This video offers great advice for those who are looking into buying a new home. While most people may be concerned with the location, design, and size of a home, there are many other aspects that need to be considered, like how much will it cost to insure the house? In this video, the Insurance Information Institute provides a checklist of important factors that can assists you in the purchase of a new house that you may not be aware about.

All of these aspects will have an effect on the price to insure a house:

• Is the house near or far from a fire department? Is it a professional or voluntary one?
• How are the plumbing and electric systems? If it is unsafe or older it will cost more
• Near the beach? Look for a private sector insurance or a state run insurance program
• Both flood and earthquake insurance need to be purchased separately
• Depending on how high of a risk the home is at will contribute to the price
• Is the house well built? Well maintained?
• Hire a building inspector who knows the latest building codes
• Those that are more likely to withstand natural disasters cost less to insure
• Before you make the purchase, contact an agent to see how much it will cost to insure the house
• Insurance is to cover damage that is sudden and accidental not a substitute for good home maintenance
• Know that some small leaks that may cause damage later is your responsibility
• Mold is typically not covered unless there is a pipe that burst
• Finally, ask the owner for a copy of the home’s claims history
• History of water damage, fire, or crimeAfter you have considered all factors and you are ready to make the purchase of a new Rhode Island home, come and visit Bucci Insurance Group. They are more than happy to take care of all of your home insurance needs!

I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Sanford from Puro Clean yesterday. His warm and friendly personality made the interview quite enjoyable while I learned about the success story of a local Rhode Islander.

Sanford graduated from Holy Cross just prior to serving active duty in the Navy for seven years. After his seventh year, when he was ready to embark on the next phase of his life, there were endless opportunities in front of him. Sanford however, knew that a desk job was not for him and had the determination to be his own boss. Through extensive research, that is exactly what he did. He found a connection with the Puro Clean franchise and made the purchase of one in 2007. Puro Clean is a leader in property emergency service. They help families and businesses overcome setbacks from property damage caused by various environmental effects.  What drew him to this company were the different dynamics and the unique problems he would encounter on a day to day basis. He enjoyed the idea that no two days would ever be the same.

Three years later, Sanford knows he made the right decision. He thoroughly enjoys working with his employees who he says “are a great team, who give great feedback and are compassionate about what they do.” To Sanford, the most rewarding part of his job is that he knows he can help people and business owners when they need it most. Damages caused by events like floods, break- ins, or fires are devastating and the fact that he can provide relief and comfort to them makes his job worthwhile.

For those who suffered damages caused by the flood in April, Sanford wants to remind you that it is not too late to prevent permanent and further damages to your home. So before the summer heat sets in, allow Puro Clean to reverse some of the damages and bring life back to your home.

Bucci Insurance applauds our local Rhode Islander Chris Sanford for all of his hard work and success with Puro Clean and wish him the best of luck in the future!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-5FyttVuy8&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0]

While sunny days are ahead of us in Rhode Island, some people are still trying to recover from the recent March flood. We want to continue to help those people in need. Governor Carcieri distributed a news release to Rhode Island late last week that will continue to help Rhode Islanders in need of assistance.

Rhode Islanders that are enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), maybe be eligible to replace food that was lost during the recent flood damage. Anyone who feels that they would be able to replace their spoiled food can file a request for replacement of food purchased with the SNAP Benefits form. The forms need to be completed by the close of business on Monday, April 19th to receive food replacement. Forms will be processed and if you are able to receive any benefits they will be added to the household’s EBT card within 5-7 business days.

The form can be downloaded off the Flood Recovery in Rhode Island website, at the Department of Human Services located throughout the state, and FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers. If you have any other questions about this assistance please contact Local Community Action Agencies at 401-941-0774 or SNAP at 866-306-0270.

A week after this historic Rhode Island flood, people are still trying to clean up the mess it has left. People all over the state are trying to receive help and assistance in cleaning up. A news release sent out by Governor Carcieri’s office on Friday, is urging citizens of Rhode Island to be careful of fraudulent offers of help. At Bucci Insurance we want to make sure that our customers are aware of this. We want to give the people of Rhode Island all of the facts so that this does not happen to you.

Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency (RIEMA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), along with Governor Carcieri, Attorney General Patrick Lynch, and the Rhode Island State Police, are the people who want to warn the public about these possible fraudulent offers and what they would look like.

Today, we will provide you with all the tools to spot someone who is not an official FEMA agent. First, let’s start with never revealing your personal information to someone who you are unsure of. Just because they have a clipboard with official looking papers does not mean they are a real agent. If an agent just shows up at your house without prior contact with you that is a sign that they are not a real agent. FEMA agents are always required to call and schedule an appointment before visiting a home.

If you are still unsure if the person is a real agent or not look at their ID. All FEMA agents carry official photo identification. This will include: the person’s photo, name, FEMA seal, expiration date, return address, barcode, and “property of the U.S. Government” disclaimer. Some fraudulent agents will also drive around in a vehicle with the FEMA seal, an official FEMA agent would never. The most important thing to remember is that FEMA’s services are free. If an agent tries to charge you for their visit then you know that the person is a fraud. If any of those situations occur, contact the local police or call the Rhode Island State Police Financial Crimes Division at 401-444-1201.

Please also make sure that you are not fooled by phony contractors. Make sure to always use liscened contractors and ask for references. Never accept help from a contractor who comes up to your door offering to help.

Again if you feel that you have been a victim of fraud please file a claim with the Rhode Island State Police Financial Crimes Division at 401-444-1201 or the Attorney General’s consumer protection unit at 401-274-4400. If you, yourself has not been scammed but you believe that you have witnessed fraudulent activity please contact the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General’s Fraud Hotline 1-800-323-8603.

If you have experienced any damage during the flood register claims with FEMA on their website. We want to make sure that Rhode Islanders and our customers at Bucci Insurance are safe during this vulnerable and hard time.

Ahh .. the weekend is finally here! At Bucci Insurance, we decided it would be a great idea for a weekly video post. Every friday there will be a new video posted to hopefully get you psyched up for the weekend.

Since Rhode Island endured the recorded breaking flood this week, we thought it fit to make a short video about it. The video is more of a farewell to the March 2010 flood. We want to see it go, but of course still help all of our customers who are dealing with the aftermath of it. With that said, enjoy the video and have a great weekend!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gr8m2JERhYg]