Vargas & Vargas Insurance

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Dorchester, MA 02124

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Does Your Home Pass This Safety Checklist?

You and your family spend a lot of time in your home, and it is your own responsibility to make sure that it is safe. While it is very important to have the right Massachusetts home insurance policy as protection against danger, you should also focus on doing everything in your power to prevent potential catastrophes.

Does Your Home Pass This Safety Checklist

In this effort, we encourage you to print out the following list and walk around your home, evaluating each point and making notes of what changes and improvements need to be made.

Outside the Home

All areas where there will be foot traffic should have adequate lighting. This includes the driveway, garage, and walkways.

The driveway and all walkways should be smooth and evenly paved to avoid anyone tripping over uneven pavement.

If there are steps up to a porch or front door, they should be well lit and have handrails. Handrails should also be installed on steep walkways.

Ensure that shrubs and bushes are kept trimmed so that they do not breach areas where people or cars will be.

Garage and Entryways

Make sure that there is a clear path from your car into your home. Garage walkways should be free of clutter and lit well.

In the entryway, make sure that the doorway is clear and that the doorbell or knocker is easily visible to guests.

Doormats should be non-slip, and should not have upturned corners.

Locks should be in good working order and all exterior doors should be equipped with an alarm and a deadbolt.

Hallways

Carpets should be slip-proof, or have an anti-skid backing.

Hallway lights should be controlled by a switch at both ends of the hall.

If necessary, ensure that hallways are wide enough to accommodate a wheelchair.

Doorways and Stairs

All doors should open easily. Consider installing lever door handles that are easier for some people to use than traditional knobs.

Stairs should have railings on both sides and each step should be clearly visible.

If a staircase is carpeted, the carpet should be in good condition and present no tripping hazards.

If there are any low beams near stairs where people could hit their head, make sure that they are properly padded.

Living and Dining Room

Rooms should be free of clutter and have clear walking paths.

Flooring (including tile, linoleum, or carpet) should be in good condition and smooth – repair any frayed or chipped flooring or anything that constitutes a tripping hazard.

Furniture should be stable so that it is not a tipping hazard.

Shades or blinds should be securely attached to the window frame or wall, and should open easily.

Does your home pass this safety checklist? We still have lots of tips for keeping your home safe, including instructions for accident-proofing your family room, bathrooms, kitchen, and more! And remember – prevention is your first line of defense, but you still need to have a top of the line Boston home insurance policy for when calamity strikes. For a free home insurance review call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655.

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Factors that Affect Your Boston Insurance Quote

Insurance is a great way to protect your investments and your family against calamities. While there are insurance providers everywhere (if you haven’t seen a commercial for one lately you must be hiding under a rock) there is only one way to make sure to get the best Boston insurance quote for your needs. That is to use an independent insurance agent like Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency!

Factors that Affect Your Boston Insurance Quote

When you call us for an insurance quote, we will search several providers to make sure that you get a great policy at a great price. When determining an insurance premium, most insurance providers will consider similar factors. These differ for each type of insurance. Here are the most common factors that usually affect the insurance quotes for four different types of insurance coverage:

Home Insurance Quotes

  • Age and features of home, including electrical wiring, plumbing, HVAC and more.
  • Home’s location – risk for natural disaster and crime, proximity to police and fire stations, building costs in the area.
  • Claim history of the homeowner(s).
  • Risk factors in the home, including swimming pools, trampolines, etc.
  • Credit score of the homeowner(s).
  • Amount and value of possessions to be insured.

Note: Renters insurance is very similar to home insurance, and typically considers many of the same factors. TIP: To lower your quote, update your home and prevent risks with safety measures.

Auto Insurance Quotes

  • Age, gender, marital status, and profession of the primary drivers.
  • City or cities where the car is often driven.
  • Vehicle’s size, age, and safety rating.
  • Vehicle value and/or replacement cost.
  • Driving history of the drivers (reported accidents, past insurance claims).
  • Average mileage car is driven in a week or month.
  • Reasons car is driven (personal, business, or both). Lower your quote by driving a safe car and being mindful of your driving habits.

Health Insurance Quotes

  • Person’s gender, age, and preexisting conditions.
  • Family history of the insured.
  • Tobacco use including cigarettes, chewing tobacco, or snuff. Body Mass Index.
  • Person’s profession and its implications on health (increased stress, sedentary or active lifestyle, etc).

Many of these factors are also considered when you are looking for a life insurance quote. TIP: Lower your quote by losing weight, exercising regularly, and ceasing use of tobacco products.

Business Insurance Quotes

  • State(s) of operation.
  • Amount of gross sales per year.
  • Number of employees and/or independent contractors.
  • Nature of the business (computer based, service based, increased risks of danger). Physical location of the business property.
  • Amount of equipment and inventory owned by the business.

TIP: To lower your quote, use safety devices to prevent theft, ensure that employees are properly trained, and look into discounts offered by trade associations.

If you or someone that you know is in the market for an insurance quote in the Greater Boston Area, we hope that Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency comes to mind. With one quick call to 617-298-0655, you can speak with an insurance agent that will make sure that you get a quality insurance quote at a lot price. We look forward to earning your business.

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4 Small Business Insurance Tips

As a small business owner, you’re probably always focused on lowering your business’s costs. Thankfully, Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency can help you with that! Today, we want to share with you four tips to lower your small business insurance costs.

small business insurance tips

There are many things that are unpredictable in the course of doing business, but the cost of your insurance policy from our agency is something you can count on. Here are the four tips that can help you save:

Manage Your Risk Levels

The purpose of insurance is to protect you against unexpected losses. While this protection is crucial, it is best for your business if you don’t have to make a claim. Avoiding risks will save you the stress of dealing with a calamity, as well as saving you the cost of your insurance deductible.

As they say “the best offense is a good defense.” This is as true in insurance as it is in sports. If you take the time to mitigate your business’s exposure to risk, you can help to ensure that you won’t need to deal with a claim. Some types of risk mitigation can even earn you a discount on your small business insurance! These include safety measures like alarm systems and more – just ask your insurance agent for a list of potential discounts.

Re-evaluate Your Deductible

If you are successful in mitigating your risks, you may feel comfortable raising your insurance policy’s deductible. This means that you will pay more in the event that you make a claim, but it also has an inverse relationship with your premium. This means that increasing your deductible will lower your premium.

If you want to avoid the need to scrounge together a deductible payment in the event of a claim, you can help your business out by setting aside money equal to your policy’s deductible. That way, you have enough money to cover your deductible set aside if you need to make a claim.

Bundle Your Policies

A small business insurance policy is made up of many pieces. The more pieces that you are able to bundle under your business owners policy, the more you will save – just like when you bundle your personal home insurance and auto insurance.

When you’re looking for a new policy, ask your agent about combining all of the business insurance coverage types that you need, including property coverage, liability coverage, workers compensation, commercial auto insurance, group benefits, and more.

Review Your Coverage Annually

When was the last time that an insurance professional reviewed your coverage? It’s easy to get comfortable with your insurance provider, but taking a few minutes each year to discuss your coverage with an agent could save you money! Here at Vargas and Vargas, we can search to see if changing providers could save you money. We can also check to see if your current provider offers any new discounts for which you qualify.

To speak with a small business insurance expert, just call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655. We insure many businesses here in Massachusetts, and would be happy to evaluate your business’s unique needs and craft you a quote for a new business insurance policy.

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