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.

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: 

 

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 Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Johnson & Rohan Insurance

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at Johnson & Rohan Insurance.

Johnson & Rohan Insurance is thankful for having you as a client.

We understand there are many places to buy your insurance. Our goal, as your independent agency, is to provide added value to our clients.

We constantly ask ourselves: “where do we add value?”

Value is saving you money and maximizing different companies’ discount programs.

Value is at claim time when you understand the coverage you’ve spent all this money on over the years.

Value is when you call our office and get a friendly & responsive voice.

Value is having an independent, insurance professional reviewing your coverage, shopping your insurance, and offering your trusted advice at claim time.

At Johnson & Rohan Insurance: we appreciate your business.

Thank you for insuring with us.

Happy Thanksgiving!

8 Homeowner Renewal Tips

 

  1. Study the renewal offer made by your insurance company. Does it look accurate?   Review the address, the Dwelling Value (this is the cost the insurance company thinks it would take to re-build your home if there was a catastrophic loss- it doesn’t include, land, driveway or basement).  Maybe better yet, ask us to review it for you!  Call and schedule a personal insurance review.
  2. Is there adequate coverage for Personal Property, also known as your “stuff”- clothes, furniture, electronics, art… in the past year have you purchased valuable jewelry, artwork or musical instruments? If so they can either be scheduled on your home policy or written on a standalone jewelry policy (usually a less expensive option too).
  3. Your Personal Property, is it insured with Replacement Cost Value or Actual Cash Value? It’s important if you ever have a loss- replacement cost would cover a new, like kind and quality rug, desk or couch while actual cast value would only cover the depreciated value.  There can be a huge difference in these values.
  4. Have you made any interior or exterior updates to your home? Added a pool, shed or cabana or expanded with a three-season porch?  If yes, you should discuss with us to make sure you have them covered.
  5. Have you added any smart home devices in the past year? Security systems for water, fire and theft can create discounts for your policy.
  6. Did you get a new pet in the past year? Most dog breeds are not a challenge for a homeowner policy, but some are.  Dog bites represent the single largest cause of homeowner liability claims- and different insurance companies have different lists of ineligible breeds.
  7. Most policies include an inflation adjustment automatically. It’s used to try to keep your home’s value current, taking inflation into account.  Sometimes though these automatic increases can outstrip actual inflation and homes become over-insured.  Look at the percentage your company uses, they can vary from 0% to 12%, or call us to discuss.
  8. Most homeowners use a typical deductible of $1000.  But depending on your circumstances, you may want to look at higher deductible options. $2500, $5000, $10,000 or $25,000 options with their lower annual premiums are more common than your may realize.

Collector Car Insurance

 

 

 

 

Massachusetts Collector Car Insurance. Do you own a vintage auto?  If you own a car at least 25 years old, or that might be collectible in nature, Johnson & Rohan Insurance may be able to insure it through the specialty market- great coverage at a fraction of the price.

We have two great Collector Car Insurance markets:

Grundy invented the agreed value classic car insurance policy in 1947 and are a true leader in the market- insure your classic with “The Olde Original.”

Hagerty Insurance is another established leader in classic car insurance- between the two, let us put together a customized quote from a single car to major collection.

What is your car worth? Find out by clicking: here.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance: Property Damage Coverage

 

 

Part 4, Property Damage, is a compulsory coverage on the Massachusetts auto insurance policy, with minimum limits of $5,000.

Most of our clients carry Part 4 limits of $100,000 per accident. More and more are electing to buy, $250,000.

This coverage provides Property Damage coverage for any property you might damage while driving. This could include another vehicle(s), fence, house, telephone pole, or whatever else you might hit.

Driving next to a BMW car transport truck on Route 128 the other day, I was reminded that $100,000 may not be adequate coverage.

The annual cost to increase Part 4, Property Damage, coverage from $100,000 to $250,000 is about $7.

Conversely, the annual savings, going from $100,000 down to $50,000 of coverage is about -$5.

Part 4. Damage to Someone Else’s Property

Under this Part, we (the insurance company) will pay damages to someone else whose auto or other property is damaged in an accident. The damages we will pay are the amounts that person is legally entitled to collect for property damage through a court judgment or settlement. We will pay only if you (named insured) or a household member is legally responsible for the accident. We will also pay if someone else using your auto with your consent is legally responsible for the accident. Damages include any applicable sales tax and the costs resulting from the loss of use of the damage property.

We (the insurance company) will not pay for property damage which occurs:

1. While your auto is being used as a public or livery conveyance. This does not apply to the use of your auto in a share-the-expense car pool arrangement or in an expense reimbursement program wither as a volunteer or at work.

2. While any auto is being used by anyone in the course of his or her employment in the business of selling, servicing, repairing or parking autos. This exclusion does not apply to the ownership, maintenance or use of your auto by you or a household member.

3. While anyone is using a vehicle in the course of any business other than the business of selling, servicing, repairing or perking autos. This exclusion does not apply to private passenger autos or to pic-up trucks, vans or similar vehicles not used for the delivery or transportation of goods or materials unless such use is incidental to your business of installing, maintaining, or repairing furnishings or equipment.

4. While a household member, other than your spouse, is using an auto which you or any household member owns or uses regularly unless a premium for this Part is shown for that auto on the Coverage Selections Page.

5. While you or your spouse, if a household member, is using an auto which you or your spouse, if a household member, owns or uses regularly unless a premium for this Part is shown for that auto on the Coverage Selections Page.

6. To an auto or other property owned by you or the legally responsible person. Similarly, we will not pay for damage to an auto or other property, except for a private residence or garage, which you or the legally responsible person rents or has in his or her care.

7. When the property damage is caused by anyone using an auto without the consent of the owner.

The most we will pay for damage resulting from any one accident is shown on the Coverage Selections Page. This is the most we will pay as the result of a single accident no matter how many autos or premiums are shown on the Coverage Selections Page.

If someone covered under this Part is using an auto he or she does not own at the time of the accident, the owner’s auto insurance must pay its limit before we pay. Then, we will pay for any damages not paid by that insurance, up to the policy limit shown on the Coverage Selections page. However, if the claim is covered by us and another auto policy, we will pay only our proportionate share of those damages not paid by the owner’s auto insurance.

Under this Part, we may have ot pay for property damage even if youor the legally responsible person fails to give us prompt notice of the accident. In that case we may be entitled to reimbursement from that person.

This Part is Compulsory. You must have limits of at least $5,000. However, you may want to buy more protection. Higher limits may be purchased if agreed upon by you and by us. However, $5,000 is the most we will pay for property damage caused by an auto covered under this Part which is being operated in any prearranged or organized racing, speed, stunting or demolition contest or activity or in practice or preparation for any such contest or activity.

Call Johnson & Rohan Insurance to review your coverage today!

Halloween Safety

Halloween Safety

Halloween, of course, is the scariest time of year. More important than a truckload of candy, we offer some tips to keep kids safe:

  • Avoid masks that obstruct vision, particularly the periphery.  Face paint or make-up is a better option than restrictive masks.
  • Use hypo-allergenic make-up. Make up runs, so bring a cloth when trick-or-treating to wipe any make-up that gets near the eye.
  • Carry a flashlight at all times.  Once the sun goes down, keep it on.
  • Don’t use any sharp props with a costume.
  • Use reflective tape.  It helps others see trick-or-treaters.
  • Be careful of candles used in pumpkins or other decorations.
  • If driving, drive extra safe! Go slow! You never know when ghouls and goblins will decide to run into the road filled with Halloween excitement.

Happy Halloween from your friends at Johnson & Rohan Insurance.