Downey Insurance Group Blog | Great Insurance People

As of July 1, 2010, a new Massachusetts law will require all insurance companies that sell homeowner or dwelling fire policies to offer coverage for the remediation of liquid oil fuel spills. All Insurance Companies  represented by Downey Insurance will be in compliance with this new law and will have this coverage available to our clients if desired.

To qualify for this coverage, all fuel lines must be enclosed with a continuous protective sleeve or have an oil safety value installed by a licensed oil heat technician. Most heating systems that have been installed since 1990 are already compliant with these requirements. The technician or servicing oil heat dealer will provide the customer with a certificate of compliance. To add coverage, we will need a copy of this certificate.

Most Insurance Companies are  currently awaiting DOI approval of rates, rules and forms as of this writing. Once  approvals  have been received, we will provide  additional information including the rate for this optional coverage if desired.

The Mass Department of Environmental Protection’s website has an excellent two page summary of the law change. You may find this summary at http://www.mass.gov/dep/cleanup/laws/hhsl.pdf.

Most Insurance Companies will included a policyholder notice that will be included in ALL renewal policies effective July 1, 2010 and later.  To all of our oil heat customers  in Mass. Please be aware of this regulation and the coverage being afforded given the potential liability exposure and cost you will incur if an oil spill happens.

The state of Mass. Estimates one spill in your house costs as much as $15,000.00 if it hits any Groundwater, it could be in excess of $250,000. Personally I have been in volved in approx 4 oil spill claims.  a residential oil tank let go during water damage to their basement, an underground oil tank  polluted the grounds of the house  environmental engineers had to be called in and the whole yard dug up, an Oil truck we insured on it’s way to an oil delivery tipped over and released oil.  an oil fuel line was damaged leaking continuously in a house.  Some covered, Some not.  With this new requirement, you can actually purchase the coverage and not guess.

Call us at Downey Insurance to have that conversation. Thnx!

With all the best. Be and Stay well.

Charlie Downey

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Oprah Winfrey campaigns for no cell phone use while operating a motor vehicle.

April 30^th, 2010 marks the launch of the “No Phone Zone Day” campaign headed by the well-known talk show host, Oprah Winfrey. “No Phone Zone Day” is a campaign with hope to get everyone to pledge against phone use in vehicles. This event took place throughout the country, one being at our local Boston University which was attended by our fellow Downey Insurance intern, Alycia Dafoe.   She attended this event along with students located throughout Massachusetts with other members of Marlborough High school club, SADD, Students Against Destructive Decisions.

The No Phone Zone campaign was in efforts to convince all auto drivers to pledge for no cell phone use while driving, where it has many consequences.  The options available to pledge for are as follows:

• Avoid all texting while driving.
• No texting while driving and only hands free calling if needed.
• No texting or use of phone while driving and if needed, pull over and secure the vehicle.

Along with Alycia Dafoe, at this event, was a fellow classmates who has experienced a motor-vehicle accident first-hand due to cell phone use while operating. Because of texting, the individual caused an accident resulting in minor damage. Conseqently, the individual’s vehicle auto insurance sky rocketed.

Think twice before cell phone use while operating a moving vehicle. Join the Downey Insurance Group today in signing Oprah Winfrey’s  ”No Phone Day Pledge” to make the roads in this country a safer place.

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