artefact_admin, Author at Mancuso Nowak

Potholes!

Ugh it is that time of year when our tires meet the inevitable potholes on so many roads in the area. As the state is trying to meet the high demands of fixing all the potholes, you will probably hit one of these road problems. Potholes on town/city roads should be reported to that municipality’s highway department. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) would like you to report any potholes you come across on state run roads by calling 857-DOT-INFO.

Since it is the season for potholes, please make sure you use extra caution on the roads. Always pay attention to the road ahead, especially if you see a puddle…it could be hiding a large pothole. If you are trying to avoid a pothole, make sure it is safe to do so. Knowing your traffic surrounding you at all times, makes it easier to make split second decisions on the road. If you can not avoid the pothole, slow down. Slamming on breaks may not be the best option if someone is in close proximity directly behind you. Letting off the gas and slowing down safely could be your only option.

If you have hit a pothole and fear substantial damage to your car, make sure you pull over to a safe area. If you believe it is only minor damage, wait to you get to your destination to check the car. Listen for unusual sounds coming from your car after you have hit a pothole. The alignment could be off or a wheel could be damaged. Bring your car to a mechanic to get a professional assessment of the damage. If you sustained extensive property damage or injury there is a claim process on the DOT’s website: https://www.mass.gov/service-details/dcr-property-damage-or-personal-injury-claim-procedures.

Most potholes should be fixed during early spring, but please report any that have not been repaired. Save your car and many others’ cars!

Uninsured and Underinsured Auto Coverage Explained!

Insurance can be confusing! We have found that one of the more confusing types of coverage for auto insurance is Uninsured and Underinsured coverage. In Massachusetts Uninsured coverage is compulsory with limits of $20,000/$40,000 and Underinsured coverage is optional. From our experience we feel that limits of $100,000/$300,000 should be the minimum to carry for both Uninsured and Underinsured coverage (Parts 3, 5 and 12 of your auto policy should all be the same, so we recommend the $100,000/$300,000 limits for all three parts).

The Uninsured and Underinsured limits can cover: medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages. Consequently, the higher limits are recommended.

If another driver hits and injures you and does not carry auto insurance your limits of $100,000/$300,000 for Uninsured coverage will apply. Medical costs quickly add up and you don’t want to end up paying out of pocket. If you are out of work for an extended period of time these higher limits will allow you to collect sufficient wages that would otherwise be lost with low limits.

If another driver only has low limits such as $20,000/$40,000 for Bodily Injury and he/she causes the accident you may not receive enough money to cover the injuries you sustained. Once again the medical costs and lost wages will most likely exceed $20,000/$40,000 limits. Therefore, your coverage would apply after their limits were met – Underinsured coverage.

You are involved in a hit and run accident, then your Uninsured coverage limits will apply if someone sustains bodily injury. The state minimum limits of $20,000 may not be sufficient.

Uninsured and Underinsured coverage is relatively inexpensive, so it is wise to increase Bodily Injury Coverage in the event of a major accident caused by another vehicle with no or little coverage.

We hope that you now have a better understanding of how Uninsured and Underinsured coverage works and what limits are best for your protection. If you have any further questions, please call us! www.mancuso-nowak.com.

Black Ice – Know the Facts

Winter in New England can bring us treacherous driving conditions. We can see the 1ft of snow outside when we get a big snow storm and can be prepared. However, we don’t always know if there is black ice on the roads. Black ice is not actually black, it is clear so you can’t see it on the roads. It gets its name from its ability to blend into its surroundings. Black ice has less water bubbles in it making it harder to spot. It could look like wet spots on the road.

Black ice forms when snow or ice melts then refreezes. This can happen with fluctuations in temperature in the winter. It could be very sunny during the day and the snow melts. Then at night into early morning the puddles of water from the melting snow freeze. Black ice can also form when it’s raining out and the temperature is below 32 degrees. The most common areas for black ice are shaded areas, bridges and back roads.

Here are a few tips on handling black ice while driving:

Have good tires on your vehicle with excellent treads. Winter tires are the best.
Drive slowly in uncertain road conditions.
If you hit a patch of black ice decelerate, take your foot off the gas.
Never slam on your breaks when you hit ice.
Do not pump the brakes if you have anti-lock breaks, the breaking system pumps them for you.
Do not jerk the wheel just keep your car pointed in the direction you want to go.
If you start skidding on the ice gently steer into the skid.
If your car starts to lose control head for an area of traction like grass or snow.

Black ice is very deceptive. The best way to handle black ice in the winter is to be prepared for it. Watch the weather and temperature outside. And most importantly drive slowly!

Tips for Hosting a Party During the Holidays!

Are you expecting lots of guests at your holiday party? Navigating a crowded home can be difficult and sometimes not safe if you are not organized about it. Maintaining a clean, welcoming, fun, and festive residence can allow for everyone to enjoy a the day without worry.

If you feel overwhelmed by the expectations of family and friends, don’t let this bring you down. Instead, have confidence in your hosting abilities. As you prepare to have those you love into your place of comfort, it is important to keep safety in mind. The last thing you need is for someone to get hurt during a time of celebration.

Here are some tips to be a great host for your guests:

Celebrations are supposed to be all about fun, not stress. One person can’t do everything alone, enlist some help – before, during and after the party. Everyone loves to feel useful!
Ask guests if they have any serious food allergies before purchasing the food. This way, you can avoid serious medical issues.
Prepare beforehand if children are coming to your home. Put away all dangerous items and leave around kid friendly activities to keep them occupied as the adults mingle.
Just because it is a holiday party doesn’t mean you have to offer alcohol. Provide a variety of drinks, such as soda, sparkling water, and juice. Here is an amazing mocktail to serve: https://prettylifegirls.com/2015/12/plg-cooks-holiday-mojito-mocktail-with.html
Be prepared for potential disasters to occur. Remove slipping and falling hazards and don’t leave anything out that could cause an accident.

At Mancuso-Nowak Insurance Agency, we hope these tips help you make your guests feel right at home this holiday season. Of course you want your celebration to go without any problems, but sometimes these are unpredictable. We care about providing comprehensive coverage that won’t let you down. Our team also wants to make sure that Massachusetts residents understand their insurance options. Let one of our professional agents work closely with you to find reliable products that give you peace of mind today.

Keeping Your House Secure During the Holidays

The holidays are quickly approaching. We are all busy running errands, cooking and visiting relatives and friends. Many of us travel for the holidays and burglars know this. Make sure your home is protected while you are away by taking these precautionary steps:

Install a home alarm system. Not just one that sounds when a window or door is opened. The new alarms let you monitor your entire house from your smart phone. You can turn on lights, lock doors, turn on the heat. The Nest and Ring have home security systems that let you monitor all of these.

Put a few lights on timers. This may not always work because if your lights go on at the exact same time everyday, then a burglar watching your house will realize the lights are on a timer, not that someone is home turning them on. So your best bet is to change the time your lights go on every week. Also, have a few lights on timers, one in each section of your house.

Update your front door. The new type of door that is top for security is a steel door. The fancy windows on the side of your door make breaking in easier. Replace the whole unit with a steel door.

Have a neighbor or relative stop by occasionally to check on the house. This benefit is two-fold: a human presence to deter a burglar and to check to make sure everything looks ok.

Leave a radio or tv on. The sounds are a good deterrent for someone looking to break-in.

Lock all doors (even inside garage doors) and windows. This is obvious, but the most common break-in spot is a bedroom window. Check all of your windows, because often in the fall when it is nice weather we open the windows for fresh air. We don’t always lock them after.

Hide your valuables. In a good spot…not under the bed! There are many creative spots, some good ones are found here.

Make sure your valuables are scheduled on your Homeowners Policy!!!

We hope that everyone has a wonderful holiday season. Be safe and secure your home! Call us with any questions about your homeowners policy www.mancuso-nowak.com.

Driving While Drowsy? Not a Good Combination

The beginning of November is Drowsy Driving Prevention Week. It is important to give attention to this hazard on the road, as many people every day get on the road that are too tired to drive. Sixty percent of drivers surveyed in the Sleep in America poll have admitted to driving while drowsy. And a staggering fact is that 37% have actually fallen asleep at the wheel! As it is easy for police to detect when alcohol is a factor in a crash, it is much more difficult to conclude that drowsiness was a leading or contributing factor in a crash. The estimates from The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conclude that driving while drowsy has caused 100,000 car accidents, 71,000 injuries and 1,550 fatalities this year alone. Statistics also show that more men than women drive while too sleepy to drive, 56% vs 45%.

How can we prevent drowsy driving accidents?

Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night
If you have been up for 24 hrs, do not drive
Take a break every 2 hrs of driving or every 100 miles
Open the windows and get fresh air…the colder the better!
Drink a caffeinated beverage
Have a passenger with you while driving. Have them talk to you and keep you alert.
Avoid alcohol as it can make you even more drowsy (and it is against the law to drink and drive!)
Avoid medications that cause drowsiness
If none of these tips work, just pull off the road and take a quick nap or stay somewhere for the night and continue the drive on a good nights rest.
If you are prone to getting sleepy while driving have someone else drive on longer trips and at night when falling asleep is more likely.

Protect yourself and the ones you love by not driving while drowsy, share with friends and family and on social media with #AlertAtTheWheel.

Keeping Teens Safe While Driving

There is a reason teens have higher insurance premiums than other adults, they are inexperienced drivers. Inexperience often leads to more accidents. The number one killer of teens is motor vehicle accidents. Only with experience is a driver more educated on how a car handles, what to do in an emergency and how to drive in many different weather conditions.

For parents of new drivers there are things you can do to make the learning experience safer:

Be a good example. Your children watch you. If you text and drive they will think it is safe to do so.
Let them know it is against the law to text and drive. Do not ever do it. And do not get into a car with a driver that does.
Set up an agreement about safety in the car. This website has a great program: Countdown2Drive
Make sure they use their seatbelts at all times! Twenty-five percent of teens do not use a seatbelt every time they get in a car.
Even though talking on the phone is legal while driving, make sure all calls are made when the vehicle is stopped. A study found that it is 8x more likely for a teen to get into an accident or near accident if they are trying to dial a phone.
In addition to Drivers Education, a skid school is a great place to learn. In Control is a local crash prevention school. Insurance discounts are given with some carriers.

Learning to drive is a joint effort with parents and their teens, make it a safe experience. If teens know that their safe driving will result in lower insurance premiums it will motivate them to keep these guidelines in mind. Call us with any questions on your teen’s insurance.

* Statistics are from Safe Kids Worldwide (image at right)

Car Insurance Terms Explained

Insurance can be confusing with all of its industry lingo. Here are some of the most common terms and their explanations:

Bodily Injury to Others: This is coverage that pays if you are found liable for the injury or death of others in an accident. We recommend 100/300 for limits. This means that you have up to $100,000 in coverage for Bodily Injury that you cause per person, $300,000 per accident. In the litigious society in which we live it is always smart to have protection from lawsuits. Which is why many opt for 250/500 coverage and these limits are often required when you have a personal umbrella policy.

Personal Injury Protection or PIP: Is a mandatory coverage that pays for medical expenses and lost wages of the insured person and people in the vehicle. PIP is a “no-fault” coverage which means it is paid out regardless of who is at fault in the accident. The benefit of this is that you can get paid for medical expenses before it is determined who caused the accident, which could take a while. You usually use your own limits and submit a claim to your insurance company, but there are always exceptions.

Damage to Someone Else’s Property: This coverage protects you if you are found liable for property damage in an accident. So if you are found at fault in an accident and you damage another person’s car and/or a utility pole this insurance will cover the cost of those things. It states on the insurance forms that $5,000 is the minimum required limit, so why would you choose a higher limit? Answer is simple, the cost of things damaged will almost always well exceed a $5,000 limit. We recommend a limit of $100,000 or $250,ooo for this insurance coverage. The cost to increase this limit is not all that much, most of the cost lies in the minimum $5,000.

Collision: Collision is an optional coverage that pays, minus the deductible, to repair or replace your car if it is damaged in an accident. If you have a lease you are required to have this coverage. Choose your deductible by the cost of your car to repair and your ability to pay out of pocket expenses. Most common deductibles are $500 and $1,000. The higher the deductible, the more you can save on your premium.

Comprehensive: This is also an optional coverage. It will pay for damage done to your car not from a collision, minus the deductible. Examples of acts covered by comprehensive are: theft, vandalism, natural disasters (hurricanes, storms, etc.), hitting an animal, fire, or falling objects.

Uninsured/Under Insured: This type of coverage pays if the other driver has no liability coverage or does not have sufficient liability coverage, respectively. We have an extensive explanation of how this coverage works: https://www.mancuso-nowak.com/2016/01/11/uninsured-and-underinsured-auto-coverage/

Hope we have clarified some insurance lingo for you. Always if you have any questions please call us and we can help explain!

Ride Sharing and Auto Insurance

If you are like many Americans you are looking for an easy way to make a few extra dollars. Insert: ride sharing! What is ride sharing? It is a taxi type service that connects drivers and riders through a smartphone app. Ride sharing vehicles use their own car to pick up people and drive them to a destination. The most popular ride sharing companies are Uber and Lyft. Ride sharing is different from livery and taxi services because both of these types of transportation services have commercial license plates and commercial auto insurance.

Personal auto policies typically exclude livery services from coverage. A personal auto policy assumes you only drive family and friends, do not collect a fee and usually drive around 12,000 miles a year. A personal auto policy stops coverage from the moment the driver logs on to the ride sharing app to the moment he/she logs off. There is a significant uptick in drivers wanting to earn extra money by working for Uber or Lyft. The insurance industry has consequently responded with options. There are currently 2 options: an endorsement on your personal auto policy or a commercial auto policy.

At Mancuso-Nowak we have been placing our customers with carriers that offer the ride sharing endorsement to their personal auto policy. The ride sharing endorsement is called Transportation Network Company (TNC) Endorsement. The TNC Endorsement provides coverage from when the policyholder turns on their ride sharing app until the time they accept a fare. This endorsement fills that gap in coverage that exists with a non-endorsed policy that excludes livery services.

The other option for insureds is a commercial livery policy. A commercial auto policy will carry higher liability limits. It will also be underwritten to take into consideration that the driver is taking passengers for pay and will be traveling more than a personal passenger driver.

Both Uber and Lyft offer auto insurance coverage, but the coverage is very minimal. If you are a ride share driver it is in your best interest to get your own coverage. So if you are going to get your side hustle on as an Uber driver, please contact us so we can make sure you have the proper insurance coverage!

Distracted Driving Awareness Month

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. We all try to multi-task, especially while driving…one of the worst places to do it! On your way home from work, rushing to think of dinner plans, you decide ordering take-out is easiest. While driving you are searching your phone for the number or asking Siri to find it for you, not fully paying attention to the road. A car stops short in front of you and you end up rear-ending them. If you are lucky everyone is ok. However, this is still an at fault accident that will give you a surcharge on your car insurance, just because you were trying to multi-task. Don’t. One call/text while driving could ruin everything . The statistics are there – you are 4x more likely to get in a car crash while using a cell phone or hand held device.

Don’t assume that since you have a hands-free device it is risk free:

Hands-free features in dashboards actually increase mental distraction
Using voice-to-text can be more distracting than typing texts while driving
Drivers who text with their hands or voice (using speech-to-text systems) keep their eyes on the road less often and have reaction times twice as slow

The truth is using your cell phone in any form, is making you a distracted driver. Please don’t make a statistic out of yourself and take the focused driver challenge. There are many ways we can be distracted while driving, but using a cell phone is the number one distraction. So if you try to limit your phone use to while you are stopped or when you get to your destination, you will be a lot safer and so will the other people on the road.

* statistics from The National Safety Council