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| Hurricane Irene (2011): evacuations precede landfall |
While hurricanes give more of a warning before they strike than the wildfires and earthquakes we face here in California, there are still lessons for those not involved to learn.
How will your insurance company react the "next time"? How quickly will they respond? What services will they provide those in need?
Suddenly price is secondary to customer and claims service.
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| Wildfires in Northern Los Angeles County force evacuations. |
Watching insurers prepare before Hurricane Irene will tell you what they will do post flood, fire, or earthquake. The same claims teams and emergency response vehicles being readied now will arrive after future natural disasters.
Read the article below.
Here are some of our past disaster preparedness and safety blogs. Please take time to read them and make some preparation. Your health and safety are our primary concern.
Maintain a defensible zone around your home
Pet micro-chipping before disasters occur
Insurance Company Emergency Response Vehicles
Should I get Earthquake Insurance?
A look back at the Wildfires of 2007
The Tornadoes of 2011
The March of Dimes & Farmers Insurance unite in wake of the Alabama Tornadoes
Getting Ready for claims after accidents and disasters
Disaster Preparedness: Resources and Websites
Preparing for disasters when space and money is limited (includes Red Cross info)
Farmers Insurance claims #: 1 - 800 - Help Point
Excerpts from the InsuranceJournal.com
Insurance Industry Mobilizes for Hurricane Irene Claims
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| Farmers Insurance Customer Care Vehicle |
In addition to advising their policyholders on what to do to protect against Hurricane Irene, property/casualty insurers and brokers are themselves taking precautions—and positioning their claims teams for the aftermath.
Most are publicizing their toll-free claims numbers and online sites for claims, while also making sure their claims people, mobile units and key systems are where they need to be and ready to go once the storm passes.
Some are using automatic call systems to alert policyholders about steps to take to reduce damage, while others are gassing up their mobile vehicles and activating their complex claims teams.
While a few insurers and brokers said they were just too busy to respond to questions about their preparations, Insurance Journal was able to find out what some in the industry are doing to deal with Irene.
The article continues...
Farmers
Farmers Insurance Group— whose subsidiaries include Foremost Insurance, Bristol West and 21st Century Insurance —has mobile catastrophe claims buses that are 46 feet long and are equipped with state-of-the art satellite communications equipment; seven claims stations; water, supplies; laptop and telephone capability for use by its customers and public; and a built in grill to serve meals to Farmers’ customers and others in need.
“We will strategically position claims adjusters and Farmers mobile catastrophe units near where the hurricane makes landfall,” said Paul Quinn, assistant vice president of claims communications for Farmers Insurance.
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| Farmers Insurance setting up at QualComm Stadium after the wildfires of 2007 |
The company also has smaller claims vehicles ready to assist with claims and supply needs of customers and others in need.
The article concludes...
Reporting
Meteorological service firm AnythingWeather Communications Inc. provides customizable reports on the effects of hail, wind and flood events for roofing companies, building suppliers, insurance companies, public adjustors and other industries. It is already busy collecting storm data.
“Our clients demand data quickly so we have a team of 15 people on staff gathering data including four meteorologists analyzing the storm. The claims firms depend on us for data,” said Bill Combes, operations vice president for the firm, which has offices in California and Texas.
Also one of the industry’s key media centers, the Insurance Information Institute, based in New York, is making its team of experts available to journalists all weekend from their homes in Manhattan, Miami, Atlanta, Tampa, New Jersey, even Long Island.
end of article
* The content of this blog is for informative purposes only. It does not reflect official standing of any agent, agency, or company mentioned on the blog. Nor is this blog necessarilly an endorsement. Please consult with your insurance, tax, or legal specialist before making any decisions. This blog is purely meant to spark the thought process.
