Blog/News - Page 24 of 41 - Johnson and Rohan Insurance

Freeze Out

On extremely cold days, take the following precautions to help prevent freezing pipes and resulting water damage:

– Maintain higher than normal temperatures (65 degrees +).

– Turn on your faucets and let the water trickle constantly.

– Open cabinet doors under the sinks. This will allow the heat to warm the pipes.

– Insulate pipes. Insulation goes a long way toward preventing freeze ups.

– Your exterior faucets used for your garden hoses should be shut off from inside your basement and left open (even if you have freeze-proof sill cocks).

Winter Driving Tips

Driving during winter here in Massachusetts can be one of the most difficult and hazardous situations for both new and experienced drivers.

Johnson & Rohan Insurance offers some winter driving tips:

Reduce your speed according to road conditions. Drive cautiously and accelerate gently.
Never lock your brakes on icy roads. You will lose steering control. If you do skid, try to remember to turn into the direction of the skid.
Increase the space between your vehicle and others. You need more distance to stop safely on slippery surfaces.
Make sure your windshield washer has sufficient fluid and that your wipers and defroster are in good condition.
Before driving, completely remove ice and snow from your vehicle. Clear all windows, wipers, headlights, and brake lights.
Keep your fuel tank at least half full to prevent the fuel line from freezing.
Keep a sleeping bad or blanket, flashlight, water, high calorie food that will not spoil, and a shovel in your trunk for emergencies.
Best tip of all: Don’t Drive!

From all of us at Johnson & Rohan Insurance: Stay Safe Massachusetts!

Winter Storm Watch

As Monday’s storm descends on Massachusetts, rest assured you can report a claim 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Some of our popular, after-hours claim numbers:

Travelers: 1-800-252-4633

Safety Insurance: 1-800-951-2100

Vermont Mutual: 1-800-435-0397

Progressive Insurance: 1-800-274

MPIUA: 1-800-392-6108

CBS Boston reports the following Winter Storm Watch:

10 a.m. to 4 p.m:

The “peak” of the storm. When the majority of the snow accumulation occurs. Steady and at times heavy snow falls in all of eastern Massachusetts. Again, heaviest snow and strongest winds in southeastern Massachusetts. Blizzard conditions in that region.

After 4 p.m:

Snow continues across the area but lighter in intensity. Snowfall accumulation slows considerably and winds begin to turn more northerly and with a bit less ferocity. While the snow will continue for most of the night, it will get lighter and spottier after midnight, with just a few flurries left Tuesday morning.

SNOW AMOUNTS:

9-to-12 inches:

The highest snow totals will be in southeast Massachusetts including Plymouth and Bristol counties as well as the Cape and Islands. There will likely be some ocean-enhanced snowbands in this area, these highly localized bands of snow could cause a few towns in southeast Mass. to go over the foot mark.

6-to-9 inches:

Norfolk County, Suffolk County (Boston) and all areas inside Route 128, including the North Shore and Cape Ann.

3-to-6 inches:

Most of the 495 belt north of the Mass Pike, and points west to Worcester County and southern New Hampshire.

1-to-3 inches:

Areas north and west of Worcester County.

WINDS:

A major factor with this storm will be the powerful northeast wind gusts. Once again the worst hit area will be Plymouth County, Cape Cod and the Islands where gusts will range from 45-to-65 mph Monday.

Farther north along the Coast from Boston to the North Shore, gusts will range from 30-to-45 mph.

Across the interior, winds will be gusty but not nearly as powerful, gusts 20-to-40 mph at times.

Given the already stressed trees due to our last heavy and wet snow on Friday, numerous power outages are again likely with this event.

COASTAL FLOODING:

The area of concern once again – the Plymouth County coastline, Cape Cod and Nantucket. We expect minor to moderate coastal flooding here between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

WHAT’S NEXT?

First the snow. While the majority of the snow will fall on Monday, some snow will likely be in the air Tuesday and Wednesday as well. Then comes the cold, the most brutal air since last winter will drop out of Canada later this week. Next weekend looks absolutely frigid. High temperatures in many areas could be stuck in the single digits by day, dropping below zero at night.

Advanced Driver Training Discounts

Johnson & Rohan recommends In Control – Crash Prevention Training.

As a parent, one of our biggest worries is when our teen driver gets their license.

In Control – Crash Prevention Training is a program that puts drivers in controlled, high risk driving situations, designed to significantly reduce the risks associated with being a new driver.

In Control offers a half-day hands-on course developed by professionally trained race car drivers who also train police, firefighters, and emergency response drivers.

Drivers learn: how to control skids, how to effectively use ABS brakes, dangers of tailgating, problems with backing up, how to manage emergency lane changes, and the effects of speed on driving control.

In Control offers a 10% discount to Johnson & Rohan clients. The present cost of the program is $299 per student with additional family members costing $200.

In addition, Safety Insurance offers this program to our clients for $75.

They are also provide a 5% discount on auto insurance for drivers that have completed this course.

We are very excited about this program and the skills that it teaches. Reviews of this program have been excellent.

Please call or click us to learn more.

Inspection Sticker Blues

Perhaps the cruelest of all surcharge points on the personal MA Auto Insurance Policy is the one for an ”expired inspection sticker” citation.

In Massachusetts, a ticket for an expired vehicle inspection sticker is the equivalent, in auto insurance citation points, of a moving violation.

According to the MA Department of Insurance:

Surcharge points are incurred if you:

cause an at-fault accident
are convicted of or pay a fine for a traffic law violation
are assigned to an alcohol education program

An expired inspection sticker is considered “pay(ing) a fine for a traffic law violation.”

A $40 ticket results increased insurance costs for 6 years! About 20% increase the first three years, diminshing the following three .

Check your MA Inspection Sticker: Don’t let it lapse!

Following please find a helpful, Mass Inspection Station locator link:

http://massvehiclecheck.state.ma.us/find_emissions_repair.php

Auto Insurance Flashback

We published the following article on April 21, 2008 and find it worth a re-print.

Geico entered the Massachusetts auto insurance market in May of 2009. They spent over a billion dollars on advertising in 2015 and they are a marketing force.

However, almost seven years after their Massachusetts auto insurance market launch, this independent insurance agent’s fear of the little green lizard is gone.

We compete against them and we’ve taken business from them.

Six year after the article, our belief still rings true:

“For now, it is up to the Independent Insurance Agent, to get the best rates for our clients, to package policies and to round accounts. It is time to save our clients money. It is time to advise and to advocate. It is time to demonstrate our value.”

Ma Auto Insurance & the little, green lizard

Boston, MA – 4/21/2008

Never in the history of the Massachusetts Professional, Independent Insurance Agent community, have five letters been so feared.

Not, “t-h-e-f-t.”

Not, “f-r-a-u-d.”

And no, not, “c-l-a-i-m.”

I am talking about “G-E-I-C-O.”

Not since my childhood Godzilla days, have I been so scared of a lizard.

For years they have advertised in our proud, Commonwealth and for years I have smugly told customers, “GEICO? They don’t even write insurance in Massachusetts!”

Nationally they don’t use Independent Agents, either.

They use call centers and service centers and they don’t write home insurance.

When you work with an Independent, Professional Insurance Agent you are working with someone who who has your best interest in mind. You are working with someone who will shop your insurance with many different companies to get you the best rate. You are working with someone who is your advocate at claim time. Who, at GEICO, works as your advocate? Who, at GEICO, sells multi-lines of insurance and shops your insurances with many different companies?

Like the chilly winds of our Massachusetts’ autums, it seems inevitable that GEICO is coming. When? I don’t know. 2009? 2010 at the latest, is my guess.

For now, it is up to the Independent Insurance Agent, to get the best rates for our clients, to package policies and to round accounts. It is time to save our clients money. It is time to advise and to advocate. It is time to demonstrate our value.

Registry Extends Renewal Date

If you have not received your December personal or commercial automobile registrations from the Registry of Motor Vehicles: fear not.

Due to a “mailing issue,” the RMV has announced they are still renewing registrations that expire in December.

The RMV has advised that although the majority of registration renewal applications for November and December registrations have been processed, customers should expect to receive their registration and decal by January 15, 2016.

The RMV has asked law enforcement to recognize a grace period (through January 15, 2016).

If you’re waiting past this date, give us a call to check on the status of your registration!

Happy New Year!

From our family to your family, we wish you the happiest of New Years!

Thank you for insuring with Johnson & Rohan Insurance.

Before relaxing on a long vacation, there are many things you need to think about: airline tickets, hotel reservations, and car rental. What about your auto insurance coverage?

If you have your own MA personal auto insurance policy then your coverage will follow you in the United States, U.S. Territories, Puerto Rico, and Canada.

If you travel to Bermuda, Europe, Mexico or other international destinations, you MA personal auto insurance coverage will NOT follow you and you will want to purchase coverage from the rental company.

If your lucky enough to be in Florida during the winter months, and your Massachusetts home is unoccupied, we suggest you have a neighbor, or friend, check on your home every few days or so.

They should bring in mail and packages and make sure the home is safe, locked and secure.

They should also check the temperature of your home to help prevent frozen pipes.

Ideas to help prevent frozen pipes from happening:

Keep the house heated to a minimum of 65 degrees. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees will not keep the pipes inside the walls from freezing.
Open hot & cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving within the pipes will prevent freezing.

If you do happen to have an insurance claim, here are some of our popular, after-hours claim numbers:

Claim reporting is available 24 hours per day/ 7 days per week. If you want to report a claim during off hours, have your policy number ready and call:

Premier/ Travelers: 1-877-425-2466

Safety Insurance: 1-866-906-5016

Vermont Mutual: 1-800-435-0397

MPIUA: 1-800-392-6108

Merry Christmas

Did you know there’s a huge spike in parking lot fender benders during the Holiday Season?

Makes sense, with the increased volumes at the shopping malls & grocery stores, & the hustle & bustle that comes with shopping.

Some tips:

With snow, ice & fogged windows, it is even more important to remember to take your time.
Warm up your car.
Turn off the radio & cell phone as you navigate in & out of parking lots & spaces.
Take a moment to smell the mistletoe. Remember: The Holiday Season is supposed to be fun & relaxing & a time to reconnect with family & friends.
Drive Safely!

From our family to your family: Merry Christmas, Happy New Year … and thank you for insuring with us.

Dangers of Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is the most common cause of accidents.

The most common distraction is texting or looking at your cell phone.

The National Insurance Highway Institute describes 3 types of distractions:

Visual – taking your eyes off the road;
Manual – taking your hands off the wheel; and
Cognitive – taking your mind off what you’re doing.

In order to best avoid distractions: put away any device that might tempt you to stray away from the driving task at hand.

If you have kids in the car, make sure they are securely in their safety seats before departing.

If you have a long road trip in front of you, make sure you are well rested and alert.