Boat insurance is not required by law in New Hampshire or Vermont, but it’s still a good idea to get it. Like other forms of insurance, boat insurance mitigates risk, protecting your investment and shielding your assets from costly liability claims. Boating without insurance in the hopes that following safety procedures will be enough is just as irresponsible as driving a car without auto ...

Memorial Day Weekend is here, which means grilling season has begun. Grilling is undoubtedly one of the best parts of summer. But throw in drinking and the distractions of family and holiday events and it can become a recipe for disaster. Every year, grills are the source of 10,600 home fires, sending 19,700 people to the emergency room, according to the National Fire Protection Associatio...

Deciding to get flood insurance can be one of the most important things you do for your house and the future of your finances. Here are 10 facts we want you to know about flood insurance. 1. Homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover floods. The typical homeowner’s insurance policy covers a lot, including lightning strikes, volcanoes, and things that fall out of the sky. But not floods. So if hea...

Spring isn’t just a time for doing some casual house cleaning. This is also one of the best times to do some serious home maintenance. Here’s what to focus on. Window of opportunity. This is the time of year when we tend to change out the storm windows for screens. Make sure you check your screen for any holes or tears that bugs could slip into. A typical hardware store will have what y...

Imagine you’re out of town and your teenage children host a party where drinking is involved. Some kids drink too much, trip, and seriously injure themselves. Their parents sue you. A house party could end in a costly lawsuit. That’s where umbrella insurance comes in. Umbrella insurance provides coverage for liabilities that exceed the normal policy limits of your car, homeowner’s, or water...

There’s a lot that your typical homeowner’s insurance policy will cover—fires, hurricanes, lightning strikes, and other disasters. But floods aren’t one of them. Just 1 in. of water in your home could cost you $25,000. The problem is floods are the “most common and costly natural disaster,” according to the Insurance Information Institute, which says that 90 percent of all natural disasters...

Who needs life insurance?  Answer: Just about everyone.  If you’re just married and have kids, life insurance will ensure your spouse and children are provided for. If you and your spouse just bought a house, life insurance means that the mortgage payments will continue and your spouse won’t lose your house. If you are a small business owner, life insurance extends similar pro...

When it comes to winter weather, the only thing worse than the snow and the cold is ice. We tend to worry most about ice when it comes to road conditions and walking out to our cars, but ice can also do serious damage to our homes in the form of ice dams.  And yes, they are as bad as they sound.  Ice dams form when heat evaporating from your roof melts the snow on top of it. W...

Winter weather can do a number on your house. From flooding due to ice dams, to roof damage from snow and ice, there’s a lot that can go wrong during the winter. Fortunately, there are some simple low-cost things you can do to protect your home from Mother Nature’s fury. 1. Outside faucets. Drain outside faucets and then turn them off from the inside. Also, make sure your hoses are draine...

Being on the road when there’s ice or snow can rattle the best of us. In the moment, it can be hard to know what to do if you start to skid or feel like you are losing control. That’s why it’s best to be informed and prepared beforehand. We hope these tips make this winter a little safer for you. One easy way to remember how to stay safe is the acronym ADC: Stay ALERT. Slow DO...