Boats, Boats, Boats!

At J.M. Doherty Insurance Agency we know boats.  With more than 50 years experience on the water Jim Doherty and his team can get your boat insured quickly and easily.

Do you know the difference between Agreed Value and Actual Cash Value? There's a BIG difference between these two settlement options.  We can explain the two and see which one fits your needs best.

We have an extensive network of marinas and boatyards that can service your vessel as well. Triad Boat Works in Mattapoisett, www.triadboat.com; Niemiec Marine in New Bedford, www.niemiecmarine.com; Windward Power Systems in Wareham, www.windwardpower.com  All these guys know there stuff, from repairing that wooden hard top to installing those brand new Catipillar Diesels. We're confident you will be happy with the service and expertise.

We can quote and bind coverage right over the phone in most cases. Please note that in some cases we will require a survey, depending on the age of the vessel. 

What about Hurricane Haul out coverage. Do you have it? How about emergency towing? That can be very important for any boater.

We ask that you call us today for a review and quote.

For more than "37" years J.M. Doherty Insurance Agency, Inc has been "steering you in the right direction".

Thank you!!

Facebook, YouTube, Google and Insurance

If you ask any "kid" between the ages of 10 and 30 where they find out about the world around them, they will give you one answer, the internet. Clothing, shoes, food, entertainment, and even insurance, the list is endless.  The best part is it's all right at your fingertips.  Don't get lost in the soup!

We know at J.M. Doherty Insurance Agency, Inc. www.jmdins.com that the competition is fierce. The "big Box" insurers are beating folks on the head every day with ads on the TV, radio, and of course the internet too. Frankly, that's just fine for us.  We know we can't compete with multi million dollar advertising budgets.

What we can do is offer superior service (*like free registry runs and free notary) We offer local representation. Most important, we want to help educate our customers about the real world of insurance. The world in which insurers don't pay claims unless the coverage is there.

When your only concern is price then 1-800 direct is the answer to your prayers. Many direct write carriers offer a 6 month policy. That way if they give you a low quote in the beginning and your full driving history is not reviewed prior to issuing that policy, they can hike up your premium on the 6 month renewal. We see it all the time. Ask around!

Coverage limits, the cost, and deductibles; all these things effect the rates on every kind of insurance. We will take the time to walk you through your insurance needs. By asking the right questions we can help you determine what's important and what's not.

Massachusetts car insurance, home insurance, business insurance, even life and health, we do it here.

Simple questions, we love them! Complex business coverage, we love that to. 

Let's take your inquiry to the next level.  Please give us a try today call or click www.jmdins.com

Thank you!!

A Pound of Flesh and Fraud

I got a call from a local business owner that was looking for some Massachusetts Auto Insurance quotes. He asked me to stop by his store to review his current policy.www.jmdins.com  We save you money by coming to you.

When I arrived he had both his auto and home policies ready. He knew that there is money to be saved by combining them.

We went through all 12 parts of his policy.  The coverage was better than average $100,000 per person $300,000 per accident on part 5 Optional Bodily Injury.

I noticed that he was the only listed operator, no problem.

I asked him several questions about his situation. We discussed assets and his future plans for his family...

No sooner do I mention the family when his wife pulls in driving the 2007 Acura. She has the baby and all is well.

"I thought you said you were the only driver"? I say to him. "Well this is my wife...she moved here recently from Vietnam" he replies. "

That's fine but I don't see her listed anywhere on your policy. Let me get her date of birth and drivers license number and I will revise my quotes.  Which I did. 

A day or two later I went back with my figures.  She is a brand new driver here in Massachusetts. If we can provide verification that she has prior driving experience in Vietnam then we can adjust the quotes.  My numbers were more than $2000 higher than his current premium (obviously).

"No, No, No...this premium is too much...My wife, she only drives once in a while...Can we do it without her? My current agent did it that way"!!!

I explained "what ever your current agent did is going to be their problem when it happens". Every company asks that all household members be listed" If she has an accident the company will deny the claim.

I told him, No, I can't write the policy without listing her.  Your first phone call will be to me saying my wife just had an accident.  At that point the company promptly denies to pay the claim because they didn't get their "pound of flesh". They didn't get any premium dollars for her lack of experience. It's fraud in their eyes. I closed my file and left.

Maybe three of four months later my cell phone rings. It's the store owner.  His wife had been in an accident! He's explaining how it happened. She had missed a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle. "What's going to happen now" he says. I told him to call his current agent and see what he says.  I never heard back from him.

In the end, this person got ZERO, $0, nada, zip!  As I told him it's misrepresentation, fraud, what ever you want to call it. Insurance companies play hard ball at claim time. They aren't going to pay anything unless they've received their due compensation. 

We hear stories like this all the time. A customer wants to save money. We want to save that customer money too. But we won't reduce our standards just to write the business. In the long run it doesnt pay. It's doesn't pay for us. It doesn't pay for the customer.

You don't be "penny wise and pound foolish" now... That's another lesson for another day.

Thank you!!

In Home Business

Let's face it, everyone is doing everything to make ends meet lately. Whether it's your neighbor who has a perpetual "garage sale" going on, or it's the "Avon Lady". We do what we have to do to make ends meet. We understand. Don't get caught without the proper insurance. 

The exclusions page clearly states: Business related issues are NOT covered.
In home businesses can be easy to insure. Give us a call 508-992-9557 or click today www.jmdins.com
 
We can help determine whether your situation requires something quick and easy, or if it's something more. We will ask you some specific questions about the scope and scale of your operations. If you have business property to insure, no problem. That's what we do.

At some point every business owner realizes they can't roll the dice any longer. We see businesses survive and continue into the future because insurance paid a claim. From Business interruption to commercial general liability Doherty's looking out for you. 

 For more than "37" years J.M. Doherty Insurance Agency, Inc. "Steering you in the right direction"

Thank you!!

Need College Application Help?

If you are a planning to send your child to college you already know how much paperwork, time and expense goes into the process. The application forms, financial aid forms, income verification, tax info...on and on it goes.
Elizabeth Murphy founder of The College Edge Program can make your experience smooth and painless.  She's done it before for so many of her clients.  What if you want your child to apply to numerous schools?  Elizabeth can coordinate and streamline your efforts so you don't waste time on things that aren't going to help your child get accepted. After all, that is the main objective, right?

The knowledge of having someone there to guide you along the track can be such a relief to a parent. You know the stress level increases when you're working on these issues with your child. You also know how important getting into the school you both agree on can make the difference between a lack luster college experience or something more.

We are all seeking time to do the things that really matter. Family time, vacation time, just "TURN IT ALL OFF TIME"!  The services offered through the College Edge Program www.collegeedgeprogram.com will make that a reality.

Parents that both work full time with or without other children, single parents,  grand parents,  don't waste more time searching the web for answers! She will work one on one with your child. She can help find their true potential. She will provide you with a realistic picture of what schools are a good match for both mom and dad, and your child too.

Give Elizabeth Murphy a call today at 508-496-5406.
She is your answer! Ask her for the name of a family she has helped. She can give you 20.
More than just insurance for more than "37" years J.M. Doherty Insurance Agency Inc. "Steering you in the right direction" www.jmdins.com
 
Thank you!!

Local Business: Giammalvo's Market

Can you say local "INSTITUTION"!! Jimmy, Paul, Dennis, David...The list goes on. For more than 60 years the Giammolvo's staff has been serving the New Bedford citizens without bias or opinion. These guys see em' all. From working class assembly employees to the local professionals that call this home, those guys are all right!!

Where else can you cash your paycheck and buy dinner in one stop? How about if you're a little shot on funds? Ask Paul...If there is something he can do...

Did someone say FRESH burgers. If their burger was any fresher there would be a cattle lined up out the back door ready for the grinder. They grind the beef fresh to order!  WOW, who does that anymore?

They were delivering food to city residents long before "Pea Pod" was too. Give them a call, place an order and see for yourself.  508-997-3973

I can't say enough, Party platters, Salads, Sandwiches by the boat load, fresh cut meats, Steaks, Chops, Chicken...You have to check them out.

Giammolvo's Market is located at 1914 Purchase Street New Bedford, MA.  Stop in, tell them "Doherty Insurance" referred you.

www.jmdins.com Helping local business!!

Why is the Fire Chief Calling Me?

I never like getting those calls.  This case was no different. The time was about 6 pm, and I wasn't in the office.

My client is freaking out because he doesn't recall if the trailer is insured. More important; are the thousands of dollars worth of contractors tools inside the trailer insured?

I had to wait until the following morning before I could check the policies for him. My fear was that there had been a prior cancelation. I checked the auto policy to see if the trailer had coverage. It did!  Next, I checked the contractor policy that we had on file to see what tools we had insured. It WAS canceled for non payment of premium!

I called my client to gather some details and go over what I had found out. 
He started in by saying that the fire had only scorched the outside of the trailer. None of the tools inside were damaged.  I almost fell out of my chair in relief.
When I told him that his policy had canceled for non payment, he almost fell out of his chair! "Really?" he says to me. "I thought I had paid that bill".
This is the exception to the rule. This client was extremely lucky that it wasn't a catastrophe. That's the only way to sum it up! He told me "I would be out of business right now"!

We often get calls from customers that have a claim to make, but they have NO coverage because of non-payment of premium. There is no worse feeling for the customer or for us!

Insurance carriers don't have remorse when a customer doesn't have coverage for a claim. It's a happy day when they don't have to pay!
The customer is the one that feels the pain.

In order to prevent these situations from happening we offer EFT, or automatic payment from the checking account. We can make a call to the carrier to see if it's possible to pay a lower amount.  We will look at all the options in order to prevent a policy cancelation.

www.jmdins.com for over 37 years J.M. Doherty Insurance Agency, Inc. "steering you in the right direction".
Thank you!!