Annual Massachusetts Insurance Review

February 7th, 2012

Our Independent MA insurance agency recommends you review your insurance, at least, annually.

In addition, here are some other “life events” that, in Massachusetts, should trigger automatic insurance reviews:

-Did you acquire any new valuables such as jewelry, fine art, antiques, collectibles, camera equipment or jewelry?

-Did you lose your job or have a significant change in income?

-Did you do any renovations to your home?

-Did you get married or divorced?

-Did you have a baby?

-Did you buy a vacation or rental property?

-Did you sign a lease on an apartment?

-Did you join a carpool?

-Did you turn age 65?

-Did your teenager get their license?

If you experienced any (or all?) of these life events, call your friendly, experienced, helpful Independent, Massachusetts Insurance Agent today.

Homeowners Insurance Tips

January 31st, 2012

Purchasing a new home is, obviously, a big deal. With so many details involved, it is easy to overlook the details of your homeowners insurance policy. With this in mind, from an insurance perspective, here are some things to think about when determining if your new home is a good insurance risk:

What year was the home built?

How old are the plumbing and electrical systems?

How old is the roof?

Are there any signs of leaks?

What is the home’s living area square footage?

Has the property had any insurance losses?

Where is the home located?

Other factors to consider:

What is the location of the closest fire department and hydrant? Is the fire department voluntary?

Is the home close to the coast?

Is the home in a flood zone?

Does the home have swimming pool or hot tub?

It’s important to remember: Replacement Cost vs Market Value

When setting up your home insurance policy, the Dwelling amount should reflect the Replacement Cost of the home. The Replacement Cost is the pure construction cost – (minus) things such as: land, driveway, & location. The Replacement Cost of the home is very different than market or assessor values.

Have any questions?

Call or Click us today.

Massachusetts Home Insurance: Winter Prevention Tips

January 17th, 2012

Massachusetts, so far, has had an exceptionally mild winter. Winter, however, is hardly over. It’s not too late to prevent winter home damage.

For MA home insurance rates, call or click us today!

Check your outlets and all electrical holiday decorations for potential fire hazards such as frayed wires or loose connections. Do not overload the outlets, extension cords or surge protectors.
Check and clean your heating system to make sure it is in good working condition for the winter months. This is generally a job best performed by a professional.
Keep adequate fuel reserves on hand because fuel carriers might not be able to refuel for several days during severe weather.
Close off and lower the temperature in rooms that are not in use. Make sure there is sufficient heat to prevent the freezing of water pipes.
Insulate pipes that pass through unheated areas. Your home’s crawlspace and attic are two such areas.
Clean or replace your furnace filter before the heating season begins.
Clean the clothes dryer exhaust duct and space under the dryer. This prevents lint from accumulating and reduces the risk of fire.
Service snow removal equipment, and keep ice melting compound on hand to melt ice on walkways.
Set the heat in your home no lower than 55 degrees.
Remove screens from windows, and install storm windows.
Protect your roof against heavy snow and ice loads. Keep gutters clean and roof drains open.
Inspect washing machine hoses periodically, and replace hoses that show signs of wear or leakage.

MA Home Insurance

January 11th, 2012

Home insurance rates in Massachusetts are “all over the map,” just as auto insurance rates are in the state.

That’s why, more than ever, it’s a great time to shop for home insurance rates.

Many factors go into establishing your home insurance rate. Factors include: coverage, age & condition of home, insurance loss history and, in some cases: insurance score.

Your insurance score is a combination of insurance history and credit score.

Unlike auto insurance in Massachusetts, insurers are allowed to use insurance scoring when establishing the insurability and premium the company offers.

We recommend you shop your MA home insurance with a professional, independent Massachusetts insurance agent.

By getting a MA home insurance quote from us at HomeownerQuote.com, you are utilizing the power of the MA indepedent agent.

Call or click us today!

Massachusetts Home Insurance

Happy New Year!

December 29th, 2011

HomeownerQuote.com would like to take a moment to thank our visitors for making 2011 a terrific year! Thank you!

In 2012 we plan on adding more companies and more agents to our growing list of insurance markets.

2011 was a tough year for insurers throughout the Nation and, as an industry, we are seeing rates rise.

A great way to combat rate increases is by shopping your policy with a Massachusetts independent insurance agent.

Your MA insurance agent will shop and package your home and auto insurance coverage and will review your coverage.

Call or click (http://homeownerquote.com/) us today for your free, Happy New Year – No obligation insurance discount review!

Prevent Freeze Ups

December 13th, 2011

On extremely cold days, take the following precautions to help prevent freezing pipes and resulting water damage:

- Maintain higher than normal temperatures (65 degrees +).

- Turn on your faucets and let the water trickle constantly.

- Open cabinet doors under the sinks. This will allow the heat to warm the pipes.

- Insulate pipes. Insulation goes a long way toward preventing freeze ups.

- Your exterior faucets used for your garden hoses should be shut off from inside your basement and left open (even if you have freeze-proof sill cocks).

Christmas Tree Safety Tips

December 6th, 2011

This holiday season be fire smart.

Following please find some Christmas Tree Safety Tips:

Choose a tree with fresh, geen needles that do not fall off when touched.

Place tree at least three feet away from any heat source, like fireplaces, radiators, candles, heat vents, space heaters, or lights.

Make sure tree is not blocking an exit.

Be sure to add water daily to the tree stand.

Use lights that have the label of a testing laboratory. Some lights are only for indoor or outdoor use.

Replace any lights with worn or broken cords or loose bulbs.

Never use lit candles to decorate the tree.

Always turn off Christmas tree lights before leaving home or going to bed.

MA Home Insurance: Tips to Save Money

November 21st, 2011

MA Home Insurance: Quick Tips of the Day

Take Care of your home!

Package with your auto insurance!

Shop Around!

Winter Claim Prevention Tips

November 15th, 2011

If our Massachusetts pre-Halloween 2011 “trick or treat” snowstorm was any indication of the winter to come, it’s probably a good time to mention some prevention tips:

■Maintain gutters. Removing leaves, acorns, sticks & debris from gutters so that snow & ice can drain properly can help prevent dreaded ice dams.

■Trim trees & remove dead branches. Ice, snow & sin can cause weak trees or branches to break damaging your home, car or injuring someone.

■Check insulation. Add extra insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. If too much heat escapes through the attic it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. Water re-freezing causes more snow & ice to build up resulting in collapsed roofs & ice dams. Ideally, the attic should be five to ten degrees warmer than the outside air.

■Keep your home warm. The temperature in your house should be at least 65 degrees. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is colder than the walls themselves.

Replacement Cost

November 4th, 2011

What is the Replacement Cost of your home? On the standard homeowner insurance policy, the coverage A, dwelling amount should represent the replacement cost of your home.

The replacement cost should be the construction cost of the home minus things such as land, driveway and foundation.

Insurance companies usually require homes be insured for 100% of estimated replacement cost.