Insurance Insights: The Cleary Insurance Blog
The Cleary Insurance blog covers insurance, risk management, and financial planning for New England businesses and individuals. Our team of licensed advisors and specialists publishes regular articles on commercial and personal coverage, employee benefits, life and financial planning, and insurance compliance. Browse recent articles below, or use the category filters to find topics relevant to your business or personal situation.
Are Your Volunteers Protected? What Every Nonprofit Should Know
Presented by Sarah Goyette
Volunteers are the heart of many nonprofit organizations, but one important coverage gap is often overlooked.
In most cases, volunteers are not considered employees and are therefore not covered under a Workers’ Compensation policy. If a volunteer is injured while helping your organization, they may have limited options for covering medical expenses unless other protections are in place.
To help reduce your organization’s exposure, nonprofits should consider:
- Using volunteer waivers or liability releases. While a waiver cannot prevent every claim, it can help demonstrate that volunteers understand the risks associated with their activities.
- Reviewing Volunteer Accident & Health coverage. This optional policy may provide benefits for volunteers injured while performing authorized duties for your organization.
It’s important to understand that Volunteer Accident & Health coverage is generally supplemental. This means a volunteer’s own health insurance is typically the primary source of coverage, and the accident policy may help pay eligible expenses that remain after the health insurance has responded, subject to the policy’s terms and limits.
Every nonprofit is unique, and volunteer exposures can vary significantly depending on the organization’s activities. Taking a few moments to review your volunteer management procedures and insurance program can help protect both your volunteers and your organization.
If your organization relies on volunteers, we’d be happy to review your current coverage and discuss whether additional protection may be appropriate.
Keep Your Summer Fun Worry Free
Summer is the season for vacations, backyard barbecues, pool parties, and weekends on the water. While you’re busy making memories, it’s also the perfect time to ensure your insurance coverage keeps pace with your summer activities. A quick policy review today can help prevent unexpected expenses tomorrow.
- Make Sure Your Home Is Ready for Summer Guests
If you have a swimming pool, trampoline, fire pit, or regularly host family and friends, it’s worth reviewing your homeowners liability coverage. Accidents can happen, and if someone is injured on your property, you could be responsible for medical expenses or legal costs.
Take a few minutes to review your liability limits with your insurance advisor. If you want additional peace of mind, a Personal Umbrella Policy can provide an extra layer of protection beyond your home and auto insurance.
- Protect Your Summer Toys and Travel Plans
Boats, motorcycles, RVs, campers, ATVs, and Jet Skis all come out during the summer months. Before heading out, confirm that each vehicle has the right coverage for how you use it.
Planning to rent a car while traveling? Check with your insurance agent before your trip to see whether your personal auto policy covers rental vehicles or whether purchasing the rental company’s collision damage coverage makes sense for your situation.
- Review Your Renewals and Look for Savings
Summer is a common time for home and auto policy renewals. With continued changes in the insurance market, your premiums or coverage may have changed since your last renewal.
Instead of simply renewing your policy, take the opportunity to:
- Review your coverage limits and deductibles.
- Make sure you’re receiving every available discount.
- Ask about bundling your home and auto policies.
- Consider smart-home devices, such as water leak detectors or monitored fire alarms, that may qualify for additional savings.
Enjoy Summer with Confidence
Whether you’re planning a family vacation, spending weekends at the lake, or hosting friends for a cookout, a quick insurance review can help ensure you’re protected before the unexpected happens.
If you have questions about your current coverage, the team at Cleary Insurance is here to help. Contact us today for a complimentary policy review so you can enjoy a safe, fun, and worry-free summer.
Summer Safety Checklist
Summer is a time for outdoor adventures, family gatherings, vacations, and making memories. Whether you’re spending the day at the beach, working in the yard, enjoying a backyard barbecue, or traveling with family, being prepared for common summer injuries and illnesses can help you handle unexpected situations with confidence.
A well-stocked medicine cabinet and first-aid kit are simple ways to protect your family during the warmer months. Before summer activities are in full swing, take a few minutes to review your supplies, check expiration dates, and replace any items that are outdated or running low.
Why You Should Check Your Medicine Cabinet Before Summer
Many common summer issues can be treated quickly when you have the right supplies on hand. Sunburns, insect bites, allergic reactions, minor cuts, scrapes, and dehydration can happen when you least expect them.
Medications and first-aid products can lose effectiveness over time, especially when exposed to heat and humidity. Storing your supplies in a cool, dry location and replacing expired items regularly helps ensure your family is ready when they need them most.
Summer Medicine Cabinet Essentials
1. Pain Relievers and Fever Reducers
Keep common medications such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen available for headaches, minor aches, and fever.
2. Allergy Relief Products
Summer allergies can make outdoor activities uncomfortable. Consider keeping antihistamines, nasal sprays, and allergy eye drops available for seasonal allergy symptoms.
3. Bug Bite and Skin Relief Treatments
Mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects are common during summer. Hydrocortisone cream, anti-itch treatments, and insect bite relief products can help soothe irritation.
4. Sunscreen and Sunburn Care
Protect your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen and keep aloe vera gel or after-sun lotion available to help soothe skin after too much sun exposure.
5. Insect Repellent
A quality insect repellent can help protect your family from bites while enjoying outdoor activities like camping, hiking, and backyard gatherings.
6. Hydration Supplies
Hot weather increases the risk of dehydration. Electrolyte drinks or oral rehydration packets can be helpful after extended time outdoors, exercise, or heat exposure.
7. Basic First-Aid Supplies
Every home should have essential first-aid items, including:
- Adhesive bandages
- Gauze and medical tape
- Antiseptic wipes
- Antibiotic ointment
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Instant cold packs
These supplies can help treat minor injuries before they require professional medical attention.
Don’t Forget Your Summer Safety Plan
A little preparation goes a long way toward protecting your family and enjoying the season. Along with updating your medicine cabinet, take time to review other areas of your summer safety checklist, including pool safety, home security, and insurance coverage for summer activities.
At Cleary Insurance, we believe prevention and preparation are key to protecting what matters most. If you have questions about your home, auto, or personal insurance coverage, our team is here to help.
Contact Cleary Insurance today for a policy review and enjoy a safe, healthy, and worry-free summer.