Massachusetts Commissioner Murphy Holds Insurance Awareness Event

Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Joseph Murphy and his staff held an insurance awareness and education event at the South Station, a major commuter hub in Boston, on Wednesday, March 6.

The commissioner and the insurance division personnel were on hand to answer consumers’ questions and discuss insurance awareness, changing weather patterns and the potential for property damage.

The staff at the event’s informational tables also distributed brochures that explain to consumers why it is important to check insurance policies regularly. Also participating at the event was Massachusetts Undersecretary of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation Barbara Anthony.

The insurance awareness event, titled “Know What You Have, Learn What You Need,” was part of a statewide effort to answer questions from insurance consumers. In the last two years Massachusetts has seen tornadoes, tropical storms and snowstorms all deliver considerable damage to different regions of the state, Commissioner Murphy said.

“In the last two years, unexpected weather catastrophes in the Commonwealth resulted in millions of dollars of damage to homes, businesses and vehicles,” Commissioner Murphy said. “We want to make sure that consumers know they have the proper coverage — and that they understand what their policies will and won’t cover — before they’ve been affected.”

Undersecretary Anthony said, “Superstorm Sandy showed us just how swiftly catastrophic weather can strike and how even a glancing blow from a major storm can cause widespread damage. Outreach efforts like this are the best ways we can reach consumers with the information they need to be prepared for whatever weather the season may bring.”

Massachusetts consumers with insurance questions can reach the state’s insurance division at (877) 563-4467 or visit the division online at www.mass.gov/doi. The insurance division is a regulatory agency within the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation.