Frequently Asked Questions
Auto
Do
I qualify for a low mileage discount?
How do I
appeal a surcharge for an accident?
How does towing coverage
work?
My car isn't worth what the insurance costs me. Why is that?
I want to take my car off the road. How do I cancel the insurance?
Do I have replacement cost coverage, and what does that mean?
What is an umbrella
policy?
How can I save money on my homeowner's insurance?
Are damages to antiques covered by homeowners insurance?
What's a good recipe for chocolate chip cookies?
Auto FAQs
Q: Do I qualify for a low mileage discount?
If you drive less than 7500 miles a year, you qualify for a 5% discount. If you drive less than 5000 miles a year, you are eligible for a 10% discount.
Q: How do I appeal a surcharge for an accident?
You will be sent a surcharge notice in the mail. There are instructions on the back of the notice. The Board of Appeal, located at The Division of Insurance, will hold the hearing and notify you, the Merit Rating Board, and your company of its decision. If surcharge points are applied to your premium for an at fault accident while your appeal is pending, you must pay the additional premium or your policy will be cancelled. Should the Board of Appeals find that you were not more than 50% at fault, the Merit Board will remove the incident from your driving history record, and the company will adjust your policy premium accordingly.
Q: How does towing coverage work?
Towing coverage pays up to $50 for towing and labor charges each time your car is inoperable, weather or not an accident is involved. You may purchase coverage up to $100 per disablement for an additional cost.
Q: My car isn't worth what the insurance costs me. Why is
that?
You are covering what you DO with the vehicle, and not just the vehicle itself. You can kill someone else just as dead with your 1976 Dodge Monaco as your 2007 Porsche. The liability charge for each vehicle’s premium is also determined by many factors including safe driver step, principle drivers, and the vehicle itself. Each vehicle has a “symbol” attached to it that establishes it’s value and likelihood to be stolen or damaged, and cost to repair or replace.
Auto insurance is rated as per who is the principle operator. Each situation is different. You should call our office to review your options, and our proposals. You also need to notify us within 60 days if a household member who will operate your auto becomes a licensed operator.
Q: I want to take my car off the road. How do I cancel the insurance?
If you are NOT transferring the insurance to another vehicle, you will need to return the plates from the car to the Registry of Motor Vehicles. We provide daily service to the RMV free of charge, and can do this for you. The RMV will give us 2 receipts for the plate. One is held by you for excise tax purposes with your community, the other is sent to your insurance carrier to cancel the policy.
Home FAQs
Q: Do I have replacement cost coverage, and what does that mean?
Our agency generally includes replacement cost coverage in all proposals. This coverage provides the funds you will need to repair or replace your home at today’s costs for material and labor.
Q: What is an umbrella
policy?
An Umbrella policy is a separate policy, that pays its limits (usually 1 million dollars) on your behalf over and above your auto, home, tenant, boat policy, once that policy has exhausted it’s underlying limit for a covered peril.
Coverage for earthquake, landslide or mudflow damage is excluded entirely for your home, other structures, contents and personal belongings. Earthquake coverage is available for an additional premium.
Q: My son/daughter is away at college. Is there coverage?
10% of your Homeowners Policy personal property limit or $1000, whichever is greater is available. Contents coverage is worldwide.
Q: Do
I have flood coverage on my homeowners policy?
Flood damage is never covered under a homeowners policy. You may purchase a separate flood policy at an additional premium.
Personal FAQs
Q: How can I save money on my homeowners insurance policy?
A: The easiest way to reduce the cost of a homeowners insurance policy is to increase deductibles. This means that you pay more out-of-pocket in the event of a covered loss, but you can save money in the long run if you use your insurance only for the catastrophic losses you cannot absorb yourself.
A second approach is to protect your home and valuables with safety measures such as smoke detectors and intrusion alarms, dead bolt locks, fire extinguishers, etc. The majority of our clients already enjoy these discounts, but please notify us if you have made changes to your home.
Lastly, consider placing your auto and homeowners policies with the same insurance carrier for a multi-policy discount.Q: Are damages to antiques covered by homeowners insurance?
Antiques may be covered under the personal property section of a
homeowners policy for listed causes of loss. However, dollar limits
and covered causes of loss are often limited. For those with
valuables, it may be wise to purchase an affordable personal
articles policy to expand coverage. Contact us for more details.
General FAQs
Q: Who is Stephen E. Benjamin?
A: Stephen E. Benjamin started the agency in 1939. Born in Nova Scotia, he migrated to Massachusetts prior to World War I. He eventually became a textile mill executive at the Nortex Mills in Millbury Massachusetts. He was also a government inspector of arms manufacture during the war. As the mills moved South during the depression, Benjamin purchased a small existing insurance business and started out on his own. His 1st policies were written in 1939. He married the former Mary G. Stevenson in 1927, and they moved to Sutton shortly thereafter, where they operated “Singletary Farm” Hostess house, a full service Inn and restaurant from 1931 to 1941. He died in 1950, after also serving as Sutton’s Tax Collector for many years.
Q:
What's a good recipe for chocolate chip cookies?
* 3 cups all purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup unsalted butter
* 1 cup light brown sugar
* 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
* 16 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with non stick stuff
Combine the first three ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and combine well. Add in chocolate chips.
Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place each ball two inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool cookies on sheet for five minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
