Our Blog

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Carbon monoxide (CO) doesn’t discriminate – it sickens or kills anyone in its path. There are about 450 deaths from CO poisoning each year in the U.S. but more than 20,000 reported cases of poisoning from this odorless and colorless killer. According the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), CO poisoning is the leading poison-related death in cold, heating-dependent states like Maine and New Hampshire. Gratefully, these deadly events are preventable. Though many think that CO is heavier than air...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] In this hyper virtual world, putting emergency contact information about you and your family in a place that is accessible and current is a no-brainer. You just have to do it and keep it current. In case of emergency (ICE) is essential to keep you and your family safe. It’s a listing emergency responders are trained to find – if it’s available. Could you list all the medications and dosages for your spouse, parents or children? Doubtful. Such family information...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Annual premiums for employer-sponsored health plans increased by 4% in 2013 hitting a new high of $16,351 for family coverage. Of that amount, employers paid $11,786 (72%) and employees paid $4,565 (28%) according to the Kaiser Family Foundation 2013 Employer Health Benefits Survey. Even though the average increase was lower than in many previous years, the fact remains that employers are still on the hook for a cost over which they feel little control. However, by addressing the underlying...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]Denise Douglass (left) and Evangeline Irish (second from right) of Clark Insurance have received the 2013 Safeco Award of Excellence, recognition for their outstanding front-line underwriting, service and results for the Liberty Mutual-owned company. Presenting the awards are Stephanie Davis (R) and Joanne Victor (second from left) of Peerless Insurance, the local division of Liberty Mutual. The Award of Excellence celebrates those individuals with superior underwriting skills who have developed a solid underwriting partnership with Safeco and have qualified...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] headlights at nightIf you haven’t heard it enough, Maine has the oldest median age in the nation (43 years old) which means we have more physical challenges in our working and everyday lives. Not least among those challenges is driver safety and being mindful of the sense on which we rely most – vision. According to Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), there are six vision issues that can affect our ability to drive safely. 1) Good distance vision...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] Two of Portland’s oldest and largest independent insurance agencies have completed not only the merger but the consolidation of offices! By merging Turner Barker Insurance with Clark Insurance, customers will have the same commitment to service and access to more competitive options for coverage and pricing. The two agencies will move forward as Clark Insurance.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] There now are applications that prevent texting on smart phones while driving. None of the resources with links listed below are endorsements by us but all are worth your while to learn more about preventing accidents and fatalities. When a traffic fatality involves a youngster in the middle of the day, it seems nearly certain that texting was involved. Why? The minimal amount of time that attention is diverted from having eyes on the road when texting is 5...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text] In May, Turner Barker merged with Clark Insurance and will now be doing business under the Clark Insurance name. This is a merger of two of the oldest insurance agencies in Portland, Maine creating one of the largest and most versatile insurance agencies in the state. For you, we’re still same people you’ve come to rely upon for your day-to-day insurance needs but now you have access to even more insurance companies with competitive rates and ample coverage...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]The following is a bulletin distributed by the Maine Insurance Agents Association that corrects erroneous information being distributed by agencies of the U.S. Government and some consumer groups regarding the Affordable Care Act. We hope you find this information of use. Please contact us for any clarification about your obligations under the ACA. Information is being put out, even some by government agencies, on some of the benefits of the Affordable Care Act. We have had some members express...

[vc_row css_animation="" row_type="row" use_row_as_full_screen_section="no" type="full_width" angled_section="no" text_align="left" background_image_as_pattern="without_pattern"][vc_column][vc_column_text]September is National Preparedness Month for your property or business – a time to think about everything, from what Mother Nature can throw your way to mechanical failures that cause floods or fires. The object of being prepared is to be sure you can recover as quickly as possible with as little damage as possible. So, what does an Emergency Ready Profile look like? ServPro has produced an Emergency Ready Profile that walks you through the information you should...