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You probably have a list of contact numbers for utility services, 24 hour plumbers, emergency electrical contractors and your New York homeowners insurance provider. Do you have a handyman or maintenance service you can call on for those small jobs that don’t warrant a specialized, licensed contractor?

Small maintenance jobs like a dripping tap in the bathroom, a wobbly power outlet in the study or a droopy garden gate all tend to accumulate and before you know it there is a long list of repairs waiting to be done. It makes sense to outsource these tasks to a service that employs competent staff who are able to tackle a variety of different repair jobs at the same time.

Word of mouth referral is a good way to find a good maintenance service. You could also try looking in the phone book or online for local businesses that offer these services.  Call around and ask each service about callout charges and hourly rates, and whether they are available after normal business hours. Check that they carry workers’ compensation and liability insurance, and ask for contact details of satisfied clients. Be sure to call these references to check that repairs were done promptly, competently and at a reasonable price.

A maintenance service that can do all that you are looking for, and offers friendly customer service as well, should go to the top of your emergency contact list! Talk to your agent or insurer if you are unsure what types of household damage are covered by New York homeowners insurance.

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Some GPS programs also offer 24/7 roadside assistance and discounts on your NY car insurance premiums.

Can the same technology that gets you directions when you’re lost also help novice drivers become better drivers? 

A number of companies now offer GPS devices that can be installed in the car your teen driver will be using to send data to their parents about their child’s driving. Most GPS services allow parents to set parameters on their child’s driving limits and will receive notifications, via e-mail or text message, if one of the parameters is broken.

The parameters usually include a max speed setting which notifies the parent if their child crosses the speed threshold. Restrictions can also be enforced as to where your child can drive. If you want to see where your child is, many of the teen GPS systems feature a map showing their exact location.

No matter how safe your teen driver is, there is always a chance of a flat tire or running out of gas. Some NY car insurance providers offer discounts if you subscribe to a GPS tracking program.

The savings bond has long been the iconic gift for young folks. But does tradition mean they’re a good value? Yes and no. Consider these:

Bonds are exceedingly safe.

They are backed by the credit of the federal government. Even if you lose the certificate, the feds will replace it.

Safety is one thing, value of investment is another.

Rates for the popular EE bond — which are fixed for the life of the bond — are very low. New bonds currently carry a lifetime rate of only 0.60%.

There are issues of ownership. Savings bonds are often given to newborns or graduates with the expectation that the earnings will be tax-free if used to pay for college. However, the bonds must be owned by the parents for income to be free of taxes. Also, there are limits on the parents’ income, so not everyone qualifies.

Have you recently moved to a new neighborhood in New York? As part of settling in to your new home you may be checking out local places you want to visit, and you may be making a list of contacts for essential services like medical centers, utility providers, contractors who carry out plumbing or electrical repairs and, of course, your New York homeowner’s insurance agent or insurer.

Does your list have numbers for a local locksmith? You never know when you’ll be faced with a broken lock or lost house key, so it’s important to find good locksmiths to include in your shortlist of emergency service providers.

Word of mouth referral can be a good way to find a local locksmith, so ask your new neighbors about businesses they would recommend. Online research and consulting the Yellow Pages will identify quite a few more locksmiths for your list.

There are a few things you need to check out before you add a locksmith to your short list.

• Do they offer a 24/7 service?
• Ask about their pricing structure, including minimum charges, call out charges and hourly labor rates.
• Do they give written warranties for their work?
• Are they insured for workers compensation and liability?

It’s important to be able to trust a locksmith, so undertake a little research into the company’s reputation. In case you are uncertain if locksmith work is covered by your New York homeowner’s insurance policy, read the terms of the policy or speak to your agent or insurer.

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Have you been relying on your New York homeowners insurance protection for your home-based small business? The insurance needs of a business change rapidly as it expands, and while homeowners’ insurance may have been sufficient in the early days of your business there may now be a risk of being uninsured or under-insured.

Standard homeowners’ insurance policies offer a limited level of coverage for business equipment and liability. You may have a number of options if you wish to ensure your growing business is protected from the costs of accidents and mishaps that could erode profits and restrict business cash flow.

You could increase liability and property coverage of your homeowner’s insurance policy by adding an incidental business endorsement to the policy. Other options include a business owner’s or an in-home business policy; these products have been designed to protect a small business from a range of common risks faced by enterprises.

While property and general liability coverage are optional for business owners, there are some mandatory insurance requirements that may affect your home-based business; you may need to purchase auto insurance if there is a company vehicle or workers’ compensation insurance if you hire an employee.

Insurance is a complex area and you may be uncertain whether to adjust coverage on your New York homeowners insurance policy or purchase a business insurance product. Many busy entrepreneurs prefer to outsource the task of managing business insurance needs to insurance experts who understand the market. Talk to us: we know about running a small business in New York, and will be happy to help you to find the insurance solution that best suits your needs.

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These days it has become more common for people to work from home as opposed to heading out to the office everyday. Many employers are jumping on the bandwagon as remote-workers mean less overhead expenses. 

However, while working from home may now be a possibility for many, it still depends on the individual as to whether it will be a success. Consider these tips for getting the most of out of a work-from-home opportunity: 

Consider insurance benefits– If you work entirely from home you won’t be commuting like someone who drives back and forth to the job site each day. You will want to update your auto insurance ny policy to designate your vehicle as being used primarily for ‘pleasure’.

Create a Space– In order to stay productive and focused on the task at hand you should set aside a work space separate from the rest of your home life. Even if you don’t have an entire extra room to use as an office, you can designate one corner of a room for your work area. Treat that area how you would treat your work space at the office. This will also help keep you from over doing it and working when you should be enjoying down time. 

Consider the Tax Deductions– Don’t miss out on money-saving tax deductions that you may be eligible for.  This often includes a portion of rent or mortgage interest, a portion of utilities, insurance and office supplies. There are requirements, however, to qualify for this deduction. For example, according to the IRS website it is stated that in order to qualify you must use your home office “regularly and exclusively” as your principal place of business.  Talk to your tax advisor for more information. 

Set a schedule– In order to stay on task you will want to set a schedule for yourself and get into some normal routines for getting your work done. Set deadlines so you stay motivated.

Stay connected– “Cabin fever” is a common complaint of those that work from home as they begin to miss the social interaction that they previously had while working in an office environment. Have lunch with friends and network with others who work from home in your community. If possible, make plans to see office friends after work and on the weekends to maintain “face time”.  Make a point to take a walk or drive each day so that you are still getting out of the house at some point in the day.

If you are working from home part-time, you should talk to your insurance agent about reducing the number of miles commuting to work as it is listed on your auto insurance ny policy. Doing either of these will most likely reduce your auto insurance ny premiums. 

Most entrepreneurs launch their businesses with ambitions to grow. Although you may start small with minimal NY commercial insurance and capital investment, the success of your enterprise depends on successfully implementing business growth strategies.

Some growth strategies are more effective than others. 

• Adding new products to your inventory or providing new services may not be the best business development strategy for your enterprise. Attracting new customers may be expensive and success is uncertain. Why not concentrate some time on securing valuable repeat custom from your existing customers and clients who already know you for the products and services you provide?
• It’s hard to get customers to switch to you if they are currently customers of the market leader in your category. Rather than trying to do exactly what the market leader does, consider offering a better alternative that the market leader does not offer.
• Advertising and marketing that is designed to appeal to the widest range of customers may be ineffective because new customers are more likely to trust specialists than generalists. Consider appealing to your ideal customers by specializing rather than generalizing.
• Plan for business growth. Let your growth plans inform all of your business decisions, but especially decisions that relate to what your business offers and what customers it intends to attract.

It’s important to implement your business growth strategy carefully, focusing on what you do best and who your best customers are. Remember your growing business will have changing insurance needs, and be sure to take time to review your NY commercial insurance and adjust coverage as necessary.

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The replacement value of a home for the purposes of a New York homeowners insurance policy is the amount it would cost to rebuild the house to its current specifications after a fire or other disaster. The cost of homeowners insurance premiums is heavily influenced by your home’s replacement value, so when you review homeowners insurance coverage it’s important to make an accurate estimate.

Don’t confuse the insurance replacement value of your home with its market value. Your home’s market value includes the plot of land where home is built, but if the home has to be rebuilt it’s only the structure that is replaced. 

The cost of building a house includes building materials and other cost factors such as labor. These prices tend to rise steadily over time, so to ensure that you are fully covered for the cost of reconstruction you should take some time each year to recalculate the building replacement of your home and adjust the building replacement coverage of your homeowners’ insurance policy accordingly.

Being forced to evacuate your home while it is being rebuilt after a disaster may involve heavy additional living expenses for you and your family, such as the cost of temporary rental accommodation. As part of your review of coverage, consider the extra living expenses you might face during rebuilding of your home after a disaster. Talk to your agent or insurer if you are unsure whether your New York homeowners insurance coverage for building replacement and additional living expenses is adequate for your needs.

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Homeowners can install protective devices to keep their possessions safe from theft, and purchasing New York homeowners insurance also provides financial protection from theft losses. There are also quite a few low cost but effective ways of deterring would-be thieves.

• To prevent a burglar from being able to see into your garage, fit opaque or frosted glass panes in garage windows. An obviously empty garage indicates that you may be away from home.
• Always lock ladders away after use. A burglar can use a ladder to access upper floor windows which may be less secure than ground floor access points.
• Keep hedges and shrubs trimmed so that they don’t create a shelter or screen for a thief. While you’re in the garden, consider planting thorny bushes below windows: an inexpensive but effective deterrent!
• Don’t unwittingly advertise the fact that you’ve just acquired a valuable new possession; when you buy a new computer or television, keep the packaging out of sight and cut it up before putting it out with the trash.
• Consider having a house sitter live in if you’re going to be out of town for a while, or arrange for someone to visit your home regularly to check that all is well, collect mail, and make the place look “lived in”.

Don’t rely on New York homeowners insurance to provide protection from theft. Prevention is always better than cure when it comes to home security, and common sense is your best defense against burglars and criminals.

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Have you read through the terms and conditions of your New York homeowners insurance policy several times but still don’t understand it? Anyone who has tried to make sense of insurance coverage but is still uncertain what is included and excluded should consider talking to a local insurance agent.

A local insurance agent will take a personal interest in your insurance affairs and help you to get the right protection at a value for money price. 

• An insurance agent can help to address any gaps in your insurance coverage; for example, inheriting a valuable art collection is likely to warrant a review of your coverage home insurance coverage.
• An insurance agent can help you to assess the replacement value of your home and review coverage so that if disaster strikes the home can be rebuilt to current standards.
• An insurance agent is likely to encourage you and help you to prepare a home inventory, an important document that helps to prove ownership and value of your possessions in the event of a claim.
• An insurance agent can help you to claim any incentives and discounts that may reduce the annual cost of your insurance.

Insurance is complex and specialized. Why try to reinvent the wheel and make sense of it all yourself? Have a friendly, knowledgeable and experienced insurance agent explain and clarify the technicalities of New York homeowners insurance that have you puzzled.

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