When the U.S. government partially shut down on December 21st, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) determined it no longer had the authority to enter into new contracts, including new or renewal NFIP flood insurance policies, during the shutdown period. Real estate closings scheduled during this time that require flood insurance may be affected.  Lallis & Higgins Insurance is here to help bridge that critical gap with private flood insurance options.

How We Can Help

Private flood insurance is a growing alternative to the NFIP that may satisfy lenders’ flood insurance requirements. Our experienced team makes it quick and easy for you to secure flood insurance to meet your lifestyle and your home's needs.

• Secure a quote in as little as one minute
• As few as 12 underwriting questions with no elevation certificate requirement
• Underwritten by Lloyds of London and Scottsdale Insurance

Our goal is to make sure everyone in Massachusetts has access to flood insurance, even during times of political impasse. Lallis & Higgins Insurance can offer other Flood options through Lloyds and Scottsdale that may save homeowners up to 38% off the NFIP rate. If you want to learn more about flood insurance options, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

Our warmest Holiday wishes from the entire team here at Lallis & Higgins Insurance. Calendar year 2018 was, and continues to be, a truly remarkable year and we take this moment to recognize the joy that each and every one of you has brought to our personal and professional lives. We exist because of your faith and trust in us.

As calendar year 2019 approaches, we reflect upon the foundational recognition that "your success is our success". Our New Year’s wish for 2019 is to nurture our positive and ever strengthening partnership and to deliver ever increasing value to you and your family through the entirety of 2019.

Throughout this Holiday season may you be blessed with health and surrounded by friends and family. All the best! Cheers!

Now that we've helped you secure automobile insurance coverage for you or your newly licensed son or daughter, be sure to periodically review with them what to do in the event of an accident. The following words of advice could save you money and legal problems.

Never leave the scene of an accident.

Regardless of how bad the accident is or who is at fault, most state laws require you to stop. If you drive away, you can be charged with a hit-and-run even if you are not at fault. A minor accident is an accident that does not involve any injuries or large scale damage to any vehicles or property. If there are any injuries, if the accident is blocking a lane of traffic and cannot be moved, or if there is significant damage, call the police immediately. Low impact fender-benders or hitting a parked car in a parking lot would be examples of minor accidents.

Assigning Blame.

For any type of accident, neither you nor your teen should ever admit fault or apologize. On the other hand, your teen should never accuse the other driver of being at fault. Immediately after an accident is not the time to play the blame game. The insurance companies can solve that argument. Never sign anything unless it is from a police officer. No one should be bullied by the other driver. What is said and done after a car accident can impact the insurance claim. Sadly, some adult drivers will be aggressive and try to take advantage of a distraught new driver.

Make sure everyone involved is OK.

If so, move the cars off of the road and away from traffic, turn your hazard lights on, and turn the cars off. There could be damage to the engine or your car may be leaking fluid. A car fire would certainly make the situation worse. Then, inspect all cars involved for any damage.

When to file a police report.

Some minor accidents do not cause any visual damage or immediate injury. To a teenager, quickly clearing the matter up and driving away can seem like an easy way out of trouble so the parents do not find out. Your teen needs to be aware of the consequences of not filing a police report. Even if the other driver claims to be OK and refuses emergency treatment, they can always come back months or years later and file a lawsuit claiming damages. If you have a police report, you have the evidence to plead your case. Without the police report, it’s your word against theirs. Unfortunately, it’s easy to side against a new driver. Therefore, we suggest always contacting the police. After getting a police report and deciding to file a claim, contact your insurance company and let them know about the accident and follow their instructions.

In the event your teen decides not to contact police, make sure he gets contact information for the other driver, asks for proof of insurance, and writes down the insurance information. He should also write down the license plate number and a brief description of the car. In the future, this information might be needed. You can never been too cautious, and asking for this information is standard procedure when involved in a car accident.

Accidents happen and you need not worry....we've got your back! For more information, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

A business insurance umbrella policy could protect your business against excess liability judgments for loss, injury, or even death cause by negligent acts. It is designed to provide liability protection over and above the insurance policies you currently have.

Expect the Unexpected

How well protected are you and your business from paying a large liability loss.

Why do you need more insurance?

You may say we have commercial auto and business coverage. That should be sufficient. Why would we need an business umbrella policy? Today, lawsuits are occurring more and more frequently. And, the monetary awards from these lawsuits can be staggering.

Your current insurance will protect your business against misfortune, but it may not give your business the coverage it needs against a catastrophic loss.

How much insurance is enough?

To ensure that you are protected against the unknown, changing your liability policy limits can critical. Most likely you have liability coverage. In the event of an accident, this will give your business protection for both bodily injury and property damage, but only to the limit of your policy. Beyond those limits, you would be expected to pay the excess amount for which your business is liable.

Umbrella insurance policies also give you the additional benefits of covering defense costs and attorneys’ fees associated with claims against your business that are covered by your umbrella policy but not your primary policies. These expenses are paid in addition to your policy limit.

You may also be protected with umbrella insurance for claims that may not be covered by your underlying policies.

For more information, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

Businesses who want to stay in business need to protect themselves, their employees, their vehicles, and their property. This is done with business insurance that can protect you from liability.

One overlooked type of insurance protection is commercial auto insurance. If your small or medium sized business has vehicles, or if you use your own vehicle for business use, you need commercial auto insurance. Regardless of if your business has one car or 100 cars, commercial automobile insurance is the only way to protect your business, car and driver in the case of a loss.

Commercial vehicle insurance does not just protect you in the case of an auto accident. Auto insurance protects you in the event of vandalism, auto theft, or if other’s property is damaged with your commercial vehicle. Regardless, commercial auto insurance needs to protect your business in a minor fender bender to loss of life.

Commercial automobile insurance policies are not cookie cutter. They should all be created to accommodate your business, the amount the vehicles are driven, the driving records of the drivers, the cargo, and what they are used for. With the proper insurance policy, your company will be protected for any type of accident to ensure you aren't paying out of pocket for any type of damage.

However, choosing the policy with the lowest possible price is not always the best decision. Choosing the policy with the most coverage for the price is a better decision. You want a cost-effective policy that will protect your business in the case of a loss.

For more information on commercial auto insurance, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.