If you’re hosting a holiday party where there will be lots of young children running around, make sure your home is as safe as possible for them. Follow the link below for some tips from the Insurance Information Institute on how to child-proof your home. From Bucci Insurance, have a safe and happy holiday!

http://www2.iii.org/videos/child-proofing-your-home.html

Last week we shared an article with our readers about why supplemental heating sources can be harmful. We understand the economical reasons for using them, so we think everyone should understand the safety precautions to take to make them as safe as possible. Here are safety tips brought to you by the Insurance Information Institute:

• Make sure any new space heater carries the mark of an independent testing laboratory.
• Always turn space heaters off when you leave a room or go to bed.
• If you use an electric heater, do not overload the circuit. If you must use an extension cord (and it is better not to), choose one that is the same size or larger than the appliance cord. Do not use electric heaters in bathrooms or other areas where they may come in contact with water; the danger of electrocution is too great.
• If you use a kerosene heater, burn only kerosene. Gasoline, camp stove fuel or any other fuel except kerosene can be extremely dangerous if used in a kerosene heater. Make sure your kerosene is water-clear, not yellow. Refuel the heater outdoors.
• When turning a portable heating device on or off, follow the manufacturer’s instructions. If possible, buy devices with automatic shutoff features.

• Wood and coal stoves, fireplaces, chimneys, chimney connectors and all solid-fueled heating equipment should be inspected and cleaned professionally each year, especially if they have not been used for some time. Fireplaces regularly build up creosote that needs to be cleaned out.
• Woodstoves should be UL listed and of solid quality and design. Install them with three feet of clearance from combustible surfaces and with adequate floor support and protection.
• Never use flammable liquids to start a fire in a fireplace or woodstove. Do not use excessive amounts of paper to build roaring fires. Never burn charcoal indoors; it can generate lethal amounts of carbon dioxide.
• Keep flammable material away from the hearth and mantel. Use a sturdy screen to keep sparks from flying into a room.
• Before you go to sleep, be sure your fireplace fire is cold. Never close the damper with hot ashes in the fireplace; the fire will heat up again and toxic carbon monoxide can spread into the house.
• Synthetic logs are increasingly popular because they are so easy to use. Follow the directions on the package. Never break a synthetic log apart to quicken the fire or use more than one log at a time. This could release dangerous levels of carbon monoxide.

The price of oil is clearly on the rise and homeowners of the Northeast are in search of ways to offset their heating bills. Tempted to use supplementary heating sources? We don’t blame you! Just be aware of the increased risk of fire according to the Insurance Information Institute.

Space heaters, wood stoves and other supplemental heating sources are the leading cause of home fires during the winter months. As reported by the National Fire Protection Association, portable heating devices account for two of every three home heating related fires and two of every three related deaths.

What’s the problem here?

• Lack of regular cleaning leading to creosote buildup which is very flammable
• Failing to give space heaters enough space
• Flaws in the construction or design of wood burning equipment
• Fueling errors involving liquid or gas heating equipment
• Improper installation

Damaged caused by fire and smoke are covered under the standard homeowners and renter insurance policies you just need to make sure you have enough to rebuild your home and replace personal possessions. Be sure to check on it now before it’s too late and if you take steps to reduce your risk of fire there are discounts to be found off of your insurance as well. For further information on what you can do to prevent home heating related fires, contact your New England Insurance Agency, Bucci Insurance!

Insist on taking your bike out while the weather is still bearable? The Insurance Information Institute has provided some safety facts in response to the call for a mandatory helmet law in the United States by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). If you are part of the motorcyclist rights groups, you may be against the passing of this law, however, it is still good idea to keep these facts in the back of your mind.

According to USA Today, every day in the U.S. 12 people die from a motorcycle crash with the leading cause of death being head injuries. While motorcyclists make up only 3 percent of the vehicles on the road, they are involved in 13 percent of the fatalities.

According to The World Health Organization (WHO), motorcyclists that wear a good quality helmet can reduce the risk of death by nearly 40 percent and the risk of severe injury 70 percent! Even though these numbers are so staggering, only 40 percent of countries have motorcycle helmet laws that cover both riders and passengers and mandate quality standards for helmets.

At Bucci Insurance, we believe your safety should come first! However, whether or not you agree with the law the NTSB is trying to pass, talk with us about motorcycle insurance and we will be sure to find the coverage that is best for you!

After a devastating event occurs at your business such as a fire, accident or theft, you want to make sure you take the appropriate steps in order to ensure a fast recover and the least amount of stress possible. The Insurance Information Institute offers some advice:

• Contact your insurance agent and company right away. Burglaries and theft should be reported to the police instantly.
• Read your insurance policy so you understand what responsibilities you have to your insurance company after a loss.
• After a disaster, do everything you can to protect your property from further damage by making temporary repairs. Save damaged parts in case the claims adjuster needs to examine them.
• Get at least two bids on the cost to repair or replace damaged property.

When filing a business interruption claim, keep detailed records of business activity and the extra expenses of keeping your business operating in a temporary location. It is also important that you can show the income the business was generating before and after the incident. In the case you are forced to close down, include expenses that continue during that time.
Bucci Insurance wants the best for you and your business and thinks everyone deserves peace of mind. If you have further questions on business insurance, contact us! We would be more than happy to help you!

Last week’s weather was such a tease, but now it’s back to reality… fall is here and the cold weather is moving in! Before it’s too late and you really, don’t want to be outside, prepare your home for the winter that is fast approaching.

The Insurance Information Institute suggests that you:

Maintain Your Gutters: In order to prevent water from seeping into your house, melted snow and ice need to flow smoothly throughout your gutters. Make sure your gutters are free of leaves and debris this way you can avoid leaks in your home.

Trim Trees and Remove Dead Branches: Ice, snow and wind can cause loose branches to break and send them whipping through the air. To make sure you, your property, your vehicle, or a passerby doesn’t get injured make sure all questionable branches are removed.

Check Insulation: Add extra insulation where you don’t want heat to seep out. A warm attic that is not well insulated could allow the ice to melt on the roof causing leaks or even worse, a collapsed roof. (Aim for an attic that is only 5-10 degrees warmer than outside. Well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes from freezing.

Keep the House Warm: The temperature in your house should be at least 65 degrees. The temperature inside the walls where the pipes are located is substantially colder than the walls themselves. A temperature lower than 65 degrees will not keep the pipes from freezing.

Check Heating Systems: Have furnaces, boilers, and chimneys serviced at least once a year. Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly and consider installing a carbon dioxide detector.

Maintain Steps and Handrails: Broken stair and banisters are dangerous as they are, but they can become lethal when covered with snow and ice. Make repairs now to prevent someone from falling and becoming seriously injured.

Plan for Being Away: Escaping the Rhode Island cold this season? (I don’t blame you!) However if you plan on being away for a long period of time, hire a professional to have the water system drained. This way you avoid running the risk of pipes freezing or bursting. Also, have someone check on your house regularly. By doing so, you will be able to take care of problems quickly and efficiently as well as reduce the risk of burglary.

Standard homeowners policies cover winter-related disasters. If you have any questions, feel free to call Bucci Insurance, we would be more than happy to talk with you!

Watch this video by the Insurance Information Institute. They offer five tips on how to save money and avoid mistakes that could leave you scarily uninsured.

Mistake #1: Insuring a home for its real estate value rather than the cost of rebuilding. Don’t be fooled by the decline of real estate prices, that doesn’t mean you can lower your insurance! Make sure you have enough coverage to completely rebuild your home and replace your belongings.

Tip #1: Taking a higher deductible could save you as much as 25%

Mistake #2: Selecting an insurance company by price alone. You want to choose an insurance company that is stable and has great customer service. Remember the saying, “You get what you pay for!”

Tip # 2: Ask anyone you know for recommendations

Mistake #3: Dropping Flood Insurance. This is not covered by your standard home owner’s insurance policy or your renters insurance.

Tip #3: Before purchasing a home, check with the National Flood Insurance Program. Check to see if your home is in a flood zone!

Mistake #4: Only purchasing the legally required amount of liability protection for your car

Tip #4: Consider dropping collision and comprehensive coverage on older cars and increase your liability on regularly used cars: $100,000 bodily injury and $300,000 per accident.

Mistake #5: Neglecting to purchase renters insurance.

Tip #5: Look into multi-policy discounts

If you have questions regarding any of these topics call Bucci Insurance and ask for any insurance discounts you are entitled to.

We have a backup plan if disaster strikes our house, we have home owners insurance. We know our loved ones will be taken care of if we pass, we have life insurance. But what happens if we become disabled? Are we prepared for that? Here are the types of disability insurance brought to you by the Insurance Information Institute:

Short-Term Disability policies have a waiting period of 0-14 days with a maximum benefit of no longer than two years.
Long-Term Disability policies have a waiting period of several weeks to several months with a maximum benefit period ranging from a few years to the rest of your life.
III points out, that these have two different protection features that are important to understand:
Noncancelable: Except for nonpayment of premiums, insurance companies cannot cancel the policy. Therefore, you have the right to renew the policy every year without an increase in the premium or a reduction in benefits.
Guaranteed renewable: All of the above applies. However, your insurer has the right to increase your premium as long as it does so for all other policyholders in the same rating class as you.
For other options you should consider when purchasing a policy, check out the Insurance Information Institute website. If you have any questions regarding disability insurance, feel free to call Bucci Insurance, we would be more than happy to help!

Halloween is scary enough as it is. Take precaution when throwing a Halloween party so that you don’t fear for someone’s life at the end of the night.

If you plan on serving alcohol at your upcoming Halloween party, you could be liable if your guests drink too much. The Insurance Information Institute offers some tricks so that you can avoid potential a disaster and protect yourself and your assets:

• Consider hiring a professional bartender: This way guests won’t be mixing their own drinks and they will be able to keep track of the size and number of drinks they consume. Most bartenders are trained to recognize signs of intoxication and will be able to slow down the consumption of alcohol when needed.
• Serve non-alcoholic beverages: Have juices, soft drinks and other beverages available for those who chose not to drink or may be driving.
• Do NOT serve alcohol to minors: It is illegal in every state for a person to drink under the age of 21. It is your responsibility to abide by it.
• Don’t force drinks on your guests: Focus on creating a fun environment. Don’t push alcohol on your guests or rush them to refill when they are empty.
• Always serve food with alcohol: It is proven that food can help the counter effects of alcohol
• Stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party ends: Serve only coffee, tea, and non-alcoholic beverages at the end of the night. It is your responsibility to make sure your guests get home safely.
• Speak to each of your guests before they leave: If you think someone is unable to drive, call a cab and pay for it yourself. You can also offer them to sleep over, go home with a friend, or bring them home yourself. This not only protects your guest but other drivers on the road as well.
• Encourage your guests to wear seat belts: Studies have shown that seat belts save lives.

Bucci Insurance wants you to have a fun and safe Halloween. Call us to answer any questions you may have in regards to social host liability. We would be more than happy to help!

The Insurance Information Institute has a great article that really captures the essential parts of a standard homeowner’s insurance policy and we want to share it with you!

The 4 main types of coverage include:

• Coverage for the structure of your home
• Coverage for your personal belongings
• Liability protection
• Additional living expenses in the event you are temporarily unable to live in your home due to an insured disaster

1. The coverage you receive for the structure of your home pays to repair or rebuild your home if it is damaged or destroyed by a disaster listed in your policy. Such disasters include fire, hurricane, hail and lightening but not a flood or earthquake. Make sure you purchase enough insurance for in the worst case scenario you have to rebuild your home.

It is also good to know that most polices cover structures that are detached from your home, like your garage or gazebo.  Ten percent of the amount of insurance you have on the structure you have on your home covers this. If you need more, ask.

2. When disaster strikes or a thief breaks in, 50% to 70% of the amount of insurance that is on the structure of your home, covers your personal belongings.  To make sure this amount is enough, it is best to do a home inventory.  For expensive items such as jewelry and furs you may want to look into personal property endorsement or floaters insurance- this way these precious items will be insured at their true value.

And don’t forget the shrubs! Trees and plants are also covered. Five percent of your insurance on the house goes toward this. Natural disasters, theft and vandalism are all covered however, wind and disease are not.

3. Did your dog accidentally tear up your neighbor’s yard? Well, don’t worry because you’re covered for that. Liability covers you against lawsuits for bodily injury or property damage that you or family members (or pet) cause to other people. This applies, in your home, your neighbors and anywhere around the world. While your limit generally starts at about $100,000 experts recommend that you purchase at least $300,000 worth of protection.

In addition, this also provides no-fault medical coverage. In the event a friend or neighbor is injured in your home, they can simply submit medical bills to your insurance company without a liability claim filed against you. Typically you get $1,000 to $5,000 worth of this coverage.

4. Lastly, additional living expenses cover the cost of hotel bills and restaurant meals in the case you are no able to live in your home due to an insured disaster. Twenty percent of the insurance on your home goes towards this. Again, if you feel that you need more, ask.

For all of your homeowners insurance needs, contact Bucci Insurance Group. We would be more than  happy to help!