Lessons From Hurricane Irene: What to Expect in the Future

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.

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

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.

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.

The Farmers Insurance Open Donates $1.36 Million to Local Schools & Charities

The 2011 Farmers Insurance Open, held in January of this year, presented the benefits of the PGA tournament to local schools and charities this week.  The Farmers Insurance Open is organized by the Century Club of San Diego always for the benefit of the community.

We're very proud of the hard work on the part of everyone involved for so many good causes.  Here are some blogs we did at the time of the tournament, and for our own fundraising "pre-open" golf event.

The San Diego Charger Girls announce to appear at our Platinum Elite Golf Event.
The Farmers Insurance Hot Air Balloon is the highlight of our Golf Event benefiting the March of Dimes.

The Platinum Elite Marketing "Pre-Open" Golf Event is a Success.

36 Military Moms get Dream Baby Shower thanks to March of Dimes and Farmers at the Farmers Insurance Open.

See reprint of article.

Century Club, Farmers Insurance Open award $1.36 million to charities, schools
by Kendall Lynes , The Daily Transcript

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Century Club of San Diego, a nonprofit organization and the host of the PGA Tour's Farmers Insurance Open, announced that $1.36 million has been raised from the 2011 tournament to benefit 200 charities and schools.

The nonprofit made the announcement Wednesday at a luncheon at the Town and Country Resort & Convention Center.

The Century Club raised $321,860 for local schools through the Support Our Schools program, a partnership with the Farmers Insurance Open in which students sell discounted tickets to the PGA tournament and keep 88 percent of the ticket sales for their schools. The proceeds go toward new turf for playing fields, new sports uniforms, renovated locker rooms, new band equipment and dance programs.

Century Club also raised $100,000 for local military charities, including Wounded Warrior Project, Naval Special Warfare Foundation (Navy SEAL), and Semper Fi Fund (U.S. Marines).

Other funds went toward programs for the homeless, senior services and animal shelters.

The Century Club of San Diego is a nonprofit volunteer organization that has fundraised about $22 million for local causes since 1968.

* 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.

Sturgis Bike Rally Week & Foremost Insurance

Foremost Insurance (a division of Farmers Insurance) provides various types of motorcycle, off-road vehicle, motor or mobile home, specialty dwelling, and boating insurance policies.

2011 Sturgis Bike Week

Contact me for a free needs analysis and quotes.   858-751-1357

Two of Foremost's employees recently traveled to the mecca of motorcycle culture: Sturgis, South Dakota.  Follow Bill and Jack's video blog and journey from Michigan to the Sturgis Bike Week.

Reprint from InsuranceNewsNet.com

Bill and Jack’s Adventure Take to the Road, Destination: Sturgis Bike Week

Bill and Jack's Adventures: Foremost Insurance

Two guys making their way across country to one of the largest motorcycle rallies in the country is the newest highlight on the Foremost® blog. Bill Koeller and Jack Allore traveled to and participated in Sturgis Bike Rally in Spearfish, SD. For a second year, Bill and Jack’s Adventure’s is documented with video, photos and stories on the Foremost blog.

“We want to share our journey while showing Foremost products in action,” said Bill Koeller, facilities manager. “Jack and I are not only employees and avid motorcycle riders; our motorcycles are also insured by Foremost.”

Bill admires motorcycle in Sturgis

Bill and Jack’s Adventure is documented from the first steps of preparation for the trip through the arrival back home. They traveled from Caledonia, MI to Spearfish, SD for the well known rally. Bill and Jack stopped at attractions on the way to Sturgis and updated the blog with daily posts. In 2010 Bill and Jack posted everything from Bill’s birthday celebration to a funny and infamous slide ride.

Jack Allore, building services technician said that the Foremost blog is a great outlet for this trip. “One of the main reasons we document this trip is to show that Foremost not only insures motorcycles, many employees ride them also. We love to share our trip with stops at landmarks and features.” Sturgis bike week also featured the Foremost ’69 Chopper that was built by Darwin Motorcycles specifically for the Foremost brand.

Bill and Jack’s adventure is just one of the many special interest sections on the Foremost blog. Check out the Foremost blog, http://blog.foremost.com for a fresh and funny spin on insurance. To learn more about Foremost products or share feedback,

visit http://www.Foremost.com, our Facebook page http://www.Facebook.com/ForemostInsurance or our Twitter page at http://www.Twitter.com/Foremost.

A part of the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies®, Foremost Insurance Group ("Foremost") has been a leader in personal lines insurance since 1952. Foremost is headquartered in Caledonia, Michigan. 

Farmers is a trade name and may refer to Farmers Group, Inc. or the Farmers Exchanges, as the case may be. Farmers Group, Inc., a management and holding company, along with its subsidiaries, is wholly owned by the Zurich Financial Services Group. The Farmers Exchanges are three reciprocal insurers (Farmers Insurance Exchange, Fire Insurance Exchange and Truck Insurance Exchange), including their subsidiaries and affiliates, owned by their policyholders, and managed by Farmers Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries. For more information about Farmers, visit Farmers.com or Facebook.com/FarmersInsurance.

Paco the Dog, a regular at Sturgis

* 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.

Teacher Appreciation Week: Platinum Elite Lends A Hand

In honor of back-to-school, here's a reprint of our past teacher appreciation blog.

Excerpt from a blog originally published on Why Platinum?

The Platinum Elite Team is devoted to our schools and the teachers who give their best for our children.  Here's a chance to acknowledge their efforts.

May 2nd through May 6th, 2011, is Teacher Appreciation Week.  For many schools, Tuesday, May 3rd is Teacher Appreciation Day.

If you appreciate the knowledge you have acquired over the years thanks to your teachers, Teacher Appreciation week which lasts from the 2nd till the 6th May 2011, is the week in which you can show your gratitude. Dedicated to the celebration of your favorite teachers worldwide, it is a week in which you can reward the teacher of your choice with a present. These come in different shapes and sizes, depending on the ideas of the students who offer gifts to their teachers.

Teacher appreciation week is the perfect time in the year to take a moment to show your appreciation to teachers for all the effort they put in each day to teach and for the education that we receive thanks to them.  Teacher appreciation week 2011 will include lots of fun events and activities and it is a great opportunity to increase interaction between teachers and students. Most schools have their own way of celebrating it, so find out more by asking your professors what will be organized!

Click HERE for some ideas or more information about Teacher Appreciation Day.

Here's what some of our Agents with the Platinum Elite do to show appreciation all year round.

Susanne Romo

Susanne & Ernie Romo - Chula Vista & Kearny Mesa (858) 751-0956

"I've adopted Casillas Elementary & Rancho del Rey Middle schools, providing them with supplies, lesson plans (educational DVD's) and hosting Free Child ID booths (M.I.L.K.) at their carnivals.  I have been a volunteer 'Big Sister' for 7 years. (a lot of help with homework!)  Every year I help provide digital IDs for approximately 1000 children in the Chula Vista area at the following events: Chula Vista Community Collaborative's 'Day of the Child' (Saturday, April 30th, 2011, 11-3), South Bay YMCA's 'Healthy Kids Day' & New Hope Community Church's 'KidsFest'.  I also sponsor a free website for teacherswww.educationappreciation.com (click for password), which provides free lesson plans, and for parents www.edhelpforparents.com (click for password), which provides homework help for kids based on subject and grade level."

Jasmine Guerrero

Jasmine Guerrero - Downtown San Diego (619) 501-6400

"Earlier this year I was asked to be a guest speaker at the 2nd Annual International Women's Week at San Diego City College, and recently have been asked to sit on an advisory panel for the years 2012 to 2013.  The panel is developing the course requirement for the San Diego High schools' ROP (Regional Occupational Program) Training.  Several professionals from different sectors of business take part making sure the program focuses on the right skills to make the students ready for the work force."  Jasmine is also a big believer in the benefit of the free educational DVD's and lesson plans Farmers provides grade schools and high schools.

Brent McKiernan

Brent McKiernan - Old Town San Diego (619) 501-6425

"I've given supplies and free educational DVD's such as 'Across the Waves' to a charter school named Feaster Elementary in Chula Vista.  Their budget for supplies, books, dvd's, etc is very limited so its nice to help out any way we can."  For info on more DVD's available for free to educators, click here.

Lorena De La Huerta

Lorena De La Huerta - Hemet (951) 766-8000

"I've adopted a school named Little Lake Elementary in Hemet. This week I donated $250 to get snacks as they are in testing week.  In May I'm going to bring Lunch from Rubios for the Teacher, and on May 12 we are going to have an open house and expecting to bring the Farmers trailer for a BBQ."

Amber Ramirez

Amber Ramirez - Ramona (760) 789-0010

Through her membership in Rotary, Amber recognizes 3 Ramona area Students of the Month each month and their teachers for setting a great example and meeting the goals they set.  See past blog.

Neomi Alcorn

Neomi Alcorn - La Mesa (619) 461-0497

"I’ve adopted Kumeyaay Elementary.  I’m on the Board of the PTA.  I’ve provided them with the 'Second to None' (a Women’s history educational DVD) and have also provided the other DVD’s because they include lesson plans.  I also volunteer at fundraising events, because I know the schools are really in a bind and need help raising money.  Schools are suffering major cutbacks and need to do more with less, so the least I can do is offer some assistance."  Neomi has also assisted the Toby Wells branch of the YMCA.

In addition, we just found out from Neomi...

"My husband is the 'Teacher of the Year' for San Diego Unified School District, so I’ll be at an awards ceremony on Tuesday evening and at the Padres game on Friday of next week."  

Earthquake Insurance: The Big Misconception

Excerpt from Why Platinum?

More than 85% of Californian homeowners and renters do not have earthquake insurance coverage. When the "Big One" hits, entire neighborhoods will be left damaged for long periods of time.

One reason people don't buy Earthquake Insurance is do to a "Great Misconception" that is reinforced by media and various financial writers who should know better.  When pointed out, corrections are usually put on the last page of the newspaper.

Have you ever heard this statement or thought this to yourself?

"The deductible is so high, why would I buy it?  I can't afford to pay that much!"

Not true.  The deductible does not have to be paid out-of- pocket before the policy begins paying.  It's just the amount of damage that must be exceeded before the policy begins paying.

Isn't 85% coverage better than the 0% most people have in place right now?

Let's start at the beginning.  A lot of the major insurers, including Farmers, use the CEA; the California Earthquake Authority since they were unsure about individually underwriting such a large potential loss on their own.  In example: $12.5 Billion in damages from the 1994 earthquake alone.  

"The California Earthquake Authority is a publicly managed, largely privately funded organization that provides catastrophic residential earthquake insurance and encourages Californians to reduce their risk of earthquake loss."

The CEA plan is a high deductible plan designed to get you back into your home safely.  It's not designed to cover extras like artwork and swimming pools.  By making it a high deductible plan, it's affordable enough to hopefully get more insureds under the plan.  

Example:  A homeowner buys a CEA policy with dwelling coverage of $350,000.  They choose the 10% deductible plan.

Farmers Educational Documentary on Women's History Featured at Film Festival

Second to None featured at international film festival

Farmers' latest educational film, Second to None: Inspiring Stories of Extraordinary Women, was chosen among hundreds of submissions to be one of only eight documentaries from around the world to be screened at the fourth annual Columbia Gorge International Film Festival on Aug. 14, in Vancouver, Wash.

Click to read our past blogs on these and related educational films made available to educators for free.

Holly Hunter Narrates Second to None.

Distributing to Teachers.

Across the Waves - The Asian / Pacific Community

Freedom's Song - African American Heritage

The festival is one of the most prestigious in the Northwest, featuring more than 300 films representing 40 different countries. 

Portland area Farmers agents attended the event, handing out free copies of the documentary and the accompanying lesson plan to local educators in attendance. Since the film's release in March, Second to None has been distributed to more than 20,000 schools throughout Farmers territory, reaching more than 600,000 students in less than six months. 

"In these hard economic times, it's especially challenging for schools to update their curriculum and educational programs," says Erin McCulloch, Lake Oswego, Ore. "I'm honored to represent an organization that prioritizes giving back to our communities and schools with these award-winning programs."

Visit www.GoFarmersEd.com to learn more.

Second to None is the seventh education program Farmers has sponsored and distributed free to educators through our agents. It's the fourth documentary produced by Farmers internal creative team, Randy Rice, national manager of education programs, and Dan Winter, director of audio visual communications.

Understanding Auto Insurance: Mom, The Chauffeur

“Mom, the shuttle bus driver.” Does that sound like you or someone you know? It may not be your “full-time job,” but if you have young children at home you probably take your turn at shuttling kids to and from after-school or weekend activities. You probably don’t even think about your auto insurance in this context but maybe you should — transporting kids (your own and others) comes with certain risks that could affect your insurance.

• Who’s responsible in an accident? — Drivers can be legally liable for passengers’ injuries — and most personal auto policies will extend coverage for injuries to passengers when you’re driving your own car.
• What’s typically covered? — Although most auto policies will cover your actions in a car that isn’t yours, many contain restrictions on the size and type of vehicle involved. So if you plan to rent or borrow a larger vehicle — such as a van to take the soccer team to an out-of-town match — call me so you can be sure you have the coverage you want.
• What if you’re driving someone else’s vehicle? — It may depend on the situation. Your personal auto insurance policies might not cover your legal liability if you cause an accident while you’re driving your employer’s or your neighbor’s vehicle (particularly if your neighbor’s car is available for your regular use). Teachers and coaches should use school district vehicles to transport students and players to and from events, rather than their personal vehicles. Finally, even if you are covered, if you have an accident in which several passengers are involved, medical and other costs could easily exceed the limits typical of most personal auto policies.

Disaster Preparedness When Space And Money Is Limited

I came across this article, and while some of it might seem extreme (with a little of humor thrown in), take a few points from the article and get better prepared for when that next emergency hits.  Don't let the lack of space in your apartment or condo keep you from getting ready.

Survive a Disaster -- in your Condo

by Donna Freedman, MSN Money

The great blizzard of 2011 closed highways, collapsed roofs and knocked out power to two-thirds of the country last February. Wonder how many people wound up fumbling for flashlight batteries and dining on dry cornflakes?

Object lesson: You need to be ready. If a natural disaster or even just a really big windstorm happened, how would you eat, drink and stay warm? And where would you go to the bathroom?

"It's just common sense to have something set aside for when you need it," says Bernie Carr, the author of "The Prepper's Pocket Guide: 101 Easy Things You Can Do to Ready Your Home for a Disaster."

Maybe the word "prepper" conjures up images of camo-clad guys waiting out Armageddon in rural bunkers, surrounded by ammunition and MREs. Certainly, some prepper sites toss around acronyms like BOBs ("bug-out bags") and TEOTWAWKI ("the end of the world as we know it"), and emphasize survival skills and marksmanship.

But not everyone who preps is hard-core or imagines the collapse of society -- or even lives in the country. About 60% of the visitors to Carr's website, The Apartment Prepper's Blog, live in cities or suburbs. Carr lives in Houston.

Robert Richardson, who blogs at Off-Grid Survival, says the majority of his readers are city or suburban residents, worried more about inflation than the doomsday predictions for December 2012.

"It doesn't have to be an end-of-the-world scenario. I'm talking to people who are prepping for things like job loss," says Richardson.

Preparedness isn't paranoid -- it's prudent. Just ask Uncle Sam: The Department of Homeland Security recommends having enough supplies to survive for at least three days after an emergency. And right now, while there isn't an emergency, is the time to get those supplies.

The list might seem daunting if you're living in a tight space on a tight budget. Chin up: You probably already have some of those items, and you can use frugal hacks to get the rest cheaply or maybe even for free. Here's how.

Easy does it

The American Red Cross has an even longer list of suggested emergency items. Because every family (and every disaster) is different, however, pick what works for you. You don't have to get it all at once.

Click here for the rest of the article.

The Red Cross sells ready made Emergency Kits of different sizes (and supplies) if you don't want to build your own.

Other Disaster related blogs I've written:

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

Disaster Preparedness: Resources

* 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.

Bone Marrow Registry: As Easy As A Touch Of The Cheek

Sign up to save a life online today with the National Be The Match Program!

It’s never been easier to register to donate bone marrow—an act that could make the difference between life and death for cancer patients waiting for a transplant.

Be the Match is a national bone marrow registry where doctors go to find donor matches for patients awaiting bone marrow transplants. Farmers kicked-off a national campaign to promote the registry with our thousands of employees, agents and district managers by hosting a blood drive and on-site bone marrow registry on Wednesday, Aug. 3, at the Farmers Insurance Home Office. The event was facilitated by City of Hope, a leading cancer research hospital in Los Angeles.

See my previous blog about the City of Hope honoring Farmers Insurance.

In honor of CEO Bob Woudstra’s recognition by City of Hope’s National Insurance Industry Council as the 2011 Spirit of Life Award Honoree, Farmers is sponsoring registration for the Farmers team.  

You can sign up now to join the registry online by visiting www.bethematch.org, click “Join the Registry,” then “Join Now,” fill out the information and enter the promo code: Farmers4Hope.  A few days later, you’ll get a kit in the mail. Swipe the insides of your cheeks with the cotton swabs provided, stick the swabs back in the envelope, put it in the mail and you’re done!