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Protecting Yourself and Property From Wildfires Wildfire season typically begins in May and stretches through October. However, because of higher than normal temperatures and drought conditions due to climate change, Western states like California, Oregon and Washington are seeing the wildfire season start earlier and end later each year. Nationally, there were 58,985 wildfires reported in 2021, compared to 58,950 wildfires reported the year before, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center. Of the reported wildfires, 7.1 million acres burned in 2021 compared to 10.1 in 2020. Additionally, a total of 5,972 structures were reported destroyed by wildfires in 2021. That number included 3,577 residences, 2,225 minor structures and 237 commercial/mixed residential structures, according to the NICC. The state with the highest number of structures lost in 2021 was California with 2,031 residences, 196 commercial/mixed residential structures and 1,136 minor structures, the NIC

Does Insurance Cover a Rental Car After an Accident? You got into accident and now you’re inconvenienced because your vehicle is with the mechanic or at an auto body shop. Yet, you still need to get to work and drive the kids to their activities. Are you wondering if your auto insurance policy covers you for a car rental? If you took MAPFRE’s substitute transportation coverage and your vehicle is not drivable or in the shop for repairs, rental coverage could help get you back on the road. This is of course determined by the limits you purchased on your car insurance policy. Those limits can vary based on your policy attributes and the number of vehicles you have insured. If you have rental coverage, when selecting a rental vehicle, opt for a vehicle with a lower daily rate when possible. This choice will maximize the overall amount of available coverage. Your claim representative will assist you in obtaining a rental vehicle from a list of preferred companies to select from. So when d

Has Your Annual Mileage Changed? If you’re not driving as much and putting less miles on your vehicle, it’s a good idea to update the annual mileage on your MAPFRE account. Doing so could potentially save you money! At MAPFRE, we are committed to being here for you! Because many people have changed their driving habits the last couple of years, we want to ensure that your premium reflects how much you are currently driving. To update your mileage, log into your online account then select Details, Billing & Documents under your auto policy, navigate to the Details tab, and enter updated mileage at the bottom of the page. Don’t forget to check the box acknowledging that the information you entered is accurate and click the submit button! After you update your mileage in your online MAPFRE account, we will determine if the change has resulted in a modification to your premium and will adjust eligible policies accordingly. That’s it! It’s really that easy. If you are having issues upd

Home Insurance for First Time Buyers Are you in the market for a new home or condominium? As part of that process, don’t forget that you’ll need to get homeowners insurance. Finding the right policy can be a challenge, especially for a first-time buyer. Unless you are paying cash for your new home, you will be getting a mortgage and most lenders require you to have homeowner’s insurance. Some lenders even require that it is lumped in and paid for as part of your mortgage. Homeowners insurance can cover damage to the interior and exterior of your home and can also protect you if someone gets hurt on your property. Before picking your policy, you first need to determine what homeowner’s insurance covers in most circumstances. With MAPFRE Insurance, a home policy will usually cover: Structural Property protection: This is to repair or replace the structure of your home as well as additional structures on your property such as detached garages, sheds, etc. in the event of storms, fire, l

Identifying Heating Oil Leaks and the Right Insurance Coverage to Protect Your Home If you’re one of many homeowners that heats their property with heating oil, you may be wondering if your homeowner’s insurance covers leaks and property damage. Over time, an oil tank is susceptible to rust buildup and corrosion. This can lead to an oil leak which can not only emit harmful toxins, but cause the oil to seep into your home and surrounding property leaving you a costly cleanup bill. Heating oil spills inside your home can damage many things, such as: Contaminate wells used for drinking water and irrigation and your ground water It can enter the soil in and around your home potentially contaminating storm/sanitary sewers, surface water, and drainage ditches Destroy the helpful bacteria found in septic systems, requiring that the full septic system be replaced Each of these problems can cost a homeowner thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, of dollars to correct. Working with your home

What Kind of Insurance Do You Need for a Boat? Whether you’re getting ready to take your fishing boat out on your favorite lake or cruise the 6,130 miles of New England coastline in your beautiful yacht, insuring your watercraft is a must to protect it against damage and losses. In New England, peak boating season typically begins in April and lasts only a few months. When you insure your watercraft, boat or yacht with MAPFRE Insurance, packaged coverage is available to include hull and liability. Hull value loss (physical loss or damage) coverage provides protection from direct, accidental physical loss or damage from external causes while your watercraft is afloat, ashore and in transit. Although subject to certain exclusions, hull value coverage ranges from $5,000 to  $750,000. Liability coverage protects against legal liability for damage done to property such as another boat, yacht, dock, bridge, or for any injury or death to another party suffered as a result of ownership, maint

Key Differences Between Water Damage and Flood Damage Having water or flood damage to your home can be stressful, especially if you don’t understand what is covered and what isn’t under your homeowner’s policy. Water damage can be caused by plumbing issues, a flooded air-conditioning unit, or an overflowed washing machine. It can also be caused by a rain or snow event that may result in burst pipes or an ice dam that causes a sudden water leak inside your home. About one in 50 homeowners will file a water damage claim every year which accounts for almost 24% of all homeowners insurance claims, according to the Insurance Information Institute. The average water damage claim amount is just over $11,000, according to iPropertyManagement. Flood damage is caused by water from a natural disaster like heavy rains, snowmelt, storm surge, flash-flooding or a hurricane. This type of damage where water rises may not only impact you, but it can also impact your neighbors. Water damage to a buildi

How to Register a Used Car in Massachusetts Whether purchasing a used car from a friend or online from a private seller, buying a car from a private party rather than a traditional brick-and-mortar dealership is becoming more and more common. With this in mind, it’s important to know how to register a used car in Massachusetts. Here are the steps for registering a pre-owned car in the Bay State: Obtain a Bill of Sale A bill of sale is a formal document signed by the seller and buyer that states the details of the vehicle sale, including price and date. In the state of Massachusetts, this is typically only necessary for registration if the vehicle is exempt from the Certificate of Title because of its age. In that case, the bill of sale and the previous owner’s registration is needed to register the vehicle in Massachusetts. Though the bill of sale may not be necessary for registering the used vehicle in Massachusetts, it may still be useful documentation for the buyer’s records. Obtai

Boating Safety Tips As warmer weather arrives across many parts of the country, more and more people will be heading out on their boats for fun and relaxation. But with those fun times on the water comes responsibility and keeping you and your passengers safe. Before even getting on board, the National Safe Boating Council recommends you familiarize yourself with the boating laws for the state in which you’re operating your boat as rules and regulations can vary and violations can result in ticketing, fines or even jail time. To keep people safe on the water during National Safe Boating Week and all summer long, the NSBC recommends the “Boating Safety Seven”: 1. Wear your life jacket Wearing a properly fitting life jacket every time you go out on the water is crucial. It’s important that a life jacket not be too big or too small and it should also be approved by the United States Coast Guard (approved jackets will have a label inside). In addition to always wearing a life jacket, you

Insurance Tips for Protecting Your Small Business Communities around the country celebrate the people who truly drive the nation’s economy and define our spirit during National Small Business Week – the first week in May. Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, there are 32.5 million small businesses in the United States, which employ 46.8% of the private workforce, according to The Office of Advocacy, an independent office within the U.S. Small Business Administration. To launch and keep a business thriving requires a good amount of passion, a strong business plan, usually a hefty financial investment and a few things most people don’t think about. Like insurance. With so much at stake, insuring your investment, yourself, employees and property the right way is one of the most important decisions every owner must make. From commercial auto and property to workers’ comp, there are a lot of considerations. So, where do you start? Know the rules Check with your state’s Department of Insura

Preparing for Summer Storms and Hurricanes The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and this year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season. Forecasters at NOAA were also forecasting a range of 14 to 21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those storms, six to 10 of them could potentially become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), NOAA reported. Hurricanes can bring high winds, heavy rain, storm surge and flooding which can cause major damage to your property. The parts of the country that tend to deal with the most hurricanes, according to NOAA, are the Gulf Coast states and the Atlantic Coast. In 2021, there were 21 named storms, including seven hurricanes four of which were major hurricanes. A list of names for the 2022 storms selected by the World Meteorological Organization is as follows: Alex Bonnie Colin Danielle Earl Fiona Gaston Hermine Ian Julia Karl Lisa Martin Nicole Owen Paula Richard

Water Safety Tips Backyard and community pools as well as lakes and trips to the beach are some of the most memorable places for families to spend the summer. But while everyone is out having a good time, it’s important to remember that drownings are the leading cause of preventable death among children under 14, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three children die every day as a result of drowning, the agency reports. To keep kids and other family members safe in and around the water, the CDC recommends the following: Learn life-saving skills Both kids and adults should know the basics of swimming which includes floating and moving through the water. The CDC recommends accredited swim lessons for children as the drowning risk for kids under 4 is reduced by 88% when they know the basics. It’s also vital to know how to recognize and respond to a swimmer in distress and how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Fence off pools Pools should be secured

How to Prevent Vehicle Theft A vehicle is stolen an average of every 44 seconds in the United States, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) . These thefts cost drivers thousands of dollars and also cause insurance premiums to rise. In 2020, there were 810,400 vehicles stolen, up 11.8% from 724,872 vehicles the year before, according to the Insurance Information Institute , which examined data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). A total of $7.4 billion was lost to motor vehicle theft in 2020 with the average dollar loss per vehicle theft at $9,166, the FBI reported. While the number of thefts have been trending downward since peaking at 1.7 million in 1991, experts say thieves continue to find new ways to acquire vehicles like switching vehicle identification numbers, obtaining smart keys/fobs and even using stolen identities to secure loans for vehicles. The theft of catalytic converters have also risen dramatically, according to the Nat

What You Need to Know About REAL IDs The deadline to obtain a REAL ID is quickly approaching. In fact, it’s less than a year away when a standard driver’s license will no longer be valid for domestic air travel or for entering certain federal buildings. On a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission, the REAL ID Act was passed by Congress in 2005. The program aims to create a more secure issuance of identification while combatting terrorism. The date for compliance had been set for October 2021 but due to the pandemic, the date was pushed back to May 3, 2023. Once the requirement is in effect, domestic travelers 18 and over will need to show a REAL ID-compliant license, valid passport or other acceptable form of federal identification to board a domestic plane or enter a federal building. Passports will continue to be accepted as valid forms of ID and children under 18 do not need to show identification for domestic flights. Transportation officials nationwide are encouraging travelers wh

How the Color of Your Car Impacts Its Depreciation While the make, model and age of your vehicle are factors in determining your auto insurance premium, you may be surprised to hear that the color of your vehicle is not. Vehicle color however is a factor in its resale value, according to a study by iSeeCars which compared the Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Prices (MSRP) of more than 650,000 recently sold 3-year-old used vehicles. The study found that the vehicle color that tends to hold value best is yellow – which lost only 4.5% depreciation in the 3-year time period. “Because yellow vehicles are so novel in the secondhand marketplace, people are willing to pay a premium for them,” said iSeeCars Executive Analyst Karl Brauer. Rounding out the top five vehicle colors that tend to hold their values are orange, purple, red and green, the iSeeCars study found. Those colors depreciated between 10.7% and 14% of their MSRP in the same 3-year period. The vehicle colors that have the highest

Protect Your Home Against Burglaries We would like to think that our homes are the safest place for us and our possessions, but that’s not always the case as burglary statistics show. There are 2.5 million burglaries nationwide per year, 66% of which are home break-ins, according to Safe at Last. Of those break-ins, the majority happen between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. in homes that don’t have a security system, Safe at Last reported. Often, home burglaries happen in the summer months when people are on vacation. So what can you do to protect your home and belongings inside? Lock doors and windows Seems obvious, but thieves aren’t shy about checking to see if your doors are locked and will walk right into your home. Lock up valuables Burglars look for cash, jewelry, and weapons and usually go straight to the master bedroom to find them. They will search common hiding spots like drawers, closets and under mattresses. Install cameras Consider installing smart, motion-activated home security ca