Chris Browne American Elm Insurance

01/19/2026

Join us at a networking meeting on Wednesday online.

Professional Referral and Networking Group - Waltham, MA

LOCATION: The PRANG Networking group meets in person at the Starburst Cafe in Waltham on the first Wednesday of the month, and via Zoom the other Wednesdays. Please RSVP to

08/21/2025

Ever wonder why you see so many of the same cars? Perhaps this is the answer:

Curious which car is most popular in your state? Check out our list of the most popular cars by state that includes a range of truck, SUV, and sedan models.

07/24/2025

Scams are everywhere

SCAM ALERT – FAKE DMV TEXT

Please be advised that several residents and coworkers have received a fraudulent text message claiming to be from the Massachusetts State Department of Vehicles (DMV) regarding unpaid traffic tickets and threats of license suspension.

This is a scam. There is no such department as the "Massachusetts State Department of Vehicles" — Massachusetts RMV (Registry of Motor Vehicles) does NOT send legal threats via text messages.

Here’s what the scam message says:

"Final Notice: Enforcement Penalties Begin on July 24... our records show you still have an outstanding traffic ticket... if you do not complete payment by July 23, 2025... your registration and license will be suspended, you may be prosecuted, and your credit score will be affected."

It then provides a fake payment link:
Do NOT click this link. It is not affiliated with the official Mass.gov website.

What to Do:
Delete the message immediately

Do NOT click any links

Do NOT reply

Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission: www.reportfraud.ftc.gov

If in doubt, verify any legitimate ticket or license issues at the official Massachusetts RMV site: https://loom.ly/pKAxNwA

Stay alert. Scammers often try to create fear and urgency to trick you into giving up personal or financial information.

If you have questions or need help determining if a message is legitimate, please contact the Arlington Police Department.

06/24/2025

Waltham area professionals, join me and others at the Prang Wednesday networking meeting online. Sign up here:

LOCATION: The PRANG Networking group meets in person at the Starburst Cafe in Waltham on the first Wednesday of the month, and via Zoom the other Wednesdays. Please RSVP to

06/03/2025

All business owners looking to improve your business and networking are welcome to join Prang for our monthly in person meeting tomorrow at the Starburst Cafe, 307 Waverley Oaks Road, Waltham, Ma starting at 8:30am.
Presenting our showcase, we have Ashley Agres, AMA Office Solutions, LLC.
With Rene Coleman, Cross Country Mortgage, presenting the business tip.
Join us if you can for the pre-meeting Breakfast at 8am.

03/09/2025

If you have had the misfortune to have an accident in this recent bad weather, appeal the inevitable surcharge. Appeals are done via zoom, and Clients who’ve appealed due to snow and ice have always succeeded in getting the surcharge thrown out.

12/05/2024

Its always a shocker to see increases in your home insurance costs but this article shows the highest rates of increase mapped out nationally.
Unfortunately one Massachusetts county, Dukes is included in this list. No doubt location (all the islands off the southern coast including Martha's Vineyard) and high concentration of highly valued properties has much to do with it.

‘Tight correlation’ between premium rises and counties deemed most at risk from climate crisis, experts say

06/11/2024

Is your car or phone reporting your driving habits? And whose getting this data?

The insurance industry, hungry for insights into how people drive, has turned to automakers and smartphone apps like Life360.

05/27/2024

04/30/2024

I watch some Police Dept. pages, and its not always good news. This driver will likely lose their license, face a considerable insurance surchage and financial penalty when allowed to drive again.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/sqgA6AX5yH8GNhog/?mibextid=WC7FNe

Liquor and Cars don’t mix. This driver veered into the shoulder, drove onto the guard rail, rupturing the fuel tank, and subsequently got stuck in this propped up position. The driver, a Natick man, was placed under arrest and charged with Drunk Driving, Reckless Driving, and Marked Lanes (going off the road). Thankfully no other drivers were involved. Had just a spark ignited as a result of the impact, the outcome of this crash would have been a lot different. A reminder to have as much fun as you’d like - but not to get behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking.

04/06/2024

This is funny and a great read.

Solar Eclipse Monday, which is a perfect time to remind everyone of our 2017 eclipse rules.

Monday, April 8th, at around 2:15PM there will be a solar eclipse of the sun. How dark it may get in Braintree is anyone's guess, however NASA is putting the “02184” at 92% coverage around 3:30.

Please do not panic, as it is not the end of the world as we know it. That said, we wanted to advise you of a few things.

1. Just as with any first snowfall of the season, we expect each of you to begin panicking today. Do not wait until Sunday night to buy bread and milk. As masses descend to grocery stores the shelves will be empty and you'll be stuck buying spray cheese, Flaming Hot Cheetos and store brand golden grahams. For some of you, that might make your day.

2. Don't look at the eclipse. Once again don't do it. Doing so will turn you into a zombie from the Walking Dead, and you'll wish you had listened to us in the first place.

3. Your sunglasses will not protect you. Amazon still has "stare directly at the sun glasses", and if you act now, there are some on Ebay for a mere $39.99.

4. Feel free to hold "solar eclipse / end of the world" parties. If you do, please be respectful of your neighbors or you may get a visit from us. If we come, we can all ohh and ahh over the fact it's dark at 3:30 together.

5. Little ones, and maybe some adults as well, don't understand the dangers and may want to look at the sun. Please tell your kids that it's dangerous as well.

6. Expect trendy / annoying hashtags for the solar eclipse to start popping up on snapface, Instagram, and Facebook. There is nothing we can do about it. After a few days it will pass and you'll have a new set of trendy hashtags to be annoyed at.

7. If driving, do not wear eclipse sunglasses while driving. Do not try and take selfies with the eclipse while driving. Keep your eyes on the road.

8. Don’t crime during the eclipse. In 2017, some decided it would be a good time to do so….. It ended poorly for them.



As always, if you need us, give us a ring.
🌞🌖🌗🌘🌑🌒🌓🌔🌞

01/29/2024

I would like to invite you to a free, in person Business Networking event:

When: Monday January 29, 2024
Time: 6:00 - 7:30PM
Where: Donohue’s Restaurant
87 Bigelow Ave. Watertown, MA. USA

Sponsored by PRANG - Professional Referral and Networking Group.

Click this link for more info.

Sign Up : https://rb.gy/77l0xa



Please let me know if you have any questions.

--
Sincerely,
Chris Browne

Business Coaching and Management Consulting firm, an elite group of professional, certified Business Coaches that specialize in helping businesses and individuals reach and exceed their goals.