-'s Blog

Driving Without Auto Insurance? Think Again!

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:09:08 -0500

You'd think that most people would be sensible enough to not drive without car insurance. There are financial penalties for driving without insurance, which vary from state to state. Some states fine uninsured drivers between $150 and $500.

In addition, if you are uninsured and you indicate "Intent to Drive" as an uninsured motorist, your vehicle tag can be seized and your car impounded. If you are involved in an accident and don't have insurance the consequences can be far more severe. These include having to pay for any injuries or damages out of your own pocket. You also risk a possible fine or jail time, not to mention the possibility of personal lawsuits.

That's without taking into account the damage to your vehicle. What if your vehicle needs repairs that are simply too costly for you to pay for? You may end up without a car as a result of an accident without insurance coverage. If you rely on your vehicle for work, your income could also be reduced.

Sure, auto insurance can seem like yet another expense but there are companies out there who do offer cheap auto insurance rates to suit your budget. It's worthwhile getting a quick quote and organising protection. Can you afford not to have auto insurance?

Contact Braley and Wellington Insurance for a free analysis of your current auto policy or to get a quote on your next!

Cell-Related Accidents on the Rise

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:34:52 -0500

With the prevalence of cell phone related auto accidents on the rise, states are beginning to crack down on what you can and cannot do behind the wheel. Just this month, a Boston trolley driver caused a severe accident injuring over 50 people because he was text messaging his girlfriend. With his face planted in his phone, typing away at the keypad, the negligent state employee slammed his trolley full of passengers into another trolley.

Ten states, as well as our nation’s capital, have outlawed the use of text messaging for drivers on the roadways and ten other states are in the pipeline to follow suit. Some areas of the country are even examining the possibilities of installing beat belts on passenger busses.

As states make an attempt to make the highways safer, do not forget to secure a reliable auto insurance policy for those unavoidable and unexpected situations.

Contact Braley & Wellington Insurance Group to get a free Mass auto insurance quote today!

Avoiding the "What If's?" - Securing a Mass Insurance Policy

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:34:50 -0500

Most people don’t enjoy talking about insurance. Even insurance professionals don’t always love talking about insurance. But the world of indemnity and helping people recover from a crisis is rewarding, sometimes exciting, and always very important. Most folks tend to forget the importance of a good insurance policy until it is needed to get them out of a jam. And they are sure glad that they have it when it’s needed.

What if you’re involved in a serious auto accident and are unable to pay the medical bill of the person you injured? What if you came down with a life threatening illness that presented you with astronomical health costs and an inability to work? What if your home was burned to the ground by a landscaper who unthinkingly threw a cigarette butt on your property, destroying all your possessions? What if you were to unexpectedly pass away leaving behind a wife and kids?

These are questions that need to be addressed when shopping for insurance products and which coverage’s you need. Braley and Wellington Insurance has the resources to help you find all of the products you need and to purchase them at affordable prices. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you or visit our virtual insurance office for a free Massachusetts insurance quote.

Braley and Wellington Insurance specializes in Massachusetts motorcycle insurance. Get a free quote today!

Are Motorcycle Helmets Really Neccesary?

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:52:19 -0500

Think wearing a motorcycle helmet isn’t cool? Think again. Yeah, yeah I get it – the motorcycle represents all that is cool and individualistic. Motorcycles stand for American freedom, personal rights, and living dangerously. Motorcyclists enjoy the raw power, the piercing roar of the engine, and the feeling created by cutting through the wind at high speeds. While riders are not known for being safe and taking precautions, none of them want to be in an accident.

The use of helmets has been a hot topic with motorcyclists for quite some time. Forcing it on riders causes problems because it infringes on “their rights." Whether you are for or against helmet-wearing, it is a proven fact that helmets greatly increase the chances of surviving a serious accident and greatly decrease the injuries received in a crash. Also, helmets will keep medical and insurance costs lower if you are involved in an accident.

According to motorcycle-accidents.com, “voluntary safety helmet use by those accident-involved motorcycle riders was lowest for untrained, uneducated, young motorcycle riders on hot days and short trips, the use of the safety helmet is the single critical factor in the prevention of reduction of head injury; the safety helmet which complies with FMVSS 218 is a significantly effective injury countermeasure, and helmeted riders and passengers showed significantly lower head and neck injury for all types of injury, at all levels of injury severity.”

Braley & Wellington believes in living on the edge and having fun and taking chances. We’re all for individual expression and tearing through life in full speed. But we encourage you to do so with a helmet on. Nobody is too cool for life. Contact Braley & Wellington today for a free Massachusetts motorcycle insurance quote.

Motorcycle Safety Tips and Insurance

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 08:04:57 -0500

As motorcyclist’s hit the open road this spring and summer seasons, be aware of the sobering statistics that have become a reality for weekend warrior across the country. Motorcycle riding is growing in popularity every year, for hobby riders and everyday riders. But unfortunately, the number of motorcycle related accidents and fatalities have sky-rocketed. Motorcycle deaths have climbed in numbers every year for the past ten years and in 2007 5,154 people died in a motorcycle related accident. Motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to die in an accident that those in a passenger car. These stats are scary and need to be recognized. Most accidents are avoidable and victims should be out enjoying their bikes.

Follow these motorcycle tips to make your ride safer and more enjoyable:

Always wear a helmet. An approved helmet will save your life by protecting your head in an accident. Consider a helmet with a shield or protective eyewear will increase your safety even more.
Wear the appropriate gear and clothing. If you are in an accident, certain clothing, reflectors, and equipment can make you more visible and safe.
Obey the traffic laws.
Drive defensively. Always assume that you are not able to be seen because in many cases you cannot.
Keep up to date on the skills and trends within the motorcycle community.
Never ride under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Also, never drive if you are fatigued and drowsy.

Braley & Wellington specializes in providing superior motorcycle insurance to protect you and your bike in the event of an accident. Our dedicated agents will shop the top carriers in the country to find you a Massachusetts motorcycle policy that you can feel comfortable with. Visit our virtual insurance office for a free insurance quote.

High Gas Prices and Auto Insurance

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:34:07 -0500

With gas prices on the upswing (again) its time evaluate your Auto Insurance policy. We all felt spoiled as oil costs plummeted several months ago but we all knew, inevitably, that the prices would creep back up. The national average for gas per gallon has re-risen to over $2. Saving money on auto costs may not be possible at the dreaded pump, but consider reviewing your car insurance policy to save.

There are several ways to save on car insurance and often times, people unknowingly are paying more than necessary for auto coverage. Follow these simple steps to save on your current auto policy and don’t let high gas prices break your bank account:

Shop around - don’t settle for the first quote you’re given. Braley and Wellington will shop the top carries FOR YOU to ensure a low cost policy
Get any available discounts - if you’ve participated in a driving course or group associations, you may qualify for a discount, also if you combine policies you can usually save a significant amount
Increase deductible - by increasing your deductible, you can lower your premiums saving you money in the long run. Actually, paying a higher deductible can possibly save you a drastic amount.
Drop unneeded coverage - if your car is not worth much, you may not need all its coverage’s, dropping collision and comprehensive is a possibility
Clean up your credit score - improving your credit score will actually save you on car insurance, in fact some companies won’t accept extremely poor credit scores. Braley and Wellington will shop the top carriers until you have a policy you’re comfortable with.
Get the right car –your auto insurance can be high or low depending on the car you drive. Choosing a car with low theft rates and low repair costs will be beneficial to your wallet.

Braley and Wellington is dedicated to providing you with exceptional service while searching for your next auto insurance policy. Our knowledgeable agents will work with you and for you to get the policy you need at the rate you deserve. Visit our website for a free online Massachusetts Car Insurance quote!

Internet Dominates the Insurance Agency

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:21:11 -0500

Technology has impacted the insurance world significantly. It has made buying and selling insurance much more efficient. Researching and learning about insurance products has never been easier as there are countless sites dedicated to educating people on insurance needs. At any time, you can go online, research any product, get a quote from a virtual office, and purchase a policy.

Braley and Wellington Insurance Agency has created a virtual insurance office system that will accommodate all of your insurance needs. We have thorough descriptions of each product we offer as well as a free online quote form for your convenience.

As an independent insurance agency, we are not only able to offer the internet as a resource for our products and services – since we’re local, you can stop by and talk to us whenever you want…for anything! Visit our website for a free insurance quote or to see a map of where we’re located.

A Closer Look at Executive Benefits

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:02:20 -0600

Executive benefits are becoming increasingly popular, as they allow a corporation to provide valuable benefits designed specifically for the highly-compensated employees.

There are quite a few different benefits. They're all valuable, but they can become overwhelming to try and separate, so we have listed them below:

A Nonqualified Deferred Compensation Plan lets you allocate funds to benefit a select group of highly compensated managers. You can design a deferred compensation plan for employee pretax salary deferral, employer contributions, or both. You can also specify when benefits are to be paid.

An Executive Bonus Plan is a way to compensate select employees by paying a cash bonus to the employee or by directly purchasing an investment on the employee's behalf.

Executive Life Insurance. Key executives who are highly compensated often have unique life insurance needs. To protect their families, they need a way to replace their compensation in the event of premature death.

Supplemental Employee Retirement Plans provide the additional benefits desired by executives, and they allow you as the employer to maintain control.

Split-Dollar Plans let you buy the full amount of life insurance coverage you need without paying the premiums personally; the business pays them instead. Your cost is the economic benefit value of the life insurance protection. The business is able to recover the greater of the premiums it pays, or the policy's cash value from the policy death benefit upon your death.

Other benefits include Salary Continuation Plans, Executive Long Term Care Plans, and Supplemental Executive Disability Coverage.

For more information on executive benefits, just ask us! We're Braley & Wellington Insurance, an independent insurance agency based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Future Retirees: Don’t Make These 10 Mistakes

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 01:09:41 -0600

Everyone agrees that saving for retirement is an important step in life. Have you been saving enough so that once you’re at retirement age, you can stop working?

Many people unfortunately have been mislead or misinformed when it comes to saving for retirement.

They don’t understand how much they should be saving, how to invest, or how to stretch their money. Here are 10 ways in which Americans lack an understanding in saving for their retirement:

• Not saving enough. Many people haven’t attempted to “budget” how much money they will need to retire.

• Being unaware of when retirement will happen. Lots of workers need to retire before they expect to, and before they are ready.

• Staying alive! Life expectancy is a very limited planning tool. Some workers will live beyond what they factor in, thereby outliving their savings.

• Ignoring long term care. So many people decide they won’t need long term care, but as you grow older, your chances for needing long term care rise. Adding in the cost is important.

• Failing to understand investments. Workers are now largely responsible for managing investments for retirement; however, many workers misunderstand investment returns and expenses.

• Trying to insure themselves against long life. Although many people find guaranteed lifetime income attractive, in practice they usually choose to receive retirement plan benefits in lump-sum form. They pass up opportunities to get a lifetime pension or annuity, failing to recognize the difficulty of self-insuring their longevity.

• Taking bad advice. Many workers take poor advice from financial “professionals.” If it sounds fishy, get a second opinion, or even a third.

• Not knowing sources of retirement income. Workers often don’t understand what their main sources of income will be in retirement. They may be surprised and disappointed when they try to live on the income that is actually available.

• Not considering inflation. Many workers forget completely about factoring in inflation.

• Failing to provide for a surviving spouse. Many married couples fail to plan for the eventual death of one spouse before the other.

Considering these common misconceptions is a vital first step. If you recognize yourself in any of these scenarios, it may be time to take action.

Have more questions? For more information on retirement plan administration, contact us today. We’re the Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency, based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The Importance of Employee Education

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:00:31 -0600

All kinds of businesses benefit from employee education, no matter if the company is a high-tech firm or in the medical field, or any other type of business. Any workplace that deals with product innovation and change will eventually need an employee education program. It’s important to keep a staff educated and trained so that they’re kept current with the company’s offerings, procedures, and tools, as well as up-to-date in the changes in technology.

Employee education can include the following programs:

Financial Security
Education on taxes, retirement, mortgage, college funds, real estate, 401K plans, and investments.

Health and Prevention
Education on nutrition, disease prevention, family/relationship counseling, alcohol/drug abuse, and violence prevention.

Emergency Readiness and Response
Education on homeland security, terrorist threats, and natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, fire, floods, mudslides, droughts, storms, oil spills, and pollution.

An educated staff is a more loyal staff and will keep customers coming back to your business. For more information on employee education, contact us today. We’re the Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency, based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Protecting Your Family Business with Business Succession Planning

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 10:30:12 -0600

Family businesses are a triumph. An establishment or company that has survived throughout the years is rare and quite an accomplishment. When children carry on what their parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, or other family members began, it’s an honor.

Family businesses are trademarked by the family’s characteristics and intelligence. Therefore, business succession planning needs to be a priority for any family business.

Unfortunately, those who begin a family business can’t keep running it forever. After awhile, everyone must retire. For those who believe that selling their hard-earned company is unheard of and insist on keeping it in the family (or at least keeping it entrusted to a close friend), business succession planning is a must.

Will the future owners of your business run it the way you intend? That’s where business succession planning comes in. We can handle delicate issues that come with family businesses, like the difference between ownership and management; who gets shares; who will be most active in the business, and tax issues.

It’s a good idea to begin your business succession planning at least five years before you plan on retiring, and even sooner if you’re in poor health. Be sure to involve your main successor(s) and train them on how to do everything properly. Encourage them to ask as many questions as they can.

If you’ve been procrastinating on your business succession planning, it’s never too late to begin. To learn more about business succession planning, contact us today! We’re the Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency, based in Worcester, Massachusetts.

What Can I Do to Lower My Home Insurance Policy in Worcester, MA?

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 20:40:02 -0500

Blame it on what you will, home insurance has been getting pricier. Here are some tips on saving money on your homeowner's insurance policy:

• Figure out the limits you’re comfortable with on your homeowners policy and the amount you need to insure, then get multiple quotes. An independent insurance agency like Braley & Wellington (bwginsurance.com) can help you find lots of options.

• Many insurance companies give discounts when you purchase more than one kind of insurance through them. Consider purchasing your other insurances through the same company.

• Having small home-protection devices and precautions will often get you discounts. Things like smoke alarms, burglar alarms and deadbolts, sprinkler systems, and even fire-retardant plants can mean bigger discounts.

• Get a quote for insurance that would pay to replace your possessions rather than reimburse you based on their depreciated value.

• Ask your agent what documentation you would need to substantiate a claim in case of theft or fire.

• Ask your agent about having enough liability coverage to protect you against a lawsuit if someone gets hurt on your property.

Don’t forget to review your policy at least once a year to make sure all your property and belongings are covered. Many homeowners spend loads of money each year to renovate or add on to their houses, but then don't update their homeowners insurance coverage. Walk through your house with a video camera or regular camera and take video/photos of your possessions – anything that you’ll want to be reimbursed for. Keeping your home inventory up-to-date will prove very helpful.

Braley & Wellington is an independent insurance agent in the Worcester, Massachusetts area. To find out more about Worcester, Auburn, Shrewsbury, and Boylston home insurance, contact them today.

Being Careful is Never Enough: Auto Insurance in Worcester, MA

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 15:40:34 -0500

It never matters how safe a driver you are – you could still get into an auto accident. Today, even. My limo-driving father once said I was such a safe driver that I could get a job carpooling babies, but he insisted on me getting auto insurance because of the other drivers that I share the road with.

We all know that there are people who get behind the wheel who have no business doing so. Everyone has seen these drivers:

• The Nascar racer wannabe who tries to go faster than everyone on the road

• The girl who is putting on makeup and nail polish while talking on her phone

• The ancient old couple who are going the speed of a dilapidated lawnmower

• The trucker who thought he could make it through the night but is now in a peaceful sleep – at the wheel

• The “king of the road” who doesn’t think he needs to give anyone a turning signal and swerves quickly from lane to lane

• Drunk drivers, unfortunately still going strong

• And finally, the outright psychos – like the one who injured my father last year by driving full-speed towards traffic on the interstate

This is why it’s imperative to find an auto insurance agent that can cover you completely. Don’t think that you’re going to be perfectly fine without auto insurance simply because you’re a careful driver. You could end up with a totaled car and maybe a broken leg, all of which you’ll have to pay for yourself.

Even though looking for a good agent and going through the insurance-buying process can be a pain, it’s absolutely necessary. And it is getting easier and less time-consuming, thanks to insurance agencies with virtual offices (like BWGInsurance.com) where you can get an online quote quickly.

Don’t take a chance just because you’re a good driver. Remember, you have to share the road with other drivers who are sometimes irresponsible and sometimes even crazy. Protect your car and yourself.

Braley & Wellington is an independent insurance agent in the Worcester, Massachusetts area. To find out more about Worcester, Auburn, Shrewsbury, and Boylston auto insurance, contact them today.

Business Insurance: Protecting Your Company in Worcester, MA

- - (Braley & Wellington Insurance Agency) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:55:08 -0500

You’ve worked hard to get your business up and running. Now you might be thinking, Do I really need business insurance?

The answer is yes. Insurance will be a very wise investment in your business. Many business owners believe that they can “slide” with no coverage for their company, but it’s a very silly risk to take. No matter what the excuse is to forfeit insurance, nearly all of the time, those excuses do not hold up. Any business, whether it’s making money or not, can be sued. Investing into business insurance will give you peace of mind about your workers and building.

There’s coverage for almost every risk your business might face:

• Property insurance insures against loss or damage to the location of the business and its contents.

• Casualty insurance insures against loss or damage to the business.

• Liability insurance protects your business when the business is sued for negligence.

• Commercial auto coverage insures against property damage to vehicles and damage caused to others by those vehicles. Your personal automobile policy doesn’t cover vehicles used by your business.

• Workers compensation insures your employees against on-the-job injuries.

• Business interruption insurance insures against loss or damage to the cash flow and profit of a business caused by the business being unable to operate because of interruption.

• Health insurance offers a health coverage benefit to your employees and yourself.

• Life and disability insurance protects the business against the death or even disability of key employees.

Now that your hard work has materialized into a running company with busy employees, it’s time to look into protecting it. Your business needs to be insured.

We’re an independent, full-service insurance agency in the Worcester, MA area. At the BRALEY & WELLINGTON INSURANCE AGENCY CORPORATION, our approach is to treat you, as clients, like partners. To learn more, please visit www.bwginsurance.com.