Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need insurance?

• Pays your legal costs and protects your assets if you are sued.
• Allows you to purchase high value items such as a car or a home by insuring them on behalf of your lender.
• Helps you meet financial obligations when you're ill and can't work.

What are some factors that influence my insurance premiums?

• Any claims made against your policy, including medical care, auto body repair, construction, legal defense, jury awards, claims adjustment, and insurance fraud.
• The insurance provider's overhead including rent, utilities, employee salaries and benefits, office supplies, equipment, and furniture.
• The insurance provider's investment income.

Auto Insurance
Howmeowners Insurance
Renters Insurance
Business Insurance

AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE

How does where I live affect my premium?
If you live in a rural area, your auto insurance will usually be lower than if you live in a larger more heavily populated city. Your neighborhood helps determine your probability of having an accident or having your car stolen or vandalized.

Local police response times, road and traffic conditions, and the quality of local medical services can also affect regional insurance rates. In some cases, the number of lawsuits filed, tried, settled, and settlements amounts are also factors.

Do all states require some kind of Liability insurance?
No, but Massachusetts does. It requires every vehicle on the road be insured for Liability, Personal Injury Protection, Property Damage and Uninsured Motorist coverages.

How can I make sure my policy doesn't get cancelled?
Maintain a clean driving record, have a valid MA driver's license, pay insurance premiums on time, cooperate with your insurance carrier if you are involved in a loss, and list all drivers who operate your vehicle, regardless of how limited a time period, on your policy (e.g., college students home on break).

If I loan my car to someone, is that person covered by my policy? Am I still covered?
Yes. The vehicle owner's liability and physical damage coverage (comprehensive and collision) follow the car. Plus, if the driver of your car is insured, his/her policy will also be available to cover damage and injury costs.

Am I covered for natural disasters or “Acts of God”?
Comprehensive coverage generally includes fire, theft, flood, earthquake, hail, and other natural perils. Collision covers an overturned car. Catastrophic coverage provides further safety in case of natural disasters.

How do I challenge a rejected claim?
An insurer that refuses a claim usually has a strong legal reason for doing so. Your agent is your strongest advocate in insurance matters, so contact us first.

HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE

Who decides on the type of insurance I need, the mortgage company or me?
You do. Typically, your mortgage lender collects a set amount from you each month which it puts in escrow to cover your insurance and taxes. The policy is yours and you choose the plan that offers you the best coverage and rates.

What does a Homeowners policy cover?
Most homeowner policies are based on a standard form, which includes both property and liability. Property insurance covers your structures and possessions. Personal liability covers the legal obligation to pay money to another person for injuries caused by you, your family, or your property (e.g. slipping on icy stairs). That liability extends to medical payments for injuries caused by you or your family.

Are floods, earthquakes, and other natural disasters covered?
Most catastrophes are covered, however flood and earthquake damage, are not covered by a standard policy. We can advise you on coverage for regularly excluded conditions.

Are there other possible exclusions?
Exclusions listed and defined in your policy might include neglect, intentional loss, “earth movement,” general power failure, and even damage caused by war. If you fail to take care of your property (e.g., a leaky roof), you might not be covered. Obviously, if you intend to lose an object or damage your property, there's no coverage.

One other exclusion that can be costly is the Ordinance or Law exclusion. Building codes established by governmental bodies that drive up the cost of rebuilding or repairing after a loss occurs might not be covered by your insurance policy. Thus, if you discover when replacing damaged property that current law demands higher grade or more expensive materials than those you're replacing, the new materials might not be covered fully.

RENTER'S INSURANCE

How expensive is renters insurance?
Renters insurance is generally available for as little as $125 a year.

Does my landlord's insurance protect me?
The property owner's insurance usually covers only the building and not the tenant's possessions or liability. Clarify this with your landlord before signing a lease.

BUSINESS INSURANCE

I'm just getting my business started. Do I need insurance immediately?
Yes. Your chance of suffering a loss begins with the first day of business. If you suffer a loss and have no insurance or the wrong coverage, we can do little, if anything, to help.

Many states and local jurisdictions often require a business to have insurance to begin operating. And if you rent space for your business, your landlord probably also requires adequate insurance.

I don't have any major business assets. Why do I need insurance?
Every business has some property which needs to be protected from loss, damage, and liability. And since your business is your source of income, you also need protection from the potential loss of that income.

Does insurance coverage vary for different businesses?
It can, although many small businesses opt for package policies that cover major property, liability and loss of income. One common package policy is the Business Owners Policy (BOP).

Typically, BOPs provide more complete coverage at lower prices than separate policies. We can help you decide which policy or policies are right for your business. You can also purchase additional coverage for perils or conditions otherwise excluded (e.g., flood protection).

How can you help my small business be more competitive?
We'll advise you on how to use insurance wisely by identifying the factors that are a financial or property risk for your business, then figuring out the best way to address those risks. We have many business clients, and we offer many insurance products to serve the needs of all our clients. We choose among insurance companies to help our clients find the right coverage -- whether with a blanket policy from one company, or a variety of policies from specialized providers.