The Insurance Guy: Insurance & Other Fun Stuff

By David Bissaillon
iBerkshires Columnist
12:20PM / Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Print | Email |

Important

3

Interesting

1

Funny

0

Awesome

0

Infuriating

0

Ridiculous

0

David Bissaillon

I have been threatening (myself mostly) for years to start a local cable television access show, host a radio show, or do something on a regular basis to reach out to my fellow Berkshirites. Heck, someday I might even run for public office (oops, this must be an old introduction). 

After yet another conversation with my friend Ozzie about doing something, I finally got the motivation to put keyboard to a Windows blank page and to see if there was anything that I could say that others would find worthy in a two-minute read. Forget the fact that I am starting this on Jan. 2 and already referring to it as an early year success.

And, what better topic to blanket this forum in than the always exciting, universally appealing, and never-a-dull-moment of insurance? Yes, I am letting it all out for the benefit of your safety and security. Who knows, maybe 15 minutes with this column will encourage you even more to get off your computer and get to the gym. Besides, we have enough other experts out there commenting on politics, sports, religion, fashion, cooking, music, art, and all the cool things. Your life needs an insurance column to start the New Year. And who knows, maybe I will leap once in a while to another topic.

I am going to kick off the fun with a direct appeal to everyone who rents an apartment. You need to commit $100 to $250 this year (not per week, or per month or per sports season) to protect your "stuff" in case you were to ever experience the horror of a fire in your apartment. Yes, that is roughly $8 to $20 per month that will potentially be the best money you ever spend. Your landlord's policy does not and will not cover the damage done to your personal belongings. Should I repeat that?  Ok, I won't.

Here is the story my friends. It is heartbreaking to read of a fire taking place in a two-family or four-family apartment building in the middle of winter and then hearing that those individuals and families have no place to live. It is even tougher a few weeks later to read that a fundraiser is taking place because the resident or residents of that building had no insurance.

Yes, we are fortunate to live in an area where good friends come out and support other good friends; but there is a more effective way to manage that terrible event. That is to have a renters' policy in place that replaces your clothing and furniture and other belongings, and may even provide you with funds for temporary shelter.

The bottom line? Your apartment is your home and you want to make sure that you protect yourself and your finances by making a modest annual investment in a renters policy. Whether you have $5,000 or $50,000 worth of "stuff," it needs to be protected. There are other advantages to having this insurance coverage, not the least of which is providing you with some level of liability insurance if you were ever sued. Obviously, the details of any policy like this should be discussed with an insurance agent.

So, not trying to start the year with a dramatic appeal to the masses, I am just responding to recent stories that we have all seen and heard about where there is a fire and really good people find themselves in a very difficult position. Take the steps now, as a tenant, to protect yourself and feel good about doing that.

Happy New Year ...

Dave Bissaillon dabbles in real life while working daily as an account executive at Smith Bros.-McAndrews Insurance Agency in Adams. His occasional column will touch on insurance and other fun stuff.