What MA Residents Need to Know About Carbon Monoxide

Did you know that since 2006 it's the law in Massachusetts to have working carbon monoxide alarms in your home? Here's what you need to know - read on below:

Replace Aging CO Alarms – They Don’t Last Forever Carbon monoxide (CO) alarms have been required in nearly every residence in Massachusetts since March of 2006. The life expectancy of carbon monoxide alarms is 5-7 years, depending on make and model, and many CO alarms installed as a result of this recent law are now reaching the end of their useful lives and need to be replaced. No home appliance lasts forever.

How is carbon monoxide (CO) dangerous? Carbon monoxide (CO) is known as the Invisible Killer because it is a poisonous gas that has no visible color, taste, or odor. When you breath it in, it makes you feel nauseas, dizzy, headachy, and tired like you have the flu. It poisons the body by removing oxygen in the blood stream, slowly suffocating you. It makes it hard to think clearly.

Where Does CO Come From? Heating equipment is the leading cause of CO incidents. It can also come from hot water heaters, gas stoves, gas dryers, barbecue grills, fireplaces, and from cars, lawn mowers, snow blowers or generators running inside the garage – even with the door open. A large number of CO incidents take place between the months of November and February and between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m. This is the time when most heating equipment is being used at home.

Nicole's Law:

• Nicole's Law was passed to protect the people of Massachusetts from the danger of carbon monoxide gas and to prevent carbon monoxide related deaths and injuries.
• In 2011, Massachusetts fire departments responded to nearly 18,000 CO incidents and in nearly one-third, over 5,500, the presence of CO was confirmed.

Placement, Purchasing and Maintenance of CO Alarms

• The law requires carbon monoxide alarms be installed on every level of the home, including habitable portions of basements and attics, in most residences.
• On levels with sleeping areas, carbon monoxide alarms should be installed within 10-feet of bedroom doors.
• Nicole's Law also requires landlords to install and maintain CO alarms in every dwelling unit that has a source of carbon monoxide.
• Large apartment buildings, where there is no source inside the individual apartments, may use an alternative method to detect CO near the furnace, boiler rooms or garage.
• When purchasing a CO alarm, be sure to look for the approval label of an independent testing company, such as Underwriter's Laboratory (UL) or International Approval Service/Canadian Standards Association (IAS/CSA). Most CO alarms that are sold in Massachusetts meet these standards, but it is a good idea to check before buying your CO alarm.
• The CO alarms may be:
  • Battery operated with battery monitoring
  • Plug-ins with battery back-up
  • Low voltage system
  • Wireless
  • Qualified combination (smoke/carbon monoxide alarm)
• Beat the Beep and replace CO alarms every 5-7 years, depending on the make and model.
• If you have a plug-in model, be aware the battery will run down during an extended power outage and may need to be replaced frequently. It should certainly be replaced when the power is restored. They use a different technology than one that runs only on battery power, which won’t be affected by the power outage.

CO Alarms Save Lives
Every year since the law was passed, many lives have been saved because of carbon monoxide alarms alerted people to the invisible danger when the levels were still relatively low and escape possible.

• On June 30, 2012, a Holliston family was alerted early in the morning by the CO alarm to the presence of high levels of carbon monoxide. Serious health effects would have occurred in minutes without the early warning. The cause was a faulty hot water heater in the basement.
• On January 19, 2007, the Brookline Fire Department was called to a public housing complex when the CO detector in an apartment activated. The fire department's CO meter discovered levels up to 24 PPM in the apartment, a slightly elevated level of CO. EMS personnel evaluated the occupant outside. The gas stove in the kitchen was determined to be the origin of the CO. It was subsequently shut off and the apartment was ventilated. CO levels dropped to 0 PPM.

Sadly, there are still deaths every year from CO poisoning in homes that have not yet installed CO alarms or failed to maintain them.

[Article Sources] - Mass.gov

Does My Credit Score Affect My Auto & Home Insurance Rate?

A growing number of personal auto and homeowners insurance companies now use consumer credit information to decide whether to issue or renew policies, or to decide what premiums to charge for those policies.

This fact sheet is designed to help you understand how your credit information is being used, and how it may affect your insurance purchases.

IS IT LEGAL FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY TO USE MY CREDIT INFORMATION WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?

Yes. A federal law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), states that insurance companies have a “permissible purpose” to look at your credit information without your permission.

WHY DO INSURANCE COMPANIES USE CREDIT INFORMATION?

Some insurance companies believe there is a direct statistical relationship between financial stability and losses. They believe that as a group, consumers who show more financial responsibility have fewer and less costly losses, and therefore, should pay less for their insurance. Conversely, they believe that as a group, consumers who show less financial responsibility have more and costlier losses, and therefore, should pay more for their insurance.

DOES USING CREDIT INFORMATION DISCRIMINATE AGAINST MINORITIES OR LOW-INCOME CONSUMERS?

Insurers that use credit information and entities that have developed credit scoring models state that there is no difference in credit scores among different income levels because there are just as many financially responsible low-income consumers as there are financially responsible high-income consumers.

As of October 1, 2003, Illinois law prohibits insurers from using a scoring model or other process using credit, on new or existing business, if such model or other process using credit contains any of the following factors: income, gender, address, ethnic group, religion, marital status, or nationality of the consumer.

WHAT KIND OF CREDIT INFORMATION ARE INSURANCE COMPANIES USING?

Although some insurance companies still look at your actual credit report, most companies now use a “credit score” or an “insurance score.” A score is a snapshot of your credit at one point in time.

Insurance companies and entities that have developed credit scoring models use several factors to determine credit scores. Each factor is assigned a weighted number that, when applied to your specific credit information and added together, equals your three-digit credit score ranging from 0-999, depending on the insurance company and the credit scoring model used. Generally, the higher the number, the more financially responsible the consumer.

Following is a list of the more common credit factors used in determining credit scores:

• Major negative items - bankruptcy, collections, foreclosures, liens, charge-offs, etc.
• Past payment history - number and frequency of late payments; days elapsed between due date and late payment date.
• Length of credit history - amount of time you've been in the credit system.
• Home ownership - whether you own or rent.
• Inquiries for credit - number of times you've recently applied for new accounts, including mortgage loans, utility accounts, credit card accounts, etc.
• Number of credit lines open - number of major credit cards, department store credit cards, etc. that you've actually opened.
• Type of credit in use - major credit cards, store credit cards, finance company loans, etc.
• Outstanding debt - how much you owe compared to how much credit is available to you.

For more information or a free auto / home insurance quote, contact: W.T. Flynn Insurance Agency, 40 Fenwood St. Framingham MA 01701, (508) 877-0078.

www.wtflynninsurance.com

10 Home Insurance Myths

Here are 10 of the most commonly held myths related to home insurance:

Myth #1: Standard home insurance covers flood damage.

Fact: Standard home insurance does NOT cover damage caused by a flood. If you feel that you need coverage for a flood you should purchase a separate flood insurance policy.

Myth #2: The Medical Payment portion of my homeowners insurance will cover injuries to me and my family.

Fact: MedPay, a common feature of standard home insurance policies, is there to protect you in the event that someone other than you or your family (a neighbor, friend, etc) gets hurt on your property and they do not want to sue you. MedPay will typically cover up to $1,000 for each covered claim to someone outside of your family. If you or your family, however, gets hurt on your property they are not covered by your home insurance policy.

Myth #3: If my home is ever lost, my insurance company will reimburse me for whatever I tell them I owned at the time of loss.

Fact: In the event of a covered loss your home insurance company will ask you to make a list of everything you own and include specific details such as purchase price, date of purchase, serial numbers, etc. (Imagine trying to do this from memory!) The best way to avoid this situation is to have a home inventory already put together. Make sure to include photos, receipts, serial numbers and anything else that will help you prove ownership. Don't risk not having everything replaced in the event of a disaster. Make sure to keep your inventory in a fire proof safe or at a friend's house so it is still around when you need it!

Myth #4: If I file a home insurance claim, my home insurance premium will definitely go up.

Fact: While many home insurance companies do look at your claims history, there are many other factors that determine how much you will pay for home insurance. Filing one claim over a period of a few years might not increase your home insurance premium. To be on the safe side, always think twice before filing a claim for minor damages to your home. Consider your deductible. If the total cost of repair is not too much more than your deductible you might want to consider paying for the repairs yourself. While this might cost you more upfront, it might save you from an increased premium. If, because of a stroke of bad luck, you have to file multiple claims over a period of a few years and your premium is steadily increasing, rest assured there are other ways to save on your home insurance. Ask your home insurance agent about home insurance discounts. Sometimes simply installing a smoke or burglar alarm system; or by insuring your auto policy with the same company as your home policy, you can save a great deal of cash.

Myth # 5 All of my valuables- like jewelry -will be covered in the event of a burglary.

Fact: There are limits on the amount of coverage you can receive for valuables such as jewelry, furs, etc. For example, most companies put a cap of $1500 on total jewelry lost during a burglary of your home. If you find that your jewelry values over $1500 you should talk to a home insurance agent and schedule an endorsement on your policy giving you additional coverage.

Myth # 6: My home insurance covers mold and/or other issues related to lack of maintenance.

Fact: Actually, a standard home insurance policy does not cover issues related to a lack of maintenance. For example if a plumbing leak that was left unfixed caused mold to grow in the interior walls of your home- mold removal and remediation would NOT be covered in your home insurance. Remember that your home insurance only protects you from damage caused by covered perils such as wind, hail, lightening, fire and theft. Keeping your home well maintained and safe for others is your responsibility and your home insurance company will decline coverage for maintenance related claims.

Myth #7: Flood Insurance is only for people who live in a flood zone.

Fact: Lending institutions, such as the bank that holds your mortgage, will require you to obtain flood insurance if you live in a standard Flood Zone. However, keep in mind that all homes are at risk for flood and standard home insurance policies do NOT cover flood related damage to your home. Due to the recent flooding in the Midwest the importance of this type of coverage for homeowners outside of a standard flood zone has become even more apparent. If your home is flooded and you do not have flood insurance you will be on your own to replace your home and its contents. Flood insurance is a wise idea for every homeowner.

Myth #8: I will have to skimp on my coverage in order to save money on my home insurance.

Fact: Saving on your home insurance does not mean that you have to give up important parts of your coverage. It is very important to always be adequately insured in the event of a loss. However, there are lots of ways that you can save money on your home insurance that do not involve changing your coverage. Home Insurance discounts are available for homeowners who use burglar alarms, smoke alarms, deadbolts and other protective devices. Want more savings? Ask your agent about combining your home insurance and your auto insurance policies- you can usually save up to 15% this way.

Myth #9: When determining my coverage, I should use the purchase price for my house as my dwelling coverage amount.

Fact: A common mistake when homeowners are getting quotes for their home insurance is that they use the purchase price of their home to determine their dwelling coverage. Yet, the purchase price of your home includes the land under your home- which does not need to be replaced in the event of a fire or other peril to your home. For this reason, your dwelling coverage should always reflect the replacement cost of your home- or how much it would cost to rebuild your home in the event of a total loss. To determine this amount, multiple the sq. footage of your home by local construction costs.

Myth #10: You can not buy a home without purchasing homeowners insurance.

Fact: This is a tricky one. Because while you actually CAN buy a home without home insurance (a lender may not require it or you may, although rare, pay cash for the home) you should still always have home insurance on any property you own. Whether a lender requires it or not, the risk is always there. It would only take one fire or lightening storm to destroy your home and leave you uncovered.

www.wtflynninsurance.com

Winter Driving Tips

Drive Safely This Winter!

Severe weather can be both frightening and dangerous for automobile travel. Motorists should know the safety rules for dealing with winter road emergencies. AAA reminds motorists to be cautious while driving in adverse weather.

AAA recommends the following winter driving tips:

• Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
• Never warm up a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Never mix radial tires with other tire types.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full to avoid gas line freeze-up.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Always look and steer where you want to go.
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

Tips for long-distance winter trips:

• Watch weather reports prior to a long-distance drive or before driving in isolated areas. Delay trips when especially bad weather is expected. If you must leave, let others know your route, destination and estimated time of arrival.
• Always make sure your vehicle is in peak operating condition by having it inspected by a AAA Approved Auto Repair facility.
• Keep at least half a tank of gasoline in your vehicle at all times.
• Pack a cellular telephone with your local AAA’s telephone number, plus blankets, gloves, hats, food, water and any needed medication in your vehicle.
• If you become snow-bound, stay with your vehicle. It provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate you. Don’t try to walk in a severe storm. It’s easy to lose sight of your vehicle in blowing snow and become lost.
• Don’t over exert yourself if you try to push or dig your vehicle out of the snow.
• Tie a brightly colored cloth to the antenna or place a cloth at the top of a rolled up window to signal distress. At night, keep the dome light on if possible. It only uses a small amount of electricity and will make it easier for rescuers to find you.
• Make sure the exhaust pipe isn’t clogged with snow, ice or mud. A blocked exhaust could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to leak into the passenger compartment with the engine running.
• Use whatever is available to insulate your body from the cold. This could include floor mats, newspapers or paper maps.
• If possible run the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill and to conserve gasoline.

Tips for driving in the snow:

• Accelerate and decelerate slowly. Applying the gas slowly to accelerate is the best method for regaining traction and avoiding skids. Don’t try to get moving in a hurry. And take time to slow down for a stoplight. Remember: It takes longer to slow down on icy roads.
• Drive slowly. Everything takes longer on snow-covered roads. Accelerating, stopping, turning – nothing happens as quickly as on dry pavement. Give yourself time to maneuver by driving slowly.
• The normal dry pavement following distance of three to four seconds should be increased to eight to ten seconds. This increased margin of safety will provide the longer distance needed if you have to stop.
• Know your brakes. Whether you have antilock brakes or not, the best way to stop is threshold breaking. Keep the heel of your foot on the floor and use the ball of your foot to apply firm, steady pressure on the brake pedal.
• Don’t stop if you can avoid it. There’s a big difference in the amount of inertia it takes to start moving from a full stop versus how much it takes to get moving while still rolling. If you can slow down enough to keep rolling until a traffic light changes, do it.
• Don’t power up hills. Applying extra gas on snow-covered roads just starts your wheels spinning. Try to get a little inertia going before you reach the hill and let that inertia carry you to the top. As you reach the crest of the hill, reduce your speed and proceed down hill as slowly as possible.
• Don’t stop going up a hill. There’s nothing worse than trying to get moving up a hill on an icy road. Get some inertia going on a flat roadway before you take on the hill.
• Stay home. If you really don’t have to go out, don’t. Even if you can drive well in the snow, not everyone else can. Don’t tempt fate: If you don’t have somewhere you have to be, watch the snow from indoors.

www.wtflynninsurance.com

Important Auto Insurance Coverage Advice

Have you looked at your car insurance coverage lately?  Listed below are important minimum recommendations we suggest for your vehicle(s):

Part 5:      Optional Bodily Injury                               $250,000 per person
                                                                             $500,000 per accident

Part 3:      Bodily Injury caused by                            $250,000 per person
                an Uninsured Motorist                              $500,000 per accident

Part 12:    Bodily Injury caused by                            $250,000 per person
                an Underisured Auto                                $500,000 per accident

Part 6:      Medical Payments                                   $25,000 per person (No Deductible)

Part 4:      Damage to Someone Else's Property        $250,000 per accident

Failure to list a household member or any person who regularly operates your vehicle(s) may result in denial of collision coverage.

Information needed to list operators:

Name

License Number

Date of Birth

Date First Licensed

How Many Years Driving

If your auto insurance coverage is currently below these minimum recommendations or have questions please call us at (508) 877-0078

www.wtflynninsurance.com

What You Should Know About Home Insurance

Framingham, MA - One of the things people rarely pay much attention to when they buy a property is whether they have adequate dwelling hazard and liability insurance, otherwise known as homeowner's insurance.

Getting a policy is easy and almost always obtained when someone closes escrow on their home or rental property. But is it the right type and amount of insurance? Most people reading this article probably would admit that they have no idea about their homeowner's coverage, but they should know, considering it protects their largest asset.

Let's run through a few basics so that you can help yourself understand your policy and ensure you have the proper coverage in place for your needs. Go head and pull out your insurance policy binder, it's about 40 pages thick, then flip to the third or fourth page that contains line items like: Building/Dwelling, Separate Structures, Personal Property, Loss of Use, Medical, and Extended Replacement. This section also includes corresponding amounts of maximum coverage, which tells you how much coverage you have in case of a loss. You need to look at each line item of coverage and discuss with your agent if you believe that amount is sufficient.

Building/dwelling coverage

The top item is usually for building/dwelling/property and that covers the cost to rebuild your property for covered perils like fire, wind damage, vandalism, etc. The coverage is based on your selected estimate of the cost to rebuild the structure, not the land value as land rarely gets destroyed and regardless is not covered by insurance. Additionally, your normal policy does not cover earthquakes or floods, either, but you can get separate policies for these if you are in earthquake or flood-prone areas. Policies for these perils can be expensive, but you decide if it's worth it. Other items are also not covered like wear and tear, so talk to your agent about what is and what isn't covered.

While your agent can help you estimate how much coverage you need for one of the line items like building/dwelling (e.g., $400,000 coverage for a 2,500 square foot house based on the size, quality of building materials, age of property, etc), you ultimately pick the dollar amount of coverage. Don't under-insure, but don't over-insure, either. Most important is to make sure to review your policy each year and increase your coverage to an appropriate amount if local building costs increase.

Liability coverage

Many people don't know this, but you also have liability coverage with your homeowner's policy. For example, if your dog bites someone or if someone slips on your property and gets hurt and you get sued, the insurance provider will step in and pay for a lawyer to defend you and/or pay any settlement or judgment against you. But that coverage has a limit of how much they will pay, usually about $300,000. If you have net worth above that, you can buy additional liability coverage called an umbrella policy in increments of $1,000,000 of additional coverage. It's dirt cheap, too, like $350 per year for an additional million dollars in coverage, so go for it if you think you need it.

Deductibles

The deductible amount is chosen by you. A deductible is how much you pay out of pocket for a loss. If you have a $500 deductible, and there is a $7,500 loss, you pay the first $500 and the insurance carrier pays the other $7,000 up to your maximum covered loss. The higher the deductible you choose, the lower the annual insurance premium you pay. Likewise, the lower the deductible, the higher the annual insurance premium you pay. Discuss this with your insurance professional and decide what makes sense for you.

HOA/common interest development properties

If you own a unit in a condominium, townhome, co-op, PUD or any other common interest development, whether a personal residence or an investment property, make sure you have an interior HO-6 policy that covers you for damage to the inside of your unit, PLUS for liability. This isn't covered by most homeowners association's master insurance policy.

You don't want to wait until you or your tenant accidentally floods the nine units below you and every one of those nine owners is looking to you to reimburse them for their losses. Your HO-6 policy should cover this liability and damage – discuss the coverage with your agent. You should also get a copy of your HOA's master insurance policy and meet with your personal insurance agent to determine if there are any gaps in coverage.

Specialty items

Additionally, normal policies don't cover expensive jewelry, artwork, firearms, precious metals, etc. If you have expensive "other" items, make sure to discuss these with your agent and get the proper coverage in place.

The last item to note is that insurance is for major financial losses that will cause a disruption to your life and livelihood if you did not have the coverage in place to pay for all the damage. You generally should not make small claims because the insurance carriers will raise your rates and/or eventually if you make enough minor claims they may drop you from coverage. Reserve making claims for when everything hits the fan.

Having the proper type and amount of insurance in place is vital in today's world. Pull out your policy and schedule a talk with your agent to discuss what you have and what you need. This should help you sleep better at night by knowing if there is a big loss, you've got some help on your side.

                                                          

                                                     www.wtflynninsurance.com

Proud to see Massachusetts NOT on the list!  Across the nation, the typical American driver should expect to suffer some kind of car accident once every 10 years, according to the insurance companies which have to cut checks for those crashes. Yet that figure varies widely based on where you live, and the city with America's worst drivers get into accidents twice as often as the national average -- and in the worst 10 U.S. cities, geography plays a big role in making driving more dangerous.

Claims data was collected for 195 cities filed between January 2009 and December 2010 to determine how likely it was for a driver in those cities to get into a fender bender. For the fifth time, Sioux Falls, S.D. ranked as the city with the best drivers, who are 27.6 percent less likely to get into a crash than the national average. Close behind: Boise, Idaho; Fort Collins, Colo.; Madison, Wisc., and Lincoln, Neb.

While it would seem logical for smaller cities to have safer roads, and crash rates are generally worse in more populated areas, there are a few large cities -- namely Phoenix, Tucson and Indianapolis -- whose drivers outperform the national average. Philadelphia, Miami and San Francisco crack the list of 10 cities with the worst drivers, but are outpaced in wretched wheeling by several smaller towns.

Top 10 Cities With America's Worst Drivers

2012 Ranking		2011 Ranking	Chance of accident vs. nat. avg.
1.	Washington, D.C.	1	112%
2.	Baltimore	2	88%
3.	Providence, R.I.	5	81%
4.	Hialeah, Fla.	11	78%
5.	Glendale, Calif.	3	76%
6.	Philadelphia	6	64%
7.	Alexandria, Va.	10	63%
8.	Newark, N.J.	4	59%
9.	Miami	16	58%
10.	San Francisco	9	55%

Although you can't control what other people do, but you can control what you do -- driving a little slower, being more careful, even extending some courtesy on the road, and of course having a solid car insurance policy!