February 2012- Record-Breaking Year for Natural Disasters
2011 was a record-breaking year for natural disasters in the U.S. In Massachusetts, we experienced destructive weather events that began with a series of winter storms, causing ice dams to homes and numerous car accidents. In June, tornados hit western MA, and in late August, Hurricane Irene caused widespread of flooding, wind damage and lengthy power outages. More recently, the Halloween snow storm caused power outages throughout central and northern MA.
Though it's been a mild winter so far, who knows what 2012 will bring. Stay tuned with Murphy and Jordan this year as we share tips on how to keep your home, family, and assets safe.
January 2012- Water Damage Claims
The wintry weather in New England can certainly take a toll on your home. Extreme temperatures can freeze and break pipes causing significant water damage. Do you know what steps to take after a water damage claim has been identified?
Also, the wintry weather can be hazardous while driving. Check out Paul Joyce's advice on accident forgiveness coverage. Lastly, are you sick of driving around Boston trying to find a parking spot? Check out the Parker smartphone app.
December 2011- Holiday Safety Tips
The holiday season is a joyful time of year. It is a time for loving, sharing, giving, and decorating with bells, lights and tinsel. The celebration brings families and friends together to enjoy a spectacular holiday feast.
Unfortunately, the holiday season is also a dangerous time of year. Each year 250 fires occur in homes due to Christmas trees, causing over $15 million in property damage. To keep the season merry, follow our holiday safety checklist.
Did you know that theft is the second most common claim in the Boston and the surrounding area. This will cost an average of $1800 per claim? Watch our video on how to protect your belongings from crooks this holiday season.
November 2011- Winter Safety Tips
We made it through the hurricane season, are enjoying the beautiful foliage that fall has to offer and now it's time to get ready for old man winter. This month we have some important tips to share that will protect your homes from potential fires and to prepare for the cold, wet, snowy season.
Are you aware of the common household fixture that poses a serious fire hazard in your laundry room? We'll cover the cause of loss from the recent five-alarm fire in Boston at 37-39 Calumet Street.
Also, before cozying up by the fireplace, follow our six tips to ensure your chimney is safe. After all, every year an average of 25,100 chimney fires are responsible for $126.1 million in property damage.
Be sure to watch Account Manager, Michelle Prall's advice on how to winterize your home. Lastly, find out how you can reduce your utility bills by about 30% and save energy.
October 2011- Home Alone, Bedbugs and Auto Coverage for Bicyling Accidents
October in New England brings cooler weather and beautiful foliage. As the season changes, so do your insurance needs.
If you're someone who travels extensively or owns a second home, we have some important tips to keep your home safe. Speaking of traveling, are you aware of America's bedbug epidemic? I'll share with you my recent experience with these nasty creatures and whether or not they're covered on your homeowner's policy.
Also, have you noticed that more people have been biking around the city? Check out our video featuring Account Manager, Paul Joyce, on how your auto policy responds to cycling accidents. Lastly, we all know that the MA registry can be a pain. Save yourselves a few trips by signing-up for the RMV reminder service.
September 2011-Hurricane Irene
Earthquakes, Hurricane Irene, power outages and flooding have certainly taken a toll on the East Coast as we end the summer. The storm will be felt for some time as lives were lost and billions of dollars in property was damaged. Hopefully, you were fortunate enough to experience little or no damage. If you did, we are here to answer any questions and guide you through the claims process.
This month we'll provide common coverage questions and answers to storm related claims and how to deal with a loss. We'll show you how to prepare a home inventory since you never know when disaster can strike. Also, be sure to watch our video on how you can be notified about catastrophic events with reverse 911. Lastly, check out videos of our recent experience with the In Control Crash Prevention course and how it can benefit you!
August 2011- September 1st Move In Day Guide
Planning on heading into the city Labor Day Weekend? If you haven't lived in Boston before, beware that the September 1st move-in day is absolute chaos. New jobs, the start of fall semester and people that are just sick of commuting into Boston will bring thousands into the city. Renters will be moving into their apartments as well as 250,000+ college students.
Whether you'll be renting a new place or moving your kids into their first apartment we've got some usful advice to make your move successful and protect your belongings.
July 2011- Stay Safe This Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is just around the corner and I'm sure many of you have plans for spectacular fireworks, cookouts, poolside lounging and spending time with family and friends. Before you hit the road to celebrate, beware that this holiday is one of the most dangerous times of the year.
June 2011- Summer Safety Tips
Perhaps you need to prepare your home for the start of hurricane season. Maybe your kids are just begging you for a trampoline. I'm sure you must have some cookouts lined up. Did you know that Safety Insurance has an Iphone App?
Whatever it is you have planned to kickoff the summer, we have some exclusive tips and videos to share. Be sure to click the links below to find out how you can be protected this June.
It's also always a good idea to contact your insurance agent to make sure you are protected this summer.
May 2011- Brownstone Affliation
Don't be confused. Brownstone Insurance and Murphy and Jordan are a team. We're partners in what we do, and what we do is insure beautiful buildings in Boston and the surrounding areas. To share our affiliation, we'll be featuring a special condominium in Boston's Back Bay.
Thinking about springing ahead with a new set of wheels? For those of you who can't put 20% down, find out how to plug the gap in your auto coverage. You want to protect your newbie from all of those idiot drivers out there!
Speaking of idiot drivers, can you handle distracted driving? How often do you drive while distracted? We've got a distracted driving game to see if you can handle it!
Lastly, hurricane season is heading our way. Flood coverage is NOT a covered loss on a standard homeowners policy, so find out how you can protect your home.
April 2011- Spring Cleaning Tips
Although it may not seem like it, Spring 2011 is officially here. With the new season comes spring cleaning...so slowly start packing away those sweaters, take out the flip-flops and start preparing your home for the warmer weather!
This month we'll take a look at how to prepare our homes for the change in season. Also, do you think you are an excellent driver? Maybe Massachusetts begs to differ. Be sure to read our personal claim story about how MA law can impact what you pay for your auto premium.
March 2011- Dealing with Ice Dams
Roof collapses, ice dams and frozen pipes probably sound familiar. This month we'll be providing some advice on dealing with ice dams and tips for how you can prevent them. We'll also be including what burglars won't tell you.
February 2011- Frozen Pipes and Valentines Day
In this month's newsletter we will share with you ways to prevent the mess, cost, and aggravation caused by frozen pipes. We'll also be providing tips for protecting any extravagant Valentine's gifts you may have purchased for your sweetheart.
January 2011- Winter Safety Tips
Are you prepared if a blizzard hit tomorrow? After reading this month's newsletter, we hope it will provide you with the important safety and maintentace tips to better prepare you and your property this winter.
November/December 2010- Holiday Safety Tips
In this month's newsletter we will share with you some of the fun activities our team at Murphy and Jordan/Brownstone has been doing to stay fit and help out our local community. We will also cover safety tips to take while enjoying the holidays.
October 2010- MA Texting and Driving Law
In this month's newsletter we will share with you the recent changes made in Massachusetts regarding the texting while driving law. We will take a spin on this law and cover whether or not it actually decreases accident rates. We will cover safety tips to take while enjoying the festivities the Halloween season brings. Even more exciting, we will include Halloween trivia and fun facts.
September 2010- Insurance Claims
So you think insurance is boring? In this month's newsletter we will share with you risks we face every day. We will cover some of the most recent misfortunes that took place this month like our star quarterback's fender bender and the not so mighty Hurricane Earl. Even more exciting, we will share with you some of the most extreme claims cases that we've ever heard of in our 25+ years in the industry.
August 2010- Hurricane Safety Tips
Hurricane "EARL" is a strong storm that is headed in our direction. How close it comes depends on many factors, but it's too soon to tell exactly what path it will take. The best case computer models have it "brushing" the New England coast with some gale force winds. The worse case models would result in hurricane force winds hitting us directly.
August 2010- It's Wedding Season!
Fantastic weather means it's wedding season! In this month's issue we will discuss recent news relating to the busy bridal season and the recent law changes in Massachusetts relating to slip-and-fall cases. More importantly, we will offer you tips for protecting yourself and your belongings.
July 2010- Protect Your College Bound Kids
The applications have gone out, acceptance letter received...It's that time of again. In this month's issue I will be covering ways to protect your children away at school. We will cover the benefits of renters insurance. We'll cover why renters shoudl have seperate policies. Even more, we'll cover types of losses and prevention tips. In short, how can you protect your college-bound student? newsletter.
