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Question of the Week

Personal Auto Coverage

Question Auto Coverage – 02/24/22 Personal This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect Why do premiums change when drivers are deleted and or added(deferred) to an auto policy?  Usually increases when drivers are deleted.  Can someone explain the factors that causes this to happen? We need to know how…

Register a Homemade Trailer

Question Register a Homemade Trailer: This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on December, 2020: My client would like to get a plate on his homemade trailer.   If it is under 3000 no vin number is required? Also, will he need receipts?   Thank You for your help… Answer Kathy Cormier:  The need…

Reducing Number of Seats in 15 Passenger Van

Question Reducing Number of Seats in 15 Passenger Van: This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on December, 2020: Regarding Business Auto. An insured purchased a 15 passenger van and is removing 2 rows permanently, thus allowing for 9 passengers. Can they report to the RMV that it is under…

Surviving Spouse Process

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Accident with Neighbors Garage

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Senior Driving Test?

Question Senior Driving Test?  This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on January, 2021: I am inquiring about driving exams for the elderly.  We have an insured who is 91 that was in an accident and is experiencing blurry vision.  I just received a phone call from her and her…

Merit Rating for Out of Country Driver

Question Merit Rating for Out of Country Driver?  This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 20, 2021: We have a young man who has a Colombian License from June of 2015. Any idea how to have the RMV give him some driving credit? I have all his documents. His…

Plate Replacement

Question Plate Replacement: This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 18, 2021: If a customer needs to get a red plate to replace a green plate. Is there a fee? And what is the process?  If our runner goes, do we just need a RTA and her old…

License Status

Question License Status: This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 22, 2021:  When I look in the registry, the license under the current screen shows active, but it is Orange in color, when I go to the history screen the last transaction says suspended. So, I assume this…

Glass Coverage Collision or Comprehensive

Question Glass loss – Collision or Comprehensive: This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on November 12, 2021:  I hope you can clarify glass coverage for me on an auto policy.  This is pertaining to a personal auto.  I have an insured who backed their van into a mail box…

Snow Plowing and Snow Removal

Question Snow Plowing and Snow Removal This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on November 8, 2021: We are having a tough time trying to secure snow plow GL for potential client. He plows a parking lot and a few other accounts. He has contracts for all of them.…

Hired and Non Owned Auto

Question Hired & Non-Owned Auto This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 26, 2021: Does the state listed for Symbols 8 & 9 have any bearing on coverage?  I have an insured with a location in MA and a location in NY.  Should both states be listed for…

Limits on Claiming 3rd party rental

Question Limits on Claiming 3rd party rental This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 21, 2021: I received an interesting email from a carrier about delays in claim repairs due to the lack of parts and overworked mechanics because of Covid, which could mean people may not be able to…

Rental Vehicle Coverage

Question Rental Vehicle Coverage This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 27, 2021: I was wondering where I would find the wording in regards to rental coverage when renting a vehicle. Does it say that you should buy the extra insurance coverage as it wouldn’t be covered…

Named non-owned policy in foreign country

Question Named non-owned policy in foreign country This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 26, 2021: Is there a policy available that can be purchased for a MA resident in Lithuania for a temporary stay ? if not, what is the  solution to the problem when he…

Can a Bobcat be Registered

Question Can a Bobcat be Registered? This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 20, 2021: Can a Bobcat (very small four-wheel front loader that cleans the sidewalks of snow) be registered? Please advise! Thanks! Answer Kathy Cormier:  Here is what I received from the RMV on Bobcats: In…

Commercial Use Trailers

Question Commercial Use Trailers This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 19, 2021: I’m hoping you can enlighten me when it comes to trailer registrations and insurance. I know I can stamp an RTA on a trailer that’s covered under the liability portion owner’s primary auto policy…

Commercial Vanity Plates

Commercial Vanity Plates This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 18, 2021: I have a commercial client that is looking to order vanity plates for his fleet of vehicles.  Is there not a commercial portal like there is a Personal where you can order the plates? Answer Kathy…

Renting a Motorcycle and Coverage

Question Renting a Motorcycle and Coverage This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 13, 2021: Can you shed some light on renting a motorcycle for someone who has a personal auto policy and wants to be able to rent one? He has a personal auto policy with only…

Will There be Coverage with no Vehicle on Policy and Renting

Question Will There be Coverage with no Vehicle on Policy and Renting? This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on October 6, 2021: Background- this insured purchased a Ford 150 to tow his new Airstream Camper home.   But he found out the Ford F150 is not enough to tow this…

Tractors

Question Tractors This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 14, 2021 I have a client with a John Deere tractor to mow grass and plow snow.  It is about the size of a pickup truck.  Last year while helping a neighbor with snow at end of driveway a…

Auto Binders

Question Auto Binders This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on June 29, 2021 In regard to issuing binders, we have received conflicting advice/directives from different sources (including our companies), so I would appreciate your feedback.  According to the MAP, it appears that after we stamp an RTA for a…

Seizure

Question Seizure This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 03, 2021 I had a customer call in regards to his son having a recommendation from his doctor to not drive for 6 months due to a seizure he had a couple of months ago.  The son has been…

Uber Eats

Question Uber Eats This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 21, 2021 I’m getting shut down by all of our voluntary carriers in regards to writing a client who will be delivering for Uber Eats 10 to 20 hours a week.  Do you have any carrier you know…

Trailer Titles 2

Question Trailer Titles This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 07, 2021 We had a client that had a trailer that weighed 2950. Back in 2017 when she registered it the personal lines CSR typed in 3000 for weight. Now she is trying to sell it and the…

Company Signage on an Employee’s Truck

Question Company Signage on an Employee’s Truck This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 13, 2021 Have a client who wants to put his company info on a employee’s truck, is that remotely possible? Answer Kathy Cormier:  Are you talking signage? An employee can have signage from the business…

3rd. Party Claim

3rd. Party Claims This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 13, 2021 Back in the mists of time, I seem to remember that if an insured is going 3rd party against an auto carrier, and if their insureds do not respond within a certain amount of time to inquires,…

How to Insure a Trailer with No Auto

Question How to Insure a Trailer with no Auto This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 13, 2021 We have an unusual situation I have a question how we would cover.  We have an insured who has a “trailer” called the Candy Shack.  We had this insured on…

Adding A New Driver

Question Adding A New Driver This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 15, 2021 I am reaching out with hopefully an easy question; though there is nothing cut and dry easy in insurance is there?!?! What is the timeframe to add a new driver to an auto policy?…

OEM vs Aftermarket

Question OEM vs Aftermarket This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 22, 2021 Not sure if you would know this answer but lately, we have been having a lot of customers questioning why they are getting after markets windshields instead of an OEM windshield when getting a windshield…

MA Registration for OOS Resident

Question MA Registration for OOS Resident This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 22, 2021 How would you advise a client who has their car registered in MA but currently living out of state with the specific intent returning early next year? The insured does not want to…

Deferred Operator

Question Deferred Operator This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on September 23, 2021 I need your assistance if I may.  I have a client who is separated from his wife.  He is insured with me under a Progressive policy.  His ex-wife is with Liberty Mutual.  They have a son…

Personal Lines or Commercial Lines and Coverage

Question Personal Lines or Commercial Lines Policy and Coverage This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 26, 2021 We have a potential insured who currently is a landscaper.  He has a truck and three trailers on a personal auto policy with physical damage coverage and the truck is…

OOS Vehicle Purchase

Question OOS Vehicle Purchase – 08/23/21 Personal This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 4, 2021 Kathy Cormier response in red: This is a two-fold question.  We have customer in PA purchasing a new vehicle, she asks for coverage to be added as she is having it hauled…

Lease Buy Out

Question Lease Buy Out This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 4, 2021 I hope this email finds you well and your enjoying summer! I’m running into a situation with a lease buy out. I’ve heard that there are 2 types of leases buy outs one a stamped…

Non-Listed HHMs and Claim

Question Non Listed HHMs and Claim This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 10, 2021 Hope your having a great day.  We have a client whose son borrowed his vehicle for the one time because his vehicle broke down.  He had a minor fender bender while driving his parent’s…

Removing Operator

Question Removing Operator This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 10, 2021 My daughter has an insurance policy with Geico (don’t even get me started on that one), and a couple of months ago, added her father on as the primary driver, as he was going to just…

Application Not Signed and Coverage

Question Application Not Signed and Coverage This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 9, 2021 I hope this message finds you well.  What should I do in this situation? The client paid in full for the GL policy via check payable to the agency.  The agency deposited the…

Interpreter Needed

Question Interpreter Needed This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on August 9, 2021 We seem to have more and more auto leads coming in from “out of town” (Boston). I understand we are not allowed to decline the business solely based on the territory. Some of these people do…

3rd Party Rental 2

Question 3rd. Party Rental This question was answered based upon current rules, regulations & statutes in effect on July 16, 2021 Simon Smith was in an accident and he was rear-ended by another vehicle. That person has progressive and Progressive is stating they don’t pay for 3rd party rentals, even though our insured is NOT at fault.…