Does the Insurance Rates Go Up with a Teen Driver?

Congratulations, your child just passed the driving test and is now recognized by the state. However, one thing that requires him or her to get on the road is automobile insurance. However, many are wondering does your insurance rates go up when you insure your teen.

Do Teenage Drivers Increase Car Insurance Rates?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes. It is because you are covering for another driver and the fact that, it is an inexperienced driver increase it more.

In many states, the rates are typically based on the following factors for a young driver:

• Gender: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young males’ death rates are doubled of young females.
• Category of Vehicle: If you own a luxury vehicle, you are expected to pay more, especially if it’s a young driver.
• Primary Driver: If the ownership of the vehicle belongs to the teen, it will cost more because the teen has gone from occasional operator to primary operator

3 Ways to Ask for Discounts

Although the insurance rate is going up, yet, you can reduce the impact by getting a discount in these 3 ways.

1. Receiving an education in a driving school
2. Getting a grade of B or higher can prove to insurance companies that you are a good student
3. Attending a school 100 miles or away from home

Contact Rockport & Salem Insurance Company Today

If you have any questions on your insurance, contact John J Walsh today at 978-745-3300 or fill out our contact form now. 

Advantages of an Agency Over Online Insurance

As consumers, we are always informed with commercials telling you can save on your insurance costs by filling out some information on a website. It might be true when some online carriers provide coverage at lower premium costs, however, are lower premium costs the only thing you need?

Buying your insurance policies through an independent agent may have more benefits than you realize. An agent can offer quotes from multiple companies to make sure that you will get the best coverage at the most affordable price. An agent can easily answer any questions you might have about a particular insurance.

An independent agent can also offer the following benefits:

• One stop shopping for home, auto, commercial
• Provide inside knowledge
• Assistance with claims
• Friendly service

Contact John J Walsh Insurance Today

When you contact John J Walsh Insurance of Salem and Rockport today, you will start to establish a relationship with a dependable and reliable insurance agent. We are your first contact to assist you with all your insurance policy matters. When you call our number, you will be talking with a live representative, no recordings. Contact us today for your auto, flood, home insurance in Salem, Beverly, Peabody, Gloucester, Rockport, and more.

How Much Life Insurance Do You Actually Need?

Life insurance has a reputation for being hard to understand and intimidating, especially with terms such as whole life, portability, and riders. Then comes the question of how much life insurance you actually need. With the right tools and resources, getting your own life insurance policy is much easier than you were expecting.

To determine the right life insurance policy for you and your family, our team at John J Walsh Insurance Agency will be able to walk you through the process.

When determining which life insurance policy is best for you, the first decision you will have to make is whether you want term life, which is insurance for a fixed period of time, or whole life, which includes an investment component that allows you to gradually build value with the goal of keeping the policy until death,

How to Determine How Much Life Insurance You Need

Most employers offer life insurance policies as a benefit and most individuals do not think they need a separate policy. The issue with this is that if you lose your job, most times, your life insurance policy isn’t portable and you lose the coverage. Policies through your employer are also typically more expensive and if you’re in good health, you can purchase higher limits.

Rule of Thumb

One of the easiest ways to determine the coverage you will need from your life insurance policy is to purchase a policy that is an equal multiple of your income. It’s typically recommended to do five, seven, or ten times your annual salary. Another way to determine how much life insurance you will need is to start with a multiple of your income and then add in any household debt or $100,000 per child.

Use a Life Insurance Calculator

If you don’t want to guestimate your life insurance policy coverage by the rule of thumb, utilize a life insurance calculator to determine how much insurance you actually need! By providing information such as debt, college plans, number of children, and your salary, you’ll have an exact number for your life insurance needs.

Seek Assistance from an Insurance Provider

Our team at John J Walsh Insurance will be able to answer any questions you might have and will help you determine exactly how much life insurance coverage you need. To get started, contact our team today at 978-745-3300.

What To Do After a Car Accident

Car accidents can happen in the blink of an eye and can ruin anyone’s day. From serious injuries to an undrivable vehicle, your car insurance policy is designed to protect you from the financial consequences of a car accident, but you could still be held liable for paying medical bills or car repairs. To protect yourself physically and money-wise, it’s important to take the right steps after a collision.

Check for Injuries

After a car accident happens, the first thing you will want to do is check for injuries to both you and the involved parties. Keep in mind that not all injuries are noticeable so if someone seems out of it, always call 9-1-1 to be safe.

Notify the Police

Involving the authorities after a collision will help keep everything in order. Depending on the seriousness of the accident, the authorities will either come to the scene to fill out an accident report or simply tell you to go to the closest police station to file an accident report.

When completing the report, be sure to be as accurate and detailed as possible. Always keep a copy of the report for your records in case you need it in the future.

Document the Accident

After an accident, you will want to document the accident as soon as possible. Take pictures of the individuals involved, the vehicles involved, and the area in which the accident took place. If you believe there was a factor that contributed to the accident, make sure to photograph that as well. Make note of where the accident happened, time of day, the weather at the time of the collision, the direction and speed in which you were going, and the speed limit in the area.

Exchange Information

No matter how minor the accident is, always exchange information with the other party involved. At the very minimum you should be exchanging your name, address, and phone number of the other party, as well as their car insurance company and the phone number, make and model of their car, and license plate number.

If there are any witnesses of the accident, write down their names and phone numbers as well.

Contact Your Car Insurance Company

If you’re able to, call your car insurance company while you are still at the accident scene. Your representative will inform you of the next steps and what you’ll need in order to file a claim. They will also inform you of things you will want to avoid, including admitting guilt or signing any papers that are not reviewed by your insurance representative first.

Why You Need Boat Insurance for Your Boat

Summer is in full swing and before you hit the water with your boat, you should check how insured your watercraft is. Many people thought their homeowner’s insurance would cover their watercraft but the insurance may only cover up to $1000. So, like a vehicle, you should have insurance for your boat or ship.

Insurance for Your Boat

A specialized policy will offer better terms and covers more than a homeowner’s insurance. In terms of liability, you will have a limited degree of coverage depending on the type of watercraft. It’s common for liability coverage of homeowner’s insurance to exclude your watercraft if it is in excess of 50 horsepower or if it is longer than 26 feet. So, if you have a nice yacht in the North Shore or Essex County, it is highly recommended to start shopping for boat insurance.

Insurance for Your Boat Dock

Also, your personal boat dock may need additional insurance instead of just covered by your home insurance. Under many homeowner’s insurances, your dock will not be covered as a result of freezing, the weight of water/ice, pressure, and thawing, and these are just some of the common problems. So, you should inquire your insurance company as to any alternatives to cover your boat dock.

Contact John J. Walsh Insurance Today

Going out on the water with your boat is great leisure, but you should make sure you have enough insurance before getting too far out in the water. Contact us for boat insurance and home insurance in Salem, Rockport, Gloucester, Beverly, and other areas in Essex County and North Shore.

3 Reasons Why Today’s Home Burn Faster

Did you know today’s homes burn faster? Many homeowners would think the larger the home, newer construction materials would make a fire burn more slowly, leaving more time to escape. However, that is not the case, about 30 years ago, there is an average of 17 minutes to escape, today only 3-4 minutes to escape.

There are several reasons why homes burn more quickly:

• The building materials such as particle board and other man-made materials which constitute most of the building materials today burns faster than solid wood, concrete or masonry. They are lighter and cheaper to use than wood but they burn faster.
• The larger the space is, the more items to burn for fires. Fires can spread quickly that are largely open and with more things to add to the fuel, there is more fire.
• Couches and carpets that were used to be made of natural materials are no longer made. It might be cheaper and more durable but they have less resistance to fires.

Here are some things you should do to help you keep your family safe:

• Have a working smoke detector
• Purchase fire extinguishers
• Create an escape plan

A house fire causes a significant amount of damages and having a homeowners’ insurance can cover some of the costs to rebuild your home. Contact John J Walsh Insurance today for a free quote. We are proud to serve Salem, Gloucester, Danvers, Peabody, and other areas in Essex County.

 

Do I Really Need to Call the Police or File a Police Report After An Accident?

There are many auto accidents happening every day in the United States. In fact, Boston drivers are the worst according to Allstate’s “America’s Best Driver Report.  The report placed Boston at the bottom of the list, 200/200, down 1 place from 199 in 2014. However, when there is a minor auto accident that results in no injuries to little damages to the vehicles involved, many people wonder if they need to call the police or file a police report after a minor accident.

Injuries and Damage

Many car owners think when they are involved in a minor accident, a police report is not required. However, if you would like to ask for compensation from the accident, filing a police report will enhance your position in the case. You might feel pain after the accident but you were fine when the accident happened. So, with the police report filed, then your compensation request would be much easier.

This also happens in the damage to your car. Filing a police report will protect you on your journey for seeking a claim from the other party.

How to File a Police Report

In order to file a police report, you should call the police immediately after the accident occurred. Next, when the police arrive at the scene, you will discuss details of the accident and the police will interview the other party involved in the accident. Once the police report is filed, you will need a copy of it and send it to your insurance company.

Do You Need to Report the Accident to your Car Insurance Company?

If you would like to report a claim, even if you are not the one at fault, you should report the accident to your insurance company in case you need to repairs done on the vehicle. There are contract clauses in the insurance that require you to report all types of accidents to the insurance company.

 

Contact John J Walsh Insurance Today

If you need auto insurance in Salem, Rockport, Beverly, Gloucester, and other areas of the North Shore, contact John J Walsh Insurance today. We offer the most affordable insurance rates to our customers. Contact us for a free quote.

 

5 Important Things to Know About Flood Coverage

Many homeowners who are not in a flood zone often say they don’t need flood insurance because they are not in a flood zone. However, that is not exactly true. Did you know most of the country is in a flood zone? Whether it’s flooding from the ocean or a river near you. Some areas are often more severe than others and thus, you may want to purchase flood insurance.

Here are five important things to know about flood insurance:

1. Homeowner’s insurance policy does not cover you from flooding. Thus, you might be required to buy a separate policy depends on the location of your home. You can contact a local agent to help you find the coverage that is right in your area.
2. Many coastal areas in Massachusetts require you to purchase flood insurance. However, flood insurance also applies homes located near a major river. A flood could happen if you live near a river that has flooded in the past such as the Merrimack River.
3. Flood zones determine the costs of flood insurances. The FEMA zone along with other factors will determine the costs and if you decided to purchase a house next to a major body of water, your insurance rates are going to be higher than houses that are in a less severe zone.
4. If you buy the home that is located in a flood zone by paying the entire amount or pay off your mortgage, you might have the choice of carrying the coverage or not. However, if you borrowed from a lender, you are most likely required to buy flood insurance.
5. Make sure when you purchase a policy, you understand what is covered and what is not. Contact a local agent for help.

It is important to remember flood zone maps are always updated. Your house could be located in a less or more severe flood zone from time to time. Whenever a change happens, you may want to contact an insurance agent to discuss you are still insured at the level you want.

Contact Flood Insurance Agent, John J Walsh Insurance Today

If you have questions about a new or existing flood insurance policy, contact us today. We can answer any questions you have about flood zones and policies. Contact us today at 978-745-3300.

Why It’s More Expensive to Not Purchase Home Insurance

If you are a homeowner living in the Salem and Rockport area, the budget can sometimes be an issue with all the real estate taxes and utility bills. Thus, it is understandable that you start to question the value of purchasing home insurance every year. However, before you drop your coverage, you should think about the consequences of going bare. You might indeed end up paying more for not having insurance. So here are some reasons why not having insurance can cost you more.

Disasters

Although catastrophes like hurricanes and tornados don’t happen in New England as frequent as other places in America, yet, floods or snowstorms can cause serious damages to homeowners in New England. When disaster strikes, expensive losses can impact someone financially for a long time. Coverage tends to be inexpensive because of low frequency of occurrence. So, if you are trying to save money, increasing your deductible could be an option to go. When you consider how much money you will save in terms of a disaster, it’s worth it at the end.

Future Insurability

Did you know that almost all insurance companies will ask you how long you have continuously maintained insurance? They ask because they place applications that continuously are insured as a stable, reliable risk when they decide to provide you their service. If you have been unstable by switching companies all the time, they might suspect that you will make a claim soon.

Liability Claims

If you are currently or planning to go without insurance, there is a chance that you might be sued by another party in a claim. Without any liability insurance,  your personal assets will be exposed in the court and by having insurance, you can have a buffer protecting you in a lawsuit from all your assets. The cost of hiring a lawyer could cost more than the settlement. Liability coverage is usually even less expensive than property insurance, so it is an easy decision to make.

Contact John J Walsh Insurance Today

Contact us today at 978-745-3300 before you make any decision to buy or cancel your home insurance. We can help you evaluate your options. We are proud to serve Salem, Rockport, Beverly, Peabody, and other areas in Cape Ann.

 

What Happens If Your Employee Is Injured At Work

Oh no, your employee is injured at work. What happens now? How do you protect your worker and your business amid the chaos?

It should be no surprise that accidents happen all the time at a workplace especially for contractors. While you probably have workers compensation insurance to cover the expenses, you still need to learn about the steps to take in order to handle these incidents the right way. If there is a mistake made, you may get penalized for breaking the law.

Steps to Take Before an Employee Injury

Before an injury happens, getting workers’ compensation insurance, which required by law is an easy decision. Without any insurance, you would have to pay a lot for your injured worker’s medical bills.

You should also develop an investigation checklist so nothing gets skipped. Medical treatment consent forms, return to work release form and others should be placed in a place where it can get in handy.

So here are the steps to take when an injury happens at a workplace:

1. If you are on-site when the injury happens, get medical attention immediately. However, if you are not on-site, an employee has the responsibility to notify their employer of the injury obtained on the job.
2. Investigate the accident and record any circumstances that may lead to the accident. Getting any written accounts from the injured employee and witnesses will help to determine whose responsibility it is that caused the accident. If you have a smartphone, take pictures at the scene of the incident. The pictures may reveal important info that was not disclosed by employees.
3. The final step is to file a workers’ compensation claim. If you are not sure how to file it, contact your insurance company. Do not try to avoid filing a claim by paying your injured worker’s medical bill directly because that might hurt you at the end.

If you are looking to purchase workers’ compensation insurance in Peabody, Danvers, Salem and Rockport area, contact John J Walsh Insurance today for a quote. We would be able to walk you through the details of the insurance and help you choose the right plan for you.