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Fairfield County Bank Insurance Services Blog

All You Ever Wanted to Know About Insurance

Choosing the Right Umbrella Insurance Policy: A Guide to Extra Liability Coverage

When it comes to personal insurance, most people are familiar with their auto, homeowners, or renters policies. However, fewer may be aware of umbrella insurance-a type of coverage that goes beyond the limits of your...

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Essential Safety Gear for Motorcyclists: A Guide to Protection on the Road

Riding a motorcycle offers an unparalleled sense of freedom and excitement, but it also comes with its share of risks. To ensure safety on the road, it's crucial for motorcyclists to invest in proper safety gear. From...

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Insurance Considerations for Newlyweds: Merging Policies and Coverage

Starting a new journey together as newlyweds is an exciting time filled with hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. Amidst the whirlwind of changes, it’s crucial not to overlook the practical aspects of merging your...

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Avoiding Common Home Insurance Claims During Renovations

Renovating your home can be an exciting journey, transforming your living space into the dream dwelling you've always wanted. However, amidst the excitement, it's crucial to undertake precautions to avoid common...

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Help Keep Teen Drivers Safe with Telematics

As parents, the safety of our teenage drivers is paramount. With road accidents constituting a significant risk for young drivers, leveraging technology to enhance their safety isn't just smart; it's essential....

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The Essential Guide to Creating a Home Inventory: Why and How

In the aftermath of an unexpected event, such as a fire, theft, or natural disaster, having a comprehensive home inventory can be a lifeline. This detailed list of your possessions not only aids in the homeowner...

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Tips for Towing a Boat Trailer to Reduce Accidents and Insurance Claims

Owning a boat can make weekends and vacations fun and memorable. Follow these tips to help ensure that when you’re towing your boat you’re being as safe as possible to lower the risk of accidents and unwanted insurance...

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How to Choose the Right Contractor for Home Improvement Projects and Avoid Liability Claims

If you’re planning a home improvement project, you probably have many contractors available to choose from. How do you pick the right one that will get the job done safely and without liability issues? Follow these tips....

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Top Home Improvement Projects That Can Increase Your Home Value

When you tackle home improvement projects, it’s wise to prioritize those that add the most to your property’s value, especially if you might put your home on the market in the next few years. Here are the renovations...

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Preparing Your Teen Driver for Different Road Conditions and Situations

If you have a young driver in your home, you may be fearful about them driving on their own, especially in bad weather or road construction. Here are some tips to share with them to improve safety by adapting their...

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How to Winterize and Properly Store Your Boat

Your boat is an investment that gives you tons of fun all summer long. But come the cold weather months, you want to make sure it’s properly winterized before you store it, so it’s protected from weather and other...

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Save Money With These Smart Home Devices That Make Your Home Safer

Homeowners today have never had more ways to save money through technology. Here are five smart home devices that will help you cut down on your bills and improve your home’s safety. Better safety can mean fewer...

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Defensive Driving Techniques to Avoid Accidents and Insurance Claims

If you want to reduce your risk of traffic accidents and the insurance claims that accompany them - which could cause your premium to go up - you need to drive defensively. Here are some driving tips to help you avoid...

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What to Look for When Buying a House to Avoid Unnecessary Insurance Claims & to Get the Best Insurance Policy Available

If you’re house hunting, you’re probably looking at many elements like the number of bedrooms or how updated the kitchen is. Don’t forget to check for these things too, which which may help avoid home insurance claims...

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Benefits of Safe Driving Apps

Many insurance carriers today offer smartphone apps that track telematics to monitor driving. Here’s how they work and how these apps may help you lower your auto insurance premium, along with a few other advantages. ...

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4 Water-Saving Tips for Your Garden

Water has been in short supply in many areas of the United States lately. And even if it’s bountiful where you live, you may be paying more for water than you’d like. Here are some tips for using less water and saving...

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Keep Your Home Safe While on Vacation

Whether you’re just getting away for a long weekend or spending a few weeks out of the house, it’s important to ensure your home is safe while you’re gone. Follow these tips to help prevent break-ins, fires, and water...

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Who Needs Life Insurance and How Much Do You Need?

It’s an unfortunate fact that life expectancy in the US has dropped recently. This has led many people to examine whether or not they should have a life insurance policy and, if so, how much coverage they should have....

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Family Emergency Preparedness Checklist

It seems like every day on the news that we hear stories about a hurricane, flood, or wildfire creating massive damage in the U.S. and putting people out of their homes. Have you thought about how your family would...

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What to Check Before Buying a Used Car

With the new car market impacted by shipping delays, many people are choosing to buy used cars lately. And some people only purchase a used vehicle because it saves them money and lets the first owner figure out if it’s...

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Should I Notify My Insurance Company About a New Puppy?

Having a new puppy join your household can change your life. The snuggles and kisses make getting up in the middle of the night for potty breaks worth it, but in the whirlwind of change, it’s easy to forget some...

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How to Choose the Right Smart Security Camera

A security camera can help protect your property against intruders or provide evidence in the event of a break-in. But with all the technology available today, it can be tough to figure out which smart security camera...

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Things to Know When Shopping for Home and Auto Insurance

If you’re looking around for home or auto insurance, you may find the process confusing, especially if you’re new to buying coverage and aren’t familiar with the terminology. Here are five essential things you should...

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Simple Household Pest Control Methods

No one likes the thought of having pests in their home, whether they be rodents, cockroaches, ants, or any other common household pests. If pest activity is common in your area, it is important to take steps to prevent...

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Landscape Maintenance Tips for Your Yard

You've worked hard to create a beautiful garden for your yard, but there is more to yard maintenance than simply mowing the lawn and watering the plants. There are plenty of other tasks you'll need to complete in order...

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Avoiding Water Issues in Your Home

Water damage is one of the worst problems that homeowners can run into. Not only can it be incredibly expensive to repair, depending on the extent of the damage, but it can also create the potential for mold and mildew...

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Commonly Overlooked Spring Cleaning Tasks

Spring is a common time for people to take on all of the cleaning tasks that they put off during the winter. With the weather getting warmer, it's the perfect time to tackle jobs both inside and outside your home. While...

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Upgrading Your Windows - How to Choose What's Best for Your House

You may not give the windows on your home much thought, but they can actually make a big difference not just in your comfort level, but also in the value of your home. You'll have a wide range of options to choose from,...

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Tips for Saving Money on Heating and Cooling Your Home

If you're like most people, you like to keep your home at a comfortable temperature throughout the year. However, running your heater or air conditioner constantly uses a lot of energy, and your electric and gas bills...

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How to Evaluate and Choose Energy-Efficient Appliances

Today's modern appliances are much more energy-efficient than their predecessors, and some are even better than the rest. When shopping for appliances, you'll likely be overwhelmed by choice, so it is important to know...

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How to Choose Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are essential for any home, so you should ensure that your house is equipped with them. You should have detectors in the main living areas on each floor, including in every bedroom...

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How to Make a Fire Safety Plan

No one likes to think about the possibility of a fire in their home, but this is one situation where it definitely pays to be prepared. This is especially true if you have children or pets in your home. Read on to learn...

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How to Decide If Solar Panels Are Right for Your Home

Solar panels can provide clean electricity for your home, helping you to save money on energy costs while also doing your part to help the environment. However, not all homes are suited to solar energy. Here's what you...

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Life Insurance 101

Life insurance provides invaluable protection for your family in the event of your death. It ensures the ones you care about can continue to support themselves financially when you are gone. Yet, a recent study by the...

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How Independent Agents Are Different from Captive Agents

When it comes to buying insurance, you have two primary options available to you: independent agents like us, and captive agents. While both can provide insurance services, these two types of insurance agents are not...

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Hurricane Preparation Tips for Your Home and Family

Hurricanes can destroy property and upend lives. But there are lots of things you can do right now, before a storm hits, to minimize the potential impacts on your home and family. And advance planning is key. When a...

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Benefits of Using a Dash Cam

More and more people these days are choosing to add dash cams to their vehicles, and for good reason. These small cameras can be highly useful to you, especially in the event that you get a traffic ticket or are...

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What Is Workers' Compensation Insurance?

- Prior to the adoption of workers’ compensation laws, employees who were injured or became ill due to their job had to file a lawsuit against their employer for any type of compensation to cover medical bills,...

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How To Plan the Perfect Staycation

If you’ve been putting off a vacation, now is the perfect time to stop and finally commit to some time off. Though you may not be able to travel to far-off places, you still need time to relax and recharge (even if your...

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Swimming Safety: 10 Tips for Summer

Summer is here and people are flocking to the water — whether it’s the beach, a lake, a river or a backyard pool. But, wherever there’s water, there’s also danger. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and...

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8 Ways to Keep Your Home Safe While You're on Vacation

Vacation is that time of year you happily anticipate. The opportunity to get away from it all and just unwind. You would never imagine arriving back home to find something is very wrong. A break-in, a broken pipe or...

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How Much Homeowners Insurance Do You Need? Probably More Than You Have

A home purchase comes with excitement and quite a bit of stress until the long-awaited moment arrives: the closing. With the keys to your new home in hand, you pass the threshold into your future filled with visions of...

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Why You May Need Personal Offense Coverage

In today’s digital world, slander and libel lawsuits are more common than you may think. Comments made in haste or anger on social media can have lasting and far-reaching effects on a person’s reputation or character,...

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What Is Environmental Insurance?

Growing awareness of the serious, long-term effects of pollution, increased regulatory scrutiny and legal liability have created a demand for environmental insurance. Also known as environmental impairment liability and...

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Summary of the COBRA Premium Assistance Provisions under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021

Click Here to Download an ARP Premium Assistance Application - Summary - President Biden signed H.R. 1319, the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), on March 11, 2021. This law subsidizes the full COBRA premium for “...

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Inexpensive Fixes for a Safer Home

Home improvement: It’s a never-ending process for many people, and for those of us who aren’t necessarily handy, it can be a hassle, too. But there are plenty of simple maintenance tasks and other improvements you can...

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What Is Commercial General Liability Insurance?

Those commercials on TV for plaintiffs attorneys are a not-so-subtle reminder that we live in a litigious society and that businesses must protect themselves from lawsuits. One essential protection for employers, both...

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Winterize Against Workers’ Comp Claims

In many parts of the United States, the onset of winter weather means an increase in workers' compensation claims. Blizzards, winter storms, snow, sleet, ice and freezing temperatures can lead to various occupational...

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Industry Insights: Why Contractors Need Professional Liability Insurance

\\ There was a time when contractors didn’t need to be too concerned about professional liability insurance, traditionally carried by architects, engineers and other design professionals for errors and omissions. But...

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Top 5 Risks Facing Contractors

The list of risks facing construction firms is a long one: worksite injuries, skilled labor shortages, cash-flow problems, contract disputes, job site theft, defects in workmanship and material, weather delays and...

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What Are Whole and Universal Life Insurance?

- Life insurance provides invaluable protection for your family in the event of your death. It ensures the ones you care about can continue to support themselves financially when you are gone. Yet, a recent study by the...

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What Is Term Life Insurance?

Life insurance provides invaluable protection for your family in the event of your death. It ensures the ones you care about can continue to support themselves financially when you are gone. Yet, a recent study by the...

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What Is Personal Umbrella Insurance?

Liability lawsuits are unpredictable these days. Juries are increasingly giving outsized awards to plaintiffs, and just about any accident can become prey to unscrupulous – even manufactured – claims of serious injury....

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Business Interruption and Supply Chain Impacts

How Business Interruption Impacts Your Supply Chain - Hurricanes Harvey, Maria, Irma and Nate caused massive destruction when they landed in the United States in 2017 and resulted in over $200 billion in damage. When...

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Homeowners, Solar Panels Are Green but Improper Insurance Might Make You Blue

- Your rooftop solar system is installed, the panels are powering your daytime routine and you’re amped you’re doing your part to reach a zero footprint. Then the tornado touches down. Your home is destroyed, but it’s a...

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Own a home? Here are two policy options you should know about

If you have a homeowners policy, you probably expect it to cover all the costs of rebuilding your house in case it’s damaged or destroyed by a covered hazard. But are you certain you have enough coverage? Read about two...

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Why a basic Homeowners policy isn’t always enough

Sometimes a basic homeowners policy just isn’t enough. So as your career advances and your income increases, it’s important to keep your insurance protection up to date. This helps you avoid expensive gaps in coverage...

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Enterprise Risk Management

Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) is a method of identifying and assessing critical risks facing an organization, quantifying their financial and strategic impact then implementing solutions to minimize or eliminate...

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How to Protect Yourself as a Real Estate Agent

You may not think much about your liability as an individual agent, but you really should. Unfortunately, you may be exposed to significant risk in a host of situations which you may be unaware of. We’d like to outline...

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Home Shopping Tips

Home shopping is an extremely important process. Unfortunately, there are numerous pitfalls that can ruin the experience and negatively impact your overall result. It’s no secret that being homeowner can have far-...

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10 Tips to Help Prevent Identity Theft

Shopping online. Visiting the doctor. Buying gas. In nearly all of the things we do from day to day, there’s the risk of identity theft. You could unknowingly give your information to a fraudster thinking you’re...

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Porch Safety: Should You Leave the Lights On?

It seems like a no-brainer to leave the lights on outside your home to deter burglars while you’re away (or even while you’re asleep). But does that really work? Or is it just a waste of electricity — particularly this...

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Don’t Delay — Start Thinking About Winterizing Your RV Today

Unless you’re headed to a warmer climate for the winter - or you live in one already - fall is the time to start preparing your RV for winter (as long as you’re done using it for a while, that is). And just because you...

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10 Things to do to Prepare Your Home for Fall

Fall is a wonderful time - if your home is ready for it. So enjoy the last few weeks of warmer weather, but do a little preventative maintenance while you’re at it. You’ll fix small problems before they become big, and...

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10 Easy Renovations That Can Help Prep Your House for Sale

This may sound obvious, but selling a house sometimes comes down to just how appealing your home is to potential homebuyers. The attributes that make your house attractive to buyers can include price, the condition of...

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It’s Back-to-School Time — Is Your House Ready?

We’re not quite sure where summer went, but if you haven’t noticed, the new school year is upon us. And as you get your kids organized and ready, consider doing the same thing for something else - your home. It won’t...

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Tips for Power Tool Safety

What would you do without power tools? Well, you’d probably take on fewer home-improvement projects - and probably have a lot more calluses on your hands. Thankfully, you don’t have to do without. But you do have to use...

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What to Consider When Choosing Auto Insurance

Carrying a minimum amount of auto insurance is required by state laws, so you can’t legally drive without it. Yet while the minimum amount keeps your premiums lower, it can also put you at great risk if you have an...

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Why You Need Service Line Coverage

Let’s spare a moment for something most of us use every day yet probably take for granted: our service lines. We rely on them for access to water, electricity, gas, Internet connection, and more, but only think about...

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How to Update your Home — Without Spending Thousands

It doesn’t take a massive remodel, or a big budget, to make your house feel a little more like home to you. Inside or out, small improvements can make a significant difference - and whether you’re handy or not, you can...

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Umbrella Insurance Coverage

Umbrella insurance provides extra liability coverage that can help protect assets, such as your home, car and boat. It also helps cover defense costs, attorney fees and other charges associated with lawsuits. What Does...

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Homeowners Insurance in a Shoreline Community

Owning a home in a Shoreline Community is a wonderful experience, there are so many great activities that are available in these areas! However, getting proper Homeowner's Insurance for your coastal home may not be as...

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I Just Bought a New Car. What Insurance Coverage Do I Need?

Congratulations! After weeks of research, comparing makes and models, and taking test drives you finally bought that brand-new car you wanted. But before you take that well-deserved road trip, check one more item off...

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Keep Your Pets Safe in a Disaster

A safe home, a regular routine, a soft bed – the things that bring you comfort bring your pet comfort, too. It’s so important to give some advance thought to how you’d handle your pet responsibilities during and after a...

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A Timeline for Getting Your Teen Driver on the Road Safely

Teens eager to drive often have parents equally concerned about keeping their new drivers safe. In fact, the rate of fatal crashes per mile driven for teen drivers is 3X that of drivers over age 20. The reality is that...

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5 Carbon Monoxide Safety Tips

Every year, unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning (not linked to fires) sends 20,000 people to the emergency room and causes more than 4,000 hospitalizations. And, you might consider them the fortunate ones. CO...

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What Car Drivers Need to Know about Motorcycles

Fall is here, and there are still plenty of motorcycles on the road. And the key word here is “see.” People driving cars and trucks often fail to notice the motorcyclists around them, partly because they’re not...

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How to Ride Your Motorcycle Safely in a Group

Group riding is a favorite activity among many motorcycle riders. Whether you’re part of a riding club, a social event, a charity ride, or out for a leisurely cruise with friends, group riding can be a rewarding way to...

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Five Tips to (Finally) Get your Garage Organized

There’s perhaps no organizing task more daunting than the garage-it’s often the dumping ground for the stuff that has no other place in the house, or the things you don’t use but just can’t bring yourself to toss. How...

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How to Make Your Family Vacation a Great One

Summer is here, which means it’s time to think about family vacations! (If you haven’t been thinking about them all year, that is.) The family part of family vacations, however, can make things a little complicated. You...

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Summers mean backyard grilling - safely!

Just like hamburgers and hot dogs, a sizzling grill is a symbol of summer and grilling isn’t just about great food. Backyard barbecues often create treasured memories with friends and family. Keep in mind, however, that...

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Boating Season is Here – Are You Up to Speed on Safety?

With spring in full bloom and summer just on the horizon, prime boating season is upon us. And you might notice more people on the water than ever, because sales of recreational boats have been growing at a steady clip...

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Spring Cleaning Tips

Spring is a time for new beginnings, and cleaning and organization around the house are very popular this time of year. If you’re ready to tackle the monumental spring cleaning chore, read on for some helpful...

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Daylight Saving Time is also Daylight Safety Time

In most places in the United States, Sunday, March 10th begins Daylight Saving Time, when clocks are moved forward one hour. We want to remind you it’s also a great time to improve your family’s safety. Be Safe In Your...

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Home Security Technology: Keeping you ahead of the burglars

Back in the early days of home security “systems,” around the end of World War I, it was common for homeowners to hire “door shakers”-night watchmen who would literally walk around and check doors to make sure they were...

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Thinking about Airbnb? Consider the implications

Millions of people use house/ apartment share services every year. These services, like Airbnb, match hosts who are looking to rent their dwelling or room out for a short period of time with guests. By all accounts, the...

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Look Out for Malicious Files on Legitimate File Sharing Services

The bad guys have come up with another way to trick you! Now, they’re using services like Dropbox, Google Drive, and other file hosting sites for their evil attacks. Cybercriminals are adding malicious files to these...

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Insuring Jewelry: How to Know if Your Coverage is Enough

A ring from a loved one. A bracelet handed down through generations. A watch or necklace marking a special occasion. Every reason you treasure a piece of fine jewelry is a reason it should be insured. However, calling...

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Is your home as efficient as it could be? An energy audit can tell you

Drafty windows. Leaky faucets. Dirty air filters. All are common issues in homes across the country, and they’re not just annoying-they also cost you money in decreased energy efficiency and higher bills. The U.S....

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Keep Pets Happy and Safe on Vacation

You’re not just imagining it—a lot of people are traveling with their pets these days. According to a TripAdvisor survey of more than 1,000 travelers, 53% of those responding said they take their pets on vacation, and...

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Five Common (and Potentially Costly) Homeowner Mistakes

Owning a home is usually a great experience. But it can also be a hassle, especially when unexpected issues pop up-whether you have a minor breakdown or a major catastrophe, it’s almost certainly going to require time...

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Don’t be tricked by Halloween hazards

Halloween can be a fun-filled time for children and adults alike. This Halloween, be sure to pay attention to certain safety guidelines to keep the trick-or-treaters safe and sound. How can I keep my child’s costume...

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Five Ways to Protect Your Personal Electronic Data

Online data breaches are just an unfortunate fact of life now-as the New York Times put it, you might as well assume that your personal information has been taken, because cyberattacks happen all the time. That’s why we...

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Let's Keep Our Lawns and Ourselves Safe

For many of our neighbors, summer means more than sunshine and vacations. It also means working in the yard – often with tools that can be dangerous if not used properly. Each year about 400,000 people are treated for...

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6 Tips for Getting to Work on Two Wheels

Did you know that hundreds of thousands of people in the United States commute to work by bicycle, according to the U.S. Census Bureau? That’s a lot of cars off the road each day, a lot of gasoline saved and a ton of...

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Essential Safety Tips for Nighttime Boating

If you own a boat (or better yet, as the joke goes, you know someone with a boat), you’ve probably thought about spending some evenings on the water - especially in the summertime. It’s a great thought, of course. But,...

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Summer Driving Tips

Summer’s almost here. The sun will come out of hiding, and people will, too. As crowds swell at the beach, in parks, and even on roadways, it all makes for some challenging driving conditions. More people are out and...

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Do I Need to Tell My Insurance Company If My Dog Bites Someone?

You probably don’t think your dog would ever bite someone, let alone cause a serious injury. But dog bites are more common than you might realize-4.5 million occur every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for...

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Protect yourself from Carbon Monoxide at Home and at Work

Every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hundreds of people in the U.S. die from carbon-monoxide (CO) poisoning-and the invisible, odorless gas sickens thousands more. The numbers seem...

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Fairfield County Bank Insurance Services Acquires The Fitzpatrick Agency of Bridgeport, CT

The Fitzpatrick Agency, Inc. is an independent insurance agency located in Bridgeport, CT serving the needs of personal and commercial insurance clients since 1919. The agency specializes in yacht insurance and has been...

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Tips for Buying a Safe Car

You’ve heard all the talk about driverless cars - but unfortunately, we’re still years away from living in a world where you just tell your car where to go, kick back and relax with a book (or, more likely, your phone)....

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Why Today’s Homes Burn Faster

From building materials to furnishings, many of the things in your home likely aren’t as flame-resistant as those from yesteryear. A fire in a modern home is a “perfect storm,” according to safety consulting and...

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Do You Need Umbrella Insurance?

One of the most certain things in life is uncertainty. Your dog could bite the neighbor’s kid. Your teen driver could hit a cyclist. A guest could fall down your stairs. A rainy morning commute on worn-out tires could...

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4 Ways to Help All Children Have a Great School Year

It's back-to-school time, and, if you have school-age children, your household is likely bustling with activity and filling up with books and backpacks. There are other households and school districts in your community,...

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