Hilb Group NE - OPI

09/01/2026

🚨 Today marks Day 1 of National Preparedness Month — and we're kicking things off with something simple: Battery Check Day.

We're also right in the middle of hurricane season (June 1 – November 30), which makes today's task an easy one to knock out before you need it in a hurry.

Here's your 10-minute checklist:
🔋 Replace smoke alarm batteries
🔦 Check your flashlights actually work
🔌 Charge your portable chargers
♻️ Replace or recycle any old, corroded, or dead batteries

That's it. No kit to build, no plan to write — just batteries. Small step, real difference when the power actually goes out.

Go check your junk drawer right now. What did you find — fresh batteries or a graveyard of dead ones? 👇

08/28/2026

🎶 Looking for something to do this weekend? Head to Crescent Park in East Providence for the Rhode Island Folk Festival — Sunday, August 30th, noon to 6pm. Free, outdoors, and voted Best Americana Festival by Motif Magazine.

A few artists to catch across the three stages:

🎤 John Cowsill & Vicki Peterson — the married Americana duo behind The Beach Boys/The Cowsills and The Bangles
🎸 Tracy Bonham — the alt-rock voice behind '90s hit "Mother Mother"
🎻 Ilana Katz Katz — blues and Appalachian fiddler known for busking in Boston's subway platforms
🎹 Mark Cutler — the RI legend behind The Schemers and The Raindogs, hosting a songwriter's workshop before performing the result live

Bring a chair, a blanket, grab a bite from the food trucks, and spend the afternoon soaking up live music by the water. 🌊

Full lineup + schedule: https://rhodeislandfolkfestival.com/

Enjoy some of the finest Folk, Americana and acoustic music across three stages at this Free Music Festival taking place at Rose Larisa Park in Riverside, RI

08/27/2026

A reminder as kids head back to class: 🛑 STOP means STOP.

Not "slow down." Not "roll through if the road's clear." When you see those red lights flashing and that stop arm out, you're not just stopping for a bus — you're stopping for a bus full of kids.

This short video from NHTSA shows exactly how to do it right, and the mistakes drivers make most often. Worth 60 seconds, especially with the new school year underway. 🎥👇

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmYFYYGzHNw&t=7s

Yellow lights = slow down, get ready to stop.
Red lights + stop arm = stop. Every direction. Every time. It's the law.

Share this with someone who needs the reminder. 🚌

Did you know that the greatest risk to a child isn’t riding a bus, ...

08/25/2026

🚗 Would you get in a car with no one driving?

New research from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says Waymo's driverless vehicles crash 68% less often than human drivers — fewer single-vehicle crashes, fewer injury crashes, across the board. Turns out removing distraction, drowsiness, and impairment from the equation actually works.

Driverless cars aren't cruising RI roads yet.

We want to know: Would you welcome driverless cars in Rhode Island? Have you ridden in one — what was it like? 👇

Drop your take in the comments.

🔗 Full study: https://www.iihs.org/news/detail/waymos-driverless-cars-crash-less-often-than-people

Waymo’s driverless vehicles have crash rates that are 68% lower than human drivers, new IIHS research shows. But as the technology is deployed more widely, a better system for tracking safety is needed.

08/21/2026

🎶 There's a mystery brewing on the beach this weekend...

We're hearing a FREE concert is going down on Narragansett Town Beach — no ticket, no clue who's playing, just good music under the stars. 🌊✨

📅 Saturday, August 22, 2026
🕗 8pm
📍 Sand Castle By-The-Sea Beachfront (located On the Beach, between the North Beach Club House and The Dunes Club)
🙌 Hosted by Joseph Healey

This beach has hosted some seriously big names in years past... and this year's act is still anyone's guess. 👀 Show up and find out with the rest of us!

EVERYONE'S WELCOME — bring your chair, your crew, and your best guesses.

☀️ Forecast's looking good right now (low chance of rain) — but you know how it goes around here. Might toss a light jacket in the car just in case! 😉

See you on the sand! 🏖️

08/19/2026

Congratulations to Amy Vitale, President of Beacon Mutual, on being featured in The Standard's Salute to Women in New England Insurance! 🎉

Amy made history this year as the first woman President in Beacon Mutual's 30+ year history — and this feature is a well-deserved nod to her leadership, collaborative spirit, and unwavering commitment to policyholders and communities across New England.

From all of us at Hilb Group — congrats, Amy! Your leadership continues to raise the bar for our industry. 👏



Read more:

Beacon Mutual President Amy Vitale is featured in The Standard's Salute to Women in New England Insurance.

08/14/2026

Looking for something to do this weekend? 🎪

The Washington County Fair is in full swing through Sunday in Richmond — RI's largest agricultural fair, and the perfect way to spend a summer weekend with the family!

🎶 Live music on the Main Stage
🐎 Tractor & horse pulls
🏆 Livestock shows & 4-H (Head, Heart, Hands, Health) exhibits
🎡 Carnival rides & kiddy land
🍦 Fair food galore

Grab the family, head to Richmond, and make some memories. Hilb Group is proud to call this community home! 🌾

📍 Washington County Fairgrounds, Richmond, RI

08/12/2026

🌊 Living on the water is Rhode Island amazing. Insuring it properly is a Rhode Island necessity.

Salt air, ocean views, and… actuarial tables that were absolutely not designed with your zip code in mind. 😄

Coastal properties face a different world than the average homeowner: storm surge, wind exposure, and rebuild costs that don't play by "standard" pricing. A generic policy just doesn't cut it when your home has custom finishes, a boathouse, or a view that alone adds six figures to the rebuild cost.

What coastal high net worth homeowners actually need:
🏠 Guaranteed replacement cost — so a total loss doesn't mean a downgrade
🌪️ Wind & storm-specific coverage (not just bundled in and hoping for the best)
🎨 Scheduled coverage for high-end finishes, art, and furnishings
⚓ Coverage that accounts for docks, boathouses, and waterfront structures

Your view is one of a kind. Your policy should be too.

📞 Let's make sure your coastal home is protected the way it deserves to be → 📞 401-847-5200

08/10/2026

🚨 PSA for RI Drivers: Your E-ZPass Might Be Costing You More Than You Think

Did you know thousands of E-ZPass transponders across Rhode Island have started failing due to dying batteries? The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) reports that roughly 6,500 transponders failed in 2025 alone — many issued back in 2008-2010 finally reaching the end of their lifespan.

The problem: When your transponder dies, tollbooths can't read it — so you get billed the higher non-transponder rate (up to $6/crossing on the Newport Pell Bridge) instead of your discounted rate, sometimes racking up hundreds of dollars in surprise bills.

What to watch for:
✅ Check your EZ-Pass account - https://ezpassritba.com/ - for unexpected license-plate-based charges
✅ Look for a blinking LED on your transponder when you pass through a toll point
✅ If your transponder is 5+ years old, it may be due for replacement

If you've been overcharged: You can dispute it directly with RITBA at ezpassritba.com/disputes — but act within 90 days of the transaction.

At Hilb Group, we're all about helping you protect what matters — and sometimes that means a quick heads-up on the small stuff that adds up. Check your transponder today! 🚗💳

08/05/2026

This past weekend, Doug completed his 24th Pan-Mass Challenge, riding alongside his buddy John Birs and 6,500 fellow cyclists — all pedaling toward the same goal: a world without cancer. Doug's family was there cheering him on every step of the way, a reminder of just how many people show up to support this mission.

Two days. Across Massachusetts. For Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Doug's words say it best: "Each mile is a reminder of the people we love, the families affected by cancer, and the remarkable doctors, researchers, caregivers, volunteers, riders, and donors all working toward the same goal."

The PMC community is powering real impact:
💰 $78 million raised last year alone
💰 $1.125 BILLION raised since 1980
🎯 $79 million goal for this year
✅ 100% of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber

Doug set out to raise $15,000 this year — with a stretch goal of $17,500 to land among the top fundraisers. The final tally isn't in yet, but 24 years of showing up, mile after mile, speaks for itself.

All of us at Hilb Group are incredibly proud of Doug's dedication and heart. 24 years of riding for a cause this important is a remarkable achievement, and we're honored to have him on our team. 👏

To everyone who has already donated — Doug says THANK YOU. 🙏 And if you haven't yet, there's still time to help him reach that stretch goal — every dollar counts toward the final total.

👉 Donate here: https://egifts.pmc.org/

Every dollar. Every mile. Closer to a cure. 💪