How to choose the perfect appraiser for your property, art, antiques, jewelry, and other valuables

Mary McGrathHomeowners Insurance

If you have highly valuable, treasured property or possessions, you may need to get them appraised for insurance purposes. Many insurance carriers will insist on accurate valuation of property, art, antiques, jewelry, and other items so they can ensure the correct level of coverage and premium payment. When you’re seeking out a good appraiser, here are some areas to consider: … Read More

Ice dams, panty hose and ice melt – a winter trifecta

Mary McGrathHomeowners Insurance

If you’ve been listening to the predictions for this Winter here in the Northeast – we’re expecting a rough one! And along with a lot of snow comes those horrid ice dams – a serious problem that will not only do damage to your home, but also is a cause for many winter insurance claims. If you happen to be … Read More

Fall Cleaning and Pre-Winterization

Mary McGrathHomeowners Insurance

The leaves begin to turn and a chill appears in the air; that’s our cue to pack up the summer gear, bust out the jackets and umbrellas, and get moving on the fall cleaning. Autumn is also the time to do some critical maintenance around the house and put some efficient (and money saving) pre-winterization measures in place. With a … Read More

Managing Home Renovation Risks

Mary McGrathConstruction, Homeowners Insurance

Home renovations are on the rise; In fact, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University’s Leading Indicator of Remodeling Activity (LIRA), annual home improvement spending growth is expected to increase from 2.4% in the last quarter of 2015 to 6.8% in the second quarter of 2016.  Bolstered by 2015’s favorable housing market condition, which included new … Read More

Auto Insurance: Why You Need a Specialty Policy for Your Collector Car

Mary McGrathAuto Insurance

Collector cars aren’t used like typical vehicles. They’re often driven less and cared for better. They don’t commute to work, but they spend weekends parked at car shows. You need a collector car auto insurance policy that meets those specific needs. Many collectors in the United States make the mistake of insuring their collector vehicles through big-name insurance companies. This … Read More

7 Insurance red flags when shopping for a new home

Mary McGrathHomeowners Insurance

Whether it’s juicy Pinterest images of fashion forward quartz kitchen countertops, or creative cork flooring that catches the eye in Dwell Magazine, the latest must-haves saturate the minds of home buyers. But what many home shoppers don’t realize is that insurers are evaluating homes with a very different set of criteria. When it comes to homeowner’s insurance, you want your … Read More

Are You Protecting Your Invaluable Collections?

Mary McGrathHomeowners Insurance

Over the years, you may have developed a knowledge and love of wine and picked up a few special bottles, which turned into a few more and, before you knew it, you had an extensive – and expensive – wine collection.  What would happen if there was a flood in your home or you experienced a power outage that impacted … Read More

Thinking about hiring domestic staff? Following these smart practices will help minimize risk

Mary McGrathEmployee Benefits, Homeowners Insurance, Risk Management, Workers Compensation

Busy professionals reaching ever higher levels of success often find that as their assets grow, free time shrinks. To recapture some of life’s most precious and ever dwindling commodity, many families hire domestic staff in the form of housekeepers, nannies, drivers, chefs, and other personal service providers. Once your family’s needs go beyond just having a weekly cleaning service for … Read More

Don’t get caught without kidnap and ransom insurance

Mary McGrathBusiness Insurance, Cyber Security, Homeowners Insurance, Risk Management

Once you’re above the preteen years, kidnap and ransom sounds like a rather exotic peril…something that only happens to drug kingpins on shadowy, private islands. But the threat for adults is real, especially for high net worth individuals who travel internationally. How real? Well, author Ann Auerbach spent two years chronicling kidnap and ransom cases and estimated more than 30,000 … Read More