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  • utica home insurance limits

    Home Insurance Limits on Jewelry, Boats, Guns, and Business

    Your homeowners insurance policy covers lots of stuff. But there are things that are excluded. Such as flood, a big issue here in the Utica area. But today we’re concerned with property coverages that are limited in the home insurance policy. Limited, that is, in the amount the insurance company will pay. And/or the kind […]

    March 22, 2022

  • rain barrel utica ny

    Rain Barrel Yields Better Water for Lawn & Garden

    We’re excited about spring! It’s coming March 20 and it’s got us into a golfing, gardening, and traveling mood. Or how about sun, fun, and a pre-America’s Greatest Heart Run and Walk run! But first order of business…post winter clean up. That’s the thing here in the Utica area. Our lawns get littered with fallen […]

    March 15, 2022

  • vision zero traffic deaths

    Eliminating Traffic Fatalities with Vision Zero

    Can you imagine an American city experiencing no traffic deaths in three years? It happened in Hoboken, New Jersey, a city about the size of Utica, NY. How did a city of 54,000 people pull this off? The mayor, Ravi Bhalla, credits the city’s Vision Zero program. So what’s Vision Zero? From the Vision Zero […]

    March 8, 2022

  • insurance for phishing attack

    Phishing Attack from Phony Email Invoice Costs Town

    A town in Massachusetts suffered a phishing attack last December. And what seemed a routine transaction turned costly. To the tune of more than $100,000. An employee received an email from what they believed was one of their vendors. The “vendor” wanted payment with a wire transfer. This wasn’t unusual. The town did pay some […]

    March 1, 2022

  • free credit report

    Scams Can Wreck Your Credit: Monitor Your Credit Report Free

    “I’ve got to check my credit report today!” Is this your first thought waking up in the morning? Probably not! But, believe us, maybe it should be. Online scams are a major problem. But you can monitor them via your credit report. And don’t forget, your credit report is a major factor in the decision-making […]

    February 22, 2022

  • contractors artisan insurance

    Utica First Artisan Contractors Insurance Protects Tools, Equipment, and Liability

    The trend in home renovation is up the last few years. We know this from a preliminary report from the Home Improvement Research Institute. It shows growth in the home improvement product industry of 13% in 2021. This, combined with 13.3% growth in 2020 confirms a phenomenal increase over two years. People have been locked […]

    February 15, 2022

  • traffic fatalities in United States

    Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg on Traffic Fatalities in the U.S.

    Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg talked recently in the online magazine, Slate, about a national trend we’ve written about before. That is, the spike in traffic deaths in 2020 reported by the DOT in its National Roadway Safety Strategy. The final figures are in (we reported slightly more deaths from a preliminary report). It turns out […]

    February 8, 2022

  • snowmobile safety insurance

    7 Snowmobile Safety Tips for the Adirondacks, Tug Hill, and Mohawk Valley

    The Town of Webb Snowmobile Trail System reported fair to good conditions on January 24, 2022 with up to four inches of hard packed base. They also warn that there are rough spots. More snow is needed as groomers smooth what’s there. So we’ve finally got some snow here in the Mohawk Valley! And up […]

    January 25, 2022

  • how to prevent mold

    How To Prevent Mold in Commercial Buildings

    Now top-of-mind, COVID-19 has boosted the importance of avoiding respiratory disease indoors. But there are other risks that affect our health inside. One of those is mold. Mold can cause health problems, especially for those with allergies or respiratory issues. Since mold needs water to grow, unwanted moisture needs to be eliminated to prevent it. […]

    January 18, 2022

  • emergency car kit

    You Can Easily Prepare for Getting Stranded in Your Car

    If you’re a long time Utica area resident, you’ve become winter tough. You’re used to freezing temps, plowing driveways, and icy roads. Fortunately, you’re usually close to your warm home. A treacherous, cold trip to the mall is soon forgotten. But things can go very wrong if you travel longer distances in the car. National […]

    January 11, 2022