Easy “DIY” Projects You Can Do in One Weekend

Name: Vargas & Vargas Insurance
Address: 1133 Washington St, Dorchester, MA, 02124
Telephone: 617-298-0655

Posted on March 1, 2018February 22, 2018 by cvargas

Do you ever get the itch to tackle a DIY (do-it-yourself) project? Home improvement tasks don’t have to be complicated or expensive, and there are many simple tasks can make a huge difference to your home. Springtime is also the perfect time to spruce up your home while you recover from the doldrums of winter and prepare for a summer of fun and festivities.

This week, our employees shared some of their favorite easy home projects that make an impact without too much effort:

Improve Curb Appeal

The front of your home is the first thing people see upon arriving, so make sure that it is ready to make a good first impression. When was the last time you cleaned the outside of your front door? Years of ice and pollen can leave residue, and a hard scrubbing can make a big difference. Once it’s clean, take the opportunity to apply touch-up paint, if needed.

Entryways always look more inviting with a little touch of character, so add a wreath or topiary. You can even consider adding a small chair or bench, if there is room, and decorating it with some weather-proof pillows. To go above and beyond sprucing up your front yard, fix any cracks in the driveway and walkways.

Plant a Garden

If your front yard isn’t in need of improvement, maybe the backyard could use some TLC. A garden is a beautiful and useful project that you can benefit from for years to come. Grow flowers for your home or to give to friends or grow herbs and fruits and vegetables that will provide organic produce for your family. A few of the vegetables that grow well in Massachusetts are:

Lettuce
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Snap Peas
Broccoli
And More

Setting up your garden is a great weekend project, but tending it is a hobby that will keep you busy. Make sure that you do plenty of research and talk to professionals about the best time to plant, and how to care for your garden.

Update a Lighting Fixture

The lighting fixture is one of the most prominent fixtures in a room, and updating it to something new is probably easier than you think. Remember to turn off the power to the fixture on your circuit breaker before you begin, then it’s simple to go down with the old and up with the new (or just take the old one down and give it a new coat of paint). While you’re updating your light, make sure to install an energy efficient bulb in the fixture!

Install Crown Molding

Want to make your home seem more elegant? It’s a tough job, but crown molding is one of the easiest ways to do so. A slightly more advanced DIY project, you will need the ability to cut the molding to the right size and attach it securely to the wall. Make sure that you use paintable caulk when completing this job. Crown molding is subtle, but it can really transform a space, and it’s something that will make an impact on potential buyers if you ever decide to sell your home.

Replace Cabinet and Drawer Hardware

How long have you been using the same hardware in your kitchen and bathroom? These knobs and handles are something you probably interact with several times a day, so changing them to something new can be a refreshing update. Note how many you will need for the room you choose to update, and make sure to buy a few extra, just in case. Then it’s as easy as grabbing a screwdriver to get your new look! Just make sure to get new hardware with the same number of screws (and at the same distance) as the old – otherwise you will need to drill holes in your cabinets, adding to the complexity of the project.

Paint an Accent Wall

An accent wall is a great way to add a pop of color to a room without overstimulating its inhabitants. Choose a small wall – typically one of the first that you see upon entering the room. Estimate the square footage of the wall to ensure that you purchase the right amount of paint, and make sure that you purchase a few drop cloths to protect your carpet and furniture while you do the painting. What’s nice about this project is that the hardest part of painting an accent wall is picking out the color… or maybe moving a few pieces of furniture out of the way. Once you do that, you’re only a few hours away from a transformed space!

Get Creative Making Art

If painting a wall isn’t your cup of tea, you can tackle an even easier project with DIY art. Some paint and a large canvas is all it takes to create a masterpiece for a wall in your home. The best part is that there’s no experience needed – just find a tutorial online and have fun with it. Some projects are even foolproof enough that you can get the kids involved!

As always, make sure that you are confident in your abilities before starting a home improvement project. It is also important to have an experienced professional on speed-dial just in case you need advice or a helping hand.

So, which of these seven projects will you tackle first? Remember, if you complete a DIY project that adds value to your home (like installing a new lighting fixture or molding), you should talk to your Massachusetts insurance agent in order to make sure that the increased home value is reflected in your home insurance policy.

What Is Liability Coverage, and Why Do You Need It?

Posted on February 19, 2018February 22, 2018 by cvargas

When talking about insurance, there are many ‘buzzwords’ used that many people don’t know the meaning of. One example of this type of term is ‘liability’ – many policies have liability protection built in, but do you know precisely what it is that this type of coverage protects you from?

This is a quick guide on Massachusetts liability insurance, including the definition of the coverage, explanations of the liability coverage you probably already have as a part of your current insurance products, and an easy way to get added liability protection.

What is Liability Insurance?

Liability insurance is the critical coverage that offers financial protection if you are sued or held legally liable for damages to another person, such as property damage, injury or negligence.

Let’s face it; we live in a litigious society where getting sued is more a right of passage than something that will never happen to you. What’s more is that being involved in a lawsuit is expensive. No one wants to have an unexpected outlay of that much cash, thankfully that’s what insurance is for! Liability protection will ensure that being involved in a lawsuit doesn’t ruin your financial future.

Depending on the details of your policy, liability insurance will often cover legal costs, and will also cover restitution including damages and/or the injured party’s medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, or death benefits.

Home Insurance and Renter’s Insurance Liability Coverage

When thinking of the coverage offered by a renter’s or home insurance policy, most people will immediately jump to coverage offered to fix things that are broken or damaged – but that’s not all that these policies include!

Home and Renter’s insurance often also includes liability coverage to protect against injury and damage to others in your home for which you are held liable. For example, this usually includes situations where someone falls or otherwise injures themselves on your property.

Massachusetts Auto Insurance Liability Coverage

Most states (including Massachusetts) require that a driver have a certain minimum amount of auto insurance coverage. This is to ensure that you will be covered if you are involved in an accident.

In Massachusetts, there are four required types of coverage when purchasing auto insurance:

Bodily Injury to others: $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
Personal Injury Protection (PIP): $8,000 per person, per accident
Bodily Injury Caused by an Uninsured Auto: $20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
Damage to Someone Else’s Property: $5,000 per accident

Some of this coverage is to ensure that you are able to cover medical bills and property damage to another party if they are involved in an accident that is legally deemed to be ‘your fault.’ While we certainly never plan to be involved in an accident, it’s impossible to know when one will occur. More so, we don’t know whether our next accident will be a small fender bender or something more serious – that’s why the agents at Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency often recommend that you carry more auto insurance protection than what is required by the state of Massachusetts.

Commercial Liability Insurance in Massachusetts

Businesses have a lot of moving parts. Whether you own a big or small business in Massachusetts, there is a potential that you will be held liable for damages by an employee, or even a customer. Thankfully, your business insurance will have built-in liability coverage for these situations as a part of your business insurance policy.

When speaking to your commercial insurance agent, make sure to ask about additional types of liability protection that your business may need, including EPLI, Product Liability Insurance, Indemnity Insurance, Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability Insurance, Errors and Omissions (E&O) Insurance, Cyber Liability and Data Breach, and more.

Get Umbrella Coverage for “Above and Beyond” Protection

So, how much liability protection do you need? There is no right answer, but the expert insurance agents here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency agree: there’s no such thing as too much liability coverage. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to get this protection without increasing the coverage on each of your policies: get an umbrella insurance policy.

As discussed above, most policies have a liability component. The truth is that these are limited by the dollar amount set in the policy. Thankfully, umbrella insurance offers extra coverage that is very affordable. It offers a liability ‘umbrella’ on top of all of your existing policies. This means that if your costs or damages go above the original insurance policy’s limit, your umbrella coverage will kick in and ensure that you have added protection. This type of policy is available for both individuals and businesses, and the added protection is well worth the cost.

To talk to an experienced Massachusetts insurance agent about your liability protection, and to find out about our great deals on umbrella insurance policies, just call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655. We can get you a free umbrella insurance quote, or let you know where your liability coverage could use a little padding to ensure that your family or business is financially secure.

Saving for a Home Down Payment

Posted on February 8, 2018January 30, 2018 by cvargas

Home ownership is the American dream. Many people know that they want to own a home one day, but don’t have a concrete strategy to one day become a homeowner. If you’re one of those people with a goal of buying a home, here are a few tips that you can use to turn your lofty goal into a reality:

Determine Your Needs: Calculate your savings goal by finding out the average cost of a home similar to one you would like to buy and figuring a down payment of 15-20%.
Consider Investing: If it’s going to be a while before you need your down payment, grow the money you have saved by investing it in a diversified portfolio.
Make Budgeting Decisions: The less you spend, the more you can save. Make some sacrifices now in order to put more into your down payment fund – all those little savings will add up!
Consider Using Your IRA: For any other expense, tapping into your traditional or Roth IRA is a no-no, but you may be able to take money out of these accounts tax-free for use as a down payment.
Put “Found Money” to Work: Whenever extra money comes your way (whether it’s from a weekend job or a birthday gift) put some or all of it toward your future home.

And when it’s finally time to use your down payment and buy your home, remember that Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency is here to help you with your homeowner’s insurance policy. Just call 617-298-0655 for a free, no-obligation quote.

Tips for Meeting Your Neighbors

Posted on February 5, 2018January 30, 2018 by cvargas

Whether you’re moving within the city, or are a new Boston-ite, settling into a new home can be exhausting. Getting settled in amongst half-unpacked boxes is no one’s cup of tea, but there is always the chance to unwind and be social by meeting your neighbors. If you have trouble with getting to know people, here are a few tips on how to meet your new neighbors.

Spend time outside. If you’re cloistered in your home, it’s hard to meet new people. Do some yardwork, take a walk, or go to a local park with your kids (or a dog park with your fur babies). Start introducing yourself!
Take a gift. You don’t have to wait for your neighbors to initiate a housewarming gift. Take over a plate of cookies or a bottle of wine and use it as a way to make others’ acquaintance.
Throw a party. You don’t have to have a fancy soiree, just invite the people on your street over for finger foods and drinks – you’re sure to make lots of new friends!

Once you know some of your new neighbors, consider swapping contact information with them. It’s always nice to have someone nearby that’s willing to keep an eye on your home while you’re on vacation or a source of help if you’re ever laid up and could use someone to pick up a prescription or a few groceries for you.

Boston is a very friendly place, so getting to know your neighbors should be easy and fun. And don’t forget to tell them about the great deal that Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency got you on home insurance for your new place! Invite them to call us at 617-298-0655 and have them mention your name!

Prequalification vs. Preapproval: What’s the Difference?

Posted on February 1, 2018February 11, 2018 by cvargas

When you’re looking to purchase a home, there are many steps that you need to take. One of the most important is meeting with a lender to discuss how much they are willing to give you for your home. Depending on who you talk to, this will usually be called ‘prequalification’ or ‘preapproval.’

You may be wondering what the difference is between the two terms is, and thankfully the answer is easy: they are practically the same thing. There are some distinctions (for example, preapproval is typically a more involved and sometimes requires you to pay an application fee), but you can consider the terms synonymous. The important part is that your prequalification or preapproval is a letter from your lender that states how much they are willing to lend you for your mortgage, with certain stipulations. It’s also important to note that these are not guaranteed loan offers.

The amount indicated in your preapproval letter will be a key point in determining the houses that you are able to afford, so do your best to maximize your preapproval amount. There are a few things that you can do to increase the amount lenders are willing to give you. One of the most important things that you should do is to make sure that your credit score is as high as possible. Read more on the “lingo” in the home buying process here.

Once you’ve found your next home, make sure that you call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655 to get a Massachusetts home insurance quote. We will work with you to ensure that you and your loved ones are protected with a great home insurance policy.

Super Bowl Party Hosting Tips

Posted on January 29, 2018January 25, 2018 by cvargas

Well, our boys have done it again – the Patriots are going to the Super Bowl! Last year, over 110 million people tuned in to see the Patriots beat the Falcons in an exciting, down-to-the-wire match, and viewership numbers for the match on Sunday are expected to be similar. Will you be watching the game? If you’re hosting some friends for a viewing party, make sure that you consider using a few of our last-minute football party tips:

Food is a staple of any party. Pick out appetizers that can be eaten without utensils, and prioritize recipes that can be prepared the morning (or even the day) before the game. Make sure to find out if any of your guests have food allergies so that you can let them know what’s safe for them to eat.
Planning to have children at your party? If they want to be like all the ‘grown ups’ and watch the game, make it more fun by making your own Super Bowl Bingo cards. If there are going to be kids around, also ensure that you keep alcohol in a safe area, and that small children aren’t allowed in the kitchen during food preparation.
Make the game a little more exciting by having contests (with prizes, of course). Picking the winning team and final score are a good place to start, but you can even take it a step further and use some of these prop bets as inspiration!

Before you host any party in your home, it’s always a good idea to call your Massachusetts home insurance agent to make sure that you have the right amount of coverage to protect your property, yourself, and your guests. The call will only take a few short minutes, and it is well worth the peace of mind so that you can focus your energy on cheering during the game!

Avoiding (and Treating) Frozen Pipes

Posted on January 15, 2018January 19, 2018 by cvargas

You turn on the water on a frigid morning, and… nothing. You know immediately that it’s frozen, and a sense of dread overwhelms you – and for good reason. Frozen pipes may sound harmless, but they can cause a lot of damage to a home’s plumbing. Water expands and contracts as it freezes and thaws, and doing this inside your pipes can cause breakage, leading to water damage.

How to Prevent Your Pipes from Freezing

If you haven’t already, make sure that all of your outdoor pipes (over-ground sprinklers, pool lines, even garden hoses) are drained and stored. Ensure that the inside of your home is warm enough that water in the pipes stays liquid, and on especially frigid nights open cabinets in your kitchen and bathrooms to let the heat circulate. Let faucets drip to ensure that water keeps moving through the pipes. Pipe insulation can also be useful for tricky exposed pipes.

Treating Frozen Pipes

Frozen water in your pipes is not something you want to ignore. Turn off your home’s main water line immediately in order to prevent additional water from flowing in and causing a flood. Once the water is off, call in a licensed plumbing professional to help with thawing the pipes safely and checking for any burst pipes.

If you are unlucky enough to be affected by frozen pipes, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency – we can help you start a claim on your homeowner’s insurance and will get you on the road to being good as new. During regular business hours, call 617-298-0655. Outside of those hours, you can call our 24/7 emergency line at 617-322-5289.

Snow Safety: A Complete Guide

Posted on January 4, 2018January 2, 2018 by cvargas

Now that the New Year has arrived, we must face the fact that the snow isn’t going away any time soon. For the next few months, you need to make sure that you and your loved ones stay safe in the frigid Massachusetts temperatures. Here are links to a few blogs that we’ve posted over the years that can help make sure of that:

Prepare for Winter Storms – We see a few major storms every winter here in the Boston area. When one threatens, make sure that you are prepared by following these guidelines.
How to Shovel Snow Safely – Shoveling snow isn’t a coveted task, but if you get stuck with the chore make sure you perform it safely with these tips.
Tips for Driving in the Snow – You’ve probably got plenty of practice driving in the ‘white stuff,’ but there’s no harm in a little refresher. Brush up now, and forward the link along to a new driver you know!
The Potential Dangers of Melting Snow – It always seems like the snow will stick around forever, but one day the temperatures will warm up enough to start the yearly melt. Be ready for the risks of melting snow with a flood insurance policy.

And there’s one more bonus blog for you in this guide – Free Activities for Snow Days! There are days where snowfall and freezing temperatures make going to work (and school) impossible, so make sure that your family has a plan for the inevitable upcoming snow days.

Here’s the bottom line. Be safe in the snow, and make sure that you have the right Massachusetts insurance policies in place just in case you have to make a claim. To check on your home or renters insurance, auto insurance, and flood insurance policies, just call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency at 617-298-0655.

Three Things Dog Owners Should Know About Home Insurance

Posted on December 18, 2017December 17, 2017 by cvargas

Did you know that approximately 68% of US households own at least one pet? Here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance, we love our furry friends, and our clients love them too! We want to help all of our dog-loving customers with these three facts that all dog owners should know about their Massachusetts home insurance policy:

Breed (Sometimes) Matters: Some insurance providers will make the decision on whether to offer you home insurance based on the breed of your dog. They may also set your premium based on the breed. Each provider is different, so check with your insurance agent to find out if your breed is on any ‘restricted’ lists.
Be Proactive: Insurance providers love to offer discounts for being proactive. This is true for auto and home insurance, and can even be true for you and your dogs! Insurance providers often see dogs as a liability risk, but some will provide a discount if you can prove that your canine is well-behaved. Ask your home insurance agent to find out which insurance providers offer this discount, and which courses are required. One great example of this certification is the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program.
Your Insurance Agent Can Help: Here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance, we have lots of experience finding home insurance for pet owners. Speak with one of our agents to find out which insurance provider will provide you with the right coverage.

If you have a dog, or are in the market for a furry friend, call Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency for help with your Massachusetts home insurance policy. We will help you shop around for the best insurance provider for your family, including your fur babies.

Stay Merry and Bright: Winter Safety Tips

Posted on December 4, 2017November 29, 2017 by cvargas

Can you believe that it’s December already? It feels like 2017 just started, but we’re getting ready to close the books on this wonderful year. This winter, we want to make sure that you and your loved ones stay safe so that you can enjoy the festivities of the holiday season. Here are just a few tips to help you avoid needing to file an insurance claim this winter:

Driving in the Massachusetts winter weather can be a hazard. Always be vigilant when on the road, and make sure to never get behind the wheel if you’ve had too much to drink. Check out our blog all about driving in the winter for more tips!
When there’s a fresh coating of snow on the ground, it’s a blast to play outside with the little ones. Make snow angels and build a snowman, but make sure that you take plenty of breaks from the cold, and know the signs of frostbite. Remember – children get cold faster than adults!
If you use a fireplace or candles, make sure that you never leave them lit unsupervised. Always make sure that fires are completely extinguished before you leave the room, and keep a vigilant eye on children and pets around flames.

Don’t forget to share these tips with your friends and family! Simply send them a link to this blog post – remember, sharing is caring… especially when it comes to safety. And stay on the lookout for many more holiday themed blogs this month from your friends here at Vargas and Vargas Insurance Agency.

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