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At Kent Hospital, Warwick, RI,  and other community hospitals, the iPad tablet computer and other similar devices are taking their place alongside stethoscopes and thermometers for doctor. Bucci Insurance Group is supporting this initiative to raise money to buy Kent County Hospital 28 ipads to improve patient care. If you or anyone you know may be interested in contributing please contact info@buciinsurance.com.

Although it was never beyond the realm of possibility, the medical community is taking an interest in the iPad at a rate that may even surprise Apple. In addition to the countless doctors and private medical practices that now utilize the iPad’s services, some hospitals are beginning to purchase the tablet computer in bulk. Kaweah Delta hospital in California, for example, just purchased one-hundred iPads for its treatment facility. Officials at the hospital say that the iPads will replace hospital laptops for every day use. Not only will iPads be employed for routine administrative tasks, they will also be tapped for activities like reviewing X-ray images and EKG results.

While the iPad still isn’t cheap by any stretch of the imagination, in the medical field, however, the iPad isn’t all that expensive either. Some touch-screen devices widely used in hospitals cost upwards of five times as much as the basic iPad. In this regard, putting the iPad to use in hospitals could result in substantial savings for the medical facilities that embrace the device.

Newport is going green for the month of March in celebration of Irish Heritage Month. Celebrate all that is Irish during this exciting month-long event featuring Celtic storytelling, Irish step-dancing, interesting lectures, afternoon teas, an Irish coffee contest, Jameson Irish whiskey tastings and a festive St. Patrick’s Day parade.

The 55th Annual Newport, Rhode Island Saint Patrick’s Day Parade will be held, rain, snow, or shine, on Saturday, March 12th 2011.  It will begin promptly at 11:00am from Newport City Hall and will proceed to Carroll Avenue at Saint Augustin’s Church in the heart of the Fifth Ward.  The parade this year is estimated to last 2 hours and will include 8 Pipe Bands, 9 Marching Bands, 3 Fife & Drum Corps, 3 Clown Units, 8 reenactment units, and a host of local, state, and regional organizations including police and fire units, social/fraternal organizations, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Schools, and non-profits.

Some of the other exciting events taking place are:

Bits O’Irish Humor- featuring Blarney, leprechauns, and laughs-with The Bit Players: Newport’s Comedy Improv Troupe. Firehouse Theater, 4 Equality Park Place, Newport. BYOB.8:00pm.  All seats $15.00. Mention  Irish Heritage Month and get $5.00off each seat.

Traditional Irish Music Session- Fastnet Pub, One Broadway, Newport. Live traditional Irish music hosted by A. O. Guttierez, Tim May,  and Jack Wright. 5:00-9:00pm. 845-9311.www.TheFastnetPub.com

Bus Tour of Irish Newport- From Hibernian Hall, Wellington Avenue, Newport. Sponsored by Viking Tours and the Museum of Newport Irish History. Space limited. Reservations required. Coffee and Danish at 9:30am. Bus leaves promptly at 10:00am. Free but donations accepted. Reservations: 846-8865.

Corned Beef and Cabbage Dinner- St. Augustin’s Church Hall, Carroll Avenue, Newport. Sponsored by the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians. 6:00pm. Tickets: $15.00. Available at Creaney Cruise & Travel 849-8956 and  Deborah Winthrop Fine Lingerie 682-2272.

For more information and Irish celebrations check out Newport Irish Heritage Month online. Bucci Insurance will surely be partaking

in the fun, hope to see you there!

It’s no secret that health insurance is a fairly large expense, so of course most of us would like to decrease the cost.  When it comes to health insurance, consumers do not have the same level of control as with auto insurance, other than raising the deductible to reduce the premium, generally in order to impact the cost of health insurance, you have to revamp your lifestyle. In honor of National Nutrition Month, Bucci Insurance wanted to provide a few tips to help reduce insurance costs and stay healthy.

It is well known that smokers and drinkers are charged more for their health insurance, but what some consumers may not be aware of it that your weight can also cost more money? With some policies, even being just a little bit over the recommended range for your height can cause an increase of 10-20%.

What can you do, then, to lower those health insurance premiums? Here’s a list of five healthy habits that will help you lose weight, improve your fitness level, and eventually save some cash.

• Respect your body: A glass of wine every so often is fine, but drinking to excess, like heavy smoking, is not only bad for your body, but bad for your wallet. Quit smoking, and keep your alcohol consumption in the low-to-moderate range.
• Breakfast like a champion: While skipping meals is never wise, if you are going to miss one, make sure it’s not breakfast. Beginning the day without nutrition is like trying to run a car with an empty gas tank; you’ll be lethargic and unfocussed. In addition, missing meals makes it harder to lose weight, because your body goes into starvation mode, storing calories rather than spending them.
• Catch some zzzz’s: Did you know that getting ample sleep is crucial to optimum cognitive function as well as maximum weight loss? It is, so fight the urge to stay up to the wee hours, and try your best to get eight full hours of sleep.
• Cut calories: Eating healthy foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is a no-brainer, but you have to watch those snacks as well. If you can’t re-arrange your schedules so that you’re eating six small, healthy meals a day, instead of the big three, at least make sure that the snacks you choose are high in protein and low in sugar. Nuts and fruit are good choices.
• No pain no gain: It may be an old adage, but that doesn’t make it less true. 30 minutes of exercise 3-4 times a week, with a balance of cardio and strength training makes you leaner, and your insurance agent happy. Even thin people should exercise – it’s possible to be skinny but still be out of shape.

*Tips provided by the American Heart Association

While these tips won’t give you a lower insurance premium in six weeks, they’ll save you money in two ways: the first is that fit people handle stress better, get sick less often, and are less likely to file claims, the second is that as the weight comes off, and you’re back in the normal range for your height and age, you will be able to petition for lower rates, or shop for a new policy!

If you are a growing business owner or even a regular Internet user you undestand the prominence of social media. what you may not understand is the importance of social media and how to use it.

Facebook adedd 100 million users in less than 9 months, it took television 13 years to reach 50 million. Social media is a revolution, if you would like to be part of the future join Bucci Insurance Group for a social media & networking seminar.

The event will discuss: business strategies, mobile technologies, strategic communications, business social networking, and how to leverage social media to generate business. Bucci Insurance Group welcomes special guest speakers: Tim Sawyer (President of Astonish Results, a leading Digital Marketing company based here in RI) and Kelly Donahue, Vice President of Raving Fan Managers at Astonish Results, as they present new and innovative ways to take your business to the next level and talk about the new face of marketing to the modern consumer!

No company wants to  be the next social media casualty, so join us for this free event:

Thursday, April 7th, 2011 at The Airport Radisson Hotel in Warwick, RI

6:00-8:00pm

Space is limited so reserve your spot now! Check out the event on Facebook for more information!

Myth 6. If another person is driving your car, his or her auto insurance will cover them if they get in an accident.
In most states, the auto insurance policy covering the vehicle is considered the primary insurance, which means that the auto insurance company for the vehicle must pay for damages caused by an accident.

Hosni Mubarak’s resignation as president of Egypt on Friday and military takeover has brought a measure of stability to the nation, but uncertainty about the future and potential flashpoints throughout the region have insurers casting a wary eye on political risk coverage.

In an e-mail, Elizabeth Stephens with Jardine Lloyd Thompson Group noted: “Instability and unpredictability in Egypt is a deterrent for underwriters. A protracted government change and a radical departure in governance will worry markets in the context of foreign investment, particularly in the oil and gas sectors where the insurance market risk in this area is in the billions.”

She said the banking system is in some disarray, but overall there is “no real sense of catastrophic loss arising yet.”

After the political unrest in Egypt is beginning to level out, with the President resignation, the military established firm control, announcing that a military council would take over governing the nation until elections could be held. All indications point to a plan for a relatively quick period of military control before elections.

“The [insurance] markets are watching with a great deal of caution still,” observed Stephen Kay, U.S. practice leader for Political Risk & Structured Credit for Marsh. “Mubarak stepping down caused a great deal of euphoria, but there is still a great amount of uncertainty about what will follow next.”

The primary exposure will be political violence and business interruption, Mr. Lavelle said, observing that the major source of any claims will come out of Cairo, where most of the violence and protests took place.

It is still too early to know what that might add up to, he said, explaining that there is a 30- to 60-day period after the incident has occurred before a claim can be filed, depending on the largely manuscript policies. In the insurance world as a whole, the losses are not expected to be major.

“It is too early to tell what the impact will be,” he said.

Mr. Kay said that for any new Western business seeking to start in the region, it will be difficult to get political risk coverage at the moment as insurers “wait and see” what is happening. “It has been a fast-changing and fast-moving situation.”

Do you want to do something special for your loved without spending a lot of money. Your in luck, your local Rhode Island community has some great deals you and your special someone will love! Rhode Island’s Providence Journal has complied a list of some hidden gems that are offering wallet-friendly V-Day deals. Some are even offering deals for those who are unaccompanied this Valentine’s Day.

The Coast Guard House Restaurant, in Narragansett, is offering dinner specials for two Saturday through Monday.

Angelo’s Civita Farnese Restaurant, 141 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 621-8171, features a bottle of Candoini Chianti or Pinot Grigio for $10 with the purchase of two entrées from Saturday, Feb. 12, through Valentine’s Day.

Ardeo Mediterranean Taverna, 1 Union Station, Providence, (401) 351-1400, dineardeo.com, offers an appetizer, entrée, dessert and beverage from Friday, Feb. 11, through Valentine’s Day for $69.95 per couple. Entrée choices include three-onion filet mignon, halibut “Paella” stew, pork osso bucco, char-grilled swordfish and prime rib.

Bluefin Grille at the Providence Marriott Downtown, 1 Orms St., (401) 272-5852, marriott.com/pvdri, has a three-course fixed price “Month of Love” menu for February. The entrée choices are pan-seared sugar and spicy salmon; grilled shrimp and scallop skewers; grilled sirloin and oven-roasted coffee-rubbed Murray Statler chicken. The cost is $35 plus tax and gratuity.

Blush Winebar, 332 Atwells Ave., Providence, (401) 270-0050, blushri.com, offers half price off everything for ladies on Valentine’s Day as well as complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries and an open champagne bar from 8 to 10 p.m. for unaccompanied women.

Café Nuovo, 1 Citizens Plaza, Providence, (401) 421-2525, cafenuvo.com, opens Sunday, Feb. 13, from 4 to 10 p.m. and will serve complimentary champagne to all ladies with their dinners. The restaurant will offer a number of special dinner and desserts the entire Valentine’s Day weekend.

Casey’s Grill & Bar, 191 Old Tower Hill Rd., Wakefield, caseysgrill.com, has specials Feb. 12-14 including baked stuffed lobster ($29.99), surf and turf ($20.99) and roasted veal ravioli ($12.99). All include a glass of champagne.

Campanella’s Restaurant, 930 Oaklawn Ave., Cranston, (401) 943-3500, CampanellasRestaurantRI.com, has a Valentine’s Day offer: Order any pasta special, lasagna, spinach sauté, Pasta Louise, Choiffi special or specialty pizza and your sweetheart’s meal is on them (in-house only).

DeWolf Tavern, 259 Thames St., Bristol, (401) 254-2005, dewolftavern. com, offers a four-course tasting menu (view it online) with accompanying wines for $79.95.

Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, One West Exchange St., Providence, (401) 533-9000, FlemingsSteakHouse.com, offers sharing menus Friday, Feb. 11, through Valentine’s Day, in addition to its regular à la carte menu. Each couple dining during Valentine’s Weekend will receive a complimentary $25 Fleming’s Dining Card to use towards a future dinner.

The Garden Grille, 727 East Ave., Pawtucket, (401) 726-2826, gardengrillecafe.com, will offer a five-course fixed-priced ($60) dinner on Valentine’s Day starting at 5 p.m., serving until 10. It will be a collaboration with chef John Dille and Wildflour pastry chef Nicole Parmenter.

Luxe Burger Bar, 5 Memorial Blvd., Providence, (401) 621-5893, luxeburgerbar.com, features a Valentine’s weekend “Red Hot, Red Wine, Red Meat”: an appetizer to share, two Build Your Own Burgers, a dessert to share and a bottle of La Vielle Ferme Rouge wine for $34.95 per couple.

Ocean House, 1 Bluff Ave., Watch Hill, (401) 584-7000, oceanhouseri.com, holds a Valentine’s dinner at Seasons featuring a five-course meal and complimentary cocktails at a reception Saturday, Feb. 12, beginning at 7 p.m. Christopher Burchett of the Salt Marsh Opera will perform romantic arias. The fee is $125; reservations required.

One Bellevue at the Hotel Viking, 1 Bellevue Ave., Newport, (401) 848-3300, HotelViking.com, offers a three-course Valentine’s dinner with wine from Feb. 11 to 14 designed by chef Kevin Thiele for $149 per couple.

Red Stripe, 465 Angell St., Providence, (401) 437-6950, redstriprestaurants.com, offers a Valentine’s Day three-course fixed-price dinner featuring aphrodisiac ingredients including oysters, grilled asparagus, lobster, champagne, pistachios and chocolate ($34.95).

Ri Ra, 50 Exchange Terrace, Providence, (401) 272-1953, rira.com, has a Valentine’s menu available from Friday, Feb. 11, through Valentine’s Day after 5 p.m. Cocktail specials are featured, along with desserts Apple Love and Cupid’s Chocolate Cake, $5.95 each.

Sardella’s Restaurant, 30 Memorial Blvd. West, Newport, (401) 849-6312, sardellas.com, has a Dinner for Two special for $24 on Valentine’s Day.

Trio, 15 Kingstown Rd., Narragansett, (401) 792-4333, trio-ri.com, will serve its full dinner menu and a Valentine’s “Culinary Adventure for Two” on Friday, Feb. 11, through Valentine’s Day. It includes two glasses of Domaine Bertiol Prosecco and a shared appetizer and entrée (Zuppa di Pesce or Sirloin Au Poivre) and red velvet whoopee pie for dessert ($78 a couple).

Z-Bar and Grille, 244 Wickenden St., Providence, (401) 831-1566, offers a three-course Valentine’s Day

Check out projo.com for a full list of restaurant specials. Not interested in dining out, don’t forget about some of the other great activities RI has to offer like the cliff walk or variety of museums.

The advent of social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook, and Linkedin are providing unprecedented access to personal information instantly. From a claims investigation perspective this can be good and bad. Did you ever think you could get caught lying about a claim from a Facebook status you posted, “hit someone’s car today, oops.” The second you post this information it becomes readily available to the public, regardless of your privacy settings. Always keep in mind anything you post on the Internet is not private.

An example featured in Property Casualty 360 illustrates how one social media slip up can cost you. Alexis Muniz of Accord, N.Y., was sentenced to three years’ probation after a Facebook post led to her arrest.

The 28-year-old was arrested after investigators discovered a post on her Facebook page in which she boasted about her salary as an apartment complex manager while she was accepting workers’ comp. payments from her previous job. She was arrested for stealing $8,975 in workers’ comp. benefits, and was sentenced for felony charges of grand larceny and workers’ comp. fraud. She must serve three years of probation, and was ordered to make restitution.

Workers’ compensation claims are for primarily individualized factual situations based on a collection of social experiences involving work-related events.  The collection of personal information on social networks, such as Facebook, has become a treasured library of information that can be utilized to defend or prosecute these matters. Internet is becoming a prominent means of investigation and increasingly leading to more results than traditional detective work. Be aware of the content you are posting on the Internet it can always be traced back to you.

It has been just over a month since we have made our New Years resolutions, have you given up on yours or are you sticking to your guns? Whether your resolution was one of the top ten like spending more time with friends & family, getting fit, quitting smoking or if it was something more personal slipping up doesn’t mean you have to give up.

It is not too late to get back on track, rule number one stop beating your self up. When making life adjustments you are bound to slip up here and there, don’t let one mistake run you off course. If you do make a mistake evaluate why you may have made it, which will help you avoid making it again. The best way to stick with a tough goal is enlisting the support of your family and friends. Avoid the word only, even if you “only” walked 3 out of 7 days in the week you still got out there! Hopefully we inspired you to get back on track, and if your resolution was to save money in 2011 be sure to stay tuned for Monday’s blog post about ways your insurance may be saving you money without you even realizing!

Some of us at Bucci have actually stuck with ours! We want to hear about your resolutions and if you have been faithful so tweet back or comment on our Facebook page.

Are you a restaurant looking to increase business or a customer looking for a great deal? Well, whichever you identify with the Groupon can benefit you. Some of you may have recently heard about the Groupon because of their mildly offensive Superbowl ad. Though primetime marketing may not be their specialty, Groupon is great at promoting businesses within your local community and saving you money.

The Groupon is a little over a year old and is different from any coupon you have used before. Their platform is based on collective action. A new deal is offered locally daily through their website. If enough people sign up for the deal, your credit card is charged through a secure server and you receive a link to print your Groupon. Follow the instructions for that particular deal, and you receive a fantastic savings! Now, getting people to sign up is probably the biggest challenge. Referring your friends is one of the best ways, and if they sign up, you receive $10 in credit. If no one signs up you just don’t get the deal, no hidden charges! One of our most valued partners, My Laundry Hamper, a customer-focused laundry and dry cleaning pickup and delivery service for busy people located in North Kingstown raves about the benefits of the Groupon. Learn more about My Laundry Hamper and their services on our partner page.

Groupon also uses their consumer clout to help out in each local community. They feature local charities and organize support for community causes. Log on to Groupon.com today to start saving!