|
|
|
|
May 21, 2013
Spring has finally arrived, and we are getting our pools cleaned up and filled for a Memorial Day weekend opening. May is National Water Safety Month, an appropriate time to remind all pool-owning customers that safety and unsupervised access start with physical barriers.
April 5, 2013
Roof failure can result in water damage to the rest of a home and its contents. So, an "ounce of prevention" is worth many "pounds of cure" when it comes to properly maintaining and repairing a roof. Here are six signs of potential roof trouble.
March 29, 2013
The housing market has changed greatly in the past few years, with many home owners becoming novice landlords by renting out a home they can't sell. That changes their insurance needs.
Today we will highlight some of the key differences between rental and renters insurance.
These are general points of comparison. The details depend on the terms in the policies. If you would like to inquiry further about the differences, feel free to give us a call or drop us an email! February 22, 2013
When Hiring a Contractor, Get a Certificate of Insurance! The follow article is from the Better Business Bureau of Kentucky and applies to NH, VT, MA and ME.
A wise consumer contacted the Better Business Bureau to ask, “Who can I call to verify insurance on a tree service company?” Anytime you consider hiring a contractor to perform work on your property, it is important to verify that the contractor is covered by two kinds of insurance:
In the absence of either insurance, you may be financially responsible if an accident or injury occurs while the contractor is working on your job. Before signing a contract, tell the contractor that you need to verify insurance coverage. Request the name of the contractor’s insurance agent and contact the agent to request a Certificate of Insurance. As an extra precaution, don’t just call the name and phone number provided by the contractor. Instead, look up the insurance agent in the phone book and call the listed number to request the certificate of insurance. You want to trust the contractor. Most times, you can. However, "trust but verify" is always good policy. Reputable contractors are pleased to provide information to help you verify their insurance coverage. In fact, they usually appreciate you asking, because they must compete on price with "fly by night" contractors who operate without the expense of insurance. In addition to verifying that the contractor carries liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance, you should determine exactly what coverage you have on your own homeowner’s insurance. Would your homeowner’s insurance cover you if the tree being cut down by the contractor falls on your neighbor’s car or home and does extensive damage? Frequently, homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover contractor accidents. This makes it especially important for you to verify that the contractor has adequate insurance. Thank you again for reading! February 1, 2013
Time to learn about Extended Dwelling Coverage!
The Coverage A section of your home insurance policy, known as Dwelling Coverage, protects against direct physical damage caused to the dwelling, including bathrooms, fireplaces, flooring and all structures that are attached to the dwelling on the same foundation (such as a garage, deck & porch). Most insurance companies have a means of calculating the Dwelling Coverage for a home by taking into account specific building characteristics like total living area square footage, what type of garage, how many fireplaces, and so on. Because the calculation of a home’s dwelling coverage is not an exact science, most insurance companies offer an endorsement called “Extended” or “Guaranteed” Replacement Cost. Extended dwelling coverage is an additional amount of insurance allotted by the insurance company to compensate for a total loss that exceeds the dwelling coverage that’s listed on the insurance policy. For example, if an insured has $100,000 in dwelling coverage & the policy provides extended dwelling coverage of an additional 25%, the maximum amount the insurance company will pay out in the event of a total loss is $125,000. This provides an additional “padding” of coverage in case the home costs more to re-build than $100,000. One thing to note about this endorsement, you can’t use it to underinsure your home. Based off the example above, you can’t insure your home for $80,000 & add the Extended Replacement Cost endorsement. All insurance companies require an insured to insure to value. Happy February! January 9, 2013
Happy New Year!
With winter coming in full force, our friends at American Modern Insurance Group shared some tips regarding frozen pipes that we would like to highlight. With so many claims in winter resulting from frozen pipes, it seems like a good idea to highlight these 6 tips for you in our blog. 1. Open the closets. Water pipes may run in the wall behind a closet. A full or closed closet effectively blocks room heat from penetrating the wall and into the pipes. 2. Open cabinet doors. This lets warm air circulate to the water lines under the faucet. 3. Get up at night. Periodically run the faucets and flush the commode to move standing water. 4. Shut off the water. If there is no heat due to a power outage, shut off the supply line. If traveling during the winter, even for a day or two, shut off the main. By the way, a shut off is of no use if it can't be turned, so test it before it is needed. 5. Trickle the faucet. Because moving water is less likely to freeze, as a last resort, let the water run just a trickle overnight. 6. Use the hair dryer. Freezing pipes can be warmed by moving a hair dryer across the pipe, but do not hold the nozzle in one place for long. Thanks for reading and check back again soon. December 20, 2012
Happy holidays from everyone here at Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance!
We decided ending the year with a blog post about fire safety tips that we learned from Safeco. Below are 6 tips for fireplace safety. 1. Open the damper Forgetting this first step is a rookie mistake. Only close it after the ashes are cold to the touch. 2. Burn seasoned wood Sappy wood produces more smoke and creosote. 3. Start it hot Building a large, hot fire at the beginning cleans out creosote. 4. Block the sparks A fire screen and fire rug in front of the hearth reduces the risk of sparks flying into the room. 5. Move the flammables The tinder and wood should be stored off to the side, set up the Christmas tree across the room, and move the stockings off of the mantle. 6. Watch it closely Do not leave, or go to bed, while the fire is burning or the ashes are smoldering. Thank you for reading our blog and spending the year with us. October 31, 2012
Safeco is one our insurance carriers that has a great website filled with useful information. We took some information from them and wanted to highlight several questions that we get asked at least once a week regarding home replacement cost.
What is insurance to value? Insurance to value is the relationship between the amount of coverage selected (typically listed as “Coverage A” or “Dwelling Coverage” on your policy declarations page) and the amount required to rebuild your home. Insuring your home for anything less than 100% insurance to value could mean you wouldn’t have enough coverage to replace your home in the event of a total loss. Why is the cost to rebuild different from the market value? A home’s market value reflects current economic conditions, taxes, school districts, the value of the land and location, and other factors unrelated to construction cost. The cost to rebuild your home is based only on the cost of materials and labor in your area. It is important that you insure your home based on its reconstruction cost, NOT its current market value Why is reconstruction more expensive than new construction? New-home builders typically build many homes at once, and solicit bids from various sub-contractors to receive the best pricing. Their business model is based on economies of scale. For example, they may purchase 20 bathtubs at once, securing a lower unit cost. These economies of scale don’t exist when building a single home. How can I make sure I have the correct amount of insurance? Work with your agent to provide detailed information at time of purchase to be sure that you receive a thorough and accurate quote. Ask us about additional coverage options that may be available. Review your insurance to value calculation on a regular basis with your agent. Tell your agent about any changes or improvements that you make to your home October 3, 2012 
It has been a while since our last blog post but we thought we would start October off right with 5 green tips that we learned from our friends over at the Green Alliance through their newsletter.
Here at PAI we always strive to learn new ways to reduce our impact & help conserve the unique natural resources in our area, such as Great Bay Estuary. That is why we thought it would be a great idea to post some Green Tips from our friends at the Green Alliance & Conservation Law Foundation. 1. If you have an asphalt driveway, did you know that certain sealcoats can pose a severe health threat to your family and to waterways such as our Great Bay estuary? Never buy a sealcoat product that contains coal tar. Steer clear if you see words like “refined coal”, “refined tar”, and “coal-tar pitch.” These products contain high levels of dangerous chemicals called PAHs. 2. If you are using any kind of asphalt-based sealer, always follow the directions carefully. Only apply a sealer if the outside temperature is at least 60 degrees F, with no rain forecasted for at least two days after the application. 3. Proper maintenance of your driveway and landscaping can delay or avoid the need to use a driveway sealcoat in the first place. Repairing driveway cracks as soon as they appear can prevent pavement deterioration, avoiding or minimizing the need to use sealcoats. 4. If you are planning to install a new driveway, consider using a material other than asphalt. Alternative surfaces such as gravel or porous pavement are great options as none of these require the use of sealants. Porous pavement also is a great way to reduce storm water pollution, one of the greatest threats to our coastal waters. 5. Lend your voice to protecting our Great Bay estuary! The Great Bay estuary is facing serious threats and we need your help to protect it. Lend your voice by signing an online Rescue Great Bay petition here. Help keep the Great Bay thriving! As always, stop by our website in another few weeks for our next post! August 3, 2012
Welcome to our first official blog post! We wanted to highlight Progressive’s snapshot device and benefits that you receive from using it.
What is it? Snapshot is an insurance program run by Progressive that rates your driving. The better you drive, the more you save. It’s a unique program that is free and we suggest that you try it. It costs nothing and may end up helping you save up to 30% on your insurance bill. How does it work? Drivers plug the Snapshot device into a vehicle’s diagnostics port and it does the rest of the work on its own. It does not use GPS to track where you go but it does log how far how you drive, when you drive, and how often you slam on your brakes. After 30 days, Progressive will determine how much of a discount you are eligible for. How long do I have to use it? The minimum required amount for the device to be in your vehicle is 30 days and after that, Progressive will determine your driving rating and discount. At that point, you can choose to remove the device or continue to keep it to increase your discount rate. We recommend you keep the device in your vehicle because removing it will cause the discount to fall off after your renewal date. If you choose to keep the device in for the policy term Progressive will continue to collect data & the final discount will be applied to all renewals going forward. How do I know what my driving rating is? Progressive gives you access to the device online to see what your driving rating is and what information it picked up. You can also see if the device is functioning properly. The device is also programmed to beep in the vehicle when it detects whether you are breaking hard (this can be turned off). How can I get more information? You can call us here at Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance (603-431-4020) and we will answer any questions you have. Progressive has also set up an entire team to handle the Snapshot program and you can give them a call at 1-877-329-783. Thanks for reading and check back in another week or two for our next blog post! July 20, 2012
Our UNH intern took charge of our website this summer and offered to do a re-design to hopefully improve on what we already had. PAI thinks the new design has worked out wonders and made our website much more accessible and efficient.
You can see on the right what our old website looked like before. Great Job Alex! March 12, 2012
The Green Alliance has decided to do a report on us and how our green operations seem to be going. We are on the right track and hope to continue down our path going forward.
A different kind of insuranceMarch 12, 2012
Home, auto, and boat insurance are the types of products and services we buy, but hope to never use. As such, many people know little about how the insurance business works. That's unfortunate, because what they don't know could be costing them hundreds of dollars annually. Jon Merwin, owner of Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance, is trying to help people overcome costly misconceptions. It's understandable that people may believe that by purchasing an insurance policy directly, they'll eliminate the "middleman", and get lower rates.
But the reality of the insurance business isn't that simple. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance's costs of customer acquisition are very low because a majority of their clients come from word- of-mouth referrals from local realtors and mortgage brokers, who then give Merwin more referrals because they know their clients get very competitive rates and better customer service. 
After serving as a partner for another Salem-based insurance agency for three years, owner Jon Merwin decided to strike out on his own, and in 2008 launched Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance. Not long after the opening of the Portsmouth office, PAI expanded by opening another office in downtown Durham, to service insurance needs forDurham residents & the UNH community, where Jon attended college.
PAI offers personal & commercial lines of insurance, along with life, auto, home and renters insurance, as well as health & financial services. All told, Portsmouth Atlantic Insures over 1,500 clients throughout the Seacoast, Maine and Massachusetts region. But while their first few years have indeed been a success, their real goal is to be the greenest insurance agency in the state. To that end, the firm has been using a paperless agency management system since 2005. They also use 100% recycled paper, paper towels, and toilet paper, biodegradable plastic bags, as well as making use of 7th Generation cleaning products. They recycle extensively - including all printer and toner cartridges - and email upwards of 95% of their quotes to their customers. Moreover, Merwin has integrated sustainability into his agency's operations by implementing a paperless management system, using green cleaning products, recycling extensively, and using soy-based ink for relatively little material his agency prints. He even just purchased bamboo desks for his Portsmouth office. 
Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is able to offer better, more personalized service because Merwin and his staff personally advocate on behalf of their customers. "If your claim is being processed slowly, we can contact a carrier on your behalf, and get a quicker response," Merwin mentions. "Plus, if you're unhappy with your rate, as an independent agent I can shop for a better rate among multiple carriers."
GREEN DREAMS: Going forward, Portsmouth Atlantic hopes to provide Green Alliance members - and Seacoast residents in general - a local alternative to the big-box insurance companies, one that emphasizes quality service, a green outlook and full disclosure of their business practices. They also have impressive plans for further greening their operations, including incorporating soy-based inks, Energy Star office equipment, chlorine free paper and more. 
Nov 1, 2011
Raya is our UNH Artist of the Month! She has been kind enough to supply a short bio about her and how she got started.
I am a junior at the University of New Hampshire majoring in English/journalism. I am staff photographer for The New Hampshire, UNH's bi-weekly newspaper and Public Relations chair of Delta Xi Phi Multicultural Sorority Inc. which emphasizes higher education, multicultural awareness, community service, sisterhood, and friendship. I work in The Office of Student Involvement and Leadership where I help student organizations become and stay successful on campus and facilitate leadership workshops. Sundays I work at The Inn by the Bandstand in Exeter as an Innkeeper, tending to responsibilities from cleaning rooms, to event planning. I am passionate about photography and have been involved in events ranging from advertising, weddings, family portraits, and commercial events. My photography has been displayed at the Forth Wall Project in Boston, Mass., and in Aegis, UNH's undergraduate literary and art magazine. My passion for photography intertwines with my passion for traveling. I am fortunate to be able to travel and spend time in many place over the world due to my parents being from Washington, D.C., and Muscat, Oman. I was born in Portland, Oregon on February 14th, 1991 and shortly after moved to Muscat, Oman. I then moved to Devon, England where I have many fond memories of growing up, meeting the queen, taking day trips to castles, visiting Stonehenge and the Big Ben. At nine years old I moved to New Hampshire where I have resided since, but still have continued my travels to many places within the U.S., and many places outside the borders including, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, and Cana- da. I have spent many recent summers in Oman visiting my father who is a sociology professor and where my brother and three half sisters live. Please feel free to contact me regarding photography services at alhashmi.raya@gmail.com 
Sept 1, 2011
Kirsten is our UNH Artist of the Month! She has been kind enough to supply a short bio about her and how she got started.
Kirsten is a New Hampshire native who found joy in exploring art from the time she could pick up a pencil. As a child, Kirsten would cram dozens of crayons underneath her OshKosh B'Gosh cap, ensuring that at any moment she would have the ability to create. Kirsten is a self-taught artist who has experience with oil paint, watercolors, pencil, and clay. In 2008, Kirsten self-published her first children's book, Mother Nature's Dream. She plans to write four additional stories, one for each of the seasons of New England. The publication of the book led to several school readings and work displayed at local businesses. Most recently, Kirsten has had the pleasure of creating portraits upon request and is currently accepting orders. She views herself as a student of the universe, with a strong desire to grow as an artist. Kirsten is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire who earned a Master of Social Work in 2011. Now, at the start of her professional career, she continues to incorporate art into her work with others with hope that it brings peace and happiness. 
For more information, please feel free to contact Kirsten at: kirstenmerinda@gmail.com |
|
© 2012, by Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance
40 Pleasant Street Suite 201, Portsmouth NH , 03801
|