Isn’t snow great?  Especially when we have to get up an hour earlier to shovel the sidewalk or plow the driveway.  Then, it’s something we have to deal with.  And part of what we have to deal with, whether you know it or not, is insurance.

Do you need insurance for your snow blower, or your snow plow?  Like so many questions of insurance, the answer is, “it depends.”

It depends on whether your snow blower or plow is used in business or strictly personal.  For personal use only, insurance is a non-issue.  If you use your snow blower just to clear your own driveway, you do not need additional coverage.  Even if you clear your neighbor’s sidewalk, that’s no problem.  If you happen do ding their mailbox or bump into their house, your homeowners policy will extend to cover that.  The same goes with snow plows.  If you’re being a good neighbor and plowing out the driveway across the street, your auto policy will cover the damage.

The situation, however, changes dramatically as soon as money enters the picture.  When you accept payment for your snow clearing services, you open yourself to a whole range of liabilities.  Insurance is definitely an issue in this case.  You need to purchase a contractors liability policy.  Even if you’re just doing neighborhood driveways for $30 each and you have your customers sign a liability waiver, insurance is highly advisable.

Not all waivers are enforceable to bar a person from seeking restitution for perceived damages.  Also, whether or not you’re in the right, court costs and lawyer fees can accrue.

Play it safe.  If snow removal turns into a business, make insurance one of the first things you consider.  If you need to talk insurance for snow equipment or anything else, make sure to call you Independent Insurance Agent.  We’re always glad to walk you through any coverage issues and to make sure your policies offer all the protection you need.

Kevin Connors is a Certified Insurance Counselor and licensed Property/Casualty and Life Insurance Agent with The Connors Insurance Agency in Mechanicville, NY. Mr. Connors can be reached at (518)664-7307 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Money-Saving Tip: Increasing your home’s security can translate to possible discounts on your homeowners insurance. Call us to find out what safety items, such as alarm systems, would qualify you for a discount!

I know.  You always lock your doors when you leave your house.  But what else can you do to prevent a break in?  Well first of all, make your home appear occupied.  Timers are inexpensive and can be effective at fooling thieves.  Use them to turn lights and TV’s on and off at various times of the day and night.  Light sensing timers for turning outside lights and flood lamps on and off at dusk and dawn and motion detectors are also good.

Have a neighbor pick up your mail, newspapers or other deliveries that are left on your doorsteps or doorknob.  Arrange to have your lawn mowed and driveway shoveled and notify the police if you’ll be going away for any length of time.  Some people even have a friend house sit if necessary.

Don’t advertise your absence, especially on Facebook.  Thieves read that too.  Don’t leave notes to anyone regarding your absence.  Instead, handle those instructions by phone or in person before leaving.  If you arrive home and think you’ve been burglarized, call the police from your cell phone or neighbor’s phone.  Don’t enter your home or touch anything until the police have time to investigate.

Dead bolt locks are highly recommended for all outside doors.  Don’t forget to secure basement windows and don’t hide your keys under flowerpots, doormats or on top of sills.

Keep your valuables out of sight, preferably in a safe deposit box, and refrain from keeping large amounts of cash at home.  And don’t advertise recent purchases, like big screen TV’s, by putting the empty boxes out with the trash.  Break up the box the TV came in and put it in a bag in the trash rather than outside of the can.

Keep your doors locked, and never allow a stranger to enter your home.  Question him or her and ask for identification.  Call Utility Companies, (electric, water or cable companies) for confirmation when someone wants to enter your home to read the meter or do repairs.  Teach your children to answer the phone correctly and never to say you are not home.  Make sure to lock up sporting goods, gardening equipment and tools and keep your house locked while you are working in the yard.

If you move into a new home or apartment, change the locks as soon as possible.  Be aware of what goes on in your neighborhood and report anything suspicious to the police.  You’d want your neighbors to do the same if your home was being burglarized.

And be sure your home and personal property are adequately insured.  Talk to your independent insurance agent about homeowners or renters insurance and about replacement cost coverage on your belongings.  They can provide you with the best coverage options to meet your needs.

Kevin Connors is a Certified Insurance Counselor and licensed Property/Casualty and Life Insurance Agent for The Connors Insurance Agency in Mechanicville, NY.  Mr. Connors can be reached at (518)664-7307 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

If you are tired and have a long drive ahead of you, think twice before getting behind the wheel.  Falling asleep at the wheel is clearly dangerous, but being sleepy affects your ability to drive safely even if you don’t fall asleep.  Drowsiness can make drivers less attentive, slow their reaction time and affect their ability to make safe decisions.

Although it may be difficult to attribute a fatal accident to drowsy driving, it is implicated in more than 100,000 car accidents per year, which leave 71,000 people injured and 1,500 dead according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, although some experts feel that the number of fatal crashes each year due to drowsy driving is closer to 5,000 or 6,000 people.

New research on the need for adequate sleep in maintaining good health, coupled with the negative impacts of sleep deprivation are coming to the attention of policymakers, and investigations are ongoing into what role drowsy driving is playing in traffic accidents.  The state of New Jersey signed the nation’s first law that specifically named driving while drowsy as a criminal offense, and many other states may soon follow suit.

Some of the warning signs of drowsy driving include yawning or blinking frequently, missing your exit, drifting from your lane or hitting the rumble strip on the side of the highway.  Some safe solutions to prevent drowsy driving include changing drivers if possible, taking a break from driving every few hours, getting some sleep in a well-lit rest area, stopping to stay at a motel or hotel and getting plenty of sleep before starting any road trip.  Whatever you do, don’t try to drive all through the night.  A higher percentage of accidents occur during the night, rather than in the day.

Kevin Connors is a Certified Insurance Counselor and licensed Property/Casualty and Life Insurance Agent with The Connors Insurance Agency in Mechanicville, NY.  Mr. Connors can be reached at (518)664-7307 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

With recent attacks by computer hackers at Target and now Michael’s, Cyber Liability Insurance is becoming a hot topic.  The FBI contends that many of these cyber-attacks come from out of the country so it’s difficult to track down these hackers.  Imagine for a moment that your company has come under attack by a skilled hacker.  The hacker has accessed your customer’s names, contact information and social security numbers.  On top of that, your website is now disabled.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have an Insurance policy to cover that?

Insurance that protects you in case of a cyber-attack may seem like something only large corporations would ever need, or could afford.  But believe it or not, cyber liability insurance makes sense for small companies as well.  And here’s why:

1.) It’s more affordable than you think.  Since it’s still a fairly new concept, there’s a lot of variation among policies and some room for negotiation.  You can get coverage as high as $30 million and deductibles starting at $2,500.  Minimum premiums can vary among Insurance Companies too, at $1,500 to $2,500 annually.

2.) It covers more than you think.  These policies provide coverage for things like business interruption, the cost of notifying your customers of a breach and even the expense of hiring a public relations firm if needed.  It will also pay to cover any regulatory fines or penalties you might occur.

3.) You probably don’t have a risk management team.  Big companies often have entire departments devoted to analyzing the risks the company could face and helping to set up policies and procedures to protect them.  A small business wouldn’t, but an insurance policy can perform the same function.

4.) Even if you don’t host your data yourself, you’re still responsible.  And your existing insurance policy won’t cover you.  Typically, a general liability policy specifically excludes losses incurred because of the internet.  A good cyber liability policy will pick up where your general liability policy leaves off.

Make sure your cyber liability policy covers laptops and mobile devices as well to give yourself coverage in as many situations as you can.  Work with your Independent Insurance Agent to integrate cyber liability with your general liability and employment practice liability policies.  They’ll make sure to give you the most seamless coverage possible.

Kevin Connors is a Certified Insurance Counselor and licensed Property/Casualty and Life Insurance Agent with The Connors Insurance Agency in Mechanicville, NY.  Mr. Connors can be reached at (518)664-7307 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.