When I think of insurance, the four most basic policies come to mind: home, car, health, and life. For the average person, these might be the only policies you ever consider buying. What else could you possibly need? There seem to be some people in […]
Ben Whitney
Uninsured/Under-insured Motorist Protection
It is estimated that 4% of Massachusettsdrivers are uninsured, compared to a nationwide average of 1 in 7 drivers (14%). To put that figure into perspective, there are 4,645,705 licensed drivers in the state of Massachusetts, meaning there are approximately 186,000 uninsured drivers on the […]
AT&T Drive-Mode – Anti-Texting and Driving Technology
AT&T continues to lead the charge against texting and driving and is now developing a phone application that blocks driver’s phone from receiving texts, calls, picture messages, emails, etc. AT&T is at the forefront of corporate social responsibility, taking the initiative to put an […]
Insuring Your Golf Cart
Cape Cod is home to a few gated communities, condominium complexes, golf courses, and exclusive country clubs. If you own a golf cart for personal use, having the proper coverage is a necessity. A personal golf cart might be your means of moving about your […]
Reasons You Need Long-Term Care Coverage
Long-Term Care is hardly on the average person’s mind until it comes time to use it. Today, up to 70% of people 65 and older will need Long-Term Care at some point, and if they are not insured for it, they will be required to […]
Massachusetts’ Low Auto Rates!
To say that insurance shoppers aren’t price sensitive in today’s economic turbulence would be a drastic understatement. The introduction of direct-writers into the insurance market has made purchasing car insurance easier and cheaper. Fortunately, for Massachusetts drivers, the state was recently graded as one […]
Cycling Accidents: Who’s liable?
Forcing cyclists and drivers to coexist on the roads without incident has long been a societal struggle. We have a hard enough time not crashing into each other, bringing cyclists into the mix creates yet another obstacle to safely avoid on the road. Of the […]
Dog Bite Liability
For most dog owners, the possibility of their dog biting someone may seem next to impossible. Many common dog breeds are tame, friendly, and docile but homeowner’s insurance underwriters are careful when determining what breeds of dogs to exclude from a policy. In 2011, insurance […]
The Fisher Family’s Story
Anther blog post by our intern Ben Whitney: Every so often, an article comes up on Insurance Journal pertinent to topics I’ve written about before. I was fortunate enough to stumble upon a big-time article about Progressive Insurance and their response to a claim regarding the […]
Spontaneous Combustion and Your Dryer
Below is a post written by our intern, Ben Whitney, who is most likely in the throes of mid-terms and spreadsheets. Thanks Ben. If I’ve learned anything in my short 20 years in the Earth, it is to always expect the unexpected. Unfortunately, it’s difficult […]
WreckCheck: Relieving Your Accident Headaches, Figuratively
Car accidents, whether minor or severe, can be a stressful time for all drivers. Often, drivers are unaware where to draw the line when it comes to exchanging personal information. Obviously, it is recommended you call the police regardless of the severity of the accident, […]
Intern Insights: The Value of Relationships
Like a majority of small businesses, the nature of our business is relationships. Developing strong client relationships leads to referrals upon referrals. The same is true for my father’s company. When my grandfather started, he established relationships with hundreds of clients in town. As time […]
You might not be as good a multitask-er as you think…
Distracted driving is a hot-button topic this summer, especially since Arbella brought their Distractology 101 trailer to our Bourne location in June. I looked down upon texting and driving, although I did so myself when I first began driving, I have become increasingly more aware […]
Intern Insights: Outside Influences on Businesses
When I took on this internship, I thought I was entering into an industry wholly separate from that which in which I grew up. My dad’s office smells faintly of oil, most of his employees sport beards or mustaches, and he answers phone calls at […]
Are You Getting the Proper Homeowner Coverage?
{image} For most people, a home is their most valuable investment and possession. Standard homeowner policies are cost effective and provide solid coverage. Are you getting the coverage you really need? Standard coverage is beneficial, but it is not necessarily the proper coverage for all. Do you have […]
Shark Attack!
With Discovery Channel’s famous “Shark Week” put off for a few weeks by the Summer Olympics, it’s only fitting that Massachusetts saw its first shark attack since a fatal attack in 1936. While officials have not definitively confirmed that it was a shark that bit […]
Intern Insights: Operational Efficiency
…And it’s officially August. Wow, this summer has flown by. It seems like just yesterday I was packing up to head to Falmouth for the summer. Now, I have to think about moving into my dorm, buying books, and taking some of the harder courses […]
Relationship Building 101
Technology is ever changing, an omnipresent facet of society in which we all must adapt. Whether it be the iPhone in my pocket, Twitter and HootSuite open in my browser, or the blog I am writing, technology revolutionizes the way we interact and build relationships. This […]
Intern Insights: From Pencil Pusher to Blogger
With August just days away, I’d like to take this opportunity to change gears reflect on the past two months I spent working at Murray & MacDonald. I have taken much away from projects, meetings, and simply socializing with co-workers and with a month left […]
Not Your Average Claim
Working in the insurance industry, you seem some truly whacky, counter-intuitive claims, cases, and court rulings. RoughNotesmagazine and Insurance Journal constantly publish claims and court settlements far from norm. Yesterday, an article popped up on Insurance Journal’s website about a man who killed his wife, […]
Traveler’s Insurance Disaster Preparedness for Small Businesses
While natural disasters can be devastating for people’s homes and vehicles, Travelers also understands the importance of protecting and preserving small businesses. Small business makes the economy tick, keeps people employed and fuels the economy through consumption spending. To keep small businesses afloat, both figuratively […]
Intern Insights: Insurance Buzz
There has been a lot to talk about in the insurance industry over the course of the last few weeks, from the introduction of a Medicare Tax per the ACA, the Mass Chamber Health Co-op, to Google facing a huge fine from the Federal Trade […]
Medicare Tax: Its Effect on Investment Income
The scope of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) has implications beyond individual health care and insurance. To increase Medicare funding, high net worth individuals will see an increase in taxes on net investment income. The tax will take effect on non-business income […]
Chamber Health Co-op: MUST READ
On June 25, 2012, the Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives implemented the Chamber Health Co-op for small businesses to help reduce the costs of health care. The Chamber Health Co-op creates a group-purchasing program for small businesses with 1 to 50 employees, with […]
Travelers Insurance Disaster Preparedness
The beginning of summer brings potentially hazardous weather as a six month long windstorm season begins. People living and operating businesses in New England are presented with the risk of storms disrupting daily life. It is possible that we will see a tropical storm or hurricane […]