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Personal
E-Newsletter
JUNE
2011
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Expert Advice You Can Trust
As a
consumer you have the right to unbiased and expert advice.
Deal with an Insurance Broker and you deal with a licensed and
local professional whose first legal duty is to you,
the customer, not the company your policy is placed
with. This means, we work for you, not the insurance
company.
The
distinction becomes most important in the case of a claim. We
understand the stress and confusion that happens when a loss
occurs. Since we work for you, we make sure you are treated
fairly by the insurance company if your claim is
challenged.
REMEMBER,
WE"RE ON YOUR SIDE
Never think
twice about contacting us to seek professional advice if you are
involved in a minor accident. As your broker, we can advise
you of the repercussions of placing a claim. In situations
where you are obligated to report a claim-specifically when there
are injuries or significant property damage involved - you can
count on us to guide you through the claims process.
If
you're not sure, pick up the phone and ask us about
it.
We're
insurance experts, so you don't have to be.
 NEXT
STORY
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Are
You Planning On Taking Your Vehicle Out Of
Storage?
As
of November 29th 2010 the Ministry of Transportation is now able to
electronically verify with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, if a
plated vehicle has mandatory insurance coverage during the license
plate renewal process.
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IN
THIS ISSUE
Safer Roads For A
Safer Ontario
If
you're caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from
0.05 to 0.08 (Known as the "Warn Range"). The police can
immediately suspend your license up to three days for a first
occurrence.
Insurance Fraud
Hurts Everyone
There are big
lies and little lies. But insurance fraud can be anything
from claiming two or three extra CD's being stolen from your car
after the window was smashed, to claiming large sums of tools
stolen from your garage. To falsifying an injury in order to
collect weekly indemnity benefits.
Gear Up For Home
Maintenance
It's
time for a thorough, semi-annual maintenance check of your
home. Many of these simple tasks can add years to the life of
your home and prevent major repair headaches. Invest a little
time now and you'll save money on repair bills.
TESTIMONIALS
"Our
claim was acted on right away. Paul Restoration was at the
house within an hour. We have a little girl with a disability
who requires a bath every night. Within 25 hours, the
plumbing was fixed. Awesome job by Dan Lawrie Insurance
Brokers and everyone who helped us."
-R
& C Difrancesco
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See how we can help you better protect
everything you have worked so hard to achieve!
Dan
Lawrie Insurance Brokers Ltd. | 105 Main Street, East, 14th
Flr.
Hamilton
| Ontario | L8N 1G6 | Canada
The content in this Newsletter are guidelines only, always seek
professional advice
tailored specifically for your firm. E &
E.O.
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Are You Planning
On Taking Your Vehicle Out Of Storage
DID YOU KNOW ...
As
of November 29th 2010 the Ministry of Transportation is now able to
electronically verify with the Insurance Bureau of Canada, if a
plated vehicle has mandatory insurance coverage during the license
plate renewal process.
This
will mean that if your birthday and your plate renewal date fall
during a period when the vehicle is stored without mandatory road
coverage's, the Ministry of Transportation will not be able to
renew your license plate until you can prove that mandatory road
coverage has been restored to the vehicle.
The
Ministry of Transportation has access to this information through
the Insurance
Bureau
of Canada, so simply by calling your broker to reinstate the
coverage on the
same
day will not ensure the plate is renewable, as it takes time for
your insurer to
process
the change to restore coverage.
As
your Insurance Broker, we strongly recommend you call us at least
14 days in
advance
to request road coverage's be reinstated on your policy to ensure
that when
you
go to the Ministry of Transportation to renew your plate, the
coverage will be verifiable
Alternatively
you are allowed to make a 1 time only (per vehicle) declaration
that valid
coverage
is in place and you must produce a current liability
certificate.
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Safer Roads For A
Safer Ontario
If
you're caught driving with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) from
0.05 to 0.08 (Known as the "Warn Range"). The police can
immediately suspend your license up to three days for a first
occurrence. Seven days for a second occurrence and 30 days
for a third or subsequent occurrence. In each case, there is
also a $150 administrative penalty.
These
roadside license suspensions cannot be appealed. Suspensions
will be recorded on the driver's record for up to five years and
will be considered when determining consequences for subsequent
infractions.
Consequences
for driving with a 0.05 to 0.08 "Warn Range" blood alcohol
concentration are as follows:
-
3 day license suspension
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$150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
Second
Time (Within 5 Years)
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7 day license suspension
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Mandatory education program
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$150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
Third
Time (Within 5 Years)
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30 day license suspension
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Mandatory education program
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Six-month ignition interlock license condition
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$150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
Subsequent
Infractions (Within 5 Years)
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30 day license suspension
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Mandatory alcohol treatment program
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Six-month ignition interlock license condition
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Mandatory medical evaluation
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$150 Administrative Monetary Penalty
These
charges came into effect May 1, 2009. As your insurance
broker, we care about you and your family. Any accident
caused by an impaired driver can be devastating. Whether
you're involve in an accident or not, being charged with impaired
driving has a major effect on your insurability and
rates.
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Insurance Fraud
Hurts Everyone
There
are big lies and little lies. But insurance fraud can be
anything from claiming two or three extra CD's being stolen from
your car after the window was smashed, to claiming large sums of
tools stolen from your garage. To falsifying an injury in
order to collect weekly indemnity benefits.
Each
year, insurance fraud costs Canadians $3 billion. That means
10 to 15 cents of every dollar you pay as premium is used to cover
fraudulent insurance claims. Insurance fraud really does cost
everyone.
Common
Types of Fraud or Attempted Fraud Include:
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Lying about the way a loss occurred.
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Adding items or inflating the value items in a claim.
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Filing fraudulent automobile accident or damage claims (i.e.
including previously existing damage when submitting a
claim.)
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Withholding information about past accidents, traffic convictions,
claims, policy cancellations or non-renewals.
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Receiving payments for treatments not received.
If
You Are Caught Committing Or Attempting To Commit Insurance
Fraud:
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Your claim will be denied.
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Your insurance policy may be cancelled outright.
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You may pay higher premiums in the future.
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You may be denied insurance in the future.
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More importantly, the offence is punishable, on
conviction,
by
a maximum of 10 years imprisonment for cases involving
an
amount over $5,000 or otherwise a maximum of 2 years
imprisonment.
Insurance
fraud costs all of us in the form of higher premiums. If
someone you know is committing insurance fraud on a home, car or
business policy, you can report it to CrimeStoppers at
1-800-222-TIPS. If your tip helps the police or your
insurance company catch an insurance fraud, you may be eligible for
a cash reward. And your call will remain completely
anonymous.
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Gear Up For Home
Maintenance
It's
time for a thorough, semi-annual maintenance check of your
home. Many of these simple tasks can add years to the life of
your home and prevent major repair headaches. Invest a little
time now and you'll save money on repair bills.
Get
started by inspecting the outside of your
home for
water leaks. Key areas include overhangs, awnings and exposed
siding where snow or water might collect and cause materials to
decay. Repair and replace any areas showing water
damage. During the next storm, watch how the rain rolls off
of your roof and out your gutters. Be sure the water empties
a good distance from your foundation and flows away from your
home.
Next,
take a look at all of your windows and
doors for
drafts and air leaks. Caulk any seams and re-glaze windows if
needed. Clean all of your windows, inside and out, including
the screens. Replace worn weather-stripping around doors and
you'll help keep cool air in the house and your electric bills
down.
Have
your air conditioner serviced.
Don't wait until it breaks down during a heat wave. It's a
good idea to shade the outdoor part of the air conditioner from the
sun, clean the unit and inspect the filter. Furnace filters
should also be checked and replaced as needed.
Now
it's time to tackle the roof.
Using a sturdy ladder, climb up to eye level to inspect the
flashing around vents and chimneys. Look for visible cracks,
nesting animals or other signs of damage. Use this
opportunity to have a professional chimney sweep clean your
chimney. Re-tar any cracks and repair or replace any shingles
that are buckled or broken. While you're at it, clean out the
gutters and downspouts and sweep the shingles free of sticks,
leaves and other debris.
Back
on the ground, inspect the stair railings, steps
and sidewalks around your home for ice
damage that may have occurred during
the winter months. If your walkways or steps have settled or
shifted, consider hiring a professional to repair them, so that no
one gets injured on your property.
Finally, replace
batteries in your smoke detectors. Most
alarms use a battery as either the primary or back up power
source. Batteries should be replaced twice a year.
Remember, whenever you change your clocks, change your smoke
detector batteries.
Regular
maintenance can keep your home in top shape and save you from
costly repairs.
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