Tides of Protection: Flood Insurance Essentials in Boston

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Boston, MA is nestled along the coast and crisscrossed by some of the most famous rivers in the world. This picturesque landscape increases the possibility of flooding and the need for flood insurance to protect your home and most prized possessions. 

What Causes So Much Flooding in Boston?

Heavy rainfall, storm surges, run-off, and snow melt are all natural factors that lead to an increased risk of flooding along the coast. 

Unexpected floods can cause a range of devastating consequences, including property damage, erosion of coastal areas causing extended flooding, infrastructure disruptions, road closures, and a host of other negative impacts that can financially cripple a homeowner or business owner.

Protect your home and business from the onrush of rising waters that can cause devastating financial consequences with flood insurance. 

What Does Flood Insurance Cover?

New Jersey flood insurance can help homeowners and business owners cover the costs of repairing or replacing property damages caused by flooding. Flood-related insurance protection can help cover the costs of flooded basements, property foundations, damaged property, and more. 

Learn more about the benefits of flood insurance by talking to our licensed flood insurance agents at Smoller Insurance Agency.

Why Do I Need Flood Insurance if I Have Homeowners Insurance?

A licensed insurance agent at Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA can talk to you about the differences between homeowner’s insurance and flood insurance policies. Many homeowners’ policies cover damage caused by accidents or theft, but not all policies will cover natural disasters and floods. Your agent can explain the benefits of flood insurance and help you choose the best policy to safeguard your home and family. 

Don’t wait until it’s already too late. Make an appointment with Smoller Insurance Agency today! 

What’s In A Condo “Master Doc” And How Does It Pertain To My Condo?

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The master doc contains pertinent information regarding the arrangements of the condo property. This means the document lists common areas such as landings, the foyer, grounds, pool, etc. It also lists what each separate condo is, such as "all-in" or "walls-in." This means the owner of the condo actually owns the walls, floor, ceiling, and contents of the condo. Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA is here to assist with condo insurance and everything related. 

Condo Insurance & Master Doc: What You Need To Know

Your Walls, Floor, And Ceiling

When you close on your new condo, you’ll have drafted for you a unit deed. This can also be found in the master doc and details transfer of ownership. This means the condo can be mortgaged, taxed, and sold. Smoller Insurance Agency of Boston MA knows what’s in the master doc, so we’ll walk you through the liability, loss assessment, and personal injury coverage you’ll need. You should also know these things about master docs.

Who Does Admin?

The Declaration of Trust, also included in the master doc, tells prospective condo owners to whom to pay their condo fees. We’ve seen sketchy “admin” people take the money and run. It’s good for prospective condo owners to know a sanctioned person is taking care of business.

Insurance

Looking online will tell prospective condo owners that a condo company’s insurance stops at your walls. Should a visitor to your home become injured in condos’ common areas such as pools or picnic areas, then your home insurance covers the liability. The condo association won’t. These documents are also in the master doc.

Lien

Prospective condo owners should pay strict attention to this one. The master doc will include a Notice of Lien. This means that if a guest in your home raises a ruckus that annoys the neighbors or causes trouble in the condo’s common areas, then the fines and the cost to sic the sheriff on them will constitute a lien. You’re responsible for its payment.

Reach Out To Us

There’s more to buying a condo than just finding the perfect one for you. Allow us at Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA to fill you in.

Discounts for Donations!

Posted on by lovelynn@smollerinsurance.com

Yes, you read that right. Mapfre Insurance and Safety Insurance will reward your good-hearted donation to particular organizations with a 5% discount on your auto policy in Massachusetts!

Mapfre Insurance policyholders may donate a minimum of $50 to the Pan-Mass Challenge to earn their 5% discount. Founded in 1980, the Pan-Mass Challenge is an annual bike-a-thon that raises money for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a world leader in adult and pediatric cancer treatment and research.

Follow along with this video to learn how to make that donation.

Safety Insurance policyholders may donate a minimum of $50 to Clear Path for Veterans New England to earn their 5% discount. Clear Path for Veterans provides support through a wellness-based Veterans’ Community Center to bolster those who served, with a particular emphasis on reconnecting Veterans to their communities upon their return home.

Follow along with this video to learn how to make that donation.

After making your donation, don’t forget to send your receipt to info@smollerinsurance.com so we can get your discount processed right away! Let us know if you have any questions or issues.

We’re so happy to support these wonderful organizations while simultaneously offering our Smoller Insurance clients a way to save money!

Three important rules to follow when you buy auto insurance

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Consumers need to realize that choosing the right auto insurance options is important. If you are a vehicle owner in Boston, MA, you can buy an insurance policy from us at Smoller Insurance Agency.

The following are three important rules to follow when you buy auto insurance:

Invest in added liability coverage

You only have to meet the liability coverage requirements set forth by the state of Massachusetts to drive legally. However, these minimum coverage amounts might not really be adequate to completely protect you against potential liability expenses.

If you want more financial security as a motorist, you should be sure to invest in added liability coverage when you buy an auto insurance policy. 

Compare quotes from a few different auto insurance companies

You should never buy the first auto insurance policy that you come across. Comparing quotes is probably the most important thing to do before buying any type of insurance.

Contact a few insurance companies and request policy quotes. You then know what your options are and can choose a policy with quality coverage at a good price. 

Read over the details of your policy

It’s important to fully understand your policy. Read over the fine print of your policy. Doing so will ensure that you understand exactly what’s covered by your policy.

Reading through your policy will also help ensure that you know what to do and expect if you need to file a claim down the road. 

Reach Out To Us

Buying auto insurance from Smoller Insurance Agency allows you to meet insurance requirements and protect yourself financially. Get a quote on an auto insurance policy in Boston, MA by calling us today. 

Prepare For the Unexpected With Commercial Insurance

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As business owners, we understand how crucial it is to prepare for the unexpected and mitigate risk through commercial insurance coverage. Our team at Smoller Insurance Agency, serving the Boston, MA area, wants to provide you with information on the different commercial insurance to help you protect your business.

Commercial Insurance Options

General Liability Insurance

General liability insurance covers legal fees, medical expenses, and property damage claims resulting from accidents on your business premises. It also covers advertising liability claims, such as slander and libel.

Property Insurance

Commercial property insurance protects your business property and assets against losses or damage caused by fires, theft, or natural disasters. This type of coverage is essential for any business with physical assets.

Business Interruption Insurance

Unforeseen events, such as a fire or natural disaster, can force your business to close and severely impact your revenue. Business interruption insurance provides coverage for lost income and additional expenses incurred while your business is closed or undergoing repairs. With this coverage, you can replace lost revenue and pay for employee salaries even if your company has to close.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance

The business provides workers’ compensation insurance to cover medical expenses and lost wages for injured employees. This type of coverage is essential for companies with employees, as it protects the employee and the employer from any legal action that may arise from a work-related injury.

Contact Us Today

Contact us today to learn more about our commercial insurance coverage and receive a free quote. Our team of experienced agents is ready to help you prepare for the unexpected and protect your business from financial losses. Smoller Insurance Agency, serving Boston, MA, is here to help you.

Do you drive safely with your dog?

Posted on by Sarah White

Do you drive with your dog? Mostly likely, your answer is yes! 🐶🚘

A recent survey from Selective Insurance found that 89% of licensed drivers who owned a dog have driven with their dog in the last year. 65% drove with their dog at least once a week.

Follow up question: do you drive SAFELY with your dog? Really think about it…

91% of the drivers in this survey admitted to interacting with their dog while driving. So, if you’re a dog owner, you’re most likely driving with and interacting with your dog while on the road.

Consider these additional findings from the survey:

  • 50% pet their dog while driving.
  • 36% gave them food, water, or a treat.
  • 33% turned around to look at them in the back seat!
  • 40% admitted to demonstrating reckless driving behaviors like hard braking, swerving, or not using turn signals due to being distracted by their dog.
  • 17% even had their dog sitting in their lap while driving.

It can be easy to forget your best driving practices when you are distracted by your sweet pup. But, it is not impossible!

Try implementing these safe driving tips when you’re driving with your pet:

  • Have your dog ride in the back seat or, if appropriate, your trunk.
  • Try using a partition to separate the front seat from the back seats.
  • Consider a dog seatbelt, safety harness, or anchored crate for your dog.
  • If you have to pull over for your dog, don’t go to the shoulder of the road. Instead, search for a quiet parking lot.

How Is Your Auto Insurance Premium Determined?

Posted on by Sarah White

Unfortunately, prices are going up everywhere, including insurance rates.

Insurance premium is determined by several factors. These factors evaluate the risk the insurance company takes on by insuring you. The company want to reduce their risk of paying out on expensive claims. So, if they consider you more likely to have claims, your premium will increase.

Here are some key factors that may affect your auto insurance premium:

  • Driving record
    • This includes any speeding tickets, driving violations, or anything else that gets a point on your license.
  • At-fault accidents
    • Carriers may consider at-fault accidents as an indicator that you are more likely to incur more accidents in the future.
  • Annual mileage
    • If you drive less, you are simply statistically less likely to get in an accident.
  • The drivers on your policy
    • Newly licensed drivers or drivers with points on their record are considered more “risky”.
  • The condition of your car
    • Newer cars and cars with modern and unique technologies are likely to cost more to repair or replace in the case of an accident.
  • Inflation
    • Inflation impacts everything — including auto parts, labor, rental rates, medical fees, and more. Insurance companies cover those fees in the case of claims, so they have rapidly rising bills as well.

While inflation unfortunately cannot be helped, you can control those other factors!

Additionally, many insurance companies offer useful discounts you can take advantage of. The simplest and most universal is to bundle your home and auto policies together. Many companies offer discounts for safe driving as well. Another convenient discount available for Mapfre policyholders in MA is the Pan-Mass donation discount.

If you’d like to work on lowering your premium, give us a call at 617-965-1830! We’d be happy to collaborate on saving you some money.

How Does Umbrella Insurance Work?

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Umbrella insurance is an important type of coverage that boosts the coverage that you get from other insurance policies. If you have both an auto policy and a home policy, you should think about getting an umbrella policy to boost them.

This is a less-expensive option than adding coverage directly to the home and auto policies. It can save you a lot of money and leave you much better protected by insurance. When you want an umbrella insurance policy, call us at Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA.

Getting Umbrella Insurance

When you get this type of insurance, it adds to the amount of coverage that you already have through your auto and home policies. The policy adds to the liability coverage that each of those policies has, raising it to a very high maximum payout. Umbrella insurance is known for being highly affordable and for having high payouts. 

Paying the Overages

When you have home and auto insurance without umbrella insurance, there are usually maximums on them that are so low that they don’t cover all of the expenses after an accident. A serious accident could have extremely high expenses for bodily injury liability and for property damage liability. If your home or auto insurance doesn’t have a lot of coverage, it will pay up to its maximum and then leave any overage for you to pay.

That’s why having umbrella insurance is so important. Once the first policy comes in and pays what it can toward the damages, the umbrella insurance policy comes in and pays for the rest. It’s a great way to be well-covered by insurance. 

Get Umbrella Insurance

When you want to be better covered for your liability at home and in your vehicle, you need umbrella insurance. Call us at Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA.

Why Might You Need Classic Car Insurance?

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If you own a classic car, you must insure it with the best insurance policy available. Classic cars are often significant investments, and your classic car insurance must reflect this. For a classic car, it isn’t enough to have a regular auto policy. You specifically need a classic car policy. If you don’t have the insurance policy that you need, give us a call at Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA.

Classic Car Policies

If you have a standard auto insurance policy on your classic car, it is unlikely that it will pay out what the car is actually worth if something goes wrong. When you purchase a standard auto policy, the coverage is determined by the car’s age, condition, and mileage. If you use these criteria, it may not reflect what the car is actually worth as a sought-after classic.

You’ll need a policy that considers the car’s popularity as well as how much people are willing to pay for it. Aspects of the car like its mileage may factor into its value, but many other factors are important when the car is a classic. This can mean its place in popular culture or the scarcity of that model of car. All of these factors are taken into account when purchasing a classic car insurance policy, and the policy is written for the specific car rather than a generic value.

Stay Insured

The coverage amount is so important because you may be in an accident that damages or destroys the car. This would be extremely costly for you if you didn’t have the right coverage for your needs. You need to stay covered with a classic car policy so that your investment in your car is protected.

Get Classic Car Insurance

Here at Smoller Insurance Agency, we understand classic cars and the investment they truly are. To get your coverage, visit us at our office in Boston, MA or give us a call today.

Earn a Discount by Driving Safely

Posted on by Sarah White

Many of our carriers may reward your safe driving with a discounted premium! Mapfre, Travelers, Progressive, Safeco, and Safety policyholders: read on to learn how to earn an additional discount!

Mapfre

New Mapfre clients can download Mapfre’s MotionSmart mobile app and you can receive up to a 10% discount on their Auto policy!

https://youtu.be/inXDKgwD608
Click here to learn more.

Travelers

Traveler’s IntelliDrive mobile app tracks your driving habits and adjusts your premium accordingly.

More about IntelliDrive here.

Progressive

Progressive’s Snapshot mobile app personalizes your auto premium based on how and how much you drive. In fact, drivers who save with Snapshot save an average of $156 a year (excluding AK, HI, & NY).

Get more info at this link.

Safeco

Policyholders can download the Safeco mobile app and enroll in RightTrack. After 90 days of safe driving, you could see savings between 5% and 30% on your policy! The more drivers on your policy that use RightTrack, the higher your potential savings.

Learn more from Safeco’s website.

Safety

Safety offers several discount programs for their safe drivers in MA!

  • Up to 24% for Excellent Driver Plus Discount (no accidents or incidents in past 6 years)
  • Up to 10% for Excellent Driver Discount (no accidents or incidents in past 5 years)
  • 5% Group Discount for drivers who participate in In Control’s Crash Prevention Training. Sign up for the program at a discounted rate here.

If you have any questions about these programs, please call us at 617-965-1830, text us at 617-958-5929, or email info@smollerinsurance.com. We’ll be happy to help you figure out the best possible way to save you money.