Why a Home Inventory is Important
Let’s try a little exercise: Can you list everything you own from memory? Didn’t think so.
The fact is most people own more things than they realize. It’s easy to remember the cars, the
computer, the TV. But what about that holiday china in the garage? Or every pair of shoes?
All of it is regarded as personal property for insurance purposes. And if your home is destroyed by
fire or some other disaster, having a list of your possessions makes filing a claim easier — and helps
you put your life back together.
Winter 2016
Why should I complete a home inventory? What’s the best way?
Comparing the value of your belongings to the “contents” limit listed in your policy helps you make sure you have enough insurance to
replace them if they are lost, stolen or destroyed as a result of a covered loss. The easiest way to take an inventory is to use a video camera,
recording and describing items as you walk through your house. Or, you can use a regular camera and create a home inventory checklist.
Here are a few tips for completing and storing your inventory:
• Add brand names and descriptions where you can, especially on large-ticket items. Serial numbers are helpful to note.
• Keep any receipts you have with the list to make the claims process easier.
• Store your video or photo inventory offsite so you won’t lose it if your house is damaged.
• Update your personal property records when you purchase new furnishings and valuables.
• Though the task may seem daunting, it’s important to try. An incomplete inventory is better than nothing at all.
How much insurance do I need?
We can assist you in analyzing your insurance needs and help you decide how to most effectively protect your personal property. You should
consider full-value coverage, which will pay for the replacement value of your personal belongings. A standard policy typically covers personal
property only up to its actual cash value, determined by taking the replacement cost and deducting depreciation, which can be substantial.
(For example, a 5-year-old TV is usually worth much less than what it would cost to purchase a new one.)
Finally, remember your homeowner’s policy covers valuable items such as jewelry, furs, art, and antiques, only up to set dollar amounts. If
the cost of replacing them exceeds these limits, you may want to purchase scheduled personal property coverage.
The Insurance Information Institute has a FREE online tool that can help you create your inventory.
Just visit www.knowyourstuff.org for more details.
Alert! Shovel Safety
What is a Rider?
Shoveling is hard work! Safety first.
If you have homeowners insurance, it likely includes some protection for your
belongings if they are damaged by a covered peril (fire or theft, for instance).
Personal property coverage typically comes with limits for both overall coverage —
the maximum amount your policy may reimburse you for a covered loss — as well
as sub-limits for certain high-value items.
For example, suppose your homeowners (or condo or renters) insurance policy
includes $50,000 in personal property coverage. You may find that belongings
such as expensive jewelry have more limited protection. For instance, you may
find that a standard homeowners insurance policy provides up to $1,500 in
coverage for jewelry.
That’s where a rider may help. A rider — also referred to as scheduled personal
property, a floater or an endorsement — is an optional add-on to a homeowners
insurance policy. It provides additional coverage for the things you own that are
worth more than the per-item limit of your policy.
Besides providing additional coverage for certain valuables, you may find that a
rider helps protect those items from a greater number of risks.
To purchase a rider, you’ll typically need to provide your insurance company with
a recent receipt or a professional appraisal, the Insurance Information Institute
says. You’ll need to pay an insurance premium for each item covered by a rider.
When Do I Need A Rider?
When you inherit a valuable item, become a collector or you buy something like
an engagement ring, it’s a good idea to consider how your insurance policy may
help protect it.
New Years Day
Martin Luther King Day
Presidents Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day Holiday
Labor Day
Columbus Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day After Thanksgiving Day
Christmas Day
New Years Day
From July 14 - Aug. 25, We will be closing at 3:30pm on Fridays.We will be
closing at 4:00pm on Friday Dec. 1, 2017 for our Holiday Party
Think about items like:
• Jewelry
• Furs
• Expensive Cameras
• Musical instruments
• Fine art
• Antiques
• Stamp or coin collections
• Firearms
648 Highland Ave., Needham, MA 02494
567 Southbridge St., Auburn, MA 01501
922 Waltham St., Lexington, MA 02421
45 E. Main St., Ste. 9, Westborough, MA 01581
781-444-6790
508-832-0404
781-863-2054
508-898-2902
If you don’t know how much coverage your policy provides for those types of
items, read your policy or contact us. You may benefit from a rider if you find that
certain belongings are worth more than your current coverage limits.
194 Worcester Ct., Falmouth, MA 02540
237 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA 02657
508-548-1148
800-443-7007
(Whalers Wharf PO Box 575)
Our Office Locations
(Colonial Plaza Rt. 30)
Still not sure if you need a rider for your valuables? We can help you review your
existing policy so you can decide whether additional protection makes sense for you.
Winter 2016
www.neinsure.com
Working within our community is the heart of our business here at Northeast Insurance. We are fortunate to have a team that believes
in our core values and is always looking for opportunities to lend a helping hand. This year, our team shared their time with a variety
of organizations: The Fisher House of Boston, the Relay for Life, the MS Walk, the Walk for Hunger, Comedy Night for Warrior Thunder
Foundation and much more.
Our biggest highlight of 2016 was our participation in the charity motorcycle
run by the Warrior Thunder Foundation in September. The event was a huge
success! There was a great turnout of enthusiastic motorists to benefit the
brave men and women who have suffered from traumatic injuries while serving
in the armed forces. Highlighted by a Liberty Bike raffle and an inspiring
appearance by Medal of Honor recipient, Army Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts, this
event raised $34,000 for the Fisher House. A very special ‘thank you’ goes out
to Staff Sergeant Pitts for speaking on his experiences serving in Afghanistan,
as well as the many men and women who showed up to contribute to this
incredibly worthy cause.
Over the River and Through the Woods in New England...
OFFICE CLOSINGS Holiday Schedule 2017
Jan. 2 Jan. 16
Feb 20 May 29 July 3-4 Sept. 4 Oct. 9
Nov. 23
Nov. 24
Dec. 25
Jan. 1, 2018
- Margaret Mead
We are proud and honored to work with so many amazing individuals making a difference in our community.
1. Keep up with the storm.
2. Push, don’t lift.
3. Wear breathable layers
and good boots.
4. Stay hydrated.
5. Take breaks as needed.
Monday Monday
Monday
Monday Monday-Tuesday
Monday Monday
Thursday Friday
Monday
Monday
“Never Doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”
For claim information, please visit
our website: www.neinsure.com
www.facebook.com/neinsure
Millions of Americans will do some traveling this holiday season - the majority of it by car. Of course, winter weather creates a unique set
of challenges on the roadways, whether you’re simply driving around in Boston or headed to the White Mountains.
At Northeast Insurance, we’d like to help you not only enjoy your holiday season, but help ensure you’ll be around for future holidays, too!
So please take these winter-travel safety tips to heart.
Prepare your car for winter
Before leaving on your trip, give your car a thorough check-up. Do wipers need to be replaced? Are your fluid levels where they should be?
Your tires need to be in good shape for driving on wet or snowy roads, and be sure your radiator and cooling systems are up to snuff. And
we know you’ve heard this before, but bear with us - your car should have an emergency kit. Pack it with jumper cables, blankets, a firstaid kit, flares, food and water, a flashlight and other safety gear. A shovel and cat litter or sand (to provide traction should you get stuck in
snow or ice) are good ideas as well.
Before you leave
Know exactly where you’re going, with printed maps, and check weather conditions along your planned route. Let someone know your
itinerary, so if you don’t arrive on time, officials know where to look for you. If your car has snow or ice on it, make sure it is completely
cleared off before you depart. Don’t forget to clear your headlights and other lights, along with the roof. Ice and snow blowing from your
car could create a hazard for other drivers.
When you’re on the road
Are roads snowy or icy? Take it slow. Take it slow. Take it slow. Sorry for repeating
ourselves, but it’s absolutely vital to, yes, take it slow. Give yourself extra time to
get to your destination and make sure you leave extra room between your vehicle
and others on the road. Watch for ice patches on bridges, overpasses and shady
spots. Remember, having four-wheel or all-wheel drive does not mean your car will
stop or steer better on ice.
If you’re caught in a storm that seems like it’s too much for you to handle, seek
refuge as soon as you can. Of course, sometimes it’s best not to drive in snow and
ice at all, stay home if you can.
If your vehicle becomes disabled
Nobody wants to think about being stranded on the side of the road in a storm, but it happens to thousands of people every year. If
your vehicle is disabled, be sure to stay with it. Run your engine and heater for short intervals, and open one of your windows slightly
to prevent carbon monoxide build-up. Light two flares (remember that vehicle emergency kit? Now’s the time to use it) and place one a
safe distance from both the front and rear of your vehicle. Note your location with mileposts, exit numbers or cross-streets and call the
authorities or a tow truck.
We hope you enjoy your holidays with friends and family, and we look forward to serving you in the New Year!
5 Tips to Avoid Getting Your Email Hacked
We’ve all become so comfortable with using email in our businesses, we can lose sight that
precautions, procedures, and policies need to be in place. A corrupt email can sometimes not just
infect the user, but when on a network, it can have devastating effects that can cost hundreds, if not
thousands of dollars in lost productivity and IT expenses.
Here are five tips to keep your email from being hacked.
1. Keep your passwords fresh and challenging. Yes, we understand it is easier to have one or two
username/password combinations that you use across various platforms but it’s not a safe
practice. Use passwords with alpha-numerical combinations in upper and lower case. Ideally
change them quarterly but at least semi-annually.
2. Don’t log into your secure accounts on a connection that is not secure. Don’t check your checking account balance, buy an item, or
make a credit card payment online from your favorite coffee shop or fast food restaurant.
3. Do NOT open unfamiliar emails. Hackers can make subject lines tempting. “I have $500 for you”, “I want to learn more”, “Send me
info” can all seem innocent, but these guys know how to push buttons. Employees must be trained not to open emails that appear to
be sketchy. It’s a matter of being better safe than sorry.
4. Do not allow employees to access personal emails on company technology. Most employees can access personal emails on their
portable devices so there should be no need to use company computers to access personal emails. The same could be said for any
internet activity, but we are focusing on email. Even if employee personal emails are secure, their friends and relatives email may not be.
5. Have employees check their “sent” email files frequently. Many hackers may bypass you but access your contacts. This can result in
infected emails being sent to those in your address book. It appears to those receiving them as if they are from you, but instead, are
part of a hack. Reviewing sent emails can keep you on top of what your contacts are getting from you.
If you are already taking these steps, good for you. If you are not, consider them carefully. It only takes one misstep to cost you dearly. It
may be time to review your email policy. Hackers are always looking for ways to abuse you, so keep your antivirus software updated and
keep your email safe in the New Year!
Keeping Your New Year’s Resolutions On Track
With 2017 approaching quickly, admit it, you have thought about it, the dreaded New Year’s resolution. For some of us, sticking to it is
very easy. For others, it may be a bit more of a challenge. Stop the vicious cycle of trying to make a difference and then not successfully
following through with it. So, you ask, what can we do to make it successful? They say it takes 90 days to start a new habit, with a little
planning you can help lead the way to resolution success. Here are seven steps that will ensure that those resolutions really happen in
2017 and convert into true and long-lasting change.
1. Be realistic: A for sure way to fall short of your goal is making it unattainable. For example, if
you’re trying to lose weight, resolving to never eat your favorite food or snacks again is already
setting you up for failure. As an alternative, strive for a goal that is achievable, such as avoiding
it as often as possible or even limiting yourself.
2. Plan in advance: Don’t make your resolution on New Year’s Eve, you will just sound like a
bandwagon person anyway and those people usually aren’t serious. If you wait until the last
second, it will be derived on your mindset that certain day. Rather, it should be planned way
before the end of December, but that’s just my opinion.
3. Make an outline: Determine how you will handle the temptation to go against your resolutions.
This could consist of calling a friend that will be able to be brutally honest with you, practicing
positive and constructive thinking, or remembering that you’ll be taking a step back.
4. Pros and cons list: This is my all time favorite thing to do. Nothing makes an accomplishment feel better than to cross it off with a
red pen. It could help to see the list written on paper to keep your motivation on track. Generate this list over time, and ask others to
help you with more ideas if possible. Keep this list with you and reference it when you need assistance in keeping your resolve.
5. Set milestones and celebrate them: When you’ve set measurable goals, you’ll know whether or not you’re on track to achieve
success. And that means you’ll be in an excellent position to reward yourself for small victories.
6. Keep trying: If you have absolutely run out of steam when it comes to keeping your resolution halfway through February, don’t
despair. Who said you couldn’t start over again? Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for 24 hours and soon you’ll
be back on track! The little rewards you give yourself don’t have to be expensive, just effective. The key is to reward your successes
at first, so you’ll be even more motivated to hit your next milestone when that time comes.
7. Allow room for errors: At the end of the day, we are all human and perfection isn’t possible. You will certainly make mistakes; you
will fall off the wagon at some point. Changing your lifestyle isn’t easy, so don’t give up or quit just because you made one mistake.
Just take it one day at a time, keep a positive attitude, and remind yourself that what you’re doing is difficult.
Welcome Our Newest Team Members!
Kathy Toomey will begin her 49th
year working in the insurance
industry. Before joining our
Needham office, she worked for
various companies and agencies,
primarily with personal lines, and
has since grown exponentially.
With her work ethic and consistent
drive, it is no wonder how she has
thrived in the industry for nearly
a half decade. We are glad she
is part of the team. In her spare
time, Kathy loves to read and
attend the theater.
Carol Droz started at Northeast
Insurance on August 1st, 2016.
Prior to joining the Lexington
team, she worked for a direct
writer for over 17 years. In
addition, she also worked in Life,
Disability/Underwriting areas
before getting involved in the
P&C side of the business. When
she’s not clocked in at work,
Carol spends her leisure time with
her husband of 26 years and is
currently working on her personal
bucket list of fun adventures.
Giovanna Kemp joined the
Auburn office as an Account
Development Manager in July
of 2016. She brings 27 years
of insurance/customer service
skills and experience from
working with Liberty Mutual
Insurance. She has held several
positions, which includes
receiving her CISR & CPIA
designations. When Giovanna
isn’t plugging away in Auburn,
she enjoys spending time on a
nearby lake with her husband
Eric and her grandson Aiden.
Avoiding Distractions While Driving Could Save Your Life
You’ve seen them on the roads; you might even know a few of them. And you could
be one yourself.
Distracted drivers come in all shapes, sizes, ages and experience levels. Even if
you’re not one today, you could become one at any moment — in the time it takes you
to answer your cell phone or check on the kids in the back seat when you’re driving
through neighborhoods.
If you or someone else you know thinks you can drive just fine while talking on your
phone, think about this: More than 450,000 people were injured in crashes that
reportedly involved distracted driving in 2009, according to the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration. More than 5,000 of those people died.
Distractions on the road come in many forms, according to www.distraction.gov, a U.S. Department of Transportation website.
There are three main kinds of distractions:
Visual – taking your eyes off the road
Manual –taking your hands off the wheel
Cognitive – taking your mind off what you’re doing
To help you avoid all three kinds of distractions the next time you’re behind the wheel of your car,
here are a few tips:
• Put your phone in silent mode and store it away from the front seat or in a purse or bag.
This helps reduce temptation.
• Have a passenger answer your phone or return text messages for you.
• If a call or a text can’t wait, pull over in a safe spot before using your phone.
• This one seems obvious, but finish shaving or applying makeup before you get in the car!
• If you’re emotional, wait until you’ve calmed down before hitting the road.
• Avoid road rage. You’ll be happier and safer.
Whenever you’re on the road, it’s not a time to multi-task. Focus on driving safely.
I’m Borrowing My Friend’s Car. Am I Covered?
Most people have an idea of what’s covered and not covered under their various insurance policies. But at Northeast Insurance we get a
lot of questions about borrowing or loaning a car.
Generally, insurance coverage follows the vehicle rather than the driver. So in most instances, as long as the owner of the car has
insurance, it’s covered even if someone other than the owner is driving it — as long as they have the owner’s permission.
The borrower’s insurance is considered secondary, meaning that in the event of an
accident, it could apply if the owner’s insurance is insufficient to fully cover the damage.
It’s important to note that there are some exceptions to what is called “permissive use”
coverage. For example, permission must be given by the owner unless the borrower has
a reasonable belief that they are allowed to use the car. However, the borrower cannot
give permission to someone else. So if your teenager allows one of his or her friends to
drive your car to school, your coverage likely won’t apply.
Coverage might also be denied if the borrower operates the vehicle in a negligent or
criminal manner. And if the borrower is using your car for business purposes, your
personal auto policy likely won’t cover that.
If you have a regular long-term arrangement to either borrow or lend a car, the borrower should be added to the owner’s personal auto
policy. Those who don’t own a car, but often borrow one, might also consider “named non-owner coverage,” an endorsement that
provides bodily injury and property damage liability, uninsured motorists coverage and more.
Ultimately, it’s usually safe to loan your friend your car for occasional errands or projects. And the same goes for borrowing a car. Just
make sure it’s for “normal” use. You’ll want to confirm that the car has coverage and that your insurance, whether you’re the owner or
borrower, will apply.
Winter 2016
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