By Anonymous November 03, 2010
The service at BC&S has been going downhill ever since the agency was purchased by Plymouth Rock Assurance in Boston a few years back. Billy Dowd (no relation to Cray-Dowd Insurance down the street) is a really nice guy, but he doesn't run the show any more. If you want to deal with an agency that treats its customers like a big corporation does, and takes its money out of town, you’ll have no problem with BC&S. On the other hand, if you really want to do business with local people and a locally owned insurance agency, the choices are getting slimmer all the time. I keep my business with people I can look in the eye, and Cray-Dowd, Amherst Insurance and the Bresnahan Agency are the only options for my money. Buy local! ...read more
Winter's first snowfall could be just around the corner, and in Massachusetts, for the first time in over 130 years, anyone owning or maintaining property can be held liable for failure to use "reasonable care" with respect to snow removal. This was the ruling of the Supreme Judicial Court in late July, 2010. The court's ruling will have a significant impact onall property owners,snow removal contractorsandproperty managersin the state. Principally, the ruling does away with the distinction between "unnatural" and "natural" accumulations of snow and ice, and establishes ‘Reasonable Care" as the basis of liability. Since 1994, 9 out of 10 slip and fall cases were dismissed in summary judgment as a result of this distinction, since snow and ice were considered "natural" in most Massachusetts cases. Making matters even more complex, the SJC made the ruling retroactive, allowing any case to be reconsidered, as long as the statute of limitations has not been exceeded. This is expected to result in an influx of cases going forward, many of which will be tried by jury. Jury members will be charged with determining whether "reasonable care" was exercised in each case, raising the likelihood that outcomes will be unpredictable at best. Dowd Insurancehas the expertise to help its customers reduce their exposure to claims due to the new law, including free workshops, best practices guides and other useful tools. It's another way we add value to your insurance protection. You can protect yourself from claims, and from higher insurance premiums, but only if you know what to do, and then take the appropriate actions. For information about our 1 hour workshops, please contact Jim Lawton at the Amherst office of Cray-Dowd. Don't wait until the snow flies to get yourself shovel ready! Please feel free to forward this message to other landlords, contractors, or property managers you know. ...read more
By Cray-Dowd Insurance September 15, 2010
Having motor insurance gives you peace of mind, and looking for motor insurance involves carefully comparing motor insurance. Comparing motor insurance will ensure that you receive a good insurance rate and a provider that will provide quality service when you need it most. ...read more
When you have booked a cruise, the last thing on your mind are the things that can go wrong. You probably are more concerned with the fun times ahead. Unfortunately, cruise travel insurance should come to mind, as not having coverage can create problems such as lost items or trip cancellation problems... ...read more