No Vacancy

Heads Up: Vacant Homes and Insurance – Why We Need to Know

Hey, it happens — tenants move out, you’re between renters, a home is being renovated, or maybe it’s just sitting on the market waiting for the right buyer. Life happens.

But here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: once a property sits empty for too long, your insurance coverage can change — sometimes drastically.

And if we don’t know the property is vacant, a claim could be denied. That’s a scary thought, but it’s avoidable.

Unoccupied vs. Vacant — There’s a Difference

Insurance companies care about the details:

Unoccupied: The home is furnished and utilities are on, but no one is living there.
Vacant: The home is mostly empty — furniture gone, utilities may be off, nobody living there.

Most policies have a vacancy rule — usually after 30 or 60 consecutive days, the insurer may limit coverage for theft, fire, water damage, vandalism, or even deny a claim completely.

Basically: an empty house is riskier, and insurers treat it that way.

Real-World Scenario

Imagine this:

A rental tenant moves out in January. You’re planning to rent it again in spring. The place sits empty for 75 days.

Then — boom — a pipe bursts. You file a claim.

If we weren’t told the house was vacant, the insurance company might deny the claim because it was empty too long. That’s not a “maybe” — it’s exactly how vacancy clauses work.

Why You Should Call Us

When a property becomes vacant or unoccupied, give us a call immediately. It takes just a few minutes, and we can:

Add a vacancy endorsement
Switch to a vacant dwelling policy if needed
Adjust coverage to keep you protected

It might cost a little more temporarily, but trust me — it’s way cheaper than an uncovered loss.

Even Short-Term Vacancies Count

Don’t assume a couple months is fine. This includes:

Homes between tenants
Seasonal or vacation homes
Properties being renovated
Homes listed for sale
Inherited or probate properties

If it’s empty, we need to know.

Bottom Line

We’re here to protect you — but insurance policies are contracts, and vacancy rules are real.

So, if a property is going to be unoccupied or vacant, please call us. A quick phone call now can save you from a big headache later.

Ice Dams Are Back: What Massachusetts Homeowners Need to Know

After nearly two feet of snow across Massachusetts, ice dams are making an unwelcome return. For anyone who lived through the winter of 2015, this feels familiar—and not in a good way. As snow piles up on roofs and temperatures swing above and below freezing, water has nowhere to go… except into your house.

And yes—our phones are already ringing.

What Is an Ice Dam?

An ice dam forms when:

Heat escapes from your home and melts snow on the roof
Melted water runs down toward the colder roof edge
The water refreezes at the eaves, forming a dam
Additional melting snow backs up behind it

That backed-up water can then:

Seep under shingles
Enter walls, ceilings, and insulation
Cause interior water damage, mold, and ruined finishes

At that point, the damage is already done.

Is Ice Dam Damage Covered by Home Insurance?

The good news:
Most standard Massachusetts homeowners insurance policies do cover damage caused by ice dams—specifically the resulting water damage to the interior of the home.

The not-so-good news:

Your policy deductible will apply
You’ll likely lose your loss-free discount at renewal
Coverage applies to the damage, not fixing the underlying cause

In other words: insurance helps you recover, but it doesn’t prevent the problem.

What Insurance Doesn’t Do

This is a common misconception, so it’s worth being clear.

Insurance companies:

❌ Will not remove snow or ice from your roof
❌ Will not send someone up with a pick axe or heat cables
❌ Will not redesign your roof or insulation

Instead, they expect homeowners to:

Take reasonable steps to prevent further damage
Hire qualified professionals to address the ice and make repairs

Failure to mitigate can make a bad situation worse—and complicate a claim.

What To Do If You Suspect an Ice Dam

If you’re seeing water stains, dripping, or bulging ceilings:

Call your insurance agent early
We can help you understand coverage before things escalate.
Document the damage
Take photos and videos of stains, leaks, and affected areas.
Stop the water if possible
Safely placing buckets or creating drainage channels can help limit damage.
Hire a professional
Look for licensed roofers or ice-dam removal specialists. Avoid DIY roof work—it’s dangerous and often ineffective.
Keep receipts
Emergency mitigation costs are often reimbursable.

Preventing Ice Dams Going Forward

While no home is immune, prevention goes a long way:

Improve attic insulation and ventilation
Seal air leaks that allow heat to escape
Remove heavy snow from roofs after major storms
Consider professional evaluation if ice dams are recurring

Many homeowners don’t realize that ice dams are often a building science issue, not a roofing defect.

We’ve Been Here Before—and We’re Here to Help

Ice dams are stressful, messy, and disruptive—but they’re also something we deal with every winter in Massachusetts. If you’re worried, seeing signs of damage, or just want to understand how your policy responds, give us a call.

A quick conversation now can save a lot of frustration later.

Winter Storm Alert

Winter Storm Alert: With a significant snowstorm and extreme cold in the forecast, now is the perfect time to protect our homes and businesses from winter weather damage.

In an attempt to stay ahead of common cold weather risks such as frozen pipes, ice dams and more, we offer:

Freezing Weather Preparation Tips

Consider sharing the following reminders with our customers:

Keep thermostat settings consistent – never below 55°F
Open cabinet doors to allow warm air to circulate around pipes
Let faucets drip slowly during extreme cold
Insulate exposed pipes in basements, garages, and crawlspaces
Know where the main water shut off valve is located
Clear snow and ice from roof edges to help minimize ice dams

Ice Dams

An ice dam is an accumulation of ice at the lower edge of a sloped roof, usually at the gutter. When interior heat melts the snow on the roof, the water will run down and refreeze at the roof’s edge, where temperatures are much cooler. Eventually, the ice builds up and blocks water from draining off of the roof. This, in turn, forces the water under the roof covering and into your attic or down the inside walls of your house. Once an ice dam forms, the potential damage can be serious.

Taking the following steps will decrease the likelihood that ice dams will form or, at least, will reduce their severity.

Keep the attic well ventilated. The colder the attic, the less melting and refreezing on the roof.
Keep the attic floor well insulated to minimize the amount of heat rising through the attic from within the house.

As an extra precaution against roof leaks in case ice dams do form, install a water repellent membrane under your roof covering.

Unfortunately, ice dams may be unavoidable if your home has recessed lighting near the roof. Heat generated from these lights melts snow which then contributes to ice dam buildup. The only sure way to avoid this problem is to eliminate recessed light fixtures near the roof.

Freezing Pipes

Frozen water in pipes can cause water pressure buildup between the ice blockage and the closed faucet at the end of a pipe which leads to pipes bursting at their weakest point. Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are particularly vulnerable to freezing in extremely cold weather. Holes in outside walls for TV, cable or telephone lines allow cold air to enter the house.

To keep water in pipes from freezing, take the following precautions:

Fit exposed pipes with insulation sleeves or wrapping to slow the heat transfer. The more insulation the better.
Seal cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes with caulking
Keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to allow warm air to circulate around pipes, particularly in the kitchen and bathroom.
Keep a slow trickle of water flowing through faucets connected to pipes that run through an unheated or unprotected space. Drain the water system especially if your house will be unattended during cold periods.

Stand-Alone Jewelry Coverage

Over the past few years, we’ve reached a clear conclusion: for most clients, it makes far more sense to insure valuable jewelry on a separate, stand‑alone policy rather than adding it to a homeowners or condo policy.

This isn’t a theoretical recommendation. It’s based on real pricing, real claims, and real renewal outcomes we’ve seen again and again. Here’s why many clients choose to separate jewelry coverage from their home insurance.

1. The Cost Difference Is Significant

In our experience, insuring jewelry through a dedicated jewelry insurer like BriteCo is often 30–40% less expensive than scheduling the same items on a homeowners or condo policy.

Why the savings?

Jewelry specialists price coverage specifically for fine jewelry, rather than bundling it into a broader home policy.
Coverage is typically written on an agreed‑value basis, so there’s no depreciation or guesswork at claim time.
Jewelry policies don’t carry the same built‑in risk load that home policies do for non‑jewelry losses.

The result: lower premiums, clearer pricing, and fewer surprises.

2. How the Coverage Compares

In most cases, stand-alone jewelry policies provide coverage that is very similar to what you’d receive by scheduling jewelry on a homeowners or condo policy.

Coverage typically includes:

Theft
Accidental damage
Mysterious disappearance
Worldwide protection

In other words, moving jewelry to a separate policy is usually not about expanding coverage or insuring against new types of losses. The core protections are largely the same.

Where the difference shows up is not in what is covered, but in how the coverage is priced, administered, and how claims impact your overall insurance profile.

3. Protecting Your Home Policy Matters More Than Ever

This is the reason we feel most strongly about.

Insurance companies closely review claim history at every renewal. Even a single jewelry claim—especially a theft or mysterious disappearance—can lead to:

Increased homeowners premiums
Loss of preferred pricing or discounts
Placement with a less desirable carrier
In some cases, non‑renewal of the home policy

By keeping jewelry losses off your homeowners policy entirely, you’re protecting the long‑term stability of one of your most important insurance contracts.

A jewelry claim shouldn’t jeopardize your ability to insure your home.

4. Cleaner Claims History, Cleaner Renewals

Separating jewelry coverage creates a cleaner insurance profile:

Jewelry claims stay on the jewelry policy
Home claims remain limited to true property losses
Renewal negotiations are simpler and more predictable

In today’s tightening insurance market, this separation can make a meaningful difference.

Putting It All Together

If your jewelry is currently scheduled on your homeowners or condo policy, it’s worth revisiting that decision.

We can:

Review your existing jewelry coverage
Re‑rate it with BriteCo
Show you the cost and coverage differences side by side

In many cases, clients save money and reduce risk to their home policy at the same time.

If you still have jewelry insured on your home policy, give us a call. We’ll walk you through your options—and help you protect both your valuables and your homeowners insurance.

Prevent Frozen Pipes This Massachusetts Winter

FROZEN PIPES PREEVENTION

Massachusetts winters bring freezing temperatures—and a major spike in frozen pipe and water-damage claims. A burst pipe can release hundreds of gallons of water an hour, causing serious damage that is often preventable.

Here’s what homeowners should do when temperatures plummet:

Top Tips to Prevent Frozen Pipes

Keep heat at 70°F or higher, even when away.
Let faucets drip to keep water moving.
Open cabinet doors under sinks to let warm air reach the plumbing.
Insulate exposed pipes in basements, garages, attics, and crawl spaces.
Shut off and drain exterior faucets (even freeze-proof ones).
Seal cold-air leaks around pipes, wiring, and foundations.
Consider smart leak detectors or temperature monitors, especially for second homes or vacations.

If You Leave for Vacation

Keep the heat on (65–70°F).
Shut off the main water supply.
Have someone check the house regularly.

A few simple steps now can prevent thousands of dollars in damage later.

If you’d like personalized winter-prep advice or want to review your home policy, Johnson & Rohan Insurance is here to help.

Winter Driving Tips

Here it is, early December and Massachusetts has received our first taste of winter. Following are our winter driving tips:

Beware of snow banks! Go slow when pulling in and out of parking lots or side streets. Drive slow, in general, because you can’t see vehicles driving in and out of parking lots and side streets. Road are narrower and driving more harrowing. Be careful.

Be prepared. Have your mechanic check your car’s battery, brakes, fluid levels and tire wear. Keep your gas tank more than half full- it lowers the chance of freezing and you’ll also avoid running out of gas if your stuck in a traffic jam on 128.

Take care in pulling out. Your car reacts differently to accelerating on snow, make sure there is plenty of time/space to get your car up to speed. Remember other vehicles may have trouble braking because of the conditions.

Back your car into the driveway when possible. You’ll have better vision when pulling out.

Be aware of walkers or joggers on the street. When sidewalks are impassable, die hard joggers and dog walkers are forced to venture onto the street for a clearer path. Keep an eye out for them!

When waiting to make a left hand turn, keep the wheels of your car pointed forward. If your wheels are turned to the left and you are rear-ended, your car will be pushed into the path of on-coming traffic.

Braking. If your car does not have anti-lock brakes and you start to skid, pump the brakes to gain control of the skidding. If your car has anti-lock brakes, slam and hold down the brakes to allow the anti-lock system to take over.

When you must travel during a storm, notify others of your estimated time of arrival and your intended route.

If stuck, stay in the car and wait for help. Run the engine and heater sparingly. Also make your exhaust pipe is clear from snow and ventilate your car to prevent carbon monoxide build up.

If stuck in a storm, preserve your energy. Have food (energy bars, trail mix, beef jerky) in your car. They will provide your body with energy to produce its own heat. Have water available to prevent dehydration. Don’t eat snow, it lowers your body temperature- if necessary, melt it first.

Prepare a Winter Driving Kit and leave it in your trunk. Your kit should include an extra pair of gloves, blankets, an ice scraper, food basics (energy bars, trail mix or beef jerky work well), water or energy drink. An affordable car battery- air compressor can provide a battery charge or refill a flat tire.

Driver New to Winter Driving? Find an open location with wintry conditions and let the inexperienced driver practice accelerating and braking on snow. Your car will behave differently on snow and ice and a little practice can make a big difference.

Turkey Talk

Let’s talk turkey, as in: Happy Thanksgiving!

Our office will be closed on Thursday, November 27th through Friday, November 28th to celebrate our favorite holiday: Thanksgiving!

From our family to your family, we wish you only the best of this Holiday Season.

Thank you for insuring with our insurance agency.

If you are reporting a claim during off hours you can do so directly, have your policy number ready and call or click:

Travelers: 1-800-252-4633
Safety Insurance: 800-951-2100
Vermont Mutual: 1-800-435-0397

Plymouth Rock: (Auto) claims: 833-511-7635, (Home) 844-346-1225
Mass Property: 1-800-392-6108
Progressive Insurance: 1-800-274-4499
Bristol-West: 1-800-272-7865
Swyfft Insurance: 1-877-799-3389
Hagerty Insurance: 1-877-922-9701
Utica First Insurance: 1-800-456-2139
MAPFRE/Commerce: 1-866-351-2548
Grundy Insurance: 866-338-4006

Insurance Agency AI

AI Insurance Agency

Balancing Innovation and the Human Touch: How Our Agency Is Using AI to Better Serve You

The world is changing fast — and the insurance industry is changing with it. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming everything from how policies are written to how claims are processed. Large national carriers like Travelers and others are already investing heavily in AI, reshaping their operations and even reducing staff as they anticipate cost savings and efficiency gains.

At our agency, we see this transformation as both exciting and important — but we’re approaching it differently.

Using AI to Help, Not Replace

We’re introducing AI tools behind the scenes to make our agency smarter, faster, and more efficient — but never less personal.
AI is helping us:

Get quotes faster by analyzing coverage options and rates in real time.
Stay proactive by identifying when your policies might need updates or when savings opportunities arise.
Handle routine tasks like document management, data entry (& help with blog articles!), so our team can spend more time focusing on you.

In other words, AI helps us work smarter — not replace the people you’ve come to trust.

What Won’t Change

You’ve probably experienced what happens when businesses go “all in” on automation — long phone menus, chatbots that don’t understand your questions, and the feeling that no one’s really listening. We’re not interested in becoming that kind of insurance agency.

When you call our office, we still answer the phone — we know your name, understand your situation, and care about helping you protect what matters most.

We believe that technology should enhance relationships, not replace them.

Looking Ahead

As AI continues to evolve, we’ll keep exploring ways to use it responsibly — to speed up service, improve accuracy, and make your experience better. But we’ll never let it come between us and the personal attention you deserve.

Our promise is simple: the best of both worlds — smart technology and real people who care.

Mayhem Like Me

“… That’s what insurance is for,” is a common refrain when involved in an accident or when suffering a home insurance loss. Regardless of what insurance is for, it’s never fun to have a claim.

Allstate’s “Mayhem” campaign highlights different claim scenarios in a fun, lighthearted way. Most important, in a claim, of course, is if no one is injured. If you’re alright, then we can help you work through the claim process, in an attempt to become whole again.

If you, or someone else, is injured in an accident, then it’s not always so easy to make everything all right. Sometimes, not even having insurance can help.

Just about every day our office takes reports of claims. Sometimes it’s simple, like a windshield glass claim or a fender bender. Sometimes it’s much worse — and much more complicated.

When we review a Massachusetts auto insurance policy, the first thing I look at is the Part 5, Optional Bodily Injury to Others, limit. This is your coverage available to anyone you might injure in an auto accident.

This is, in essence, your law suit coverage.

We recommend limits of, at least, $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident. In addition, we recommend clients carry Personal Liability Umbrella coverage with limits between $1,000,000 – $10,0000. Umbrella coverage “sits over” your Part 5, Optional Bodily Injury to Others, limits.

In addition to your limits, insurance companies pay for defense. The higher limits you carry, the more vigorous, or thorough, the defense.

Please call, click or email to review your auto insurance coverage. It’s better to do this now, rather than wait for mayhem, to understand your limits.

Camper plates or trailer plates?

It’s a question almost as old as some of the Registry workers themselves: Camper plates or trailer plates on my Massachusetts camper trailer?

Camper plates must have permanent living facilities (sink and toilet).

Camper plates may also be issued to vehicles which meet the definition of House Trailer (a house trailer that has no motor power and is equipped for human habitation – includes bathroom and sink facilities). These vehicles are not to be used to transport property other than that property used for human habitation or camping purposes. A four wheel tow dolly, when used in conjunction with a tractor/trailer combination, must be registered as a semi-trailer. Trailer weight is always rounded up to the nearest thousand pounds.

Auto Home (CAMPER):

A. Definition: Auto home, any motor vehicle originally designed or permanently altered and equipped for human habitation which is not used to transport property other than that property used for human habitation or camping purposes. A motor vehicle designed primarily to transport property which has been temporarily altered or equipped for human habitation shall not be deemed to be an auto home. (MGL ch. 90 s. 1)

B. Plate Types: There are three types of auto home plates:

Auto Home Normal (Plate Type: AHN) – Auto Home Normal plates consist of three to five numbers

Auto Home Reserved (Plate Type: AHR) – Auto Home Reserved plates consist of one or two numbers.

Auto Home Vanity (Plate Type: AHV) – ALAR maintains the plate number preceded by the code “CA.”

C. Plates Issued: Auto Home Normal, Reserved and Vanity – Two plates are issued. For Trailers, the Clerk will discard the second plate.

D. Plate Fees: An Auto Home Normal (AHN) plate is charged a $50 yearly fee. An Auto Home Reserved (AHR) plate is charged $70 ($50 annual fee plus a $20 special plate fee). An Auto Home Vanity (AHV) plate is charged $100 ($50 annual fee plus a $50 special plate fee).

If the customer registers the vehicle after October 1, the registration fee will be half the initial registration fee. The special plate fee will remain the same.

E. Expiration Date: Auto Home plates expire annually on November 30.

Trailer:

A. Definition: Trailer plates are issued to any vehicle or object on wheels and having no motive power of its own, but which is drawn by or used in combination with, a motor vehicle. It shall not include a pole dolly or pole dickey, so called, nor a pair of wheel commonly used as an implement for other purposes than transportation, or a portable, collapsible or separate two wheel tow dolly limited only to the purpose of transporting or towing a registered vehicle, nor farm machinery or implements when used in connection with the operation of a farm or estate, nor any vehicle when towed behind a farm tractor and used in connection with the operation of a farm or estate.

Camper plates may also be issued to vehicle which meet the definition of House Trailer (a house trailer has no motor power and is equipped for human habitation — includes bathroom and sink facilities.) These vehicles are not to be used to transport property other than that property used for human habitation or camping purposes. A four wheel tow dolly, when used in conjunction with a tractor/trailer combination, must be registered as a semi-trailer. Trailer weight is always rounded up to the nearest thousand pounds.

B. Plate Types: There are two types of trailer plates.

Trailer Normal (Plate Type: TRN) – Trailer Normal plates consist of four to six numbers.

Trailer Reserved (Plate Type: TRR) – Trailer Reserved plates consist of three number or less or a combination of letter and numbers (first two digits may be letters TL, TT, TR).

C. Plates Issued: Trailer Normal and Reserved – One plate is issued.

D. Plate Fees: A Trailer Normal plate fee is based on the weight of the trailer at the rate of $20 per 1,000 pounds. A Trailer Reserved plate is charged the same registration fee as the Trailer Normal plus a $20 special plate fee.

E. Expiration Date: Trailer plates expire annually on November 30. All trailer registration fees are reduced by 1/2 on or after September 1. NOTE: if the total gross weight of a trailer, which is the combined weight of the trailer and its cargo, is 3,000 lbs or less, a MA title is not required.

Homemade Trailers

Builders of homemade trailers with a gross weight of more than 3,000 lbs. must apply for a MA Assigned Vehicle Identification Number.

The gross weight of a new or used trailer is determined by the manufacturer and will be listed on the trailer’s certificate of Origin and on the trailer itself. The gross weight of a homemade trailer is determined by the builder of the trailer.

NOTE: Log Splitter of Wood chipper

A trailer registration plate may be issued fi the log splitter of wood chipper and trailer are permanent components of one another (i.e.- non-detachable). However, a trailer registration may not be issued to a log splitter or wood chipper by itself (i.e.- the unit is not permanently attached to a trailer). If the log splitter or wood chipper is detachable, the trailer carrying the log splitter must be insured and registered.