Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers Client of the Month for February 2017

Are you looking for help with individual taxes, self-employment, real estate investments, tax exempt organizations, trusts, wills, or estates?  Are you looking for a broad range of services and the expertise and confidence to address a multitude of employment and financial situations?  Francis P. Flynn CPA PC, a full service Certified Public Accounting firm, can assist you with all this and is Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers’ Client of the Month for February.

Francis P. Flynn started his accounting firm in 1997, and he knew from the beginning that he needed to find appropriate insurance for his new business.  Frank contacted Bob Ryan and has been with Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers ever since.  For most of his service needs, he deals directly with his account manager, Kerry Letersky, or directly with Bob. In addition to his property and casualty insurance needs, Frank also has life insurance with Bob.  Bob has provided Frank with valuable consultation whenever he has had questions and concerns regarding his insurance.

Frank Flynn referred to Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers saying,  “I have always found Bob and his staff to be very responsive to our needs as my business has evolved over the last 19 years.  He is also proactive, anticipating what coverage changes I can benefit from.  Bob is just an all around good guy, which makes buying insurance that much less painful.”

For more information on Francis P. Flynn and his firm, http://www.frankflynncpa.com/about-us/  or contact him 845.340.7999

Ryan & Ryan Client of the Month for January 2017

As we start the new year, most of us are thinking about slimming down. At Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers, we are fixated on the mouthwatering offerings of our Client of the Month, Home Plate Deli & Caterers.  Owned and operated by Alex Stier, Home Plate Deli & Caterers is a local, small business that features quality food at everyday prices. Alex and his team pride themselves on serving delicious, homemade foods with the freshest ingredients at the most reasonable prices. Home Plate Deli & Caterers, located at 1128 Morton Blvd., Kingston, NY, is a favorite local breakfast and lunch spot that offers a broad menu. They also provide a variety of off site catering services, including full service catering, throughout the greater Hudson Valley area. Catering corporate events, fundraising events, weddings, graduations, dinners, and lunches has become a distinctive trademark of Home Plate Deli & Catering. Alex employs Culinary Institute of America (CIA) graduate chefs in order to ensure that every catered event is a huge success. Their catering menu is also extensive, ranging from full service hors d'oeuvres and elegant butler-style buffet service to their eat-in deli menu. In addition, Alex enjoys giving back to the community such as volunteering to be a centralized location for a “Toys for Tots” drive and serving dinner to employees on “Black Friday” at Target.  So the next time you are preparing for a celebration, remember Home Plate Deli & Catering’s exceptional catering, style, and pricing. Visit their website @ Homeplatedeli.com or visit their facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/pg/TheHomePlateDeli/posts/?ref=page_internal  for their wide-range catering and deli menus.

Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers Client of the Month for December

Ryan and Ryan Insurance’s December “Clients of the Month” are Gordon and Paula Bell of Accord, N.Y.  Ryan ad Ryan Insurance has been providing the Bell’s with their personal auto insurance since 2013.   Jeanne Beck serves as their client manager and assists them with any questions, claim issues, or concerns that may arise. 

Gordon and Paula Bell are also the owners of Bell’s Christmas Tree Farm*. Bell’s Christmas Tree Farm is open for one month starting the day after Thanksgiving until noon on Christmas Eve. They offer 11 varieties of Christmas trees from 2 feet to 13+ feet. Bell’s Christmas Tree Farm is located in Accord, NY between the Shawangunk Ridge and the foothills of the Catskills making it a destination for many around the Hudson Valley and beyond.

Visit Bell’s Christmas Tree Farm’s website www.bellschristmastrees.com for more information including hours of operation, driving directions, fun facts about the farm, and more.

(*Ryan and Ryan Insurance Brokers does not insure Bell’s Christmas Tree Farm.)

Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers Client of the Month for November

Alfandre Architecture

Located in New Paltz, New York, Alfandre Architecture offers a comprehensive range of architectural services.  From initial planning to completion of construction, Alfandre Architecture is a full service firm that focuses on creating spaces and places of long lasting beauty. They also specialize in, and advocate for, high performance and environmentally responsible green buildings. High Performance Green building utilizes a healthier, environmentally responsible form of design, sustainable planning and building, and focuses on elements such as energy efficiency, renewable energy, and waste reduction.  Some local creations and designs by Alfandre Architecture include The Bakery, located in New Paltz, New York, Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates of Middletown, New York, and Minnewaska Lodge, in Gardiner, New York. The architect behind the design, Rick Alfandre, has built over 200 projects throughout his expansive 22-year career.  As founder and CEO of Alfandre Architecture, he has expertise in the design of energy efficient and climate responsive buildings.  With a staff of 5, the team of project managers and architects at Alfandre Architecture see your vision through to completion.

When asked how he came to place his insurance with Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers, Rick Alfandre states,  “I have known Bob for years and years through various Ulster County circles. However, it is because of my direct friendship with Jeff Smith that we came to Ryan and Ryan. Jeff Smith and Kim Whelan give us great, direct, personal care.  As a result, we have placed all of our personal insurance coverages with Ryan and Ryan, and almost all of our business and real estate investment policies are with them as well.”   

To find out more information regarding the health and productive benefits of building green, visit Alfandre Architecture’s website @ http://alfandre.com/home.

Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers Client of the Month for November

Alfandre Architecture

Prosthetic & Orthotic Associates of Middletown, NY, Minnewaska Lodge, Gardiner, NY, The Bakery, New Paltz, NY are all creations and design by Alfandre Architecture.  Located in New Paltz, New York, Alfandre Architecture offers an expansive range of architectural services from initial planning to completion of construction.  Specializing in green building design, a healthier and environmentally responsible form of design, planning and building which includes, energy efficiency, renewable energy and waste reduction.   The architect behind the design, Rick Alfandre, has built over 200 projects over his expansive 22 year career.  As founder and CEO his expertise is the design of energy efficient and climate responsive buildings.  With a staff of 5, the team of project managers and architects at Alfandre Architecture, sees your vision through to the completion.

When asked how he came to place his insurance with Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers, Rick Alfandre states,  “I have known Bob for years and years through various Ulster County circles,  however it is because of my direct friendship with Jeff Smith that we came to Ryan and Ryan.   Jeff Smith  and Kim Whelan give us great, direct, personal care.  As a result, we have placed all of our personal insurance coverages with Ryan and Ryan and almost all of our business and real estate investment policies are with them as well.”   

To find out more information regarding the health and productivite benefits of building green, visit Alfandre Architecture’s website @ http://alfandre.com/home.

Ryan & Ryan Insurance Brokers Customer of the Month for October is.....

CLERMONT VINEYARDS & WINERY

A transformed 125 year-old dairy farm is the magnificent home to Clermont Vineyards & Winery, located in Clermont, New York. Producing fine wines of the Hudson Valley in the vinted Portuguese tradition since 2014, Clermont Vineyards & Winery, a small family business, is owned and operated by cousins Tony Trigo and Vasco Meireles. In 2004, after proving that making wine from purchased grapes was unsuccessful, the partners planted their own 4,000 vines on 7 acres of land.  Today, these vines have flourished into producing award-winning wines.  In 2008, Tony retired from the Port Authority of NY & NJ as a Senior Construction Safety Engineer.  Vasco continues to work for a construction company in NY.  Both men contribute to the success of the vineyards in their own way. Tony handles most of the planning at Clermont, and Vasco has proven himself as a great winemaker.  

At Clermont Vineyards & Winery, an on-site modified destemmer (crusher machine) helps to replicate the foot stomping method of winemaking from years ago in Portugal. The idea of  growing great grapes with the minimum amount of non-restricted (safer) chemical sprays, prompted Tony to designed and built their own tunnel sprayer.  At the beginning of each growing season, the tunnel sprayer recycles 80-90% of the spray chemicals, contributing to the efficiency of the design of the machine.

When visiting Clermont Vineyards & Winery, you will be greeted by Clermont’s welcoming staff and led to either an expansive tasting room or one of their two large outdoor seating areas to sample award winning wines. Clermont Vineyards offers several wine varieties including Aurore, Chardonnay, Seyval Blanc, and Vidal Blanc white grape wines, Arandell, Cabernet Franc, Corot Noir, Lemberger, Marquette, and Noiret red grape wines, and a few other French/ American hybrid red grape wines, all of which are 100% grown on-site. Clermont’s Cabernet Franc took home top honors in 2015, receiving the Gold Medal at the Hudson Valley Wine & Spirits Competition.  Many customers also choose to take advantage of the gorgeous 15 acre site and picturesque views by enjoying a picnic or grabbing a bite from a local eatery.  

Tony states that all it took was talking to a neighbor while sweeping his sidewalk, who mentioned Bob’s business, Ryan and Ryan Insurance Brokers, as the local agent he used for his insurance needs.  The rest was history.

When visiting the Hudson Valley, come, stay, and enjoy the charming views with a glass of your favorite award-winning wine at Clermont Vineyards & Winery, 241 County Rt. 6, Germantown, NY. (845.663.6611) You can also visit their website @ clermontvineyards.com.

Who Needs Commercial Auto Insurance

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Commercial auto insurance is insurance designed for vehicles used for business purposes.

Depending on your employer and/or your own business, you might need higher liability insurance, as well as additional coverage add-ons to make sure you, your employees, other individuals, your vehicle, and your business are fully protected.

Commercial Auto Insurance vs. Personal Car Insurance

When it comes to drivers, vehicles, and purposes, personal drivers don’t have the same kinds of car insurance concerns as do businesses.

Businesses have much higher liability issues; as such, usually they have higher liability insurance requirements or recommendations. Generally, businesses deal with:

• Employees. 
• Passengers. 
• Work gear. 
• Other people and/or equipment. 

Commercial car insurance is typically required to sufficiently cover the above.

Drivers Who Need Commercial Auto Insurance

You need commercial auto insurance if you use your vehicle for work or own vehicles operated by a business. 

Commercial car insurance coverage isn’t just about big rigs.

Commercial vehicles actually can include what you might consider “regular vehicles,”such as:

• Cars.
• Pickup trucks.
• Sports utility vehicles.

It also branches out to some of the vehicles you might more closely associate with commercial work, such as individual or fleets of:

• Trucks including, but not limited to, dump trucks, box trucks, refrigerator trucks, bucket trucks, and catering trucks.
• Vehicles outfitted with work equipment.
• Utility vans.
• Limousines, taxicabs, and other livery vehicles.
• Flatbeds.
• Rented or leased vehicles.
• Any vehicle owned or leased by a business, partnership, or other corporation.

Simply put, if you use a vehicle or vehicles for your profession or business (other than commuting to work), it’s likely you need commercial auto insurance.

NOTE: If you use your vehicle for work-related purposes and you aren’t sure if you need commercial auto insurance, ask your insurance agent.

What Does Commercial Auto Insurance Cover?

Basically, commercial car insurance covers the same major coverages private individuals purchase (usually at higher limits); however, there are many add-ons more suited for commercial driving, such as coverage for your:

• Employees, including fellow employee coverage and broadened and blanket policies that protect additional employees or people for whom your business is doing work.
• Equipment, including loading and unloading goods.
• Business, which protects your assets in the event of a lawsuit.

Your auto insurance specialist can inform you of your exact coverage needs based on your business and vehicle use.

How Much Commercial Auto Coverage Do You Need?

Generally, you must meet your state’s liability insurance requirements (which include bodily and property damage coverage). Understand that these coverage limits might be higher than they are for regular passenger vehicles.

If you don’t own your commercial vehicle(s) outright, your financial institution also might require comprehensive and collision coverage (which will pay for damages to your vehicle when you are at fault in an accident or the victim of non-collision events such as weather or fire).*

Aside from those coverages, you might consider additional types of auto insuranceincluding, but not limited to:

• Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance: This insurance protects you if you’re involved in an accident with another driver who has no insurance or not enough insurance.
• PIP and medical payments coverages: Personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments coverages help take care of expenses incurred when you and/or your passengers are injured in an accident.
  • PIP covers more than medical payments, such as wage loss.
• Emergency roadside insurance: Emergency roadside insurance helps you in the event you’re left stranded on the side of the road.
  • It can include:
    • Battery services.
    • Towing expenses.
    • Tire changes.
    • Fuel delivery.
    • Locksmith services.
• Personal effects insurance. Some insurance companies provide personal effects coverage that takes care of your or your employees’ personal belongings in the event of theft. Usually, this coverage is up to a certain dollar amount.

These are just a few suggestions. Your auto insurance provider will explain the appropriate coverages and whether they’re required or available in your state.