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Side-stepping a Surcharge
Of the many factors that are considered for auto insurance, your driving history has the most impact on your annual premium. There is not alot you can do to avoid accidents, but there are a couple of surcharges you can side-step.
Some of the more common moving violations come with a hefty fine AND add 2 points to your driving record. Here are my top three avoidable violations:
Expired license
Your license expires every five years on your birthday. Here's the trick - the Registry doesn't tell you to renew your license. Take a look at your license now. Then sign up for our license renewal reminder service. It's free and easy to enroll. Simply click on the license image in the left side toolbar.
Expired Registration
Registrations are good for one or two year terms depending on the type of plate that you have. Renewal forms are mailed by the Registry ahead of time, but if you have any outstanding parking tickets, excise tax, etc. - they do not send you anything. Check your registration to make sure it's active and that you have the appropriate sticker on your plate.
Expired Safety Inspection
The MA Safety and Emissions Inspections are good for 12 months. Check the sticker on your windshield to make sure it's current.
Take a few minutes to make sure that these types of violations don't end up on your record. I'll leave the driving safe part to you.
Regards,
Edward P. Hackett, CIC CRM
Vice-President
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 Renting a Car on Vacation 
We have all experienced it. You have been traveling all day and you finally arrive at the car rental counter only to get 20 questions about what to include on your rental contract. Here's two that you'll need to know:
Full Coverage
You can decline the full coverage for the vehicle provided you have an active MA auto policy AND you carry collision coverage on the vehicle. Your MA auto policy will respond just as if you were driving your own vehicle. If you are traveling outside the US, you must purchase the coverage. Your MA auto will not respond outside the 50 states.
Collision Damage Waiver
If you are involved in an accident in the rental vehicle, your MA auto policy will respond. Your deductible applies just as it does on your own vehicle. The Collision Damage Waiver covers your policy deductible should an accident occur in the rental. It's optional. We recommend checking with your credit card company before you travel. Most cards will offer Collision Damage Waiver as a cardholder benefit for free.
So two less questions you'll need to worry about. Safe travels! |
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Reducing Your Tax Bill
Home prices have fallen in the last few years, but that doesn't necessarily mean that your tax bill went down.
There are things that homeowners can do to appeal an assessment. Click here to link to a great article that ran in the Wall Street Journal. |
