The “All About” blogs are my favorite to write!  I have only been asking Miss Kelly for a couple years to answer a few questions about herself…apparently she likes quoting insurance better than filling out my forms!  Kelly Boyd is a personal and commercial lines sales producer.  Kelly is known for her fun approach to getting insurance sales.  I mean she asks the water delivery man if she can quote his insurance….every time he comes in : )  Kelly also does not shy away from an office selfie social media post.  If you want to have your home, auto, watercraft, or commercial insurance policy quoted, Kelly is your girl.

Miss Boyd has been in the insurance industry for four years.  Her career started here at Mancuso-Nowak, home grown sales!  She was referred by an employee and she took a leap of faith, the rest is history.  She has never regretted that day, mostly because Mancuso-Nowak is the best.  Kelly has said she loves it here because it is a family owned business that values humor and a relaxed environment.  Looking forward to coming to work is a definite plus according to Kelly.  If you are excited to see everyone in the office and help customers save money on their insurance, then you have found your calling.  In the office Kelly is either laughing on the phone with one of her clients, taking a selfie or entertaining us with a story of her social life.

Outside of the office, Kelly enjoys soaking up the sun on her boat or watching her nephew play t-ball. Kelly’s brother coaches the team, and it reminds her of her dad. Lots of family time is a must for Kelly, she loves spending time with her mom.  Nightlife is also key for happiness in Kelly’s life.  Dinners and parties with her friends fill up her nights!

Hope you enjoyed learning all about Kelly Boyd!

“Why mess with the rest when you can have the best” here at Mancuso-Nowak.  Words to live by according to Kelly!

We receive many calls throughout the week asking when do I need to add my child to my insurance policy?  Are they covered right away?  A child is automatically covered for their driving test on their parent’s policy.  Parents have 60 days to call their insurance agent to add the child to the policy, the sooner the better.  To add a child to an auto policy all that is needed is the child’s license number and date of birth.

Another great question we get about listing children on a parent’s policy is concerning divorced parents.   If my husband has our son on his policy, do I have to list him on my policy?  Quick answer is yes, but he will be deferred.  Deferred means that the child has coverage elsewhere, specifically on the father’s policy.  Depending on the insurance carrier you could still see a premium increase even if the child is deferred.  Since the child has opportunity to drive vehicles at both the father and mother’s house, the premium will reflect that.

Should you have your child open their own auto insurance policy or should they stay on your policy?  It depends.  If you/your child (whoever is paying) want to save money put them on your auto policy.  Adults usually qualify for more discounts than children.  Adults usually have a home owners discount along with multi car discount and AAA.  If you want your child to have independence earlier or your child is older when first getting their license and they are financially independent, then they can get their own auto policy.

If you have any further questions about adding a child/new driver to an auto policy please call us www.mancuso-nowak.com.

Now that vaccines are readily available and the Covid numbers are declining, a lot of us are planning vacations!  It will feel great to get away for a break.  Brushing up on home safety tips to deter burglars will help you vacation with peace of mind. Here are some things you can do to your house before leaving:

• Take a walk around your property, can you see any valuables from a distance?  Expensive electronics, jewelry or artwork? Put them away.
• Check for overgrown bushes near your house, these are good places for burglars to hide
• Check the locks on all doors and windows
• Lock your door from your garage to your house
• Secure sliding glass doors with a door stopper, like a metal rod or piece of wood in the door track
• Don’t leave clues that you aren’t home: uncollected mail, trash barrels at the end of your driveway, unmowed lawn. A trusted neighbor or friend can collect these things for you or you can hold your mail at the post office.  If you are away for more than a week arrange to have your lawn mowed.
• Keep your house well lit, use timers on lights.  If you have a Nest (or similar products) turn on lights at different times of the night
• If you have the ability turn on radios or tvs remotely, do so at random times
• Leave your blinds as they are when you are home.  Drawn blinds can be an alert that you aren’t home and they conceal if someone goes in.

A secure home, will let you vacation freely!  If you have any questions about your homeowners policy and your coverage call us: www.mancuso-nowak.com.

You know you have auto insurance, but what do all the different coverages on the policy mean?  And are some of these coverages necessary?  Let’s look at Comprehensive and Collision, specifically.  Both Comprehensive and Collision cover damage to your own car.  Comprehensive covers damage to your car if it is stolen, damaged by weather-related events, fire, vandalism.  Many consider it “other than collision” coverage.  The coverage that helps pay for your car when it is damaged not in an accident. Collision insurance covers your car if you are in an accident with another car, a building, or object like a fence, or in a single car accident.

Comprehensive: theft, fire, vandalism, falling objects (hail, a tree), damage by animals.  Also, includes glass coverage.  Usually required if you are leasing or financing a vehicle, not required if you own your car.  Kept on when your vehicle is in storage or not being driven for a season.

Collision:  accident with another vehicle, accidents with an object (fence, building), single car accidents.  Usually required if you are leasing or financing a vehicle, not required if you own your car.  Can be removed for a season or while in storage and not being driven.

When do you no longer need to keep Comprehensive and Collision on your policy?  Check out the Kelly Blue Book value of your vehicle.  Take how much you pay for Comprehensive and multiply by 10.  If the value of your car is less the price you pay for the coverage then you probably don’t need it.  You can do the same for Collision.  It is a good idea to call us to discuss taking either of these coverages off your policy.  We want to make sure you have adequate coverage.

Planet Fitness has created some tech free ways to spend your time on National Unplugged Day.  Here they are:

Replace Facetime with FIT-TIME!

Substitute those screen minutes w/ Mighty Minutes:

• Replace TEXTING with…
  • Squat Jumps
• Replace FACETIMING with…
  • Slow-Mo Lunges
• Replace SOCIAL MEDIA FEEDS with…
  • Plank Jacks
• Replace SCROLLING with…
  • Flutter Kicks/Scissor kicks

Unplug your Tech & Reconnect Your FLEX!

Rediscover the importance of:

• The importance of MOVING to increase your blood flow
  • Star Jacks
• The importance of MENTAL STIMULATION to maximize your mental mojo
  • Single-leg crossovers
• The importance of CREATIVITY to break monotony
  • Icky Shuffles using imaginary agility ladder
• The importance of POSITIVE POSTURE habit stacking for corrective movement
  • Hip Hinge to Trunk Twists
• The importance of KEEPING THINGS FUN & FRESH to keep those muscles guessing
  • Fast Feet Karaoke

Power down the device & Power UP the MOJO!

All you NEED is YOU and take hold of the Power of RE:

• The POWER to RE-CONNECT Mind + Body
  • § Single-leg dot drill for balance and coordination
• The POWER to RE-DEFINE your cardio routine
  • § Fast feet to burpee
• The POWER to RE-DISCOVER your center with core exercises
  • Crunch to oblique twists combo
• The POWER to RE-IMAGINE your strength with alternative weights
  • Back lunge to triceps kickback with water bottles or other alternative items

Unfortunately, accidents do happen.  That is why we have insurance!  Many customers ask us what is the difference between a minor and a major accident, in terms of insurance.  There are two main differences between them.

Minor Accident:  this is when the accident claim payment is more than $1000 and up to and including $5000 for damage to someone else’s property, collision, limited collision or bodily injury to others.  A minor accident results in 3 points on your driving record for 6 years.

Major Accident: this is when the accident claim payment is more than $5000 for damage to someone else’s property, collision, limited collision or bodily injury to others.  A major accident results in 4 points on your driving record for 6 years.

The more points you have on your driving record the more you will pay for car insurance.  If you have any questions on whether to file a claim or on claim payments and points, please give us a call www.mancuso-nowak.com.

September is National Preparedness Month.  In typical 2020 fashion the number of named storms this hurricane season has increased significantly since first predicted.  What better reminder to prepare safety plans than to have 25 named storms predicted for this year.   

Preparation is the best way to be ready for a dangerous storm such as a hurricane or tropical storm.  Have a few flashlights with extra batteries, your cell phone fully charged, 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, protein bars and lots of water. The American Red Cross suggests having 1 gallon of water per person per day.  A first aid kit is essential, the Red Cross outlines exactly what to put in that first aid kit.

Massachusetts coastal regions are labeled as Evacuation Zone A, B, or C. It is important to know your zone at home and at work (if this is actually a different place!), since people still commute to Boston which is part of all three Evacuation Zones. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has created a map to help residents determine if they are in a hurricane Evacuation Zone.

The most damaging element of a hurricane is the storm surge. A storm surge is when the winds from a hurricane force huge amounts of water from the ocean on to the land. If a hurricane hits at high tide the storm surge is most destructing. It is important to have an evacuation route and destination planned out in case your home or work is evacuated.  Homeland Security has outlined how to make an evacuation plan.

Since it is National Preparedness Month, you should be prepared with proper insurance coverage for both your home and auto.  Call us with any questions on your coverage.  If we have a hurricane this season make sure to contact 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, 

Summer 2020 has been an interesting one, different from summers past.  But one thing that has not changed has been our love of a good road trip!  Going to different states has been a bit tricky with Covid-19, but why not road trip in Massachusetts?  Our state has some great spots to check out before summer ends: Gloucester, Provincetown, or Lenox. All of these towns have lots of socially distanced activities for the whole family.  Since safety has been the summer’s main focus we will add a couple of our own safety tips while hitting the open road.

• Avoid drowsy driving using a few simple tips: https://www.mancuso-nowak.com/2016/03/06/driving-while-drowsy-think-again-2/
• Drunk Driving is an epidemic, don’t be a statistic http://www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober/index.html
• National Stop on Red week is in August, so make sure you are not running any red lights! http://ncsrsafety.org/stop-on-red/
• Don’t be a distracted driver.  Navigating a new location may mean you are watching your gps on your dashboard or on your phone, taking your eyes away from the road.  Have your passenger be the co-pilot and let you know where to go.
• Bring a mask and hand sanitizer for everyone, slow the spread!

Make your last summer road trip a memorable and safe one!  Happy last month of summer vacation!