Defending Against Malpractice Claims

Medical liability insurance pays defense costs and generally covers claims for medical error and neglect. Even though medical claims against U.S. doctors are often dismissed and the verdict is usually in the physician’s favor when they go to trial, defending against a claim can be costly in terms of both time and money.

According to a study of more than 10,000 closed malpractice claims made against U.S. physicians during a recent three-year period, only about 55 percent resulted in actual lawsuits. Of the claims litigated, more than half were dismissed by the court. Less than five percent were decided by a trial verdict, which went in the doctor’s favor 80 percent of the time. Even dismissed lawsuits took more than 20 months. 

Note: According to the study mentioned above, malpractice cases that went all the way to trial typically lasted 39 months even if the doctor won.

Getting Back on the Road

If your auto insurance policy has lapsed, you should not drive uninsured. If the policy lapsed as a result of missing a payment, it’s best to contact your insurer directly to see if you can be reinstated immediately. Otherwise, going even a short time without coverage will place you in a higher risk category, which means that your premiums will spike.

In some cases, such as if you were in the military and stationed overseas or you have been in the hospital for an extended stay, you may be spared rate increases. If not, the best way to shop for a policy is to enlist the help of an independent insurance agent, who can take your specific circumstances into consideration.

Note: If you decide to cancel your auto insurance policy because you will no longer be driving, contact your insurance agent and find out how to cancel your policy officially.

Its a Wrap!

As the housing slump recedes, developers are looking forward to tackling projects with a sharp eye on margins. One proven way to manage risk and reduce insurance costs involves obtaining “wrap up” insurance, which derives its name from wrapping, or bundling, specified insurance risks into a single package.

This type of insurance dates back to the 1940s and has been more recently favored over the traditional approach of relying upon contractor insurance. Wrap up insurance protection, which includes all parties in a project (such as the owner, general contractor, and sub-contractors), typically provides insurance protection for workers’ compensation and general liability/umbrella liability. Pooling all parties’ risks into a single insurance program leads to a reduction in the program’s fixed costs. 

Note: Wrap up insurance coverage is limited to operations at the project site.

Hunter Insurance Adds to Its Team

Brian Morris | Sales Agent

Hunter Insurance has announced that Brian Morris has joined the agency as a sales agent. Brian is a licensed property and casualty broker for Rhode Island and Massachusetts, and recently attained his Certified Professional Insurance Agent (CPIA) designation.

At Hunter Insurance, he will design comprehensive insurance packages, providing prompt and professional service. Brian’s prior experience includes ten years as a Senior Sales Producer for a regional insurance agency.

“Brian has over 16 years of experience working in the field of insurance,” said Brian Hunter, President of Hunter Insurance.“We are pleased to have him join our staff and believe that his knowledge of insurance coupled with his desire to help local home and business owners will make him an asset to our company.”

Why You May Need Umbrella Insurance

When it rains, it pours, the old saying goes.

It’s something that’s especially true for major accidents. Sometimes, normal homeowners or auto insurance may not be enough to protect you against seven-figure claims arising from a catastrophic incident on your property or a deadly crash involving your car or boat.

That’s where umbrella insurance kicks in.

Normally sold in increments of $1 million or more, umbrella insurance will protect you when basic auto or homeowners insurance policies have been exhausted. Umbrella insurance also has the added advantage of “dropping down” to cover any gaps in your existing policies.

This may sound like insurance for millionaires. But it isn’t. It’s for everyone: A $1 million policy on a one-house, two-car family will generally run between $200 and $250 in annual premiums.

So who needs umbrella insurance? Well, just about everybody who owns their home or car, but especially anyone who meets at least one of the following criteria:

• Own rental properties or multiple homes 
• Have children or responsible for children of others (anything from babysitting to carpooling) 
• Own several vehicles 
• Involved in homeowners associations, civic activities, or a board of directors 
• Own a pool, hot tub, or swing set 
• Own an ATV, boat, or motorcycle 
• Shared ownership or access to docks, lakes, or vacant land 
• Use or allow your children to use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter 
• Own animals or care for others’ animals 
• Have retirement accounts, investments, or other assets worth protecting 
• Travel overseas 

If any of the above apply to you consider buying umbrella insurance. Call Hunter Insurance toll free at 1-800-696-4678 or e-mail us at info@hunterinsurance.net.

Preparedness Makes for Fewer Winter Woes

As most New Englanders know, ice, snow and wind can take a toll on residential property, so remember to protect your home well before the snow starts to fly. Homeowners, especially those who spend the winter in warmer locations such as Florida, should do the following:

• Remove debris from gutters. Cleaning out leaves, acorns, sticks and pine cones allows melting snow and ice to flow freely. Cluttered gutters can cause ice damming. 
• Trim trees and remove dead branches. Ice, snow and wind can cause trees or branches to break, damaging your home, automobile or injuring someone walking on your property. 
• Add insulation to attics. If too much heat escapes through the attic, it can cause snow or ice to melt on the roof. If melted snow refreezes, it can result in a collapsed roof, and contribute to ice damming. Additionally, well-insulated basements and crawl spaces will also help protect pipes from freezing. 
• Protect exposed pipes. Wrap pipes with heating tape and insulate unfinished rooms such as garages that frequently have exposed pipes. 
• Keep temperature at a minimum of 65 degrees. Install programmable thermostats to maintain temperature. 
• Have furnaces, boilers and chimneys serviced at least once a year. Make sure that smoke and fire alarms are working properly and consider installing a carbon dioxide detector. 
• Make repairs. Broken stairs and banisters can become lethal when covered with snow and ice – make sure they are ready for winter weather. 

If you have additional questions about preparing your home for winter, or would like to discuss your home insurance policy, please contact your insurance agent by calling Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500.

Properly Winterizing Your Boat

Boating season is coming to a close, so it’s important to properly winterize your boat prior to inclement weather. Failure to winterize your boat can cause it to suffer significant damage such as cracks that can lead to leaks, corrosion, frozen pipes, interior damage, and fuel degradation.

When spring comes, these problems could be expensive to repair, especially since most insurance policies do not cover damage resulting from lack of maintenance.

Prior to making any decisions for winterizing your boat, you should check the owner’s manual for their recommendations on winter storage.

A few ways to store your boat exist, including storing it in your driveway, yard or somewhere else on your property. However, some homeowners’ associations don’t allow for this kind of storage, so it is important to check first.

Another option is to place your boat in a boatyard where it can be shrink-wrapped. Shrink-wrapping keeps boats dry and well ventilated which often prevents mildew.

A third option is to store your boat indoors. Indoor boat storage provides numerous options for climate control and keeps your boat protected from any winter weather.

As a general rule, boat storage professionals encourage boat owners to properly cover their boats, whether by shrink-wrapping or with a durable, breathable, water-resistant cover.

If you have additional questions about boat or other watercraft insurance, please call Hunter Insurance at 401-769-9500.