso-nowak.com

This is a very common question!  There are a number of different things that go into figuring out if you should file an auto insurance claim. The most important things to consider are deductible amount and points on your driving record.

Deductible Amount

First thing to consider is your deductible amount.  If you have $500 deductible and the cost to repair your car is $800, then it probably does not make sense to file a claim.  You pay the first $500, so the insurance company will only send you $300 out of the $800 to do the repairs.  Claims filed may not always go against your driving record, but it could affect your rating (your premium) of your auto policy.  For example, an insured recently called in to see if he should file a claim when the upholstery of his car was ruined from a neighbor’s dog.  The dog had ripped the seats and he wanted to have them replaced.  The cost to replace the seat covering was $800.  He had a $500 deductible.  I told him if he files the claim he will not get points on his driving record, but his rating for renewal will probably increase.  He decided not to file a claim.

Points on Your Record

The other important factor to consider are the points on your driving record.  When you get into an accident you get points on your record.  It is 3 points for a minor accident and 4 points for a major accident.  A minor accident is $1k-$5k in damage.  A major accident is over $5k in damage.  For example, if you back into a car in a parking lot, you may choose to pay for damages out of pocket.  Your car is a big SUV and sustains no damage but the other car has a dented bumper.  You would get 3 points on your driving record and have to pay for that fender bender for up to 6 years.  It does not make sense to file the claim.

If you have any questions on whether to file an auto insurance claim, always give us a call.  We will walk you through making the decision.  That is why you have an insurance agent!

The first full week in October marks Fire Prevention Week.  It is extremely important to review fire prevention safety on a regular basis, especially with young children.  Did you know most fires occur in the home between the hours of 11pm and 3am?  So in order to act quickly in the middle of the night when everyone is sleeping, the safety procedures must be second nature.

Smoke Detectors:

• test smoke alarms once a month
• make sure there are working smoke alarms on every level of your house
• working smoke alarms in each bedroom and outside sleeping areas
• have children listen to the sound the smoke alarm makes
• are your smoke detectors older than 10yrs?  replace if they are

During a Fire: 

• have a home fire escape plan
• two escape routes from every room
• if the handle of a door is hot or has smoke coming out underneath, keep door closed and use 2nd exit out
• if you are using 2nd exit out of room and it is a window, make sure you can safely get out or wave light colored sheets/clothes out window to signal you are inside
• stop drop & roll still holds true if you catch on fire
• make a meeting spot outside your house

Prevention is key.  Make sure you check your electrical and appliances for wear and tear. Have all chimneys inspected annually for wood burning stoves and fireplaces.  Space heaters need to be used in well ventilated areas, not plugged into power strips!  And always attend to food cooking on the stove or oven.

If you have a fire in your home or apartment, please call us and we will help you with the claim process www.mancuso-nowak.com.