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Marine-Insurance-101

- Tuesday, March 28, 2023
Lallis & Higgins Insurance - Marine-Insurance

Anyone who has a television knows how easy it is to buy the right car insurance. Finding the right marine insurance is not so easy. This article presents an overview of the three most common types of marine insurance.

Doctrine of Uberrimae Fidei

Unlike other types of insurance, marine insurance is subject to the longstanding doctrine of uberrimae fidei or the doctrine of utmost good faith. Under the doctrine, a person applying for marine insurance is obligated to disclose all information that may be material to the risk, whether or not the insurer asked for it.

Material information is information relevant to the insurer’s decision to underwrite the risk. The information solicited in the application is presumptively material. Under federal maritime law, the failure to disclose material information or the misrepresentation of material facts, whether intentional or not, allows a marine insurer to rescind the policy. State law is not consistent on the effect of a misrepresentation or non-disclosure of information. Under California statutory law for example, an insurer may rescind a marine insurance policy if the insured has intentionally failed to disclose or has misrepresented facts, whether or not material to the risk.

Depending on the marine operation, several different types of marine insurance may be required. The three most common types of marine insurance are hull, cargo, and protection and indemnity (P&I). There is no such thing as a standard marine insurance policy and not all marine insurance companies insure against the same risks in the same type of policy. Marine insurers may use their own forms or may incorporate forms issued by industry groups such as the American Institute of Marine Underwriters.

Hull Insurance

Hull insurance generally covers physical loss of or damage to a vessel. There are various types of hull policies depending on the type of vessel being insured. Different policies exist for yachts (private pleasure craft), fishing vessels, tugs and barges, large commercial vessels such as containerships, and passenger carrying vessels. The coverage may apply for a specified period of time or a single voyage.

Coverage under a hull policy is either on an “all-risk” or “named perils” basis. An “all-risk” policy covers all risks of physical loss or damage to a vessel from an external cause unless otherwise excluded. Common exclusions include wear and tear, marine borers, ice, and improper/inadequate maintenance. A “named” perils policy covers physical loss of or damage to a vessel but only from the perils named in the policy. The traditional named perils include heavy weather, fire, piracy and similar sea perils. Additional perils are covered under the “Inchmaree” clause, named after a late nineteenth century British case in which the need for coverage for non sea-related perils was recognized. The Inchmaree clause provides coverage for, among other things, loss or damage due to the negligence of crew, charterers, and repairers, latent defects, and accidents in loading, handling, and discharging cargo.

Hull policies often contain navigational limits resulting in no coverage if the vessel is navigated outside of those limits. Some hull policies confine coverage to those times when the insured vessel is in port, otherwise known as “port risk”. Hull policies may also limit coverage to a certain time of the year and require the insured vessel to be “laid up” during the rest of the year.

Hull policies typically provide coverage for the cost to salvage the insured vessel and the expenses incurred to prevent further damage after a casualty, known as “sue and labor” expenses. A hull policy also covers the liability of a vessel owner arising from a collision between the insured vessel and another vessel.

Hull policies are “valued” policies in which the insurer and the vessel owner agree what the insured vessel is worth. The vessel’s value is stated in the policy and that value forms the limit of what the insurer will pay in the event the vessel becomes a total loss.

Cargo Insurance

Cargo insurance covers physical loss of or damage to goods while in transit. Generally cargo insurance applies from the time the insured goods leave the warehouse at the point of origin until they arrive at the destination warehouse and during different modes of transportation including vessels, trucks, and railroads. Like hull policies, cargo policies insure goods on two bases, “all-risk” and “named perils” and are as varied in their terms as the commodities they insure. Cargo policies may contain special conditions for specified commodities such as refrigerated cargo, automobiles, and used goods.

Cargo policies can be issued to cover a single shipment of goods or as an “open policy” that covers multiple shipments made by the insured over a period of time. If goods are sold on a CIF (cost, insurance & freight) basis, a certificate of insurance may be issued under the open cargo policy and endorsed to the buyer as part of the transaction. Open cargo policies may also be issued to freight forwarders who are allowed to provide insurance for their customers’ goods. Under those circumstances, the freight forwarder issues an insurance certificate on its own cargo insurer’s form, to its customer.

Cargo is typically insured for its invoice value, freight if paid, and other paid charges plus 10 percent. This valuation is thought to approximate the amount needed to place the cargo owner in the same position he would be in had the cargo arrived at destination in sound condition. Cargo policies also cover “sue and labor” expenses or the cost to minimize or avoid further damage to the cargo such as the cost to recondition or re-package the goods.

Like hull policies, cargo policies may have geographic restrictions.

Protection and Indemnity Insurance

P&I insurance covers the liability of a vessel owner arising out of his ownership of the insured vessel. It covers the vessel owner’s liability for injury to or death of persons aboard the insured vessel such as crewmembers, passengers, or stevedores. It also covers liability for injuries or death suffered by persons on shore caused by the negligence of the vessel’s crew.

In addition to liability for bodily injury or death, P & I insurance covers the vessel owner’s liability for damage caused by the insured vessel to fixed structures such as bridges and docks. It also covers liability for damage to other vessels except when caused by a collision with the insured vessel, which liability is covered under the hull policy. In the case of a cargo-carrying vessel, P&I insurance covers liability for cargo loss or damage.

P&I insurance covers the expenses incurred for the removal of the wreck of the insured vessel when compulsory by law and under federal statutory law, a wreck must be removed even if its owner was not at fault in causing the wreck. Further, if the vessel owner is sued, the expenses incurred to defend the suit are covered.

Some P&I policies cover the liability of the vessel owner for pollution but many exclude such coverage. Vessel owners can buy separate pollution liability insurance to protect themselves if the P & I policy excludes such coverage.

P&I coverage is often part of the marine insurance policy issued for a vessel. However, some vessel owners may choose to become members of a P&I Club. A P&I Club is a mutual funded by its members to provide P&I coverage for each other. The P&I Clubs have rules dictating the scope of coverage provided to the members instead of a policy.

Because many marine businesses are multi-faceted, marine insurers commonly offer package policies that combine coverages for a variety of risks. A Marina Operator’s Package policy is an example of such a policy and usually covers the insured’s vessels, docks, and shoreside structures as well as the insured’s liability to others arising out the business’s operations. It may also cover loss of business income and pollution risks.

Persons engaged in marine-related businesses should make sure they have appropriate and adequate insurance for those businesses. Several different types of marine insurance may be needed. A marine business should always work with an experienced marine insurance broker to assess its needs and obtain the necessary coverages.

Contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance for more information on Marine Insurance.

Source: bullivant.com


Tick Prevention for Dogs and Cats - Quincy, Weymouth, MA

- Tuesday, March 21, 2023
Lallis & Higgins Insurance - Tick Prevention for Dogs and Cats

Check Your Pet Daily

If you live in or are visiting an area that's particularly vulnerable to ticks (check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website if you're not sure), one of your best defenses is to inspect your pet daily.

Just having the tick walking on your pet is not dangerous, it's when the tick attaches and feeds for a long period of time, over a day or two—that's when parasites can be transmitted.

Pets with longer hair or fur may be particularly likely to pick up a tick. Longer hair provides the critters with more surface area to latch onto and more places to hide.

If you have a dog, dedicate a few minutes each day to brushing or combing his or her fur, and run your hands through it.

Cats are vulnerable, too, though typically less so than dogs because they are regular groomers. But you should still give yours a daily once-over, especially if he or she likes to play outdoors. Starting at the head, run your fingers like a comb over the cat's entire body.

Ticks prefer dark, moist places, so for both cats and dogs, make sure to inspect under their tail and around the anus, belly, face, ears, groin, "armpits," and between the toes. If your pet is particularly squirmy, you may need a partner to help hold your pet steady. Remove any attached ticks with fine-tipped tweezers.

Tickproof Your Yard

If your only method of tick prevention is just checking the dogs, that's not enough. You'll need to do more.

Minor adjustments to your yard, such as keeping tall grass and weeds trimmed, clearing leaf piles, and making a tick trap by using a "bait box" can make a big difference in keeping tick populations down. Several approved pesticides are available, though they come with risk, so it's best to first try to tick proof your yard without chemicals.

A fence around your yard that effectively keeps out wildlife that can spread ticks, such as deer, may also help.

Consider Medications

There are several products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the FDA, including topicals (which go on the pet, such as in its fur or in a collar), oral medications, and a Lyme vaccine for dogs—but there are pros and cons associated with each. (Consumer Reports has not tested these products.)

  • Topicals. These substances (such as fipronil, permethrin, pyrethroids, and amitraz) come in the form of medicated dusts, collars, sprays, shampoos, and other topical treatments. They kill ticks via direct contact with the animal's fur or skin. One topical product, permethrin, is toxic to cats, but small quantities are considered safe for dogs. Several decades ago, Consumer Reports urged the FDA to remove DDVP, a pesticide found in some flea collars and no-pest strips, from the market entirely. But you can still find it in many products. Though it's not an ingredient in many of the more widely used tick medications for pets, such as Advantage II, Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix II, and Revolution, you should make sure to read labels carefully if you want to avoid it.
  • Oral medications. These drugs—such as afoxolaner (NexGard) and fluralaner (Bravecto)—kill ticks via contact with your pet's blood. The tick is still going to bite and that bite could lead to a skin infection, but the tick "will be killed before it can transmit any of the disease-causing organisms.
  • Vaccine. The Lyme vaccine for dogs appears to be safe, but experts aren't yet sold on its effectiveness. And it's best when paired with another product.

Part of the problem is that many dogs, especially in high-tick areas, have already been exposed to Lyme—often without showing any symptoms—and data suggest that the vaccine works best on dogs who haven't been exposed. Your dog should be tested for Lyme disease before receiving the vaccine.

Reactions to the shot can include hives, itchiness, and facial and injection-site swelling. Vets typically administer it only to dogs in high-risk areas or if their owners ask for it.

Remember: Whichever products you choose to protect your pets from ticks, be sure to follow all the instructions about the species and size of animal the product is meant for. Don't use items meant for dogs on cats, for instance, and don't use items meant for adult animals on puppies or kittens. Don't use any products meant for humans on your pets, either.

It's best to rely on an EPA- or FDA-approved product. There's little evidence that homemade remedies, such as essential oil mixtures, will provide reliable protection, and there's a chance that a homemade anti-tick concoction could harm your pet.

Source: consumerreports


End of Winter Home Maintenance Ideas

- Wednesday, March 15, 2023
Lallis & Higgins Insurance

1. Clean the kitchen

Check a couple of these items off your winter home safety maintenance checklist to improve conditions in your kitchen.

Deep clean the garbage disposal

Nobody likes a stinky sink, so take a little time this February to clear the air in your kitchen. A clogged garbage disposal isn’t just gross—it can create expensive plumbing problems. Here’s how to clean your garbage disposal.

  1. Turn off the power.
  2. Wipe the grinding chamber and drain.
  3. Deodorize with ice and vinegar.
  4. Keep your garbage disposal clean for the rest of the year by grinding orange and lemon peels once a week.

Clean out the oven

Did you know that 8% of home cooking fires are caused by dirty ovens or ranges?1 Grime and food built up over the year can render your oven a grimy fire hazard if you don’t clean it regularly.

The good news is cleaning the oven is as easy as following the instructions on your favorite brand of oven cleaner.

2. Be fire smart

It’s easy to take your hallways for granted when it comes to routine checks and maintenance. These quick tasks take only a few minutes and can keep your home safe all year.

Check fire extinguishers

Kitchen fires are serious business. From 2012 to 2016, cooking was the leading cause of home fires and home fire injuries and the second leading cause behind home fire deaths.

You can keep an accident from becoming a tragedy by investing in a fire extinguisher and training your family on how to use it. If you already have one, check the gauge to make sure it's in the green. If not, get it recharged.

Test smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors

Dead batteries caused 25% of smoke alarm failures from 2012 to 2016.3 Simple routine maintenance can keep your home much safer.

This February, check all the batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they’re functional. If it’s been over 10 years since you last replaced these units, invest a little cash and replace your existing detectors.

3. Odds-and-ends upkeep

Make your home feel a little cozier with these bedroom and living area improvements.

Change your HVAC filter

Air quality is important inside and outside your home. Breathe a little easier going into spring by changing your HVAC air filter in the hallways, ceilings, or wherever your vent is located. While vents can vary from home to home, the process takes about as long as changing a lightbulb.

Clean linens, carpets, and curtains

Dust, mites, and dander can all cause allergies long before spring pollen strikes. Deep clean your bedsheets, duvets, and comforters in each bedroom to keep the creepy crawlies away. The carpets and curtains in your living areas will also need some love after a year of use.

Change Wi-Fi and personal passwords

Internet-connected smart devices like security systems and cameras need a little maintenance too. Regularly changing your home Wi-Fi password and passwords to accounts like email, bank, and social media accounts can keep prying eyes at bay.

Use unique, complex passwords for each of your accounts for extra security. You should do this more than once a year, but it’s never too late to start! Try using a password manager this month to keep all your data safe.

Upgrade indoor lights

Brighten things up with an upgrade to your living room and bedroom lights. You can control smart lights and anything plugged into a smart plug directly from your phone.

These devices let you turn on the lights or start your morning coffee without getting out of bed. You can also find smartbulbs that add mood lighting for that big date with your valentine.

4. Inspect bathrooms

Here are a few home safety maintenance tasks to make your throne room fit for a king.

Clean out your medicine cabinet

After years of medications piling up, it’s time to clean out your medicine cabinet. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends tossing unused or expired medications.

Proper disposal depends on the type of medication you’re throwing away. There are some medications you can flush and others you can’t. For those you aren’t sure about, many cities have take-back locations that will dispose of medications properly.

Recaulk the tub and toilet

Prevent leaks and water damage in your home by checking the sealing and caulking in your bathroom. It only takes a few minutes to patch up any problem areas. You can find caulk online or at your local hardware store.

Deep clean to prevent mold

Bathrooms are a paradise for molds, mildew, and fungus. This February, clean out your vents, fix any water leaks, and scrub the walls and ceilings to prevent black mold and other household mildews.

5. Upgrade outside

While February can be chilly, for those in warmer climates, spring is just around the corner. Here are a few ways you can keep the outside of your home safer until the warm weather comes.

Keep the driveway and sidewalk clear

If you live in a cold, snowy area, you already know how important it is to de-ice the driveway and sidewalk. Even if you don’t use the sidewalk near your home, others do. Keeping ice-melting salt and a snow shovel handy for those winter storms can make your home safer for your family and neighbors.

Watch for ice dams and icicles

Ice buildup on your roof and gutters can cause expensive damage later in the year. Patch up any areas that tend to collect water to prevent leaks and further damage to your roof.

If you live in a warmer area, clean out your gutters this February to prepare for the spring showers. Clogged gutters can cause expensive issues with your roof even if snow and ice aren’t part of the equation.

Upgrade locks

Boost security and convenience with new smart locks this year. Smart locks make it easier for you to get in and out of your house without letting intruders in. They’re especially handy for anyone who tends to lose their keys or needs to let visitors in.

Get ahead on spring cleaning

It can be easy to get cabin fever this time of year, so make your home feel a little safer, cleaner, and happier this February by checking some items off this home maintenance list.

Source: safewise.com


What You Need to Know About Tick Prevention for Dogs and Cats

- Monday, March 06, 2023
Lallis & Higgins Insurance - Tick Prevention for Dogs & Cats

Warm weather has arrived. For many of us, that means spending happy hours outdoors hiking, running, and walking in the woods. It also means watching out for ticks.

Even if you remember to wear insect repellent and regularly check yourself, it's easy to forget that your pets are vulnerable to these sneaky critters, too.

Ticks prefer moist, wooded, and shady hiding places, such as tall grass, brush, and shrubs, and they can lurk in nonwild places, too, like your backyard. In order to survive, they feed on the blood of humans and animals.

After a tick bite, your cat or dog could develop a serious illness, such as Lyme disease (which can cause symptoms such as an abnormal gait or stance, fever, lethargy, and enlarged lymph nodes); cytauxzoonosis (a parasitic infection, specific to cats, that can cause difficulty breathing, fever, loss of appetite, jaundice, coma, and death); skin irritation or infection at the site of the wound; and other complications. That's according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

There isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to protecting your pets from ticks, but there are ways to minimize the danger. (If your pet does get Lyme, treatment usually involves several weeks of antibiotics.)

Here are three strategies to help keep your dog or cat tick-free.

Check Your Pet Daily

If you live in or are visiting an area that's particularly vulnerable to ticks (check with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's website if you're not sure), one of your best defenses is to inspect your pet daily, says Lori Bierbrier, D.V.M., a veterinarian and medical director of the Community Medicine program at the ASPCA.

"Just having the tick walking on your pet is not dangerous," she says, "it's when the tick attaches and feeds for a long period of time, over a day or two—that's when parasites can be transmitted."

Pets with longer hair or fur may be particularly likely to pick up a tick, says Martine Hartogensis, D.V.M., deputy director of the Office of Surveillance and Compliance in the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Veterinary Medicine. Longer hair provides the critters with more surface area to latch onto and more places to hide.

If you have a dog, dedicate a few minutes each day to brushing or combing his or her fur, and run your hands through it.

Cats are vulnerable, too, though typically less so than dogs, says Hartogensis, because they are regular groomers. But you should still give yours a daily once-over, especially if he or she likes to play outdoors. Starting at the head, run your fingers like a comb over the cat's entire body.

Ticks prefer dark, moist places, so for both cats and dogs, make sure to inspect under their tail and around the anus, belly, face, ears, groin, "armpits," and between the toes. If your pet is particularly squirmy, you may need a partner to help hold your pet steady. Remove any attached ticks with fine-tipped tweezers.

Tickproof Your Yard

"If your only method of tick prevention is just checking the dog," Hartogensis says, that's not enough. You'll need to do more.

Minor adjustments to your yard, such as keeping tall grass and weeds trimmed, clearing leaf piles, and making a tick trap by using a "bait box" can make a big difference in keeping tick populations down. Several approved pesticides are available, though they come with risk, so it's best to first try to tickproof your yard without chemicals.

A fence around your yard that effectively keeps out wildlife that can spread ticks, such as deer, may also help.

Consider Medications

There are several products approved by the Environmental Protection Agency and the FDA, including topicals (which go on the pet, such as in its fur or in a collar), oral medications, and a Lyme vaccine for dogs—but there are pros and cons associated with each. (Consumer Reports has not tested these products.)

Topicals. These substances (such as fipronil, permethrin, pyrethroids, and amitraz) come in the form of medicated dusts, collars, sprays, shampoos, and other topical treatments. They kill ticks via direct contact with the animal's fur or skin. One topical product, permethrin, is toxic to cats, but small quantities are considered safe for dogs.

Several decades ago, Consumer Reports urged the FDA to remove DDVP, a pesticide found in some flea collars and no-pest strips, from the market entirely, says CR senior scientist Michael Hansen, Ph.D. But you can still find it in many products. Though it's not an ingredient in many of the more widely used tick medications for pets, such as Advantage II, Frontline Plus, K9 Advantix II, and Revolution, you should make sure to read labels carefully if you want to avoid it.

With some of these pesticides, Hansen warns, "there could be some transfer to kids who have a lot of contact with their pets."

According to a 2012 statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the evidence about whether childhood exposure to low levels of pesticides can be harmful is still emerging. But some data suggest that such exposure may be associated with cognitive and behavioral problems, as well as pediatric cancers.

Oral medications. These drugs—such as afoxolaner (NexGard) and fluralaner (Bravecto)—kill ticks via contact with your pet's blood. "The tick is still going to bite," Bierbrier says, and that bite could lead to a skin infection, but the tick "will be killed before it can transmit any of the disease-causing organisms."

Vaccine. The Lyme vaccine for dogs appears to be safe, but experts aren't yet sold on its effectiveness. And it's best when paired with another product, says Thomas Mather, Ph.D., of the University of Rhode Island.

Part of the problem is that many dogs, especially in high-tick areas, have already been exposed to Lyme—often without showing any symptoms—and data suggest that the vaccine works best on dogs who haven't been exposed. Your dog should be tested for Lyme disease before receiving the vaccine.

Reactions to the shot can include hives, itchiness, and facial and injection-site swelling. Vets typically administer it only to dogs in high-risk areas or if their owners ask for it.

Remember: Whichever products you choose to protect your pets from ticks, be sure to follow all the instructions about the species and size of animal the product is meant for. Don't use items meant for dogs on cats, for instance, and don't use items meant for adult animals on puppies or kittens. Don't use any products meant for humans on your pets, either.

It's best to rely on an EPA- or FDA-approved product. There's little evidence that homemade remedies, such as essential oil mixtures, will provide reliable protection, and there's a chance that a homemade anti-tick concoction could harm your pet.



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