Our Blog

Posted on December 1st, 2015 by admin

Today is #GivingTuesday – we thought it would be appropriate to list out some of our favorite local charities.  If you live in Northern New Jersey and want to volunteer with your family this holiday season, here are some organizations to look into. Center for Hope and Safety Formerly called Shelter Our Sisters, the Center for Hope and Safety provides food, shelter and clothing for women and their children escaping domestic violence. Every year, volunteers donate more than 5,000 hours of service. Want to help out? There are many ways your family can get involved. Organize donations, help women and their children…Read More

Posted on November 11th, 2015 by admin

An up-to-date home inventory is an important tool for helping to piece together the inventory of your home in the event that a disaster or theft occurs and you need to file an insurance claim. There are many reasons it is necessary to not only create a thorough home inventory, but also to update it regularly. Why Do You Need a Home Inventory? It’s a straightforward question that baffles many homeowners and renters who have insurance. The bottom line is that insurance companies can’t simply afford to take your word for it. They have to take a “trust but verify…Read More

Posted on October 9th, 2015 by admin

According to the National Fire Protection Association, nearly 370,000 house fires broke out in 2013, resulting in more than 12,000 civilian injuries, 2,700 deaths and $7 billion in property damage. Don’t allow your home and family to become part of these statistics. Stay protected by following these seven simple fire safety tips. Install and Test Smoke Alarms Monthly You should have one of these devices on every floor of your home, including inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Shop for interconnected smoke alarms, where all devices sound when a single smoke alarm detects a fire. Test all smoke alarms monthly…Read More

Posted on September 21st, 2015 by admin

More American children die because of vehicle accidents than for any other single reason. One of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce this risk is by using child safety seats properly. Of course, following the rules also puts drivers in compliance with the new child seat laws that became effective on September 1 of 2015. Failure to comply with these new laws results in fines from $50 to $75. According to the State of New Jersey, the guidance for the latest New Jersey child seat laws comes from the recommendations of both The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration…Read More

Posted on August 27th, 2015 by admin

Keeping Teen Drivers Safe There is a reason that auto insurance companies consider teens a risky group of drivers to insure. Young drivers lack experience on the road. Some teens may not have matured enough to exercise good judgment. This isn’t just speculation. The U.S. Center for Disease Control, or CDC, says that car accidents are the #1 leading cause of death for teenagers in the United States. In order to understand how to keep teenaged drivers safe, it’s helpful to consider the primary risks. Consider these CDC stats about teen auto fatalities: Drivers between 16 and 19 years old…Read More

Posted on June 19th, 2015 by admin

There’s a new and growing trend to share rides and even houses. It sounds great and is spun as a way for housewives, college students, and even families to earn extra money. But, your participation in these types of programs has an impact on several things, including your insurance coverage. What is Ridesharing? The concept is called real-time ridesharing. What it is, is a service that provides one-time shared rides with very little notice. It is called many names, and while there is a company called Rideshare, there are other companies that offer the same, or very similar, services. Uber,…Read More

Posted on March 30th, 2015 by admin

Rain is a beautiful thing, especially in areas plagued by drought. But when rain turns into flooding, and leads to damage to homes, it’s not such a beautiful thing. Flood Insurance Basics Many homeowners learn the unfortunate lesson that their homeowners insurance policy doesn’t protect their home or prized belongings in their home from the devastation left by the wrath of a flood. Flood insurance is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). While it is not included in a standard homeowner’s insurance policy, homeowners typically purchase flood insurance coverage through local…Read More

Posted on January 13th, 2015 by admin

Service line coverage is a property insurance endorsement that provides protection from an unforeseen loss resulting in a service line failure on your property. It covers the costs of expensive excavations and repairs of service lines on your property, including water and sewer pipes, natural gas lines, power lines, phone lines, cable lines, and more.  Why is Service Line Coverage Important? As it turns out, homeowners are responsible for replacing or repairing any damage to service lines on their property, not the service provider. Moreover, your basic homeowners’ policy most likely does not offer any coverage for these damages. Therefore,…Read More

Posted on February 14th, 2014 by admin

 The recent winter storm in Atlanta wreaked havoc on traffic and left motorists and vehicles stranded on the city’s highways for days. Many people were forced to stay in their cars overnight, while others abandoned their vehicles to escape the gridlock. The harshness of the winter the country is experiencing emphasizes the importance of making sure that your vehicle is prepared for cold and inclement weather. There are two aspects of vehicle preparedness during the winter months: Maintaining your vehicle to reduce the risk of an accident, breakdown, or other problems; and having the right equipment on hand to solve…Read More

Posted on March 7th, 2013 by admin

Insuring your car, motorcycle, and especially classic/ specialty/antique cars can be confusing because how you cover the car depends on how you’re going to use it. If you’ve never owned a classic before, you may not know the right questions to ask your insurance agent. “To the beginning.  Insurance policies can be a difficult to read and almost impossible to understand; especially if you are not familiar with industry terms and weren’t fully educated on your policy coverage prior to purchase. At ICNJ, we work tirelessly to help clarify the insurance coverage that applies to the physical damage coverage you…Read More