UMass Minutemen’s Tyler Holmes Wins National Defense Player of the Year

The UMass Minutemen’s very own Tyler Holmes won the National Defensive Player of the Year on the FCS level for his outstanding 2010 season. Holmes, a Junior from Virginia, made play after play all season long, including returning two interceptions for touchdowns against Maine. He was the first person to complete that feat in all of college football since 2008 (including the FBS).

With 110 tackles, UMass was hoping their All-American linebacker would win the award, and the College Football Performance Awards did not overlook him.

Despite a disappointing end of the season, the Minutemen can look forward to his return and a potential move to the Mid-American Conference this fall. This move could raise UMass’s national awareness and increase competition. However, games would need to be played at Gillette Stadium, leading to students and fans having to drive to Foxboro to see the games.

The hour and a half drive can be a long one, and liability increases because many people will carpool. With increased liability and the onset of tailgating, reviewing your MA insurance is a good idea. For the lengthy drive, your MA auto insurance policy will need to be up to date before the trip. Moreover, MA personal umbrella insurance can add additional liability coverage.

It is a wise decision to review your policy with your Encharter Insurance agent whenever you can. Even though football games are in the future, forgetting to look over your policy is going to be tough to do when there are games to be watched!

Lost Cell Phone Signal! Oh No!

Survival International, a group dedicated to protecting tribal communities around the worlds, has released a photo of an un-contacted tribe in Brazil. Uncontacted tribes are ones that have had next to no contact with modern civilization, whether by choice or simply for being in such a remote location. There are about 100 un-contacted tribes around the world, most of which are located in South America.

In our world of mobile phones, the internet, automobiles, and air travel, an un-contacted tribe seems out of the question. We are used to getting to work miles away from our house, visiting family on the other side of the country, and having a kitchen to cook our meals from a grocery store with thousands of options.

However, being in a zone that is without contact is not out of the question. I know on my way to school there are quite a few pockets without cell phone reception. Moreover, I am not driving on high traffic roads. I make sure to take extra precaution to avoid an accident, especially in the winter. No reception and no drivers can spell a long wait.

Precaution is the best way to avoid an accident, however sometimes they are unavoidable and that’s why each of us has car insurance. Every day, more so in the winter, hundreds of car accidents happen in New England. Being fully protected can severely relieve some stress after the ordeal. Since we are not an un-contacted tribe, we are used to having our vehicle to get to work or school.

 Review your MA auto insurance policy today or call an Encharter Insurance agent at. You can also visit our virtual office at www.encharter.com or visit one of our offices.

Roof Collapses, Roof Rakes and Ice Dams…How fun!

With all the snow that this winter has brought us New Englanders this year, ice dams and roof collapses are very real threats. As this recent article indicates, homeowners are doing their best to protect their homes by shoveling off their roofs, keeping their gutters clean and using roof rakes.

Of course, there is one more thing that these concerned homeowners can do to protect their homes from this winter’s bad temper. They can call their local Encharter Insurance agent and talk to them about MA Home Insurance; then again, SO CAN YOU! Our knowledgeable and friendly agents want to help you find the best possible policy for the best possible price. Give us a shot!

Call us today at 888-865-1244, visit our website at www.encharter.com or visit one of our local offices. And don’t forget to find us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

Prep for Vacation: What Your Hotels Aren’t Telling You

Traveler: beware! When booking a hotel for a vacation, it is easy to get lost in the beauty of the pictures that hotels provide on their websites. However, don’t always believe what you see.

 It is becoming more and more evident that pictures do not always correlate to reality. CNN has uncovered quite a few results showing the lack of truth that a picture shows on a hotel’s webpage. From masking the amount of people on the beach or in a pool, to the size of the pool, to the location of the hotel, photos can be deceiving, even without using Photoshop.

 Finding out the truth of a hotel can be as easy as calling and having them describe an issue, or visiting popular traveling sites, such as TripAdvisor.

 However, hotels need to put on their best face online, so showing their best rooms, views, and areas is no surprise. But if you are planning a trip, make sure to complete a check list before leaving your home. Lock your doors and windows, unplug nonessential appliances and gadgets, and prepare your car.

 Homes are sitting ducks for burglars when they are unoccupied, so secure everything you can. And before you depart, it doesn’t hurt to review your MA homeowner’s insurance policy and to ask your agent about scheduling your valuables to your MA home insurance policy for additional protection. Check in with your local Encharter agent by calling (888) 865-1244.

Winter Weather Putting You “Under The Weather”?

This winter weather is still putting us, well, “under the weather”, especially if your roof has ice dams or you’ve had to risk your life on the roads for your commute. So what is the busy commuter-homeowner supposed to do to protect their family and property?

Talk to an Encharter Insurance agent about your MA car insurance policy and your MA home insurance policy. Find out more about them and see if our agents can’t help you understand those policies a little better. We want you to rest assured that we are going to find you the best possible policy for the best possible price so that you’re covered in the event of a tragedy.

Call us at 888-865-1244, visit our website at www.encharter.com or visit one of our local offices. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter!

At Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”

 

 

 

Facebook and ID Theft

At Encharter Insurance, we are big proponents of the use of social media—it’s the way we do business! But there are lots of things to keep in mind while you frequent your favorite social network. With all of the personal information that you can provide on Facebook, it can make you vulnerable to identity theft. Be smart and be careful about the kind of information you provide on your profiles and use the privacy settings. Here is an article from Yahoo.com Finance for some more information.

 

Of course, another thing to keep in mind is the identity theft coverage on your MA Homeowners Insurance policy. It is often an additional coverage that costs a minimal amount of money – usually around $25 a year.

 

Talk to your local Encharter Insurance agent today! Call 888-865-1244, visit our virtual insurance office at www.encharter.com or visit one of our local offices! You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter!

 

At Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”

 

2010 Christmas Blizzard in Amherst MA

It sure is a marshmallow world outside! The snow keeps falling and that means that it will be time for skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice-skating and every other kind of winter sport there is. Of course, this blizzard is some hours away from being over so caution must be taken. According to a recent article by WWLP.com, there were about 89 accidents in Massachusetts between 7pm on Sunday and 7am on Monday and Massachusetts Governor Patrick has issued a state of emergency for the state.

A couple of things to keep in mind: the roads will be bad and the snow may cause problems for your home. If you must drive, then do so very carefully. If you don’t have to drive, then stay home! It’s much safer for you and for your family. For the safety of your home, check the roof occasionally. Make sure that there is no ice forming that may cause ice dams. Be sure that the roof is structurally sound. If the weight of the snow is great enough, it could cause a collapse.

Also, talk to your Encharter Insurance agent about Amherst MA Car Insurance and Amherst MA Home Insurance policies. They want to help you understand your policy and help you make sure that you are properly covered.

Call us today at 888-865-1244, visit our virtual insurance office at www.encharter.com or visit one of our local offices. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter!

At Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”

Who Says Twitter Won’t Get You Anywhere?

Whoever said that Twitter would get you nowhere didn’t have the right username! According to a recent article on WWLP.com, 22-year-old Ashley Terekes of Westfield, MA got a free trip to The Ashes Cricket Tournament in Australia through Twitter. How, you ask? Well, Ashley’s username is “@theashes” and some fans of The Ashes Cricket Tournament in Australia mistook Ashley’s Twitter account for the tournament’s. Needless to say, Ashley now has quite the cricket following now, despite the fact that she knows next to nothing of the sport. When she started asking some questions about the tournament, the rules, etc., it started the campaign, “gettheashestotheashes”. Qantas saw it and offered to fly Ashley from New York to Australia for the tournament—proof that Twitter can get you places!

While this is a rather unique example, we at Encharter Insurance believe strongly in the power of social media to “get you places” in the business world. In fact, we have started our Partners Program where we help local small businesses grow by showing them they can use social media to their competitive advantage. If that sounds like something you would be interested in, first check out our Partners Page, then call us at 888-865-1244 or email us at socialnetworks@encharter.com. We’d love to help your business grow!

And of course, don’t forget that we can help you with any of your Amherst MA Business Insurance needs as well! Call your local Encharter Insurance agent at 888-865-1244, visit our virtual insurance office at www.encharter.com or visit one of our local offices. You can also find us on Facebook and (yes) Twitter!

At Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”

Street Parking: BANNED

Walking down my street this morning I saw notices on many windshields.  The town issued a warning to everyone that parked their car on the street to park in the driveway so snowplows will be able to do their job.  Unfortunately, it is that time of year when parking along the street is banned because snow will be coming. 

If a car is parked along the road, the snowplow cannot effectively plow the road, and the car will be blocked in with snow.  Moreover, shoveling on the road is extremely dangerous.  To avoid tows and fines, park your car in a driveway or parking lot where you are permitted to park.

Snow strikes again as a nuisance, but the law is the law.  Make sure you know your town’s laws for where you can and cannot park.  When you do manage to leave your driveway and hit the road, beware of black ice and slush.  Driving in inclement weather leads to a larger risk of an accident, sometimes they are unavoidable.

Before Nor’easters hit it is always good practice to review your auto insurance policy.  Check with your Amherst MA Insurance agent to review your policy or get a quote to make sure you have everything you need at an affordable price.  Drop by one of our offices, call an agent at (888) 865-1244 or visit us at www.encharter.com .

At Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”

Holiday Shopping Safety Tips

Holiday shopping can be very stressful, but don’t let it make you vulnerable. While you’re out shopping, here are some holiday shopping safety tips to keep in mind, courtesy of About.com:

• If possible, shop during daylight hours
• Be sure to dress casually and comfortably
• Try not to wear expensive jewelry
• Always carry I.D.
• Always be alert
• Try not to carry large amounts of cash
• Try not to carry too many packages at once

Of course, another thing you’ll want to keep in mind is to stay safe on the roads too. Talk to your local Encharter Insurance agent about your Amherst MA Car Insurance policy. They can let you know if you’re properly protected and they can help you find the best possible policy for the best possible price.

 Call us today at 888-865-1244, visit our virtual insurance office at www.encharter.com or visit one of our local offices. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

 At Encharter, “It’s all about protecting you!”