[caption id="attachment_671" align="alignright" width="392"] Are you a homeowner? Be sure to ensure your properties against catastrophes.[/caption] In early April 2012, as a dry winter gave way to a dry spring, a wildfire ignited near the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island. Before it was brought under control, the fire had consumed 1,000 acres and two homes. We don’t usually think...

If recent storms, like Irene and Sandy, have taught us anything, it is that your home does not have to be a coastal property to be vulnerable to flooding. In fact, one out of every three flood claims occur in a FEMA designated “preferred flood zone.” For most of us, protecting your home from flooding is as easy as purchasing...

New York and New Jersey residents, just coming to grips with the enormous costs of repairing homes damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Sandy, will soon face another financial blow: soaring flood insurance rates and heightened standards for rebuilding that threaten to make seaside living, once and for all, a luxury only the wealthy can afford. Homeowners in storm-damaged coastal areas...

More than three decades before Superstorm Sandy, a state law and a series of legislative reports began warning New York politicians to prepare for a storm of historic proportions, spelling out scenarios eerily similar to what actually happened: a towering storm surge. Overwhelming flooding. Swamped subway lines. Widespread power outages. The Rockaways peninsula was deemed among the "most at risk."...

LANCE ARMSTRONG has apparently managed to put legal structures in place over the years that will help insulate his fortune, as I wrote last week. But what about other people who may be less prominent but concerned about lawsuits? Can they also protect themselves? The short answer is that someone’s money can never be completely protected from creditors, but there...

This article was contributed by Roz Binday, President of Advocate Brokerage in Scardale: We all know how badly Sandy battered the Scarsdale area, but there is a bright side. It was mostly a wind event…not a flood event. Even worse, it could have been both. Windstorms, hurricanes and Nor’Easters all have the potential to cause different kinds of damage over...

As Hurricane Sandy makes its approach towards the East Coast of the United States, Advocate Brokerage Corp. wants to remind you how important it is to take preventive measures to protect your family, home and possessions. Hurricane preparedness checklist Preparing for hurricanes can be the difference between minor damage and catastrophic loss. The following information is intended to guide you...

Below is a link to some photos taken from the 2012 Scarsdale Concours d’Elegance Event that was held on Sunday, October 14th, 2012. It was a great day along with great crowd support. The show itself was very enjoyable as the cars were intertwined on the streets of the Scarsdale Village. This created a unique scenic backdrop as well as...

In today’s economy, people are looking to save money in any way possible. There are a variety of ways to control insurance costs, especially in regard to automobile insurance and part-time drivers. Do you have a son or daughter in college who drives only during vacation months? Are there multiple cars sitting around in your driveway getting limited use? If...

Technology has been making waves in the auto industry with the integration of customer smartphones, touchscreen driver interfaces and Internet radio streaming. Safety is also increasing with new technology. Auto manufacturers are implementing active braking and cruise control systems that can slow or stop a vehicle safely if an accident is imminent, even on the highway. Google is taking it...