Earn a Discount by Driving Safely

Many of our carriers may reward your safe driving with a discounted premium! Mapfre, Travelers, Progressive, Safeco, and Safety policyholders: read on to learn how to earn an additional discount!

Mapfre

New Mapfre clients can download Mapfre’s MotionSmart mobile app and you can receive up to a 10% discount on their Auto policy!

https://youtu.be/inXDKgwD608
Click here to learn more.

Travelers

Traveler’s IntelliDrive mobile app tracks your driving habits and adjusts your premium accordingly.

More about IntelliDrive here.

Progressive

Progressive’s Snapshot mobile app personalizes your auto premium based on how and how much you drive. In fact, drivers who save with Snapshot save an average of $156 a year (excluding AK, HI, & NY).

Get more info at this link.

Safeco

Policyholders can download the Safeco mobile app and enroll in RightTrack. After 90 days of safe driving, you could see savings between 5% and 30% on your policy! The more drivers on your policy that use RightTrack, the higher your potential savings.

Learn more from Safeco’s website.

Safety

Safety offers several discount programs for their safe drivers in MA!

  • Up to 24% for Excellent Driver Plus Discount (no accidents or incidents in past 6 years)
  • Up to 10% for Excellent Driver Discount (no accidents or incidents in past 5 years)
  • 5% Group Discount for drivers who participate in In Control’s Crash Prevention Training. Sign up for the program at a discounted rate here.

If you have any questions about these programs, please call us at 617-965-1830, text us at 617-958-5929, or email info@smollerinsurance.com. We’ll be happy to help you figure out the best possible way to save you money.

How to Read Your Home Policy

Coverage A, B, C, D… what does that even mean?

Whether you live in a house, condominium, or apartment, your home needs to be protected — and you need to understand how it is protected!

Here is your guide to understanding every kind of coverage listed on your home policy‘s declarations page (AKA your full policy document).

  • Coverage A/Dwelling: This is probably the most important part of a homeowners policy! This covers the structure of your home and many parts that help create it, such as floors, windows, and doors.
  • Coverage B/Other Structures: Covers stand-alone structures on your property, like fencing or sheds.
  • Coverage C/Personal Property: Covers personal belongings that aren’t built into the structure of your home. This includes furniture, clothing, electronic devices, etc.
  • Coverage D/Loss of Use: Covers temporary living expenses while your home is being repaired from a serious claim.
  • Coverage E/Personal Liability: Pays for expenses related to an injury or property damage sustained by others for which you or covered residents of your household are liable.
  • Coverage F/Medical Payments to Others: pays for expenses related to an injury that occurs on your property — whether you’ve been found liable or not
  • Deductible: The amount you pay to repair damage in a claim before your insurance starts to pay

If you have a condo policy, then you have all of the above coverages except for Coverage B/Other Structures.

If you have a renters policy, then you only have Coverages C through F.

Still confused? Let us know. We’ll be happy to discuss your coverages.

How to Read Your Auto Policy

Deciphering insurance terminology can be frustrating…

We are the first to admit it: insurance policies can be confusing. When reviewing your declarations page (AKA your full policy), we want you to be able to quickly identify what your coverages are without having to decode fancy terminology.

Have no fear! The Smoller Insurance team is here to help!

Here are the most important points on your auto policy.

  • Bodily Injury Liability – Covers costs associated with injuries that you or another driver causes while driving your car. This includes collisions with insured drivers, underinsured drivers, and uninsured drivers.
  • Property Damage – Covers damage that you or another driver operating your car causes to another vehicle or other property.
  • Collision and Comprehensive
    • Collision coverage – Covers damage to your car resulting from a collision with an object. This number is the amount you pay out of pocket as a deductible before your insurance covers the rest of the damage.
    • Comprehensive coverage – Covers damage to your car caused by disasters other than collisions.
  • Rental car coverage/Substitute Transportation – The numbers listed here show the amount per day your insurance will pay for a rental car for you if your car is damaged in a claim, and the maximum amount they will pay for a rental in total.
  • Towing and Labor – The number listed here is the amount of money your policy will cover for expenses associated with car breakdowns, like towing.

If you want to discuss or adjust your levels of coverage, let us know! We will be happy to help.

Everything You Need to Know About Recreational Insurance

Are you looking for an insurance policy to protect your recreational vehicle in Boston, MA?  With recreational insurance, you’ll get liability and physical damage coverage, plus specialized coverage for toys and vehicles not usually provided by a standard home or auto policy. 

What is Covered Under Recreational Insurance? 

Recreational insurance provides special coverage for vehicles like boats, yachts, jet skis, motorcycles, ATVs, snowmobiles, motorhomes, and travel trailers. This type of policy covers physical damage (like accidents and theft), liability (if someone gets injured in your vehicle), and medical payments if there are any injuries. It also covers any custom features you may have added to your vehicle, like stereos or satellite dishes. 

Why Do You Need Recreational Insurance? 

The most important reason why you need recreational insurance is so that you can protect your investment in the event of an accident or theft. Without it, you could face costly out-of-pocket expenses that could be avoided with the right coverage. Also, if someone gets injured while in your vehicle (or because of it), they may be able to sue you if they don’t have the right insurance coverage. That’s why it’s important to ensure that you have the right kind of protection in place. 

Contact Smoller Insurance Agency for Your Recreational Insurance Needs! 

At Smoller Insurance Agency in Boston, MA, we understand the importance of having the right recreational insurance coverage for your needs. One of our knowledgeable agents will work with you to find the best possible solution for your unique situation. Contact us today to learn more about our recreational policies and get started on protecting your investment today! 

Heating Equipment Safety

Now that it is winter, it is prime time for us New Englanders to use our fireplaces or space heaters to keep the house warm. However, heating equipment is a leading cause of home fires in the USA.

Consider these stats from the National Fire Protection Association:

🪵 From 2016-2020, an annual average of 44,210 home structure fires were caused by heating equipment.

🪵 Space heaters were responsible for the largest shares of losses, one third, of those fires.

🪵 46% of these fires occurred between December and February.

🪵 The number of home fires involving heating equipment has declined over the last 20 years. It is likely thanks to improvements in safety standards.

So, how do you use your heating equipment safely? The NFPA’s top tip is to maintain three feet of clear space between your heating equipment and anything else! Learn more here.