Long Island home insurance could help cover many unexpected expenses that arise for homeowners. Theft is one such risk that could befall any resident. Contrary to what many believe, a number of criminals enter a home through the front door. How secure is your foyer?

• Are your exterior doors partial or full glass? This could increase your risk of a break-in, as criminals only need to break the glass to gain entry into your home. To help prevent this, you should consider installing a glass-break sensor on the door to alert you of trouble.
• When you have windows flanking your exterior doors, you should put up curtains. You do not want crooks to be looking into your home to check for expensive items or to see if you are home.
• Many homes are built with basic doors, which are not usually manufactured with security in mind. By exchanging your current door with a solid wood or metal one, you could reduce the chance of it being kicked in.

Many homeowners install costly alarm systems to ensure the police are called during trouble. It is important to remember that no security system is foolproof. With this in mind, you should take any step necessary to prevent financial burden due to theft, such as obtaining a sufficient Long Island home insurance policy.

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You may never have used the liability portion of your Long Island home insurance policy, but it is nevertheless vital coverage. Injuries and illness could happen every day at your residence – each time one of your children brings home a friend, there is a chance he or she might leave your home hurt.

A common danger in the home involves pesticides. The keys to preventing pesticide poisoning are typically reducing toxicity and limiting exposure. Alternatively, you might try using natural products, banning pesticides altogether.

Toxicity
Your goal when purchasing pesticides should be choosing the one with the lowest level of toxicity. With many pesticides having a multitude of ingredients, the National Pesticide Information Center suggests looking for one of the following words to determine a substance toxicity level:

• Pesticides featuring the word “caution” are typically considered low toxicity products.
• The word “warning” usually signals that the substance has a medium level of toxicity.
• Many high toxicity products are labeled “danger”.

Exposure
Limiting guests’ exposure to pesticides is a relatively simple task. You should keep these hazardous substances locked up in a cabinet far above the reach of a small child. After using pesticides, allow the room to air out for a few hours before letting your kids and their friends play in the area.

Remember, liability claims could involve lawsuits as well as medical bills. Your Long Island home insurance could prove invaluable should a guest be poisoned or injured on your property.

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Long Island auto insurance rates may only be as affordable as drivers make them. How does your driving record look? There are few things that look worse on your driving record than hitting a pedestrian. Many accidents involving pedestrians are caused by a lack of understanding of who has the right-of-way. New York State has very clear laws on this subject.

• When there is a crosswalk but no signal, the right-of-way belongs to the pedestrian, which means you have to stop when one is waiting to cross the street.
• With a crosswalk and signal, the pedestrian must wait for the “walk” signal to cross the street – but this doesn’t mean you have the right to run over them if they disobey the signal!
• At all intersections and crosswalks, drivers must yield to pedestrians with seeing-eye dogs or white-tipped canes.
• With sidewalks, pedestrians always have the right-of-way, which means drivers who are pulling out of driveways or parking lots must wait until the coast is clear.

Even when jaywalking is involved, your driving record and Long Island auto insurance rates could be negatively affected when you hit a pedestrian. This is why it is vital to always stay focused on the road and avoid all distractions while behind the wheel.

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Obtaining your license is an achievement you have probably been looking forward to for months. Just because you have officially passed your driving test however, does not mean that you can just forget all those rules and regulations you have been studying so hard. Many new drivers make this mistake, which leads to accidents and spikes in their Long Island auto insurance premiums. What are a few common errors made by inexperienced drivers?

• It is so easy to speed; just a little too much pressure and you are over the speed limit before you know it. Driving at high speeds is both dangerous and foolish – don’t be surprised if this habit causes you to become a target of law enforcement.
• One of the most common causes of accidents is distraction. Cell phones, radio, passengers – whatever is taking your focus off the road should be removed from the vehicle or turned off immediately. Your life is on the line.
• Tailgating is also very common, even for veteran drivers. Why is this dangerous? It is impossible to anticipate the actions of another driver; if you are riding someone’s bumper and the driver brakes hard, guess who is typically going to be paying for the damage? You, or your insurance provider – in which case your insurance costs might increase.

Points on your license or sky-high Long Island auto insurance rates are nothing compared to losing your life or taking that of another. Take the responsibility of driving seriously when you are behind the wheel.

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Since you never know what might occur while you are on the road, planning is an essential part of having a successful road trip. One of the first things that you should do is make sure that your Long Island auto insurance is up-to-date. You do not want to find yourself in the middle of an accident in a strange town with no insurance. You should also keep in mind the following suggestions to help ensure your carload stays safe while traveling:

• Consider taking the time to run a full system check on your vehicle – this could help ensure you are not surprised by car trouble. Make sure you plan for unexpected breakdowns by having a stockpile of bottled water and high-energy foods which do not require refrigeration.
• Having a cell phone on hand could help ensure you are able to get help quickly should you run into trouble.
• You should have a map, set of directions, or GPS, to ensure you do not get lost on your way. Not knowing where you are could place unnecessary stress on you and your fellow travelers.
• Keep your gas tank full. Some stretches of highway contain no fueling stations, so it is smart to fill up at every opportunity.

Even if you are a great driver, you should never attempt to go on a road trip without the proper Long Island auto insurance. It is illegal in many states to drive without proof of coverage and you could be written a ticket for the infraction!

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Insurers often combine a number of New York commercial insurance into a package that is sold as a single contract. The most common policy for small businesses is the Business owners Policy (BOP).

The BOP combines coverage for all major property and liability insurance risks as well as much additional coverage into one package policy suitable for most small businesses.

The BOP includes business income insurance, sometimes called business interruption insurance. This compensates a business owner for income lost following a disaster.

To cover specific risks associated with a business, a variety of additional coverages may be added to the basic BOP, i.e., if a business has an outdoor sign, the BOP doesn’t cover it unless coverage is specifically added for an additional premium.

Only small- to medium-sized businesses that meet certain criteria are eligible for a BOP. Factors insurers consider include the size of the premises, the required limits of liability, the type of business and the extent of offsite activity. Premiums for BOP policies are based on those factors plus business location, financial stability, building construction, security features and fire hazards.

Most small businesses need to purchase at least the following four types of insurance.

1.    Property Insurance.  Property insurance compensates a business if the property used in the business is lost or damaged as the result of various types of common perils, such as fire or theft. Depending on the type of policy, property insurance may include coverage for equipment breakdown, removal of debris after a fire or other destructive event, some types of water damage and other losses.

2.    Liability Insurance.  Liability insurance pays damages for which the business is found liable, up to the policy limits, as well as attorneys’ fees and other legal defense expenses. It also pays the medical bills of any people injured by, or on the premises of, the business.

3.    Business Auto Insurance. A business auto policy provides coverage for autos owned by a business. The insurance pays any costs to third parties resulting from bodily injury or property damage for which the business is legally liable, up to the policy limits.

4.    Workers Compensation Insurance.  Workers comp insurance, as this coverage is generally called, pays for medical care and replaces a portion of lost wages for an employee who is injured in the course of employment, regardless of who was at fault for the injury. In case of death as a result of injuries sustained while working, the insurance provides compensation to the employee’s family.

It may seem a little scary but New York commercial insurance can only do the right thing and protect you.

C.H. Edwards, Inc. is pleased to announce the addition of John C. Pizzarelli to our Executive team.  Mr. Pizzarelli will be our Vice President of Business Development and comes to us with over 13 years experience in the insurance industry with a focus on construction business insurance ny.

Coming from the Amerisc, a division of USI, the insurance arm of Goldman Sacks, Mr. Pizzarelli brings his experience of handling placement of project specific business, renewal marketing and his strong knowledge of negotiating terms and conditions for renewal premiums.  Preparing contractor insurance presentations to help insureds identify coverage are his specialty!

Mr. Pizzarelli has the designation of CRIS-Construction Risk Insurance Specialist.  Outside of the office, John enjoys baseball and spending time with his wife of 7 years, Jennifer and his two children Ava, 5 and Jake, 3.

Please join us in welcoming John to our executive team and feel free to give him a call if he can be of assistance with your commercial insurance needs.

Losses due to burglary are generally included in a standard Long Island home insurance policy. However, while insurance might provide compensation after the event, good security might prevent burglary. How well does your home stand up against thieves?

Lighting – Sufficient exterior lighting is one of the most important improvements you could make around your home to deter thieves. Whether you decide to install motion-sensing or dusk-to-dawn lights, your goal should be to be able to illuminate your exterior.

Timed Lighting – You do not want thieves who are watching your house to be able to peg down your schedule. By placing lights on a varying timer, you could give the appearance of someone being home when you’re out.

Alarm System – A home alarm system is a very effective tool against thieves, even in the absence of monitoring device, as the sound may scare away many criminals. An alarm could not benefit you, however, if you fail to turn it on.

Security Cameras – Security cameras are not just for businesses anymore. They serve as a major deterrent for both thieves and vandals. You could even link the feed to your smartphone so that you can monitor your house from a distance.

Locks – The locks on your door should solid and difficult to break. There is a variety of locks on the market, but some are too flimsy to stand up to crooks. Upgrading your current set to a deadlock could be a wise investment.

All homeowners should take home security seriously. An investment in strengthening your home against thieves might also earn you a discount on your Long Island home insurance.

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