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Personal and Commercial Insurance Blog

Homepage, Insurance / 05.12.2022

Colstan & Associates is Long Island's Flood Insurance Expert   Homeowners insurance does not cover damages caused by flooding; Umbrella insurance does not cover it either. Unfortunately, Mother Nature can be unpredictable and Long Island is particularly susceptible to flooding, with nearly a quarter of a million people, over 15% of its residents, living in a flood zone. If you live in a flood zone, flood insurance is mandatory, and Long Islanders should be wary of the fact that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) changes the flood zone areas frequently. Your home may not have been in a flood zone yesterday, but today, it might be a different story, whether a flood happened or not. The largest flood zones on Long Island are found along the South Shore and stretch the entire length of the Island. The most susceptible area being Fire Island. Inland, Amityville Harbor, Atlantic Beach, Long Beach, South Oyster Bay,...

Homepage, Insurance / 28.09.2022

While safe driving is essential throughout the year, following some simple safety tips this Autumn will make you a safer driver.  Alter Driving HabitsAutumn is typically a damp, wet season, having many coolers, rainy or foggy days and nights.When driving in fog, set your headlights to low beam. This allows the beams of light to point downward, toward the roadway.As the temperatures cool, frost will often form on the roadway, causing hazardous driving conditions. Bridges and overpasses freeze over more quickly so take special caution by slowing down and breaking gently. Also, be aware that black ice can form on roadways as well. Adjust for Fewer Hours of DaylightIn the fall, there are fewer hours of daylight. In the earlier evening, it is common to see children outside playing or riding bikes. Neighbors are walking dogs or taking an early evening stroll. In the fading light of dusk, it is more difficult...

Boat Insurance, Homepage, Insurance, Personal Insurance / 26.04.2022

When you buy a boat, yacht, jet ski, you can’t help but think of all the fun you’re going to have on the water. While this could definitely be the best part, there are important considerations you have to take to keep your investment secure and have peace of mind.It is no secret that boats, yachts, jet skis and even classic boats have expensive maintenance and taking care of your property is our main goal. First of all, you should know that there are a lot of types of boat and marine insurance, so keep in mind that probably the insurance policy that you have now is not the one that fits all your needs.Here are the most common types of boat/yacht and marine insurance:Boat Insurance: Boat insurance protects your boat just as auto insurance protects your car. A boat insurance policy may cover you and your boat or personal watercraft...

Business Insurance, Car Insurance, Commercial Property, Disability Insurance, Homepage, Insurance, Personal Insurance, Workers Comp / 20.03.2022

Here are some benefits of having Umbrella Insurance. When people get insurance they think of the basics: Homeowners/Renters, auto insurance, and life insurance. They think that is all they need. However, they need much more. Umbrella insurance, also known as excess liability insurance, is a way to protect you financially. This can protect someone if they are being sued, they have hit the limit on their auto insurance, or their homeowner’s insurance has been reached.   No one truly knows when a situation may arise where you will need the extra cushion in your life. Umbrella insurance is just the extra cushion you need in your life. Having this policy will be able to help when other insurances are limited in their ability to help you. In other terms it takes care of the gaps in your coverage. Umbrella insurance is very affordable and easy to obtain. It starts by reaching out to your friendly neighborhood insurance company- Colstan and Associates. When reaching...

Business Insurance, Car Insurance, Commercial Property, Disability Insurance, Insurance, Personal Insurance / 27.12.2019

As 2019 comes to a close, we often look back at the year as a whole and see where we could have done better and where we succeeded admiralty. Then as we also often do we plan our goals for the following year.In 2020, we might plan to start a business, grow our business, or even grow personally. With all this in mind it is important to make sure that all the information you need is in front of you. You can visit our website for more info on business insurance Colstan Business InsuranceFor starters, write out your goals for the overall year. Then break down the goals to quarterly and then monthly goals. From there do your research!One of the most important items that you will need no matter the goal you set forth is having the right insurance. The right insurance is crucial in not only protecting you where you need it most but it...

Business Insurance, Commercial Property, Insurance / 13.12.2019

 Reasons to get Bakery Insurance: Bakeries are loved throughout the year but especially during the holiday season. It is important to not leave any gaps in your insurance especially when your business is your lively hood. That is why we have listed the top five reasons you should get your bakery insured today!1. Some gets injured on your property, your baked goods get contaminated, or in the event you get sued.This can all be covered under liability insurance. There is general and product liability. This will help pickup lawyer costs, loss of income, and judgments. 2. Something happened to your building (if you own it) and/or something happens to your appliances, equipment, and shelving.Property and Content insurance will help cover any damage to the building or equipment in the event that something happens. 3. If you are forced to close up for any reason and loose income.Loss of income insurance covers any event that causes you to have...

Insurance, Personal Insurance / 06.12.2019

Many people wonder why they need homeowners insurance. A lot of the time people look at it as an extra cost that they don’t need. While we understand the need and want to save money this is something you don’t want to miss out on. With the holiday season fast approaching there are more dangers to consider. There can be an overload on the electric as you decorate for the holidays, causing the electric to fail or worse a fire. With the colder weather there can be a snowstorm that could cause trees to break or cause other issues in the home. During the rest of the year fires, lightning storms, hurricanes, and much more can affect your home.That is why we have listed the top five reasons to make sure your home is insured, besides the obvious that the mortgage lender requires you to have Homeowners Insurance. 1. Insurance covers your personal belongings and protects your liabilityNot...

Business Insurance, Commercial Property, Disability Insurance, Insurance, Workers Comp / 29.11.2019

Every year businesses think about their overall profit for the year. In some cases, if they are in the red, they will soon be in the black with the sales that commence around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If a business is in the black, they will use Black Friday and Cyber Monday to bring in more profits than they already have for the year. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two “holidays” that have become a big part of our culture. On the Friday after thanksgiving around midnight you can see people lining up outside malls and stores to get the first chance at the sales for gifts for their loved ones. Cyber Monday is similar, but is web based and most of the same businesses that had black Friday sales also have Cyber Monday sales. At Colstan we admire the turn around that these businesses create as they enter...

Business Insurance, Car Insurance, Commercial Property, Disability Insurance, Insurance, Personal Insurance, Workers Comp / 22.11.2019

Here at Colstan we provide all of our clients with support and care because when you insure with us you are a part of our family. That is why we wanted to take this time to share a post on our family so that you can get to know us better! ALFREDO STANCO President Al has been in the insurance business since 1992. He started his own brokerage, Colstan & Associates in December of 2000. He has worked with all types of businesses and has assisted many individuals in achieving their insurance needs. Over the years, Al has looked out for his clients to make sure that each insurance policy contains the correct coverage's for an affordable premium and he has picked a staff to provide impeccable service. Al’s hobbies include playing with his 3 boys, riding ATV’s and doing yard work. MARIA VICARI Office Manager Licensed Broker Personal and Commercial lines Maria joined Colstan & Associates, Inc. during March of 2008. She is...

Business Insurance / 02.07.2019

Flood insurance rates are changing – Are you prepared?Don’t get caught off guard. Make sure you are prepared for an unexpected catastrophe, especially when it comes to making sure you are covered for damage left behind from a flood. According to Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, “floods are the number One natural disaster in the United States”, yet the Insurance Information Institute reports “only 18 percent of Americans have flood insurance”.  When a disaster strikes, like when one of the most devastating hurricanes in US history, Hurricane Sandy that hit Lindenhurst, New York in 2012, people are left with a huge loss and a mess to clean up. Some never do pick up the pieces, and the city is left with abandoned homes which result in dangerous eye sores and declining property rates for those left behind. Hurricane Sandy hit the east coast, New York City, and Long Island with a...