Safety Insurance E-Bill

Safety Insurance E-Bill Program

 

 

 

If you are insured with Safety Insurance and have signed up for their EFT billing program, billing charges have been $1 per installment.

A client recently got in touch with us, asking why his automatic installments are now $7?

In order to take advantage of $1 installments, Safety Insurance requires that you sign up for their new “E-Bill” program.

You can go to:  www.SafetyInsurance.com

If you don’t have an account, you will want to set one up. If you already have one, go to your account, click on each of your policies and sign up for “E-Bill.”

This will reduce the billing fee from $7 to $1.

If you have any problems signing up online, Safety Insurance will walk you through the process by calling:  800-951-2100 (extension 2, then 4 to get a live person).

Please call us with any questions.

Collision Coverage – If Hit by a Stolen Vehicle

Collision Coverage - If Hit by a Stolen Vehicle

I read an interesting article in the MassAgent newsletter from the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents:

Question of the Week

Collision Coverage – If Hit by a Stolen Vehicle

Question: We had a prospect come into our office to insure his car. He said recently his car was hit while parked by a car that was stolen and involved in a police chase. He has collision, but when he made his claim through GEICO (former carrier), he was told it was not covered as it was a stolen car and a police chase. Now, I know that GEICO would probably have no one to subrogate against, but I believe as long as he paid a premium to have collision coverage, it should be covered less the deductible. I’ve been an agent for many years, but am I missing a caveat that denies coverage in this circumstance? If so, it’s a new one. Thanks.

Answer

Kathy Cormier: If your customer has first-party coverage (collision), they should be able to collect from their policy. I looked at GEICO’s policy, and they have a modified version of the MAP 2008:  https://massagent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/gecc129849942.pdf. There was nothing that I saw saying they couldn’t collect under collision if damaged by a stolen vehicle. I’m including Irene Morrill, VP of Technical Affairs.

Irene Morrill: And that’s why people shouldn’t be insured with GEICO…they have no one to fight for them. I didn’t see any exclusion for “hit by a stolen vehicle” in the GEICO policy.

The person whose car was stolen is not legally responsible for the actions of the stolen vehicle – if the thief was caught…then the thief would be legally responsible for the damages, but if one buys Part 7 -it doesn’t matter.

I’d tell the client to make an insurance complaint…and say to the company that they are doing so…with the MA DOI – perhaps that will make the company decide to pay.

Filing an Insurance Complaint in Massachusetts


*This document is not a legal opinion and should not be relied upon as such. This document intends to provide a general background regarding the topic or topics discussed, not to provide legal advice. Producers and agencies should consult an attorney regarding specific situations and questions concerning the topic or topics covered in this document. Neither the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents, Number One Insurance Agency, nor any of its employees shall be responsible for any errors or omissions regarding any statements made in this document, nor any errors or omissions regarding any statutes, regulations, court rules, and/or any other government documents cited in this document.

Part 5, Optional Bodily Injury to Others

Optional Bodily Injury to Others

 

 

 

 

Coverage Review:  Part 5, Optional Bodily Injury to Others

As an insurance agent, when reviewing someone’s auto coverage, I immediately look at the Part 5, Optional Bodily Injury to Others, coverage. In my opinion, it’s the most important coverage on your policy. It’s your lawsuit coverage if you injure someone in an at-fault accident.

In addition to coverage, insurance companies provide legal defense.

We recommend limits of $250,000 per person/$500,000 per accident and a (minimum) $1,000,000 personal liability umbrella coverage.

Do you know how much coverage you have?

Give us a call or a click and let’s review.

Massachusetts Residents and Maine Trailer Registrations

MA resident with Maine trailer registration

 

 

 

 

We have a great, long time client that recently bought an expensive, enclosed snowmobile trailer in Maine.

The dealer let him know that they could get him a Maine license plate and that he wouldn’t have to pay additional sales tax.

He asked us “does that sound like a good idea?”

Massachusetts auto insurance policies require that vehicles have MA plates. So, if our client gets Maine plates and if he wants physical damage coverage for the value of the trailer (he does), then he’ll have to find a Maine insurance company.

A little Google, gum shoe detective research also revealed:

Unless you have a secondary residence in Maine, or operate a business in Maine, MA law says: if you a resident of MA all of your vehicles and trailers have to be registered in MA. It is unlawful to own a tailer and have it registered in another state. The Commonwealth of MA considers it a form of tax evasion. MA is well aware that non-residents can register in Maine and that it done to avoid taxation in MA, but it is not legal in MA for MA resident to do so.

Our client decided to register the trailer in Massachusetts.

President’s Day

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 17

“To encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.”―George Washington

In honor of President’s Day (& George Washington), following please find a list of some of Massachusetts’ world-class museums: 

 

Claims Don’t Always Happen During Office Hours

Claims don’t always happen during office hours.

If you have an auto or home claim, with most companies, you can report the claim 24 hours a day/ 7 days per week.

Have your policy number ready and dial or click:

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

Plymouth Rock: 1-844-346-1225

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

Openly Insurance: 888-808-4842

Embark General: 800-809-5747

Stay safe and don’t hesitate to reach out to us during normal office hours.

 

Personal Liability Umbrella Coverage

Personal Liability Umbrella Coverage

If you are at-fault in a bad accident and there’s an injury, you’re going to wish you had personal liability umbrella coverage.

A Personal Liability Umbrella Policy “sits-over” your home and auto liability limits. Coverage limits start at $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 and provides you protection from lawsuits.

Coverage is relatively inexpensive.

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.

Umbrella Insurance protects your assets. If you don’t have an umbrella policy, you should. It’s an important part of one’s financial portfolio.

In an ideal insurance world, you want your liability coverage to, at least, match the amount of your assets.

Regarding retirement plans:

“Most plans that fall under ERISA act (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) cannot be touched by a creditor if you’re sued. Most 401k plans fall under ERISA. IRA’s, on the other hand, are typically not ERISA plans, and can be lost if sued.”

So, most 401K plans cannot be touched. IRA’s can be.

Please call or click if you would like to discuss Personal Liability Umbrella Coverage.

What To Do if in an Auto Accident?

  • Stop. Be Courteous. Stay Calm. Your interest will be served best if you are courteous and engage in no controversy at the scene of the accident.
  • If there is significant damage to any of the vehicles or any potential injuries call 911 immediately.
  • Get the names of the owners and drivers involved. Get license numbers, telephone numbers, and registration numbers.
  • Get the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of witnesses.
  • Express no opinion as to who was at fault. Give no information except for as required by the authorities. Do not sign any statements unless required by authorities.
  • Report the claim promptly to Johnson & Rohan Insurance.

If off hours, following please find some of our companies’ off-hours claim reporting telephone numbers:

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

Plymouth Rock: 1-844-346-1225

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

Openly Insurance: 888-808-4842

Embark General: 800-809-5747

Happy New Year!

 

Happy New Year from your friends at Johnson & Rohan Insurance

Happy New Year from our family to your family.

Our office will be open on Tuesday, December 30th from 9:00 am –1:00 pm.

We will be closed New Year’s Day, re-opening Thursday, January 2nd.

If off hours, following please find some of our companies’ off-hours claim reporting telephone numbers:

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

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

Openly Insurance: 888-808-4842

Embark General: 800-809-5747

Johnson & Rohan