Category Archives: News
Is Sump Pump Failure covered under your homeowners insurance policy?
The standard ISO Homeowners policy excludes this coverage, but an endorsement to add this is always available. So what actually is sump pump failure? Picture this….you and your family are sitting in your newly converted family room in the basement. You’re watching a movie and eating popcorn when all of a sudden thunder rumbles and [...]
What You Need to Know Before You Volunteer.
As active community volunteers ourselves, our agency has often been asked, “Am I covered for liability as a volunteer?” According to PIA Magazine, Yes. You are covered under the Volunteer Protection Act. On Sept. 16, 1997, the Volunteer Protection Act of 1997 became effective. Concerned that volunteers have been deterred from offering their services to [...]
Dryer Sheets Pose Toxic Dangers
Every day, people use clothes dryers without thinking about the potential dangers they pose. One of the biggest dangers is lint, but not in the way you would think. Lint that accumulates after drying clothes can be flammable creating a potential for fires, but it can also be toxic. Lint contains quite a long list [...]
Independent Agent vs. Captive Agent
By definition, captive agents work exclusively for one insurance carrier. They only have a relationship to that one company. Independent agents like Howland & Sargent Insurance represent multiple insurance companies and work on behalf of the client to find them the policy that best fits their needs. So the questions remains….what type of insurance agent [...]
Ice Dams on homes
It’s that wonderul time of the year again….Winter in New England! With all the recent snow activity happening in Connecticut, snow has been accumulating on roofs causing the dreaded ICE DAMS. An ice dam is a ridge of ice that forms at the edge of a roof and prevents melting snow (water) from draining off [...]
Non owned motorcycle accident
A question arose in the PIA November 2010 newsletter. Someone asked, “If I borrowed my friends motorcycle, skidded and fell off the bike causing physical damage to the bike, would my auto or homeowners policy provide coverage for the cost of the repairs? The answer to this simple. According to Dan Corin, CPCU, CIC, LUTC; [...]
Do you have a home inventory of your personal possessions?
Do you have a home inventory of items in your home? According to the Insurance Information Institute, keeping an inventory will help you to make sure you have enough insurance to replace items that are stolen or lost in a fire. Having an inventory will help to get your insurance claim settled quickly and faster, [...]
Planning a wedding? What is wedding insurance?
Personal finance experts recommend that when planning a wedding, couples consult with an insurance agent first. Howland & Sargent would like to introduce the Wedding Protector Plan from The Travelers. This is a specific insurance policy that offers customers financial protection if certain unfortunate, unforeseen events occur.
Figuring the correct amount to insure your house for
Insuring your home for its proper value is one of our most important jobs. For most people, their home is one of the most valuable assets they will ever own. There are lots of ways to value your home: • the resale or “market” value • the value for mortgage purposes • the value for [...]
Driver's Alert Program offered free through Utical National Insurance for Commercial Auto Fleet Insured's
One of our companies, Utica National offers the following Driver’s Alert Program and it’s free. Here is what it is: This state-of-the-art crash- and risk-reduction service helps identify drivers at businesses who are at high risk of an at-fault accident and provides training tools and data to correct unsafe driving behavior before it leads to [...]
