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Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to You and Yours this Season

Joseph Coupal - Monday, December 23, 2019
Lallis and Higgins Insurance - Weymouth, Quincy, MA

Christmas and Chanukah share a similar spiritual message: that it is possible to bring light and hope into the world. These two holidays occur together this year, which makes this an even more special holiday season.

This is a season to reflect upon how fortunate we are to have you as our customers: our friends and neighbors. During these holidays, we wish you, your family, and your friends a safe, joy-filled, and relaxing season.

Warm wishes for a Happy Hanukkah, a Merry Christmas, and a most Happy New Year! With peace, joy, and love this holiday season and beyond!


Don’t Forget to Insure that Expensive Gift

Joseph Coupal - Monday, December 16, 2019
Lallis & Higgins Insurance - Property Scheduling in Quincy, Weymouth, MA

Insurance might be the least exciting thing about surprising your loved one with a valuable gift this holiday — but don’t let it fall off your priority list.

Don’t sacrifice preparedness for the surprise.

You can insure some gifts by making a phone call to your agent or a specialty insurance company. Others, such as cars or vacations, require your loved one to buy a policy in his or her own name.

Whether it’ll hang on a wall or sit in a garage, here’s how to cover your big gift.

Existing insurance may cover the gift

If you’re giving a pricey gift to someone who lives with you, the simplest way to insure it may be by expanding your . Standard policies pay out if belongings in your home are damaged or stolen, but coverage for valuables — such as furs, art and jewelry — is typically limited to $1,000 to $5,000. That’s after any deductible, which is the amount you pay before insurance pays a claim.

You can expand your current policy with a “scheduled” rider, floater or endorsement. Scheduling items onto your policy insures them based on cost or current value. For this reason, you’ll likely need a bill of sale or certified appraisal to cover the gift.

But talk to your insurance agent before you start shopping. An agent can help you choose between coverage options — for example, a scheduled rider versus standalone jewelry insurance for an engagement ring.

Special coverage for items that gain value

For gifts such as contemporary art or heirlooms that may appreciate in value, a rider that pays the increased value if the gift is damaged or stolen is a good investment.

To keep such a policy or rider in force, you might need an appraisal every one to three years. An can help you find an appraiser.

When a standalone policy is better

Some insurers specialize in certain policies, covering only boats, electronics, or jewelry, for example. These companies may offer more policy options than large insurers — such as coverage for losing the gift — but you might miss the convenience and savings of bundling with one insurer.

There are several reasons you may want a standalone policy for a gift, rather than using home insurance:

  • It’s for someone who doesn’t live with you, and you can’t add it to your home insurance
  • You or the recipient don’t have homeowners or renters insurance
  • It might be used for work, which would exclude it from many home policies
  • A different type of policy is required for the gift, such as car or travel insurance

Vehicles are a special case

If your gift involves four wheels and a big red bow, the person driving it will need his or her own insurance — and you’ll need coverage to get it off the lot.

If you share an with the gift recipient, it’s relatively simple: Add the car to your shared policy and transfer the title after the surprise.

But if you bought a vehicle for someone who doesn’t live with you, he or she will have to insure it independently. In this situation, consider surprising your loved one at the dealership so the car is properly titled and insured from the start.

Take precautions for travel or shipping

The last thing you want is for your expensive gift to be lost or stolen before the recipient sees it, and the chances of this are higher if it needs to travel. Never pack expensive items in your checked luggage.

If you’re ordering something expensive online, make sure it won’t sit on a front porch unattended. Porch theft is a hot new cottage industry. Use a shipping method that requires a signature upon delivery.

When shipping fine art, use a professional shipper and packer so it’s not damaged before it arrives, and make sure the shipper has insurance. Damage in transit is the leading cause of fine art claims. For more information, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

nerdwallet.com


Personally Designed Commercial Auto Insurance

Joseph Coupal - Monday, December 09, 2019
Auto Insurance

Did you know that if you or your employees are using personal vehicles for business and you get in an accident, the accident may not be covered under your personal auto policy? It's true.

Commercial automobile insurance is there for a reason. Make sure your employees are properly covered and save your business from unwanted risk.

With commercial auto insurance, the policy should include liability, property, injury, medical, collision and comprehensive, un- and underinsured motorist, towing and rental.

Every business has specific needs however. Perhaps yours is seasonal, or maybe your are in the towing business. Perhaps you are in the livery business or transport expensive merchandise. Contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance for your specific commercial auto insurance needs.



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