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Massachusetts Home Insurance

We recommend, when shopping for homeowner insurance in Massachusetts, give us a call or click.

We will shop your MA home insurance with numerous companies to provide you the best rates, the best companies, the best insurance programs, and the best options.

We will work with you to help determine your MA home insurance needs.

Call or click us today ….

The basics of homeowner insurance coverage:

Covered Perils – A homeowner insurance policy will provide protection from: fire or lightning, windstorm or hail, explosion, aircraft, vehicles, riot or civil commotion, smoke, theft, vandalism/malicious mischief, glass breakage, volcanic eruption, falling objects, weight of ice, snow or sleet, freezing of plumbing, accidental plumbing discharge, rupture of steam or hot water heating system, air conditioning systems, or water heaters, damage from artificially generated electricity.

Exclusions – A homeowners policy excludes coverage from: flood, or water that backs up through sewers, loss to building by earthquake, aftershocks and mud slides, loss by enforcement law or ordinance regulating construction, repair or demolition, or zoning, loss due to power interruption when the interruption takes place off the residence property, loss due to neglect of the insured to save and preserve property following a loss, war and nuclear perils, intentional loss.

Massachusetts Home Insurance: Special Limits Alert

Not many Massachusetts home insurance consumers appreciate home insurance until it’s claim time.

Claim time is bad time to find out about your policy’s limitations.

That’s why it’s important to know and understand your coverage before a claim.

Recently a client asked if he was “all-set” when it comes to his coverage. Especially, he mentions, because they’ve spent quite a bit of money on jewelry and watches over the years.

That’s when my inner, Massachusetts insurance agent alarm started ringing in my head:

“SPECIAL LIMITS ALERT! SPECIAL LIMITS ALERT! SPECIAL LIMITS ALERT!”

The standard, broad form, Massachusetts homeowner insurance policy has “Special Limits of Liability” for special items.

Such as: the most the insurance company will pay for loss of money, bank notes, bullion, gold, coins etc is $200; $1,000 limit for jewelry, watches, furs, precious and semi-precious stones theft loss; $1,000 limit firearms theft; $1,000 loss securities, deed, manuscripts, tickets, stamps (etc).

In order to have adequate coverage for such items (& antiques, fine art & collectibles), you should schedule onto your policy per appraisal.

When you schedule jewelry (or other special items) you receive all-risk coverage (vs. named peril coverage), no deductible applies, and the item is insured for it’s actual appraised value.

If you would like a free, competitive, no-obligation Massachusetts home insurance quote, please call or click us today.

Burst Pipes

Massachusetts Home Insurance.

In Massachusetts, the cold weather is here and pipes are bursting throughout the Commonwealth.

As a service, HomeownerQuote.com offers the following tips to prevent the dreaded burst pipe claim:

When temperatures are 30° F or less, homeowners should start worrying about pipes freezing.
Pipes should be fitted with insulation, the more insulation the better.
Let your faucets drip during extremely cold weather to help prevent pipes from bursting.
If you have a burst pipe, or if you open a faucet and no water comes out, don’t take any chances: call your plumber!
Turn off the water at the main shut-off valve, leave the faucets open until repairs are completed.
Don’t try to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame, this will damage the pipe and may even start a building fire.
You may be able to thaw a pipe with a hand-held hair dryer. Slowly apply heat, starting close to the faucet end of the pipe, with the faucet open. Work toward the coldest section. Keep all electric cords away from water!
When away from the house for an extended period during the winter, be careful how much you lower the heat. The temperature inside the walls is colder than inside the house.
The best solution is to drain the water system. With no water in the pipes, there is no freezing.
To drain the system, shut off the main valve and turn on every water fixture (both hot and cold lines) until water stops running.

Good luck and stay warm, Massachusetts!

Ho! Ho! Ho! Massachusetts Home Insurance!

We launched www.HomeownerQuote.com in 1999 as a website that offers Massachusetts consumers home insurance quotes and advice. Whether you wind up insuring with us or not, we try to educate and inform folks about Massachusetts homeowner insurance.

We utilize the power of the Massachusetts independent agent to find you the best rates and coverage.

In this spirit, we wish you the happiest of Holidays and a safe New Year!

Thank you for visiting our site.

MA Home Insurance: Winterize Your Home

The first day of winter is December 21st and, here in Massachusetts, it is time to get your home ready for the cold months ahead.

Here are some tips that will help get you and your home ready for the cold weather:

Clean your gutters

By cleaning your gutters you ensure that melting ice and snow can drain. This is your first line of defense against the dreaded ice dams. An ice dam is when when water backs up, freezes, melts and causes water to seep into the house causing lots of damage to ceilings, walls and floors. As you clean the gutters, look for leaks, misaligned pipes, and make certain downspouts carry water away from the home.

Repair drafty areas
The most common, drafty areas of your home are: recessed lighting, window and door frames, electrical outlets.

Put door sweeps under exterior doors and caulk drafty spots around window and recessed lighting. Outside, seal leaks with weather-resistant caulk or, for brick areas, use masonry sealer.

Insulate
Add insulation to existing insulation in the attic. The general rule of thumb is you need a minimum 12 inches of insulation in your attic.

Have your furnace inspected
After you’ve turned on the heat, it’s important to have furnaces cleaned and tuned annually.

Check the windows
It’s time to take out the window screens and put in the storm windows, providing you with an extra layer of protection and warmth.

If you do not have storm windows, try a window insulator kit. Insulator kits are inexpensive and very effective for keeping the heat inside your home.

Have your chimney inspected
Chimneys should be inspected annually. Woodstoves should be cleaned more than once a year. Also remember to keep the chimney’s damper closed when the fireplace isn’t in use.

Reverse your ceiling fan
Reversing the ceiling fan will push warm air downward and force it to recirculate, keeping you more comfortable. Note: when in reverse, the ceiling fan blades should turning clockwise.

Insulate your pipes
Burst pipes are a consumer and insurance nightmare. Prevent burst pipes making sure outside valves are turned off and pipes are insulated.

Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
It’s always a great time to check the operation of your smoke and carbone monoxide detectors. When winterizing your home, take the opportunity to test your alarms.

Massachusetts Umbrella Insurance

HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT:

UMBRELLA

COVERAGE?

A Personal Liability Umbrella Policy “sits-over”

your home and auto liability limits. Coverage

limits start at $1,000,000 and provide you

protection from lawsuits.

Coverage is relatively inexpensive to purchase.

$1,000,000 of coverage sitting over two autos

and a home would cost about $180 annually.

Umbrella Policies require underlying motor

vehicle liability limits of $250,000 per

person/$500,000 per accident.

In addition to coverage limits, insurance companies

provide legal defense. So, in essence,

when you purchase higher limits you are also

purchasing improved legal defense.

Please call or click us if you would like to discuss Personal

Liability Umbrella Coverage.

Massachusetts Home Insurance

www.HomeownerQuote.com has been giving out free Massachusetts home insurance quotes since 2001. When taking advantage of our services, you are utilizing the power of the Massachusetts Independent Insurance Agent.

Your MA Independent Agent shops your coverage with numerous companies to find you the best premiums and coverage.

In Massachusetts, homeowner insurance rates are not all the same.

Different companies have different appetites for different kinds of risks.

Do you own or are you buying a coastal home?

Is your home in a flood zone?

Do you own a dog?

Do you have a trampoline?

Have you had past insurance losses?

What kind of condition is your home in?

All these questions are factors when determining the most competitive Massachusetts home insurance market.

Give us a call or click us today.

You will be glad you did.

Massachusetts Halloween Trick or Treat Homeowner Insurance Safety Tips

HomeownerQuote.com Safe Trick-or-Treating Tips:

•Young children should be accompanied by an adult or responsible teenager when going door-to-door.

•If you can’t accompany your children, instruct them to trick-or-treat in their own neighborhood and along well-lighted streets.

•If children are going to be out after dark, make sure they carry a flashlight.

•Teach your children to use sidewalks if they can. If there are no sidewalks, they should walk on the left side of the street, facing traffic.

•Know with which friends your children will be and which route they are taking.

•Leave your porch light on so children will know it is okay to visit your home.

•Instruct children never to eat anything until they are home and the treats have been carefully examined. Cut and wash fruit before eating. Throw away anything unwrapped. Check the wrappers of commercial treats for evidence of tampering. Call the police if there are any suspicious treats.

MA Home Insurance: Tips Tips to Save You Money

Tips to Save You Money:

Consider larger deductibles. Different property deductibles are available for choosing; $250, $500, and $1000 deductible are available. Savings in increments of 10% are commonplace per deductible.

Try to remain in the Voluntary Market! Insurance Companies reserve the right to insure or renew properties. If you have had a few losses within the past couple of policy years your insurance company may decide to not renew you.

The MPIUA (Massachusetts Property Insurance Underwriting Association) offers insurance to properties that are not insurable on the voluntary market. The cost to insure with them is usually considerably more expensive than the consumer will find on the voluntary market.

Some of the credits that are available to insurers are:

Protective Device Credits … starting with deadbolt locks, extinguishers, and smoke detectors are available. Larger credits are available for Local and Central Station burglar and fire protection systems.

Non-smoker credits … if you and household members are non-smokers some companies offer discounts to non-smokers.

Loss Free Year Credits … if you have not had any losses in multiple years some companies offer “Loss Free Credits.” Check with your Independent Insurance Broker to see if you qualify for any companies’ programs.

Home Renovation/New Home Credits … if you have renovated your home within the past 10 years some companies offer Renovation Credits. If you are buying a new home, some companies offer large New Home credits.

Account Discounts … some insurance companies offer 10% “Account Discounts” if you insure your home and auto with the same company … in addition, some companies may waive service charges.

Shop Around!

Different companies offer different discount programs for different properties and property owners. Shop around with different companies to see who is offering the best deals. Your local, independent Insurance Broker uses numerous companies to find you the best rates & service!

MA Home Insurance Review: Do Yourself a Favor

It is important to understand your insurance coverage.

Each year at renewal time, you should schedule an insurance review with your independent, Massachusetts agent.

If you do not have an agent and you go directly through the insurance company, do yourself a favor, call them and ask for a coverage and discount review. Then call a local, independent, Massachusetts insurance agent to compare.

Become an engaged insurance consumer!

Some questions to ask:

Do we carry adequate liability limits? Limits should equal, at least, your net worth.
Should we carry Umbrella coverage?
What is the value of our vehicle? If the value is low, should we still carry collision coverage?
If our car loan is paid off, should we remove the lienholder on our policy?
Are we getting all available discounts?

Please utilize our services, as well, for an annual insurance review, explanation of coverage, & discount double-check.

HomeownerQuote = Massachusetts Home Insurance. Call or click us today!