We hope calendar year 2022 was memorable for all the right reasons and leaves you with only life-long heart-warming memories. As the dawn of the new year approaches, we extend our best wishes for the same throughout 2023. It is truly a privilege to serve you and to be uplifted by you. From all of us here at Lallis & Higgins Insurance we thank you and wish you all a happy, healthy, and prosperous New Year!

The holidays have arrived. As we write this, we continue to do our very best to meet and exceed your expectations. Simultaneously, our hearts are filled with Holiday joy, too many to itemize fully. One of our greatest joys is our appreciation of you. Please know how much we value and are personally rewarded by our relationship.

For warming our hearts and for thinking of us when our business can meet your needs, everyone here at Lallis & Higgins Insurance offers our thanks and heartfelt greetings for a Merry Christmas, a Happy Hanukkah, and joyful wishes for your every holiday celebration.

There is still time to make the most of this magical time of year! Get into the holiday spirit and join in some festive fun with these events and activities. There is bound to be something close to home that the whole family will enjoy!

Brewster Gardens Light Up the Night: Plymouth

There’s no need to spend a lot of money to make lasting memories. The gorgeous Brewster Gardens in Plymouth have been filled with Christmas lights and are completely FREE to enjoy! The walkable trail is open from December 3rd to January 1st (5-9pm) so you have plenty of time to plan your visit. The Gardens are located at 57 Water Street in Plymouth, MA.

Winterlights Display at the Eleanor Cabot Bradley Estate: Canton

If you’re looking for a full evening of seasonal fun look no further than the Winterlights Display in Canton. The beautiful Bradley Estate has been decorated with thousands of lights and the sparkling display has been organized into a ½ mile walk. There are also activities for the kids and refreshments for all! You’ll need tickets for anyone over the age of two so check out this link and plan ahead. https://thetrustees.org/program/winterlights-massachusetts/

South Shore Celebration of Lights: Marshfield

The Marshfield fairgrounds aren’t just for summer fun anymore! You won’t want to miss the creative light displays that have taken over the space! Stay cozy in your car while you drive through this winter wonderland while listening to accompanying music right on your car radio. Check out this link for more information and tickets. https://www.fiestashows.com/fs/south-shore-light-show/

La Salette Christmas Light Display: Attleboro

Beautiful in any season, the La Salette Shrine is even more of a must-see in December! This year’s display includes more than 300,000 lights over ten acres. The event is free to all (donations welcome) and can be experienced nightly from 5-9pm through Jan 1st. There is no need to reserve a spot ahead of time but if you’d like more information here is the link to the La Salette website. https://www.lasaletteattleboroshrine.org/

Enchanted Village: Avon

The beloved Enchanted Village is on display at Jordan’s Furniture in Avon and is free to explore! Enjoy this vintage and carefully restored collection of toy displays that will warm your heart. If you want to keep the fun going, there are additional ticketed activities available as well, including a ride on the Polar Express! https://www.jordans.com/enchanted-village

Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops Patriot Place: Foxboro

No winter bucket list could be complete without pictures with Santa. Create lasting holiday memories at Bass Pro Shops by signing up for free pictures. There will also be crafts, games, and activities. Sign up here https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/santas-wonderland and enjoy!

Great news! FHA (Federal Housing Administration) must accept private flood insurance beginning on December 21, 2022. Now, homeowners with FHA loans will be able to take advantage of the private flood insurance rates. Private flood rates can be up to 40% off the NFIP required flood policy rates.

With deductibles no higher than the specified maximum amount under a standard National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policy, Beyond Floods flood insurance through Lallis & Higgins Insurance offers many options for deductibles.

NFIP still only offers a maximum building limit of $250K for residential and $500K for commercial. The only time NFIP offers replacement cost on building coverage is for a primary single family home that is lived in by the owner 80% of the year with coverage 80% to value or max limits of the program. All other building coverage is actual cash value. Contents coverage is always actual cash value with the NFIP. The private market offers broader coverage options, increased limits and single deductibles. Some of those broader coverages are often a la carte so if you need them you can buy them and if you don’t you aren’t paying extra for unused coverage. Some examples are simple coverages can be loss of use, replacement cost for contents and other buildings on your property like a shed or detached garage (used for parking or storage). With NFIP other buildings coverage is only 10% of the dwelling coverage and is included as part of the dwelling coverage.

Here are some other great benefits of Beyond Floods Floor insurance:

• Limits up to $1.5M for dwelling and up to $750K in contents coverage. Again, NFIP still only offers a maximum building limit of $250K for residential and $500K for commercial.
• Single deductible - One deductible for both dwelling and contents. With the NFIP contents coverage is always actual cash value .
• Loss of Use up to $150k
• The private market offers broader coverage options, increased limits and single deductibles.
• Flexible payment options including monthly installments
• Personalized Flood Outlook Report so you can be educated on your exposure to flood.
• Some examples are simple coverages including loss of use, replacement cost for contents and other buildings on your property.

For more information on private flood insurance, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

While a helmet, goggles, and gloves are a few important things to bring along for a long day on the slopes to stay safe and warm, common sense is probably the most important thing to bring when you’re skiing or snowboarding.

On a busy Saturday, there can be thousands of people at a ski resort. Navigating through dozens of people at varying skill levels on the same run can feel like a game of Frogger as you dodge ski school groups, stopped skiers or snowboarders, and speed demons.

Ski and snowboard injuries are common

While deaths are relatively rare – approximately 38 per year out of over a million ski days per season, according to the National Ski Areas Association – ski collisions and non-life-threatening injuries are much more common. Researchers at Johns Hopkins Hospital estimated that about 600,000 people nationally are injured each year as a result of skiing and snowboarding.

The National Ski Areas Association developed “Your Responsibility Code” to help skiers and boarders be aware of the risks associated with snowsports.

Know the Code

Here are the seven rules of slope safety to keep you and others out of harm’s way:

• Always stay in control and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
• People ahead of you have the right of way. It’s your responsibility to avoid them.
• Don’t stop where you obstruct a trail or aren’t visible from above.
• Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
• Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
• Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
• Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride, and unload safely.
• Ultimately, it’s up to each of us to use common sense, show courtesy to others, and be aware of our surroundings to stay safe on the slopes.

Source: intermountainhealthcare

There is something about the winter months and curling up with a good book by the fireplace. But did you know that heating equipment is one of the leading causes of home fire deaths? With a few simple safety tips and precautions you can prevent most heating fires from happening.

• Keep anything that can burn at least three-feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
• Have a three-foot (one metre) “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
• Never use your oven to heat your home.
• Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
• Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
• Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
• Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
• Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
• Test smoke alarms at least once a month.

NFPA.org

Our path to personal and professional success is paved by- and with- the quality souls with whom we have surrounded ourselves. And, we consider you a member of our extremely valued fraternity of customers, vendors, service providers, mentors, and friends. It has been a strange couple of years, and we all have each other to thank for surviving and thriving. For this we give thanks.

This Thanksgiving we would like to use this week's blog to communicate our heartfelt appreciation for all the support, loyalty, service quality, and passion for our business we have received this past year. Going forward, our commitment is to even better strengthen our business and our relationships throughout into 2023 and beyond.

Warm Thanksgiving wishes, to you all.

Good health habits like avoiding people who are sick, covering your cough and washing your hands often can help stop the spread of germs and prevent respiratory illnesses like flu. There also are flu antiviral drugs that can be used to treat and prevent flu

The tips and resources below will help you learn about additional actions you can take to protect yourself and others from flu and help stop the spread of germs.

Avoid close contact.

Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick too.

Stay home when you are sick.

If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you are sick. This will help prevent spreading your illness to others.

Cover your mouth and nose.

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Flu viruses spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk.

Clean your hands.

Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.

Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth.

Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

Practice other good health habits.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces at home, work or school, especially when someone is ill. Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.

Preventing Flu at Work and School

At School

• Find out about plans your child’s school, childcare program, and/or college has if an outbreak of flu or another illness occurs and whether flu vaccinations are offered on-site.
• Make sure your child’s school, childcare program, and/or college routinely cleans frequently touched objects and surfaces, and that they have a good supply of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rubs, and disposable wipes on-site.
• Ask how sick students and staff are separated from others and who will care for them until they can go home, and about the absentee policy for sick students and staff.

At Work

• Find out about your employer’s plans if an outbreak of flu or another illness occurs and whether flu vaccinations are offered on-site.
• Routinely clean frequently touched objects and surfaces, including doorknobs, keyboards, and phones, to help remove germs.
• Make sure your workplace has an adequate supply of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rubs, and disposable wipes.
• Train others on how to do your job so they can cover for you in case you or a family member gets sick and you have to stay home.
• If you begin to feel sick while at work, go home as soon as possible.

Source: CDC.gov

Why You Need Snowmobile Insurance Buying Tips

Take It Seriously

For some reason, many snowmobilers treat snowmobile insurance like it’s separate from the rest of our lives. Maybe that’s because snowmobiling is our escape from daily reality. Perhaps it’s because we don’t treat our toys seriously. Or being a seasonal purchase, maybe sled insurance just plays second fiddle in our overall insurance picture. Also, I guess it’s human nature to assume that nothing bad will ever happen to us. Whatever the case, most of us don’t take our snowmobile insurance seriously enough.

Sure, we spend a relatively small amount of our lives sledding. At least compared to everything else we do. And it irks us to pay what may seem too high a premium for our few hours of fun on the snow. But would we still feel that way after tragedy struck while snowmobiling?

Catastrophic Outcomes

Most of us arrive home safely after every ride. In Ontario, almost 200,000 of us typically ride a cumulative total of over 150 million kilometres in a normal winter without serious incident. That’s not a bad track record. Unfortunately, when something goes wrong while sledding, the outcome can be very bad. Snowmobiles don’t offer much protection. Sleds don’t stop very quickly on snow and ice. Trees and rocks aren’t very forgiving. Bodies are soft and vulnerable. And we’re often a long way from help.

The long and short of it is that too many snowmobile-related tragedies are catastrophic. And catastrophic = expensive. Catastrophic = life changing. Catastrophic = financial disaster.

Risk Reality

But all can be survivable if you have good insurance after you’ve bought a new sled or a used one. Good sled insurance can help restore your life and health. It can take care of your bills, your loved ones and your future. It can give you peace of mind. On the other hand, inadequate sled insurance can make what is already a catastrophe much, much worse. And it’s too late to change after the fact. Yes, snowmobiling has inherent risks, as with any other powersports activity. But don’t compound your risk by ignoring good sled insurance. Snowmobiling isn't supposed to be that much of a crapshoot!

Have any questions? Contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance. 

Source: intrepidsnowmobiler.com

Halloween can be the spookiest night of the year, but keeping your pets safe doesn’t have to be tricky. The ASPCA recommends taking these simple, common sense precautions to keep your pet happy and healthy all the way to November 1.

Stash the Treats

The candy bowl is for trick-or-treaters, not Scruffy or Fluffy. Several popular Halloween treats are toxic to pets. Chocolate in all forms—especially dark or baking chocolate—can be very dangerous for cats and dogs, and sugar-free candies containing the sugar substitute xylitol can cause serious problems in pets.

Watch the Decorations and Keep Wires Out of Reach

While a carved jack-o-lantern certainly is festive, pets can easily knock over a lit pumpkin and start a fire. Curious kittens are especially at risk of getting burned or singed by candle flame. Popular Halloween plants such as pumpkins and decorative corn are considered relatively nontoxic, but can produce stomach discomfort in pets who nibble on them.

Be Careful with Costumes

For some pets, wearing a costume may cause undue stress. The ASPCA recommends that you don’t put your dog or cat in a costume unless you know he or she loves it. If you do dress up your pet for Halloween, make sure the costume does not limit his or her movement, sight or ability to breathe, bark or meow. Check the costume carefully for small, dangling or easily chewed-off pieces that could present a choking hazard. Ill-fitting outfits can get twisted on external objects or your pet, leading to injury.

Be sure to have your pet try on the costume before the big night. If he or she seems distressed or shows abnormal behavior, consider letting your pet wear his or her “birthday suit” or don a festive bandana instead.

Keep Pets Calm and Easily Identifiable

Halloween brings a flurry of activity with visitors arriving at the door, and too many strangers can often be scary and stressful for pets. All but the most social dogs and cats should be kept in a separate room away from the front door during peak trick-or-treating hours. While opening the door for guests, be sure that your dog or cat doesn’t dart outside. And always make sure your pet it wearing proper identification—if for any reason he or she does escape, a collar with ID tags and/or a microchip can be a lifesaver for a lost pet.

Source: ASPCA.org