Category: Uncategorized


  • Knowing a Truck Driver’s Blind Spots Could Save Your Life

    Gas prices are down so we’re looking for lots of folks to hit the road this summer. They’re either enjoying long distance fun or the ever more popular “staycations” where you visit cool New York State destinations closer to home. We hope you will be getting out there, too. And if you’re traveling the beautiful highways of Central […]

    June 21, 2016

  • Tom Clancy Was in the Insurance Business?

    Kudos to Assemblyman Anthony Brindisi for calling on Mohawk Valley kids to take part in the Assembly’s Summer Reading Challenge. The theme this year is “On your mark, get set…Read!” The goal: get our children to continue reading all summer. You can find out more about the program here. And many of us at SZW […]

    June 14, 2016

  • Warning: Your Business Information is Vulnerable to Attack

    Our insurance agency has gotten so thoroughly automated these days that we thought it a good idea to ask a Utica area expert on information assurance to our office. We closed for an hour and asked him to meet with our entire staff. We were interested in his ideas on how we could assess our […]

    June 7, 2016

  • What If I Have a Homeowners Insurance Claim?

    Our customers have less to worry about when it comes to a homeowners insurance claim because we have a full time claims representative on staff. Her name is Cathy LeTray (315.792.1383). She is the person you’ll talk to when you call us after a car accident or loss to your home or business. This makes it much […]

    May 31, 2016

  • Gun Safety in Remington Country

    A friend of ours told us the other day about his son’s 1950s Remington 16 gauge 870 shotgun. It belonged to his great-grandfather and has been passed down in the family ever since. His son lives in Vermont and loves to shoot skeet in the back of the auto parts yard he works at. This […]

    May 24, 2016

  • 1/3 of All Homeowners Liability Payouts are from Dog Bites!

    That’s right, with an estimated population of about 70,000,000 dogs in this country, it turns out that homeowners insurance carriers are paying millions in dog bite losses every year. In fact, the Insurance Information Institute (III) has the cost per bite at around $37,000! A total of over $571 million was paid out for 15,352 […]

    May 17, 2016

  • Clean Your Way to a Longer-Lasting Car

    Motor vehicle corrosion is a billion-dollar problem in the United States, according to the Federal Highway Administration. And, no wonder. Road salt, tree sap, mud, pollution and even dead bugs and bird poop (just ask the folks in South Utica about the crows!) all contribute to a year-round assault on your vehicle here in the […]

    May 10, 2016

  • Cruising for a Good Time: 4 Safety Tips for Your Summer Cruise

    In any given year, more than 20 million passengers across the globe, including many of our friends here in the Mohawk Valley, set sail on a cruise, according to the Cruise Lines International Association. If you plan to join them this summer, here are four common sense tips to help ensure your journey is a […]

    May 3, 2016

  • ATVs in NYS and How to Have Fun and Stay Safe

    Since snowmobile season was a bit of a flop here in Central New York, we’re expecting an off trail frenzy on ATVs this spring and summer. Zipping through the woods and fields on a powerful 3 or 4 wheeler is as much fun as snowmobiling, though many say you can’t beat the beauty of a […]

    April 26, 2016

  • The Real Truth About Lightning

    The sunshine of the past few days got us thinking about time outdoors…FINALLY! So we thought now that we don’t have to worry about snow and ice (we hope) what new dangers lurk for us here in the Mohawk Valley weather wise? How about lightening? Ever notice how so many of your friends “know” all […]

    April 19, 2016