Monthly Topics
July 2020: Is Your Boat Safe?
There are steps you can take to reduce fatalities, injury, property damage and liability costs related to recreational boating accidents. The first step is to protect your property and liability exposures by sharing your risk through insurance. You can add comprehensive coverage for your recreational boat by adding the Safety Navigator Endorsement to your Safety Insurance Homeowner policy.
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD)
Visual Distress Signals (VDS)
All vessels must be equipped with USCG approved VDS. Examples of signals are:
Fire Extinguishers
Boating Safety Course
Complete a boating safety course. Most insurers offer education credits for Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron courses.
Vessel Safety Check (VSC) Program
Additional Safety Equipment
Personal Flotation Devices (PFD)
- All recreational boats are required to carry one PFD for each person aboard.- Boats 16 ft or longer require one throwable PFD.
- PFD must be United States Coast Guard (USCG) approved, in good and serviceable condition and the appropriate size for intended user.
- The best PFD is the one you wear, and it should be worn whenever the vessel is underway. PFD should be accessible and not stowed away.
Visual Distress Signals (VDS)
All vessels must be equipped with USCG approved VDS. Examples of signals are:
- Orange distress flag (day signal only).
- Electric distress light (accepted for night use only).
- Hand-held flares, i.e., red flares for day, parachute flares for day or night, hand-held orange smoke signals and floating orange smoke signals.
Fire Extinguishers
- USCG approved fire extinguishers are required on boats where a fire hazard could originate from the motors or fuel system.
- The extinguishers should be portable, either B-I or B-II classification, and have a specific marine type mounting bracket. It must also be marked “Marine Type USCG”.
- Inspect monthly.
Boating Safety Course
Complete a boating safety course. Most insurers offer education credits for Coast Guard Auxiliary or Power Squadron courses.
Vessel Safety Check (VSC) Program
- This is a FREE annual check available to all boaters to ensure that their recreational vessels meet Federal and State equipment requirements.
- The USCG Auxiliary or US Power Squadrons vessel examiners, two of the nation’s premier volunteer boating safety organizations, participate in the VSC Program.
- Some of the items checked are proper display of numbers, registration/documentation, PFD, VDS, fire extinguishers, ventilation, backfire flame arrestor, sound producing devices/bell, navigational lights, navigational rules and overall vessel condition.
- A VSC decal will be affixed to the vessel upon successful completion of the check.
Additional Safety Equipment
- Marine radio
- Dewatering device and backup
- Anchor and line for area
- First Aid and Person-in-Water kits
March / April / May / June 2020: COVID-19
Please visit our new COVID-19 section for updates.
February 2020: New Hands-Free Law
Important things to know:
Effective February 23, 2020: Massachusetts law prohibits operators of motor vehicles from using any electronic device.
Until March 31, violators will receive verbal warnings. After March 31, penalties will be issued.
Fines and Penalties:
Drivers who are 18 years of age and older:
Drivers who are under the age of 18:
Until March 31, violators will receive verbal warnings. After March 31, penalties will be issued.
Fines and Penalties:
- First offense- $100 fine
- Second offense- $250 fine and a mandatory completion of a distracted driving educational course.
- Third and subsequent offenses- $500 fine, surcharge on insurance and a mandatory completion of a distracted driving educational course.
Drivers who are 18 years of age and older:
- Can only use electronic devices/mobile phones in hands-free mode.
- NOT ALLOWED to touch electronic devices/mobile phones EXCEPT to ACTIVATE the hands-free mode and can only do so if the device is installed or properly mounted on windshield, dashboard or center console in a manner that does not impede the operation of the motor vehicle.
- NOT ALLOWED to touch devices for texting, emailing, apps, games, video or internet use (EVEN AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT)
- ACTIVATION of GPS navigation is only permitted when the device is installed or properly mounted.
Drivers who are under the age of 18:
- NOT ALLOWED to use any electronic devices or mobile phones. Any type of use while driving is illegal including use in hands-free mode.
December 2019: Vacant Properties
What is a vacant property?
Occupancy matters greatly when it comes to homeowner insurance. A standard Massachusetts home insurance policy does not cover a home during long periods of vacancy, even if you continue to pay your premium. We’re not talking about a two-week vacation, of course, but any lengthy, uninterrupted vacancy -- usually defined as 60 days or more -- means your house must be re-insured under a vacant home policy.
Why? Vacant homes face a greater risk of loss than occupied homes. A broken pipe or faulty hot water heater could go undetected for days, causing major damage. A vacant home is more vulnerable to break-ins and vandalism. Simply locking the door and asking someone to check in once in a while could be a costly mistake if your house is damaged or sustains some other type of loss while it is vacant.
Before you leave a house vacant, always talk to your insurance agent to make sure you have the right coverage in place.
Why? Vacant homes face a greater risk of loss than occupied homes. A broken pipe or faulty hot water heater could go undetected for days, causing major damage. A vacant home is more vulnerable to break-ins and vandalism. Simply locking the door and asking someone to check in once in a while could be a costly mistake if your house is damaged or sustains some other type of loss while it is vacant.
Before you leave a house vacant, always talk to your insurance agent to make sure you have the right coverage in place.
