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Be Prepared! Storm Safety

September is National Preparedness Month and the 30th is National Prepareathon Day! Join FEMA and their quest to have our nation prepared for national disasters. The more we know, the better prepared we will be. In Massachusetts we have been voted as one the top 5 states to have a national disaster. So begin getting ready for a big storm now!

Preparation is the best way to be ready for a dangerous storm. Have a few flashlights with extra batteries, your cell phone with the charger, a battery powered radio. Keep all of your personal documents in a fire proof box in a readily accessible area. Make sure you have plenty of non-perishable food items, such as canned food, bread, peanut butter, crackers and lots of water. The American Red Cross suggests having 1 gallon of water per person per day. A first aid kit is essential. Find out exactly what to put in a first aid kit.

During a storm make sure to unplug sensitive electrical items such as computers and TV and microwaves (if these are possible to do easily). By disconnecting them you will prevent a power surge when the power comes back on, if you have lost power during the storm and do not have surge protectors. Keep your refrigerator and freezer closed. If you lose power your food will stay colder for a longer period of time, if they are not opened. If the winds are very strong stay away from windows as debris can come flying through. The basement is the best area of the house to stay in during particularly dangerous storms, such as tornadoes and hurricanes.

If the power goes out and you plan to use a generator, please follow specific safety instructions.

When surveying outside damage after a storm, always treat downed power lines a live and never touch them! Call your electrical company immediately. Contact your town/city for help with trees that are down in community areas, such as the street and on power lines. If your home has flooding, contact your electrician on what to do about before turning things on in the basement or area that was flooded. If your electricity is off for an extended amount of time bring your family to another family or friend’s house. Make sure everyone is safe.

After the storm call us with any damage that has occurred to your home or auto. Remember that flood and earthquake damage are not covered by your homeowners policy unless you add the respective endorsement/policy. Read our blog about what type of storm damage is covered by your policy,

Information on storm safety is from the National Grid.

Ordinance or Law Coverage, Why You Need It

On the basic Commercial Property Insurance Policy there is coverage for replacement cost value in the event of a loss. Most business owners assume that this will cover them if something occurs to their building/property. It will definitely cover the damaged part of the building, but many town ordinances state that if the building is damaged beyond a certain percentage the entire building has to be taken down. The basic commercial property policy does not cover the undamaged part of the building to be demolished or rebuilt. This is an enormous cost.

It is essential to add the Ordinance or Law Coverage endorsement to your commercial property policy to protect against having to pay out of pocket to take down and rebuild. It is important to remember when rebuilding that all new building codes have to be followed. New building codes may include updated electrical, sprinklers, elevators, etc. which are very costly.

Here is a good example of how a 50% loss from a fire could devastate a business owner if they do NOT purchase the Ordinance or Law Coverage. The building has a Replacement Cost of $1M and the fire causes damage to 50% of it in the amount of $500K. If the demolition and debris removal is $100K, the new up to code sprinkler system is $50K and a new by code elevator is now required which would be an additional $100K. The town building ordinance requires that the entire building be torn down when 50% or more is damaged. This brings the total for the loss to $1,250,000 where the basic property coverage will only pay $510K. That means the business owner has to pay $740K out of pocket!

The basic policy will only pay $510K for the loss when the actual cost to replace the entire building is $1M. The extra $10K payment is from the Increased Cost of Construction portion of the policy that states that there is Limited Coverage and the company will pay the lesser of $10K maximum or 5% of the buildings value. This Limited Coverage of Ordinance or Law is not enough to pay for an entire second half of a building to be demolished and then rebuilt.

The Ordinance or Law Coverage endorsement will let you schedule the specific costs for your building to replace the undamaged portion in Coverage A, the demolition cost in coverage B and the increased cost of construction in Coverage C. This endorsement is so important for both old and new buildings. Please call us with any questions regarding this endorsement or any of your insurance needs. mancuso-nowak.com

Safety Before, During And After A Storm

This past weekend there was a tornado in Worcester. The previous tornado was over 60 years ago in 1953 and was a category F4. Even though Sunday night’s tornado was only a category F0, there was still damage and power outages. Brushing up on what to do before, during and after a storm to keep safe is always a good idea.

If the power goes out and you plan to use a generator, please follow specific safety instructions.

When surveying outside damage after a storm, always treat downed power lines a live and never touch them! Call your electrical company immediately. Contact your town/city for help with trees that are down in community areas, such as the street and on power lines. If your home has flooding, contact your electrician on what to do about before turning things on in the basement/flooded area. If your electricity is off for an extended amount of time bring your family to another family or friend’s house. Make sure everyone is safe.

Information on storm safety is from the National Grid website.

Picture is from tornado on Sunday near Worcester Academy

Back To School, Making It Fun!

Here it is…the end of summer (sniff, sniff). Of course it is suppose to be a beautiful summer week, hot temps, lots of sun. Who wants to see it go? It is a harsh reality that all good things come to an end. But, just think of all the fun fall activities that New England has to offer. It is a exciting season coming up! With the end of summer comes the beginning of school. The start of school is a new beginning, a time to start fresh. So many new friends, new teachers, new challenges. As adults we can be excited, but it may take a little more convincing for the younger ones. Here are some tips to make the transition a smooth one.

Start the day off right. An awesome breakfast will make the day a bit more thrilling! Some of the most fun breakfast ideas are from Martha Stewart (don’t worry, they are not super fancy, they are kid friendly!). Who doesn’t like a layered breakfast parfait (sounds difficult, but it is so easy!)? You can even just layer yogurt with cereal and fruit. Very nutritional while also being fun to eat. If you have a bit more time to spend on making breakfast, you can use cookie cutters to shape pancakes or fried eggs. Other great ideas can be found here.

After a fantastic breakfast, start a first day of school tradition. One of our favorite traditions is to have your child hold up last year’s first day of school picture while taking this year’s first day of school picture. You can see how much your kids grow and change in just one year. Another creative idea we found on Pinterest is to buy a t-shirt in the size you think your child will be as a Senior in High School and have them wear it every year for a first day of school picture (then they can change back to regular clothes). So fun to see how they get closer and closer to fitting in it. If your child is excited about growing up, have them hold up a sign that says their grade and year with what they want to be when they grow up. It could stay an astronaut for 5 years, but that’s ok!

When they get to school there should be something special to look forward to at lunch. Once again cookie cutters will make everything a bit more interesting. Cut cucumber, zuccinni, bread, and fruit in all different shapes. Then have a dip like humus in a small container. They get fruit, veggies and grains all in one lunch! Cut up some leftover chicken for some added protein. Roll-ups are another kid favorite, with or without bread. Roll lunch meat with cheese and have crackers on the side. Or do the roll-up with flat bread. Martha Steward has more fantastic school lunch ideas.

Start off the school year on the right foot and the kids will be as excited as you are that they are going back to school ; )

Favorite Movies About Insurance

At Mancuso-Nowak we love insurance. We think all the facets of insurance are so interesting…doesn’t everyone? Surprisingly most people are not as intrigued about this fascinating industry. However, we did dig up a few movie producers that thought insurance was a great topic for their movies or at least good careers for their characters. Most of these movies poke fun at insurance, but we can take it and laugh.

‘Cedar Rapids’ with Ed Helms (of ‘The Hangover’) is a movie about an insurance agent Tim Lippe (Helms) that is sent to an insurance conference in, you guessed it, Cedar Rapids. He is suppose to win the Two Diamond award, which his predecessor has won. Lippe stays honest, unlike most of the characters, and is able to come out on top. We love this film as it depicts the honesty that is the foundation of insurance.

‘Groundhog Day’ is a classic. Its not about insurance, but one of the characters Ned (Bing!) Ryerson (Stephen Tobolowsky) is the insurance agent that pesters Phil Connors (Bill Murray) on his reoccurring day of February 2nd, Groundhog Day. Ryerson plays the stereotypical annoying insurance agent. Trust us this stereotype, like most, does not hold up! We are just here to help with your insurance needs and have not and will not pester anyone. But the stereotype does play out well and the movie is funny!

‘The Incredibles’ is a Disney Pixar movie that can be watched by both young and old. The young kids like it because of the superpowers that Mr. Incredible and his wife Elastigirl have. The adults like it because we find the humor in the jokes and conversations between the characters. After the super-hero crime fighters are banned from using their powers, Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl move to the suburbs and have a family. Mr. Incredible now works for a big insurance company. He helps an old lady find a loophole in the coverage and gets her claim covered. We are not praising Mr. Incredible’s deception, but he is trying to help people like he used to as a super-hero. Insurance is about honesty, that what we aim to uphold.

Our favorite is ‘Along Came Polly’. Reuben Feffer (Ben Stiller) is great as an insurance risk assessment expert. Feffer is the most risk averse person known to man. He ends up meeting and dating Polly Prince (Jennifer Aniston) who celebrates life and loves to take risks. The balance between risk aversion and risk seeking is funny. That’s what insurance is, finding the balance of risk.

What is your favorite insurance movie? Share any other movies that depict insurance.

Time to Get Healthy!

It is the summer and it is time to get healthy! The weather invites us to get outside and enjoy the day. Some great tips on how to improve your health this summer:

Find 30 minutes a day to be active. Chase the kids around the yard. Take a walk after dinner. Go for a swim. Mow the lawn (not a riding lawnmower!) and do yard work. On the weekend take a hike at a local park or mountain. It is much easier to be active in the summer. Check how many calories you are burning using this tool.
Eat local, fresh food. There are farmers markets in almost every town. Support local growers and eat healthy!
Drink more water! So simple and so effective. Next time you go for a snack or sit down to a meal drink a full glass of water. It will fill you up so you don’t overeat.
Have healthy snacks prepared from the night before. Having fresh cut up fruit in the fridge or at your desk is so easy to eat. Almonds in a baggie in your purse, car or desk drawer will give you a healthy satisfying snack ready when you are hungry. Don’t go more than 3-4 hours without eating or you will be famished and probably eat too much when you finally do eat.
Determine your stress triggers, and remove them. If sitting in traffic is stressful for you, go in to work earlier and take a walk or go to a coffee shop and relax. If going earlier is not possible find a stress relieving activity like yoga. Lowering your stress level will make you healthier and has been shown to reduce belly fat.
Get together with friends. Keeping fun and beneficial relationships active is important to your mental health. Have a cookout, go to dinner, go for a walk, go to a game, etc. Always better to share the fun with someone you like.
Treat yourself well and take care of your health. Staying healthy should be enjoyable!

Super-Sized Outdoor Kitchens and Your Homeowners Policy

The new trend in backyard living is bringing all your indoor amenities outside. We are talking flatscreen TVs, music piped throughout the yard, huge grills, refrigerators, couches, fire pits, all the bells and whistles. These renovations are costing homeowners thousands of dollars. With such a big investment, it is important to know if it is well protected.

As the homeowner you would want to make sure your Coverage C (Personal Property) on your policy has adequate limits. Typically Coverage C is 50% of your Coverage A (Dwelling). In most cases this is sufficient, but if you have a lot of expensive furnishing outside, you may want to increase your Coverage C to 70%.

In addition to your Homeowners Policy limits, you will want to make sure your property is safe. To monitor all of your expensive items outside you can install security cameras and have it connected to your indoor security system. There are some systems that you can access from your smart phone and always keep an eye on your investment. Lighting is also important especially when it is dark out and there are people visiting that are unfamiliar with the property. Both ground lighting and above head lighting are a good idea. This will prevent people from tripping and hurting themselves on your property.

As with all outdoor furnishings, it is important to take all non-stationary items indoors during bad weather. Make sure to tie down all other items so there is no risk of flying items during heavy winds. You don’t want to damage your house with furnishings from your yard.

If you have any questions about your Homeowners Policy in connection to your outdoor amenities please call us for more information. And more importantly, enjoy dining al fresco!

Is Your Car Ready for Memorial Weekend Getaway?

Memorial Day signifies the beginning of summer. Everyone is ready to get back to the beaches and have cookouts. According to AAA, 88% of people are planning on driving to the fun on Memorial Day Weekend. If you are one of the many who are driving this week, make sure your car is ready for the trip.

– Check your Auto Policy. Is it active? Have you paid the premium? Do you have sufficient limits of liability? We recommend a minimum of $100K/$300K for line items #3, #5 and #12 on the policy.

– Have a tune up done on the car at least a week prior to departure. A tune up should find any issues with the car and make sure all fluids are sufficient.

– Check the tires. Use a pressure gauge to check the pressure. The recommended tire pressure is different for each car so check on the front door panel when you open the door or the owner’s manual.

– Know the cell phone laws in each state you will be driving through. Some states require hands free devices such as CT while other states don’t have a restriction such as MA.

– Have a windshield/dashboard GPS or a factory installed GPS, try not using a cell phone GPS as it is not safe to try to read a small phone while driving.

Have a fun and safe Memorial Day Weekend! We will be closed on Monday for Memorial Day and re-open Tuesday May 27th at 8:30.

What are the benefits of having an insurance agent over a large insurance company?

Insurance Agent vs Insurance Company, which is best for you? First of all the independent local agents are that…local. You will probably know your insurance agent. The benefit of this is that the agent will be familiar with your life style, which is an important factor in tailoring your insurance program so it is perfect for you. A local agent will know the exposures in the area and be able to best protect your personal property and family in the event of a loss. As a local agent, we are accustomed to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (MA RMV) guidelines, processes and fees. We can also go to the registry for you…and we do not charge!

Local agencies also have the benefit of having walk-in services. You can come visit us and sit down to talk about your policies or claims. When you call in to our office during business hours you will always get a person answering your call, never any prompts or machines.

The added benefit of an agent is that we can match you with an insurance company that most closely fits your insurance needs. Independent agents offer many different companies to write your insurance through. Every person or household has different exposures and there is a company out there that focus on your unique exposures. With the large insurance companies they only offer their own insurance, which may not fit your needs perfectly.

As independent agent, we work for you rather than as an employee of one particular company. So our interests are on our customers, not on making a parent company happy.

Insurance Policy Discounts

Are you getting the best deal on your insurance? Make sure you are taking full advantage of the discounts offered. One of the more common credits with your home and auto policies would be alarm systems. Other than the actual system and its capabilities, it shows the insurance company that you are concerned about protecting your personal property. Also, most companies will offer a significant discount when you insure both your auto and home with them, a multi-policy discount. When you have more than one policy with the same company it shows them that you have faith in them and their products. Loyalty is a big factor.

Some other common discounts include, but are not limited to:

Everyone is “going green”, so if you eliminate the printing of your policy and have it emailed to you instead, you will receive a discount.
Low mileage discount, if you are more of a local area driver, this is the discount for you.
Pay your premium upfront and receive a discount.
If you are part of AAA or AARP, you will receive a discount.
Are you or your children on the honor roll? Receive a good student discount.
Business (commercial) insurance will enjoy similar discounts as personal insurance, such as alarm systems and larger deductibles.

By selecting a larger deductible on any type of policy, commercial or personal, you receive a discount. Again you are showing the insuring company that you are invested in protecting your property. If you know that you will have to pay the first $1,000 of a loss you are more likely to use extreme caution while driving and/or caring for your home/business.

In life and health insurance policies the better you take care of yourself, the more of a discount you receive. The most prevalent would be smoking. Non-smoker rates are considerably less than smoker rates. Your nutrition and health habits will determine the rates that the company uses to determine premiums. Eat a healthy diet and exercise and your rates will be better. The younger that you start a life insurance policy the better your rate will be also. Thinking about death at a young age is a daunting task, but it will prepare you for the future and guarantee better rates. So set up your life insurance now!

Always ask about additional discounts to ensure the best premium. Call us for more information! mancuso-nowak.com