Eaton & Berube Blog

Use Caution When Cooling Off This Summer

As temperatures soar into the 80s and 90s and the all-too-familiar New England summer humidity returns, your first instinct may be to cool off in front of a fan. But before you switch your fan on, make sure it isn’t one of the four models of box fans that Lasko Products, Inc. recently recalled.

Last March, Lasko, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, announced a voluntary recall of approximately 4.8 million box fans manufactured from July 31, 2002 to July 31, 2004, because of a potential electrical failure in the fan's motor that poses a fire hazard. Lasko has warned consumers to immediately stop using box fans with model numbers 3720, 3723, and 3733, as well as Galaxy box fans with model number 4733 and a date of “2002-3” or “2003-4” stamped on the bottom of the fan’s metal frame. 

To determine whether the Lasko fan recall affects your fan, first check the bottom of the fan to find its stamped or printed model number. Even if you purchased your box fan after July 2004, it is crucial to locate the model number, since retailers nationwide sold affected fans through December 2005. If you experience difficulty locating the model number, visit Lasko’s product recall webpage to view pictures of the affected fans and plugs. For consumers affected by the Lasko fan recall, Lasko is offering free fan protection cord adapters designed to connect to your fan’s plug and diminish risks of fire hazard caused by electrical failure in the fan’s motor.

Whether you use fans to help reduce temperatures in your home, or to offer your horses an escape from the heat in your barn, make sure they remain unaffected by the Lasko fan recall to keep all your assets safe this summer.

Snow goes hand-in-hand with New Hampshire winters, and we don’t always know how much to expect to shovel. Some New Hampshire residents have very long driveways and attach plows to their trucks to clear their driveways. As good neighbors, they may even plow others out, but in terms of insurance, their plowing is limited to “personal” use. Will your car insurance cover the snow plow equipment and possible damages from plowing? Typically, non commercial snow plowing is covered by your personal auto insurance and you can attach policy riders to ensure coverage. Snow plowing for income as a business raises entirely different issues, and requires separate snow plow insurance.

A personal auto insurance policy typically does not include a “for profit” snow plowing activity. If snow plowing for profit, you should purchase a commercial policy that covers you for the complete snow plowing operation. There are two aspects to consider: coverage for damage to the snow plow equipment or truck, and liability associated with damage caused by the snow plowing activity.

Does insurance for the snow plow equipment matter? Newer vehicles and plows are quite expensive to replace, so you should ensure that your insurance company will reimburse you in the event that your plow is damaged or stolen. Typically, insurance will fall under physical damage coverage, separating into collision and comprehensive coverage under the auto policy.

You should also consider potential liability issues that your snow plowing activity can cause, like the possibility of you or one of your employees injuring someone or damaging their property. Hired and non-owned auto coverage is an equally important concern. Be careful if you have a snow plow business with other people using their own trucks to plow for you. It's crucial to ensure that they have the proper coverage including the added coverage called Hired and Non-Owned, which applies to vehicles that you do not own, so that the liability from your policy extends to the operations for people you hire.

Talking with an independent insurance agent about coverage for your snow plowing operation is the best place to begin. At Eaton and Berube we will not “snow you under” with too much information. We can help you make the right choice for snow plow insurance for your business. For more information on snow plow insurance and how our team can help, contact us at (800) 660-5362, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Red Roses & Life Insurance - Give the Gift of Life Insurance This Valentine's Day

February is the month we associate with Valentine’s Roses, heart-shaped candy and romantic dinners, but would a loving husband (or wife) give the gift of life insurance instead? It may be a risky gift idea that carries the possibility of a night on the couch, but it could also communicate your genuine care for your spouse.

According to LIMRA’s 2010 Life Insurance Ownership Study, 30 percent of U.S. households lack life insurance protection. Although many Americans agree with the importance of life insurance, we have hit a 50-year low in life insurance ownership.

This gift of life insurance from the primary wage-earner is what matters most, by offering financial security to others in the event that an unexpected death occurs, LIMRA reports. Need a few more reasons why investing in life insurance is smarter than roses or dining out? Here are few others LIMRA highlights:

• Income protection – Life insurance provides a death benefit and can be used to pay for an insured family's current and future financial expenses, or to cover the cost of the insured’s final expenses.
• It’s affordable coverage! Term life insurance rates are at historic lows. In fact, a healthy 40-year-old male can get a $500,000 10-year level term life policy for less than $21 per month.
• Living on the edge could end up causing your loved ones to suffer.

A majority of the Baby Boomer households (60%) prefer to buy life insurance face-to-face from insurance agents, while the younger generations prefer gathering information about life insurance online and at their place of work. Selecting the right life insurance policy is a crucial financial planning tool. At Eaton and Berube we offer advice on New Hampshire life insurance and financial planning. For more information on how our team can help, contact us at (800) 660-5362, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

To get a free life insurance quote, please fill out and submit our Online Insurance Quote Request Form.

Is Earthquake Insurance Worth It in New Hampshire?

Most New Englanders view earthquakes as disasters that only affect the West Coast, and although the chances of an earthquake striking New Hampshire are relatively low, it's important to understand that your normal homeowners insurance does not cover damage from an earthquake.

The few earthquakes that strike New Hampshire are typically deep below the ground and much weaker than the 3.1-magnitude quake that hit Boscawen in September 2010. Historically there have been no deaths or damage, with the exception of some broken dishes, so this area remains rather earthquake safe. It is interesting to note, however, that the National Seismic Hazard Map developed by the U.S. Geological Survey in 2008, indicates that New Hampshire has the highest earthquake hazard rating among the New England states. Zooming in on the map shows that the area above Concord has the highest hazard rating in the state. 

What's interesting about earthquakes in New England is unlike the fault lines in California, identifying the quake zones is not a simple matter. Historically, the "major" earthquakes in the region vary from Cape Ann, Massachusetts to Ossipee Lake, New Hampshire. It's essentially anyone's guess as to where a large earthquake could hit. According to research in this area, there is about a 2% chance that in any given 50-year period of time, potentially damaging earthquake vibrations will strike. Although the odds aren't overly intimidating, it's important to remember that your standard New Hampshire homeowners insurance  policy will not cover damage resulting from an earthquake. So, if you prefer to err on the side of caution, you may want to review your policy and ask for additional coverage.

While the earth shaking is not a concern for most homeowners in New Hampshire, we receive all types of questions from people about homeowners insurance. Please note, we provide only general information in this blog as points to consider. At Eaton & Berube we want to not only help you find the best insurance rates in New Hampshire, but also help protect your home, business, and personal safety. We realize that understanding insurance policies can be confusing, so we always recommend that you talk with our team of trusted insurance agents to ensure that you secure the right policy for your specific needs. For more information on how our team can help, contact us at our Nashua or Milford office, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

To request a free earthquake insurance quote, please fill out and submit our Online Insurance Quote Request Form.

Is earthquake insurance worth it? Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Snow loads are downward forces exerted on a structure by the weight of accumulated snow, ice and rain.  Several factors affect the amount of snow that can build up on a roof, including:

• Roof Pitch, drifting, lean-tos or other low roofs that receive snow or ice sliding off roofs above them, shingles or other roof decks which do not shed snow as easily as metal roofs, and roof valleys.

• The weight of the snow on a roof also varies, in turn varying the snow loading on the roof. Ice dams can trap melting snow and rain adds more weight.  Drifting snow creates excessive loads, uneven weight, and ice dams, all contributing to the instability of the roof.

So if your roof looks a little like this, consider removing the snow loads with a roof rake or hiring a professional.  When you hire a professional always make sure they have proper insurance, including liability to protect you and your property, as well as workers' compensation to protect their workers in the event of an injury. For more information on snow loads and how to remove snow from your roof to prevent it from collapsing, contact our offices, or visit us on Facebook and Twitter.

Living in New England, we are accustomed to unpredictable winters, from snow storms one day, to warm rains the next, to freezing there after. If you live in a cold, snowy region like New Hampshire, you may already be aware of the damaging effects of ice dams. Ice dams result from roof edges and gutters clogging up with ice, which causes water runoff from the roof to get trapped by the dam, eventually backing up the roof, traveling under the shingles, and leaking into the house. Ice dams can cause unpredictable damage, with some homeowners unable to perceive damage to the roof, yet others able to notice extensive effects. Water leaking into the home can harm the entire building, and its ceilings, walls, and flooring. Personal property like computers, TVs and furniture can be permanently damaged by the leaking water as well.

There are ways to prevent ice dams from forming on your roof, but if the damage has already occurred, the next question you should ask is: "Will my homeowner's insurance cover it?" With most homeowner's policies, the answer is "yes."  However, policies vary, from deductibles to coverage for buildings and personal property. So, as you start the clean up process, be sure to call your independent insurance agent to open a claim and review your specific coverage.

After repairing the damage, it never hurts to be more preventive in the future by increasing the insulation, sealing, and ventilation in your attic, or shoveling the snow off of your roof's edge to prevent snow loads.  Many professionals offer this service, just make sure they are properly insured with liability and workers' compensation coverage before letting them work on your property. The best idea is to avoid ice dams altogether, but it's crucial to ensure that your insurance policy has the coverage you need in case of any unpreventable damage.

To request a free insurance quote, please fill out and submit our Online Insurance Quote Request Form.

We are very proud that a core group of our employees volunteer once per month serving dinner at the Nashua Soup Kitchen. Thank you to our great staff!

We are pleased to announce that we have two new employees starting with us on September 7th! Gwen Storey will be our Receptionist/ Customer Service Assistant and Katie Ragan will be part of our Personal Lines Sales Staff. WELCOME!

You have heard us on TV and the radio talking about the advantages of a local insurance agent that you know and trust. WE work hard to earn that trust which is why we are so proud to win once again the 2010 Best of Souhegan Reader's Choice Award. Thank you to all our customers and friends in the community.

We are very proud to have been named the 2010 Small Business of the Year by the Souhegan Valley Chamber of Commerce. To be recognized by our peers for this honor is very gratifying. This recognition is for the great service we provide to our customers, but equally important, the community involvement of our entire staff. Some of our insurance agents and other employees are on boards of non-profits and/or volunteer in any capacity they can to "help the cause".

Thank you Souhegan Valley for supporting us and allowing us to give back!

We will find the right coverage at the right price for your family or your business. At Eaton & Berube, we understand that every business has unique risks. Whether it's special events insurance for non-profit organizations, or public officials liability for government institutions, Eaton & Berube can provide the coverage options your business (large or small) needs for total financial security.

To request a free insurance quote, please fill out and submit our Online Insurance Quote Request Form.

Why We Cover NH

To request a free insurance quote, please fill out and submit our Online Insurance Quote Request Form.