How do YOUR insurance costs compare?

Last winter, Charlie Wilson was driving his black sedan when he skidded off the road and hit a post. Fortunately, he wasn’t hurt and the damage to his car was mostly cosmetic, so he thought that his auto insurance Franklin MA, which included collision coverage, would have no problem paying for the repairs. Wilson lives in Franklin, Massachusetts, a city in Norfolk County that boasts a number of protected forests, parks, and watersheds. Most car insurance companies have partnerships with local repair shops, read more.

Many drivers don’t understand the exact extent of their coverage. While Rob had liability and collision coverage, it did not include accidents with animals, which is typically covered by comprehensive insurance. Comprehensive auto insurance is commonly confused with collision. While both pay for car repairs or replacement in the event of a total loss, they cover different events. Collision insurance pays for the damages in an accident with another vehicle or object (e.g., mailbox, fence, or tree), whereas comprehensive covers anything other than collisions such as damages caused by weather and other acts of nature, fire, theft, vandalism, and accidents involving animals. Read more...

Lauren Brown’s aging parents moved in with her family last year. Now her multigenerational household includes two members of an elder age group as well as two teenagers who are covered under one auto insurance Braintree MA policy. They live in a charming, two-story suburban home in Braintree, Massachusetts, a city in the Greater Boston area known for its natural attractions and parks, trendy restaurants, and museums.

Multiple drivers living in one household are typically covered under a single car insurance policy, although there are situations in which drivers have a poor record (e.g., DUI and/or frequent accidents or moving violations) which can exclude them from coverage. Read more

While the property crime rate (car theft and burglary) in Massachusetts has always been considerably lower than the national rate, Leslie Williams still felt she needed comprehensive auto insurance coverage in Holyoke MA.

Comprehensive coverage typically covers the damages from theft, fire, vandalism, falling debris, natural disasters, and animal-caused damages. In a nutshell, this optional type of coverage pays for your car’s repairs or replacement in the event of damages that are not incurred as the result of an auto accident. Because not all policies are the same, it’s important to make sure that you always read the fine print and compare insurance rates and clauses from different insurers. Read more

When Steve Rosevear turned 16, he asked his parents if he could apply for his learner’s permit and be added to their existing auto insurance. His family lives in Amesbury, Massachusetts, a small city in Essex County that lies across the Merrimack River and is one of the two northernmost towns in the state. Steve’s parents faced a conundrum: would it be more economical to add their son to their existing car insurance, or get him his own policy?

The Insurance Information Institute is a great source of trade information. In a recent Press Release entitled “Six Questions to Ask When Shopping for Homeowner’s Insurance”, they outline 6 basic questions everyone should ask before buying or renewing a homeowners insurance policy.  We have noted them for you below:

How much would it cost to rebuild my home in its current location in the event of a total loss? Your homeowner's insurance policy should cover the cost of building a new home from scratch. Your insurance agent or insurance company representative will have knowledge of your neighborhood, and familiarity with the construction materials used when your home was originally built and can accurately calculate this cost. Read more about shopping for insurance.

One of the most expensive and inconvenient truths about bitterly cold winters is resulting in water damage due to the heat being turned off in apartments. I have come up with a few things a landlord can do to effectively encourage tenants to turn on the heat and keep it on, and perhaps also bolster the landlord-tenant relationship in the process.

If you’re a homeowner like I am, you understand how difficult it is to ensure that tenants keep their apartments heated during the winter months. The fact is, tenants are most likely trying to save money but may be unaware of the consequences of turning off the heat during cold snaps. Unfortunately, that awareness usually hits when they turn on the heat, the pipes burst, and water floods their apartments. Read more about water damage due to no heat.