Category: Insurance

As the Weather Cools Down, Don’t Let Your Fireplace Cause an Accidental Fire!

The cold weather is slowly settling in to our area. As temperatures drop, it may be time to start up the fire place. Your children may enjoy sitting in front of the fire on crisp cold nights and sharing fun stories. Your fire place may also be a central meeting area for guests and family members. Whatever the case may be, it is important to put safety first, or problems could ensue. The last thing you want to happen is damage to your home due to an accidental house fire.

fire

Whether you have a wood, metal, or another type of stove, you should be aware of the potential accidents that could occur. This is especially true if the fire place is the primary source for heat in the house. Here are some tips that can help you and your family take the proper precautions for protection:

  • Before you light the first fire of the season, make sure your chimney has been inspected. This should be done by a certified specialist so no one gets hurt.
  • Never burn other materials in the fire place besides seasoned hardwood. Putting cardboard, paper, or flammable liquids in there is not a good idea.
  • Keep the front area of the fireplace clean by removing all flammable items surrounding it. Have your family help you keep this space organized and clear of debris.
  • Stack the firewood you use for the stove at least 30 feet away from your home. This is for safety so if a fire were to start, more damage will not occur.
  • Every year, make sure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are functioning correctly.

At Mancuso-Nowak Insurance Agency, we hope these fireplace safety tips help you make it through the fall and winter with no fire problems. If a fire does grow out of control, immediately contact your local fire department. In addition, having the right level of home insurance can help protect you from financial loss when the unexpected occurs. The goal of our team is to make sure that Massachusetts residents understand their insurance options. Our dedication to your needs makes us different than the rest!

Hired and Non-Owned Coverage: Does Your Business Need It?

First of all what is hired and non-owned coverage?  Hired liability coverage provides protection when an owner or employee rents or borrows a car for business purposes. “Non-owned automobile insurance provides liability protection when an employee occasionally has to drive his or her personally owned vehicle for business purposes. It assumes that the vehicle is not owned, registered or contracted in your (the owners) name or on your behalf.”

driving-a-car

Almost every business has exposure from hired and non-owned auto liability.  Some small businesses don’t own any vehicles, but they need to use vehicles in some aspect for work.  You need hired and non-owned coverage if your business:

  • has employees or owners that use personal vehicles as their company vehicle
  • has employees use their own vehicles to run errands for work
  • rents cars during business trips
  • subcontracts delivery drivers

If you have this type of exposure it is wise to get a commercial auto policy with symbols 8 (for hired) and 9 (for non-owned) in the liability section.  If you have any questions about commercial auto and hired and non-owned coverage, please call us www.mancuso-nowak.com.

Natural Disasters Covered and Not Covered By Insurance

Most people have a homeowners and an auto policy, but most of us don’t know exactly what types of natural disasters are covered. So, what natural disasters DO these policies cover? In Massachusetts the most common types of storms we see are: snow and ice storms, thunder/lightening storms, hurricanes and hail storms. A homeowners policy covers most damage from these storms. The exceptions are flood damage and earthquake damage, these are not covered. If you want coverage for these disasters, you can buy a separate flood policy or if you want earthquake coverage you can add an endorsement to your homeowners policy for additional premium. Don’t try to add flood insurance right before a storm, as there is a 30 day waiting period before federal flood coverage is effective. A convenient chart was created by the Insurance Information Institute to quickly see the types of perils covered by a homeowners policy.

lightening

Under a homeowners policy if your house is struck by lightening and it catches fire, you will be covered up to the policy limits. What if heavy, wet snow causes structural damage to your roof? This is also covered under a homeowners policy, unless the damage was from lack of maintenance. For example, if you have an old deteriorating roof, that has missing and worn shingles and it is damaged from a storm, this might not be covered. As a homeowner, it is your duty to maintain your property to an adequate state. In 2009, 2013 and last August the area had hail storms that caused a lot of property damage to houses. These claims were covered. Watch the 2015 hail storm in Waltham, MA.

In regard to auto policies, if you have comprehensive coverage most of these physical damage claims will be covered. Check out this damage done by the hail last August to this man’s car: car hail damage. The car may be considered totaled after all the damage is assessed. All of this damage should be covered if he had comprehensive coverage on his Honda. If you have any questions about your homeowners or auto policy, please call us and we are happy to help!

One Last Road Trip, Make It a Safe One!

It is August and we are all trying to stretch our summer out as long as possible!  Have you planned one more road trip to enjoy the last of the summer sun?  Driving longer distances can be taxing, but with safety in mind you can make the trip more enjoyable:

road trip

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

Fun 4th of July Events – Plan Your Entire Weekend!

The 4th of July is such a joyous occasion when we come together with family and friends to celebrate the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the birth of our country!  So many fun activities around Shrewsbury.  Here is a plan for your entire weekend:

fireworks mulitiple

July 1st Worcester Fireworks:  http://www.worcesterma.gov/calendar/fireworks,

July 1-4 Millbury Lions Club Festival: http://www.millbury-ma.org/Public_Documents/MillburyMA_WebDocs/docs/07-01_Lions_Celebration.pdf

July 2-4 Old Sturbridge Village:  https://www.osv.org/event/independence-day-celebration-2

July 4th Shrewsbury:  https://shrewsburyma.gov/DocumentCenter/View/2099

Happy 4th of July!  Have fun and stay safe.

 

 

Keep Your House Safe While Vacationing

The summer is a popular time to take a vacation. Burglars also know this. Break-ins are most prevalent when a homeowner is on vacation. Here are some ways to deter a burglar:

Install a home alarm system. Not one that just 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 off the A/C.

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. We open them and then close them often for fresh air. But we often forget to lock them every time.

Hide your valuables. In a good spot…not under the mattress! There are many creative spots, some good ones are found here: www.apartmenttherapy.com/

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

These are great preventative actions to take before going on vacation this summer. If you have any questions on scheduling items on your Homeowners Policy, please call us. Have a fun and safe summer vacation!

Insurance for Multi-Generational Houses

It is very common these days to have many generations living under one roof. Elderly parents often need help as they age and may move into their adult child’s house with his/her family. That family could also have adult children of their own still living in their house. The market has been difficult for Millennials to get jobs, so many of them have moved back in with their parents after college or after losing a job. How does this affect home and auto insurance? Do you have the proper coverage?

multigenerational family

 

Auto Insurance Changes:

If your parent and/or child is living under your roof and could possibly use your car (and does not have a policy of his/her own), you need to list them on your policy

If your parent and/or child has a policy of his/her own, make sure they are listed on your policy as deferred

You can add your parent and/or child to your policy and have them drop their current policy also. The tricky part with this is if they have a bad driving record. Your premium will increase.

 

Home Insurance Changes:

If you build an in-law apartment in your home, have your parents get a separate renters policy

With any additions it will increase the value of your house, make sure you are insured for the actual new value.

If your loved one is just staying in a room in your house make sure to account for any valuables they bring with them, antiques should be appraised and scheduled separately on your home policy

Also, if you do not already have an umbrella policy, you should get one. As we have said before, you don’t need to be a millionaire to get sued for a million dollars! Make sure you have the proper coverage, it will pay off in the long run.  mancuso-nowak.com

Safety for Graduation Parties

graduation capsIt is the season for graduation parties – colleges and high schools. We all love to celebrate, especially after the year of Covid, for a joyous occasion. Graduating is a big accomplishment and many parties will be thrown to congratulate the students.

In order to have a successful party keep these things in mind:

  • Do not serve alcohol to minors.
  • Encourage each car to have a designate driver.
  • Take away keys from party goers who have had too much to drink.
  • Have a lot of water (flavored water is much more enticing, so make a few pitchers and keep them on all tables) available for people to stay hydrated and not drink more alcohol.
  • Good food is essential. If the guests are busy eating they may be too full to drink a lot!
  • Remember that you have neighbors, respect them. Keep the noise to a respectable level and don’t let the party rage all night.
  • Alert your neighbors that you will be having a party and let them know you will clean up any trash that may get in their yard.
  • There are many outdoor games that all ages will enjoy, have lots of activities to entertain guests.

Graduation parties are fun, just make them safe too! You are liable for the people drinking at your party, so make sure everyone is ok to drive before they leave. It is important to also have a personal umbrella policy! Our motto: “You don’t have to be a millionaire to be sued for a million dollars!” Protect yourself and your assets, call us about adding an umbrella policy to your account www.mancuso-nowak.com.

How an Umbrella Policy Can Prevent Financial Distress

umbrellaWhat is an Umbrella policy and why do you need one?
An Umbrella policy has a minimum coverage of $1M and as the name implies it goes over your auto and home/tenants policies. It provides an additional $1M (or more) of liability coverage over the underlying policies which typically carry limits of $250K per person/$500K per accident for auto and $300K for homeowners. Certain carriers require more/less limits on the underlying but these are the most common underlying coverage requirements.

Umbrella policies are not super expensive for the amount of coverage they provide. Most policies range from $200-$350 a year. The coverage not only pays for damages that occur on your property, but also damages that your family (including pets and kids) cause to someone else’s property.  The additional coverage is necessary because it provides the added protection most of us need in the litigious society in which we live. The large awards the court systems have been granting are astonishing. If someone slips and falls on your property or you get in a car accident that is your fault, an injured party could be awarded a sum that exceeds your home or auto policy limits. The umbrella policy would protect you and your assets by paying the additional money up to the policy limit.  You could easily prevent financial distress by having an Umbrella policy.

Families with dogs should seriously consider buying an Umbrella policy. Even if you have the most gentle, non-biting dog the statistics are there. The average dog bite claim has rose from $19,162 in 2003 to $29,396 in 2011. These numbers are for the average dog bite. If a visitor to your home is severely injured the cost could exceed $1M. According to the Insurance Information Institute dog bites account for a third of all homeowners claims. The statistics are alarming and definitely warrant a look into getting an Umbrella policy. Protect your family and assets.

Umbrella policies are one of the smartest ways to protect you and your family from a devastating financial loss. Call us for more information and to review your options: www.mancuso-nowak.com.

Keeping Your Commercial Property Safe

As a business owner, you understand the risks that your business faces each and every day. Even while you are not around—your company will still face the unexpected. Just because it is after hours, does not mean you do not need protection. To keep your company safe, it is important to take the proper precautions and prevention methods.

insurance policy

This week, our agents are here to extend a few pieces of advice to business owners. These preventative safety measures may help to keep a target off of your commercial property.

#1: Install an alarm system. Whether you look into a blaring alarm or a silent alarm, something should be installed. This tactic will not only scare intruders away and prevent crime, but will notify the police.

#2: Lock all windows and doors. Of course you remember to lock the doors, but how about the windows? Make sure you use deadbolts where need be and remember to lock ANY entrance points. Burglars do not mind climbing into windows and you should be prepared for this type of break-in.

#3: Keep it lit. A well lit place is more likely to keep vandals away than a building that is left in the dark. It is also important to remain well lit if you have security cameras on premises. If the area is too dark, the camera may not catch any action.

#4: Keep small amounts of cash at the business and make sure it is noted on the door that you do not keep large amounts of cash on premises

#5: Try to keep the cash register visible from the outside, so people can see if anything bad is happening inside

#6: If feasible, install security cameras. If there is a break-in, vandals will be caught on camera and it will be easier to find/arrest them. And if there is an unfortunate “inside job” you will be able to determine the employee(s), address the issue and determine action.

#7: Look into commercial property insurance. Having this coverage in place, you can be sure that your building and property is protected from vandalism, crime, fire damages, electrical issues and much more.

Though these tactics will help in preventing crime and damages, they may not be enough. Your best bet is to be prepared for the worst with a solid business insurance package. Not only can you protect your building with commercial property insurance, but you can also look into commercial vehicle insurance, general liability, excess liability, and much more. Your business is far too important to become a victim to vandalism!