If you are like most of us, you are finding that property valuations are going crazy—what may be valued as $1.9 million home with an ISO carrier may be valued as a $1.4 million home based on an MSO carrier’s estimator. And, to add to that, who knows what the...
This Halloween, don’t get scared: get coverage!
Halloween is almost here, and with it, everything that makes the holiday so special. There’s the chilly fall air, and it seems as though there’s the grinning jack-o-lanterns posted at every door. Elaborate decorations and haunted houses are a fixture of Hallows’ Eve,...
N.Y.: Call to action: Insurance agents assemble
The 2023 New York legislative session was a successful one for independent insurance agents. In 2023, PIANY saw not one, but two, of the association’s top priorities pass the Legislature! The advocacy of insurance agents, like yourself, has been critical in getting...
Water you mean I’m not covered? Navigate the flood insurance knowledge gap
The summer of ’23 has brought disastrous weather events in almost every region of the country. The Northeast faced record-breaking flooding. Vermont received two months’ worth of rain—more than nine inches—in just a few days. More than 4,000 homes were damaged by...
N.Y.: Supplement spousal liability: A history
Strangely, the legal concept of spousal liability has been in the news recently. This is due to a recent change in New York state law that will now require all auto insurance policies issued in the state to provide coverage for supplemental spousal liability—unless a...
Shark attacks: If you’re not with Jason Statham, an insurance policy may be the next best thing
If you are brave enough to have bought a ticket to Jason Statham’s latest action thriller, Meg 2: The Trench, then you might be familiar with what it would be like to take on a band of oversized, murderous sharks and other sea creatures in the pursuit of ocean...
N.J.: ‘Dwelling units’ would be required to have renters insurance if new bill becomes law
New Jersey Assemblymember William B. Sampson IV, D-31, introduced A-5696 on May 18, 2023. This bill would require renters insurance for individuals entering or renewing a lease for a dwelling unit. The legislation defines dwelling unit as any room, or group of rooms,...
The psychology of advanced car safety technology
One of the biggest areas for recent innovation in automobile design is advanced safety features. Features like lane and obstacle sensing radar, collision warning, and heads up displays are increasingly becoming standard equipment on new cars. The technology that comes...
UBI off to a slow start
In 1998, a new technology was introduced that promised to have major implications for many industries, chief among them the insurance industry. This technology allowed systems to monitor and collect data about a user’s behavior in real time. Today, many of us use...
Don’t shoot the messenger
You are probably familiar with the turn of phrase Don’t shoot the messenger. It means not to blame the person delivering a message for the content of that message. Often, I think that all insurance agencies should have that sign up in their lobby or on their website,...