http://www.tjherlihy.com/blog/View TJ Herlihy Insurance's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.tjherlihy.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:e2b3d3e4-94eb-4d0d-a2fc-268ffc2da4faurn:uuid:3c27aa1f-6af2-4d53-9036-0f9c4655cf19Things to Consider... Reconsidering Deductibles&nbsp; Many folks will tell you that if the amount of damage to their home or auto isn't all that much, they would never contact their insurance carrier. Some do this to avoid the hassle of a clai...Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:57:19 -0600<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 24px;"><strong>Things to Consider...<br /> <br /> </strong></span><img alt="" width="318" height="264" src="/img/~www.tjherlihy.com/building.JPG" /><br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><strong><span style="font-family: garamond; color: #00b050; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: underline;">Reconsidering Deductibles&nbsp;<br /> </span></strong></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">Many folks will tell you that if the amount of damage to their home or auto isn't all that much, they would never contact their insurance carrier. Some do this to avoid the hassle of a claim. Some do it thinking it will prevent a hike in their premium. Whatever the reason, if you are willing to cover a greater amount than your deductible, why not raise the deductible? </span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">Raising a deductible to the level you can afford with comfort is a win-win! The insurance company now knows you won't be calling them for smaller claims, and you get to pocket the premium savings from choosing a higher deductible option. If this describes your situation, speak with one of our coverage professionals about your higher deductible options and resulting savings. <br /> <br /> <br /> </span><br /> <span style="font-family: garamond; color: #00b050; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Your Home Is Your Castle</strong> <br /> </span><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">There it is the fruit of your weekend labor. Your home eats up a lot of your time and money, but the repairs and improvements are worth all the effort once you actually get to enjoy them. </span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">Chances are good that the work you've done has also improved the value of your property. A new kitchen, an upgraded bathroom, an addition and even smaller changes like high-end flooring, can warrant a call or note to your insurer to make sure that the improvement is covered under your insurance policy. </span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 24px;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">Outdoor improvements aren't always included in your property coverage, so if you have expensive outdoor features or landscaping, you should give us a call so that we can discuss how coverage applies under your policy and what coverage enhancements might be available. As an example, while coverage varies by insurer, most insurers don't provide much coverage for trees, shrubs or other plants.&nbsp; The time to call is now, before any damage occurs.<br /> </span><br /> <br /> </span></p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 10pt;">&nbsp;<strong><span style="font-family: garamond; color: #00b050; font-size: 24px; text-decoration: underline;">Dog Breeds Can Influence Insurance</span></strong></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">If you own a dog, you need to read this. Most states allow insurers to charge homeowners higher premiums if they own a certain breed of dog. </span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">Insurance companies might even be permitted to deny insurance altogether or not renew an existing policy based on the breed or its classification as "dangerous."</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">If you have a dog, it is important to read your homeowners policy to make sure you aren't in violation of it. If your dog's breed is excluded from the liability portion of your policy, you might have to purchase a separate liability policy to cover any injuries or damage your dog might cause. Keep in mind that your insurance policy changes over time. If you don't regularly read the updates your company sends to you, you might have a dog restriction that you don't know about.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">Typical restricted breeds include pit bulls, chows, akitas, some terriers and rottweilers. This is not a complete list, and state restrictions may differ, so check with your state department of insurance if you have questions. Some insurers do offer coverage for these breeds, both on and off your property, so talk to one of our professionals if you have a dog that could affect your insurance. </span></p>urn:uuid:c5611dc2-0258-4b8a-98dd-395e2e7e2727Unsure about whether to file a food spoilage claim? We're here to help! &nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Happy New Year, everyone! As you all know, we&rsquo;ve had a surprisingly mild winter since the catastrophic &lsquo;winter&rsquo; Storm Alf...Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:42:43 -0600<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;"><span style="font-size: 24px;"><strong>Unsure about whether to file a food spoilage claim? <br /> We're here to help!<br /> </strong></span>&nbsp;&nbsp; <img alt="" width="197" height="193" style="width: 252px; height: 285px;" src="/img/~www.tjherlihy.com/MH900335630.JPG" /><br /> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<em>&nbsp;Happy New Year, everyone! </em>As you all know, we&rsquo;ve had a surprisingly mild winter since the catastrophic &lsquo;winter&rsquo; Storm Alfred that shook New England Halloween weekend.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond;">&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 18px;">While we have enjoyed a number of 50 and 60-degree days in January, we can never be <em>too</em> careful when it comes to protecting our assets against the worst of Winter.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;One of the most common issues we&rsquo;ve seen among clients this season has been dealing with food spoilage claims.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">In the event that you lose power for days at a time it is likely that you will have to throw away a significant amount of your perishable food items. While it&rsquo;s tempting to file a claim to compensate for the lost goods, submitting a smaller claim has its consequences when its renewal time. Most endorsements for refrigerated/freezer products have a $500 limit with a $100 deductible.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 18px;">For example, many companies provide a loss free credit to clients who have not filed any claims.&nbsp; These credits are often in the $200+ range. Some companies categorize all claims associated with severe storms like Hurricane Irene, and Winter Storm Alfred as catastrophic, a.k.a. &ldquo;CAT claims&rdquo;. This means that a food spoilage claim due to a power outage during a catastrophic storm could be counted as a claim, but the loss free credit would remain intact.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 18px;">Loss free credits typically take three to five years to accrue, so even if you receive a claim check for as little as $100, you would be jeopardizing losing $600 to $1,000 in loss free credits over the next three to five years. Living in a place like New England, the less claims you have on your home, the better because of the recent changes in the weather patterns.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond;"><span style="font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size: 18px;">The best time to file this type of claim is when it is combined with a larger claim. For example, if a large tree fell and did significant damage to your home, it would make sense to include reimbursement of your food loss with the damage repair for the home as a combined claim.</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;">&nbsp;</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 18px;"><em><strong>To find out how your insurance carrier handles these types of situations, get in touch with your agent and discuss what options would work the best for you!</strong></em></span></p>urn:uuid:f5ed238a-f975-490f-9ded-d9985c1af86e<img src='http://www.tjherlihy.com/img/~www.tjherlihy.com/tiff.jpg' align='left' />Are your valuable belongings protected as they should be? &nbsp; Did you know... that if your jewelry is not scheduled you are only covered for theft, and only up to your policy limits? &nbsp;With the holidays quickly approaching, we want you to ...Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:04:14 -0600<p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 32px;"><span style="font-family: garamond;">Are your valuable belongings protected as they should be?<br /> </span><br /> </span><img alt="" width="406" height="264" style="width: 382px; height: 233px;" src="/img/~www.tjherlihy.com/tiff.jpg" /><br /> <br /> </strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond;"><span style="font-size: 18px;"><strong>Did you know...</strong> </span><span style="font-size: 16px;">that if your jewelry is not scheduled you are only covered for theft, and only up to your policy limits?</span></span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 16px;">&nbsp;With the holidays quickly approaching, we want you to know how to properly protect that fabulous diamond bracelet or sparkling gold watch you&rsquo;re about to receive. <br /> <br /> While one cannot put a price on the sentimental value of a meaningful piece of jewelry, there <i>are</i> ways to protect these items financially.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 16px;">&nbsp;To fully protect against lost, stolen or damaged pieces, we suggest scheduling the item on your&nbsp;policy.</span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 16px;">&nbsp;To schedule your new gift, submit your receipt or appraisal to the agency and we will add it to your homeowner&rsquo;s policy for full replacement coverage for an additional premium.<br /> </span></p> <p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: garamond; font-size: 16px;">It's that easy! &nbsp;</span></p>