Spring is here! Are you ready?

It is spring, and if you're like me, you're eager to get out and clean up the yard and the outside of your home (which reminds me, I need to get my lawn mower tuned up and the blades sharpened)! While sprucing up your home, ask yourself this: When was the last time you spruced up your home's insurance policy?

Why is this important? Suppose a spring storm blows away part of your home. Is your policy adequate to cover rebuilding costs? If you haven't reviewed your policy recently, you could be in for a shock (two shocks, actually, counting the storm). Keep in mind that the cost to rebuild is NOT the market value of your home, nor is it the purchase price or loan value (and it doesn't include the value of your land). Don't wait until it's too late to find out if you're fully covered.

Policies have their limits:  The bad news: your homeowners insurance policy also has limits on jewelry coverage. The good news: you can get an affordable separate policy to cover the loss of that diamond ring or those heirloom ruby cufflinks.

Other purchases might also require separate policies. For example, if you purchased a fishing boat, you will need liability insurance and protection. Don't let a spring storm sink your boat only to find out it's not covered! Same story if you decided to save on gasoline by buying a motorcycle or scooter: your homeowners insurance doesn't cover these items.

The Bottom Line:  Find out what is and isn't covered BEFORE a loss occurs! Plus, when you review your policy with your agent you can make sure you are receiving all the discounts you are entitled to, and are placed with the best company for your specific needs.

Update your homeowners insurance policy today and you'll rest easier before and after spring storms hit.


Anita Sloat is an Independent Agent who can offer solutions from a variety of insurance companies when serving the business and personal insurance needs of her clients. Read more from Anita Sloat on TipTopics.com.

Credit scores under question when determining premium rates

Many insurance companies use credit scores to assign premium rates for policies. This process was discussed at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Spring National Meeting recently.

Consumer representatives brought their objections to insurance regulators regarding inaccuracies with credit scores. According to National Underwriters P&C, Sonja Larkin-Thorne, a Connecticut-based consumer advocate who formerly worked in the insurance industry, stated that even lenders are beginning to question the accuracy of credit scores after the large numbers of recent defaults.

A USA Today report concluded that consumers who have never been late on payments are being hit with lower credit scores as lenders react to the economic downturn by closing credit card accounts and reducing limits. If credit scores drop when people haven't made any late payments, that raises questions about the accuracy and validity of the credit scoring process.

David Snyder, American Insurance Association vice president and associate general counsel, said that insurance scores are calculated differently than credit scores.

If you feel your premiums jumped unreasonably, check with your insurance agent to see if this might be the reason. And this also is a reminder to know what your credit score is, so if you have a rate increase, you'll know ahead of time what your numbers are.

A new target market

While providing our inventory service for a customer on Saturday, she gave me an idea of a completely new target market. Often people ask me who that is, expecting me to give a demographic-type of answer ... income level, size of house, type of business, type of neighborhood. But normally, instead, we discuss psychographics. Most of our customers are those who value what they own and realize the huge financial loss they could face if they had a fire, theft or natural disaster. They care about their family, the level of life style they have worked so hard to achieve, and want to ensure they can continue no matter what happens. So an inventory is a safe-guard against losing that because it provides supporting documents to the insurance company, which allows for a maximized insurance claim.

And thanks to our customer's self-assessment, now I have another psychographic category ... worrywarts. We all know these types of people. Our customer stated she's thought about having an inventory for a few years now, and feels much better now. And, to follow her lead, I recommend every worrywart out there to do as she did - she elminated something to worry about, and replaced it with peace of mind.

Why not just drop it in the mail?

That is a question people often ask us when discussing our service. You see, there's much more to an inventory than just writing it down. Back at the office, we create a photo album and written report of the information documented. All the information is also on a CD. The question about mailing comes up when people learn that we hand-deliver the portfolio. "Why?" they usually ask, "Why not just drop it in the mail?"

We could, it would save us a lot of time and expense. And sometimes we do - like when the customer is very busy and prefers it. Also, those who live far away (like Florida and Mississippi and Chicago) receive theirs via mail. But usually we hand-deliver it. This gives us the chance to sit down with our customers and discuss the portfolio. We can answer questions they might have. And most importantly, it gives us another opportunity to say "thank you" in person. More attentive, more thoughtful, more personal.

When people care enough about their belongings to have an inventory completed by us, we just feel we should care enough about them to provide the special treatment they deserve.

What do you do for your customers that is above and beyond what is easiest?

An estate, a burglary, an unoccupied house and a fire

There was an estate, a burglary, a unoccupied house and a fire. Sounds like an 4-part story about a personal property inventory service, doesn't it? Well, it is sorta - it does provide great information about homeowners insurance policies, and that's one area I enjoy learning about and figured you'd find this interesting as well.

An article in Indiana Lawyer Daily clearly explains the importance of knowing what your insurance policy covers. To sum up the article, an elderly woman was placed in a nursing home, never returned to her house and died five years later. Three months after her death, the house was damaged by a fire. There are indications that possibly burglars entered the home and caused the fire.

A claim submitted on behalf of the estate was denied by Allstate because the house had been empty. Over the next two years, the insurance company continued to send premium bills to the Power of Attorney as requested. Then, after the fire, they cancelled the policy retroactively and returned the premiums paid.

The reason? Part of the policy says there's no coverage for loss caused by vandalism if the dwelling is vacant or unoccupied for more than 30 consecutive days immediately prior to the vandalism. The policy also requires an insured to notify the company of any change in occupancy in the dwelling.

Based on this company's policy terms, if a homeowner goes on a 31-day trip and a fire damages the house while "unoccupied", the insured wouldn't be covered. It also implies that if you are away a lot, your coverage lapses.

If you travel often or are away for extended periods of time, check with your insurance agent to ensure your policy covers what you expect it to cover.

Did your premiums go up?

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners recently posted the results of a December 2009 study on insurance premiums. The study shows that the average homeowners premium rose by 2.2% in 2007. This followed a 5.2% increase the previous year.

Floridians face the highest average premium ($1,534) in 2007. Texas, which had the highest average premium in 2006, moved to the no. 2 spot in 2007 ($1,448), followed by Louisiana ($1,400).

The opposite is true for renters insurance premiums. They declined by 3.7% in 2007, and 2.1% in 2006. Mississippi had the highest average renters insurance premium in 2007 ($250), followed by Louisiana ($248) and California ($231).

Whether you rent or own, be sure to read your policy. If there are items that you don't understand, discuss them with your agent. And remember, having a personal property inventory will help you recover when you experience a disaster. The inventory document will help you remember and prove ownership when it's time to file your insurance claim.

Yeah, Baaaaaaaby!

A flurry of excitement spread as college basketball fans gathered to experience March Madness once again. There were some amazing upsets. And that got me thinking. I know the NCAA committee members put a lot of thought and spent many hours placing the teams for the tournament. And no matter how much effort is put forth, sometimes teams and players don't think they belong where they are seeded.

This brings to mind something that everyone must remember, whether in college sports, professional sports, little league  - and even (or especially) business ... it's not what someone else thinks of you, but more what you think of you. Consider if every lower-seeded team went into a game thinking to themselves that they're the underdog, they're supposed to lose. Guess what? They will lose with that line of thinking. If they believe that, then why even show up?

Unfortunately, many business owners make that same mistake. When they start a business, or are struggling to make it succeed, or are choosing to expand - whatever the scenario, they must go into it knowing they can do it.

Take this weekend's experience and make it a life and business lesson. Don't believe what others think or listen to what others say. Listen to your coach and teammates (your professional advisors). Listen to yourself. Put forth the effort required to succeed. Then when you know you can win, when you truly believe and expect to achieve your "win" (whatever that win may be) you will succeed. You'll achieve what those lower-seeded teams achieved.

Then all your fans will stand up and yell, Yeah, Baaaaaaby!

It's a simple question, and a simple answer

Picture walking into your house and it's in total disarray. Drawers pulled open and clothes hanging out of them. Other drawers upside down and all their contents dumped on the floor. Furniture tossed around. Pictures and other decorative items yanked off the walls. What did the burglars take? You're trying to remember, but you're facing a few obstacles. Those obstacles are stress, fear, frustration and anxiety, all of which impede your ability to remember.

When you have a loss, you're required by the insurance company to provide a list of everything you need replaced. How will you do that? 

• You'll try to remember everything you owned.
• You'll try to remember the model number of your digital camera.
• You'll try to remember the size and manufacturer of the big screen TV.
• You'll try to remember how many DVDs, CDs and video games you own(ed).
• You'll try to remember the purchase price of each item you're listing.
• Then you'll try to remember when you bought them.
• And you'll keep trying and trying and trying to remember what else was taken.

That's a lot of "try" activities. My life/business coach, J.Sewell Perkins, of Success Coaches Institute, has taught me that try really doesn't exist. You either do or you don't. She and Yoda in Star Wars share the same message. She is as insightful and knowledgeable as he was (but much more attractive), and this try lesson really hammers home the need to have documentation of the contents of your home and/or business. Because as J.S. and Yoda say, "There is no try - only do or do not."

Would you rather "do" create your list or "do not" create your list? Would you rather recover financially or not? Would you rather lessen your stress and emotional turmoil or not? Would you rather have a document to refer to so your task is efficiently completed or not? Would you rather submit your claim quickly or lose many weeks and months while you try to remember what else was taken .. or would you rather not?

Would you rather have an inventory of your belonings, or would you rather not? Would you rather not have to try, but instead, do?

Shocking news about lightning - Part 2

Jim Metzler is owner of Metzler State Farm Agency, and can be reached at www.InsuranceInIndy.com or (317) 844-4402.


Yesterday's post discussed the dangers of lightning strikes and how to protect your home. I'm pleased to share some personal safety advice as well.


Personal safety first. Most importantly, protect yourself. If lightning is present, seek shelter inside an enclosed building or vehicle, stay away from electrical appliances and avoid using the telephone. If you cannot find shelter, stay close to the ground in a low-lying area, avoiding isolated trees, high ground, bodies of water or large open areas. If someone is injured, administer first aid if you are qualified to do so and call for emergency help. You cannot be "shocked" by someone who has been hit by lightning.

For more information on this and other safety issues relate to your home and family, stop by my office or visit State Farm's website.

Shocking news about lightning - Part 1

Jim Metzler is owner of Metzler State Farm Agency, and can be reached at www.InsuranceInIndy.com or (317) 844-4402.

Lightning brightens the sky and provides a spectacular display of Mother Nature's power. This awesome phenomenon also causes more deaths and property destruction in a typical year than floods, hurricanes and tornadoes combined. Don't underestimate the dangers of lightning. The threat of lightning can occur any time, but the most likely time for damaging thunderstorms is June through August. The early spring is also a vulnerable period.

Scientifically speaking, lightning is the visible discharge of electrical energy. It is often accompanied by thunder, which is a sonic boom created by the same electrical discharge. This electrical energy seeks a path to ground and that path can be your home, a tree in your yard, or even you! The key to your protection is diverting that discharge to a grounding path away from people and property. A lightning protection system has two objectives: Provide a direct path for the lightning to follow to the ground and prevent destruction, damage, injury or death as it travels that path.

Many of you are likely aware of lightning rods. Contrary to typical references to these devices, lightning rods do not attract lightning. They also cannot prevent lightning from striking your home. What they are designed to do is provide that safe path to the ground for the electrical current. Rods are just one part of an effective lightning protection system. If you're serious about lightning protection, State Farm recommends you have a qualified contractor evaluate your home, explain the many parts of a total system and perform the installation.

While lightning's first target may be your house, there's also a need to protect the property inside your home from the electrical surges that accompany a lightning strike. Surge protection devices installed at the main electrical panel or meter and at outlets serving electronics can often prevent these sudden spikes in electrical current from damaging TVs, VCRs, computers and other expensive electronic devices.

Tomorrow ... personal safety.

Copy, stop and compile

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Picture yourself with the mother of all business hangovers - last night an executable file that you never saw coming attacked your network and wiped it out. Without your awareness, this little program was busy gathering information from all the hard drives in your company network and sending it back to the criminals who emailed him to you. In just a few short hours, your systems have been strip-mined! Your client and financial data is gone and your hard drives have been wiped out. Now you are sitting at your desk, shaking your head and wondering what to do. Pass the aspirin!

Criminals can take over your PC with a bot-net (short for "robot network") - a network of zombie computers, possibly consisting of tens or thousands of zombie computers. Bot-nets can download malicious software that takes control of your PC, search for personal or financial data, send spam without you knowing it, and do many other bad things with your computer. From only one single computer, a bot-net can spew out thousands of spam messages in one day.

How can you avoid the throbbing pain. Be prepared in advance for this - and other types of disasters - with a three-way approach.

• Copy valuable data regularly as a backup to an off-site secure location. You can get all of it restored quickly and be back in business within a few hours if this is done properly.
• Stop the bad guys from ever getting to your network with a good spam filtering system. Our ProSpam service filters your email on our server first, then sends it on to you as clean messages. They also can filter all your outgoing mail so that if you are spamming out, it will be blocked and warn you so you don't get blacklisted.
• Compile an inventory of your company's assets. This includes software licenses, computers, monitors and printers. But don't stop with the IT-related items. Think of the money you've invested in desks, chairs, tables, shelving units, break room appliances, etc. Without a record readily available to submit to your insurance agent, it would be a daunting, time-consuming task at one of the worst times of your life.

All three of these tactics are essential and increase your level of protection against the threats you face daily. Don't be unprepared and let a disaster cripple your company. This is just like business insurance. You can't afford not to have it, so take action today.

Natural doesn't always mean valuable

Yesterday’s post, Rubies, diamonds and pearls, discussed the increasing value of pearls and the need for current appraisals. However, over-the-top priced pearls are natural pearls. Only the wealthiest of the wealthy now own these gems – they are almost extinct and have been since the early 20th century. So, I'm guessing that the pearls we inventory are not natural ones. However ...


Enter Kokichi Mikimoto and his introduction of cultured pearls. Women from all walks of life can now enjoy a string of pearls. Now, don’t get me wrong – even though they aren't natural pearls, they still can carry a very high dollar price tag. The finest and largest can sell for $500,000 or more, according to Chubb Insurance’s newsletter, Chubb Collectors. So, how do you know the difference?

Antoinette Matlins, gem expert, buying consultant and author explains …

Both natural and cultured pearls can be found in saltwater and freshwater mollusks. Saltwater pearls are usually found in oysters, although rare purple “quahog” pearls can be found in clams, and “conch” pearls are also highly prized. Freshwater pearls are usually found in mussels.

Pearls are formed when the mollusk is invaded by an intruder. With natural pearls, this is often a microscopic sea parasite; in cultured pearls it is a nucleus inserted by technicians. The mollusk isolates the intruder by coating it in conchiolin (a darkish, porous substance) over which the “pearl” substance—called nacre—is secreted. With natural pearls it takes many years for even a small pearl to form, and the entire pearl consists of nacre. Cultured pearls typically remain in the mollusk for only six months to two years. The size of a cultured pearl is primarily a result of the size of the bead that was used. When buying cultured pearls, the thickness of the pearl coating is critically important; the longer the nucleus is in the mollusk, the thicker the coating, and the greater the beauty, longevity and cost of the pearl. With both natural and cultured pearls however, the longer a pearl remains within a mollusk, the more misshapen and marred it can become. Cultured pearl farmers are able to control many factors, and the huge number of pearls produced assures a quantity of beautiful pearls in every size from which to create a well-matched strand.

Most experts, including Ms. Matlins, believe that over the next 10 years, the value of natural pearls will far exceed today’s prices. Just because a pearl is “natural” doesn’t guarantee that it is valuable. So, be sure to keep your appraisals current - especially since pearls are expected to increase in value.

Rubies, diamonds and pearls

Stunned silence - that's how the crowd at Sotheby's was described in Chubb Insurance's newsletter, Chubb Collectors. A platinum ring holding a beautiful, grey-pink pearl sold for a staggering $218,500. The pre-auction estimate was $30,000-$50,000. How's that for a swing in the market?

Later that day, a pearl necklace brought over $600,000. That, too, far out-bid the pre-sale estimate. They anticipated something in the range of $250,000-$350,000.

This indicates that pearls are still ranked at the top along with rubies and diamonds as the most precious gems. Prices remain strong. Chubb states that prior to the recession, pearls were setting one auction record after another. In 2003 a fine double-strand pearl necklace measuring 8.5-16 millimeters in diameter fetched $3,000,000, and a few of years later, an exceptionally large double-strand necklace (the Baroda pearls) set a world record at over $7,000,000. A small, double-strand necklace of much smaller pearls of exceptional quality later brought $1,000,000.

Does the word "appraisal" come to mind? As a personal property inventory provider, we like to know how often valuables should be appraised - insurance agents tell us that the standard rule of thumb is to have your jewelry appraised every 2 years, and more often during times of volatile markets.

To ensure proper coverage and replacement if you have a disaster, review your appraisal dates and get them updated according to the guidelines of your insurance agent.

Bridging the gap

We had what I would call an "eye-opening" discussion with a customer on Saturday. They, like all of our customers, work diligently to acheive the life style they want, and value what they own. Facing a disaster without having an inventory is, basically, out of the question. We talked about others who have an inventory, and how helpful the documents were in remembering and proving what they owned when they faced a tornado, fire and burglary.

As we discussed their jewelry, we touched on policy limits, the need for riders and how to know when you need one. For example, insurance agents have told us that a standard rule of thumb for having jewelry appraised and scheduled is when an item has a value of more than $1000. So what about all the items that cost less than $1000?

Well, there is your standard homeowners policy, but it most likely won't cover all of your jewelry because of the jewelry limit. Most policies have a limit somewhere between $1000 - $3000. Consider this ... if you have just 2 bracelets worth $500 each, 3 necklaces worth $400 and 5 rings valued at just $200 each, they don't warrant an appraisal or being scheduled, but you'll have exceeded the top range of the limits most companies place on jewelry. It is extremely important to know your policy's limits. It's highly likely you'll exceed it, so you'll want to purchase a jewelry rider, or you could stand to lose thousands just on your high quality, fine jewelry. Then consider all the other contents in your home.

Other items that have limits are:

• Guns: $1000-$3000
• Silverware: $1000-$3000
• Business Personal Property: $1000-$2500
• Sports/Stamp Collections: $1000-$2500
• Money: $200-$500

Knowing what you own is the first step in making sure you have proper insurance coverage. An inventory of your contents will help you do that. Our customer stated that she sees they have some gaps in coverage they need to close.

As we left this home, inventory in hand, we once again served our passion of helping others. Not only were we able to provide the service, but the guidance about inventory coverage has encouraged them to discuss specific items with their agent. They'll sleep well, knowing they'll be able to recover financially from their loss if they ever need to file an insurance claim.
 
Now, that's a great day's work!

Did you feel that?

The recent earthquakes that those in Haiti and Chile have experienced bring these disasters into conversations. I remember many years ago feeling one here in Central Indiana. Everyone was asking the same question: "Did you feel that?"
So often when talking about the need for a personal property inventory, people state that they don't think "it" will happen to them, whether you're talking about burglary, fire or a natural disaster. But when these headlines hit the news, we are all reminded that it does happen.

According to CNNMoney.com:

• Approximately 5,000 earthquakes strike each year.
• Since 1900, earthquakes have occurred in 39 states and caused damage in all 50.
• The potential damage and cost of earthquakes is increasing all the time because there's simply more buildings and development in risky areas. Plus, older buildings tend to be more vulnerable to a quake.
• While the United States experiences only 2% of the world's earthquakes, some 90% of its population lives in seismically active areas. Some of the most vulnerable cities include: major metro areas in California, Seattle, Portland, New York City, Salt Lake City and St. Louis.
• Earthquakes in the United States are not covered under standard homeowners policy. You'll have to buy a separate policy.
• Rates vary widely by each insurance company, and premiums can be expensive.

It's important to also point out that an earthquake doesn't just stop at the earthquake. Ofter there are fires, floods and tsunamis as a result. Your standard homeowners policy should cover the fire, and if you have flood insurance, that should cover it. But, as with all types of coverage, check with your insurance agent. Policies are different, and it's best to know what yours will and won't cover

Welcome Kendall Inventory Service

I was glancing at the last few blogs I've posted, and they've been quite serious ...

• Don't give people your location on Social Media, then post that you're out of town; burglars will know you're gone and they can clean your house out.
• Insurance agents get only an "OK" rating on customer service (but I must say, here, that I know tons of GREAT ones!).
• The potential of the Flood Insurance Program being cancelled could have held up real estate sales.

Whew! BUMMER on all three posts. But you know, the primary purpose of our blog is to educate, and these 3 certainly did share some vital information. However, now I get to write a happy post!

We issued a press release yesterday introducing our new Member of the Hartman Inventory Group. Kathleen Kendall Holton, of Kendall Inventory Service, said it better than we could ... “I looked for a turnkey package because I know the value of purchasing someone else’s processes. The Hartman’s have worked through the learning curve, created the system and have the procedures in place. By learning from them, I’ll be able to be in business very quickly. Their 5 years’ worth of knowledge and expertise are extremely valuable.”

So there you have it - we are truly happy to have them as business associates right here in Indianapolis. Now the Hartman Inventory Group can serve twice as many people. And that makes everyone happy!

Insurance agents OK overall

The good news is that insurance agents are overall, "OK." The bad news is they provide little joy. In an article by National Underwriter, a survey of U.S. consumer experience with a variety of professions finds they rate their interactions with insurance agents as less than enjoyable.

In the Forrester Research Inc.'s “Customer Experience Index 2010” survey, 4600 consumers gave an "OK" score for independent insurance agents. The three categories were: “meets needs,” “easy to work with” and “enjoyable.”

Not surprisingly, these agents received a "poor" rating when responding to “enjoyable.”  Consider the fact that most of the time when a policyholder works with their agent it is because of the need to file a claim. That task is certainly not enjoyable, and people are usually under a lot of stress from the loss and the daunting task of compiling an item-by-item list of everything to be replaced. This makes me wonder if the ratings will go up as more people realize the need - and choose to have - a personal property inventory of their belongings.

I still don't think their claims process would be "enjoyable" but it would certainly be better ... compare 1) trying to remember each item you owned, when you bought it and what you paid for it,  to 2) referring to your photos and itemized written report. There's no question which would make it a smoother and faster claims process. The result, I'm told by many loss victims, reflects on how they feel about their agent and their insurance company. Though that's not a fair assessment since the responsibility to prove ownership is on the policyholder, the blame falls on the agents nonetheless.

National Flood Insurance Program shut down for now

The National Flood Insurance Program has expired. According to P&C National Underwriter, Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., caused consternation in the property and casualty industry, but the National Association of Professional Insurance Agents (PIA) said in a statement that the Senate could act to restore the program at least until March 28.

On October 27, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stated that this lapse means that the NFIP will not be able to issue new policies, increase coverage on existing policies or renew expiring policies.

And in this difficult economic time, another issue comes up with the housing market - insurance industry representatives said without NFIP in place, real estate closings could be held up. Many real estate transactions require flood insurance, and the NFIP is the sole source for more than 95 percent of the flood coverage nationwide. Real estate closings could possibly be delayed until this is fixed.”

It seems that Senator Bunning isn't against the flood program, but this bill also included extending unemployment and COBRA benefits, along with a 21% cut in fees for physicians who treat Medicare patients. His issue is with the fact that the funds to be used to pay for this would add to the deficit and his belief is that stimulus funds should be used instead.

For the full story ...

I'm not home, come on in

It's time to leave for your long awaited vacation. Ahhhh...a week in the sun! Maybe you are going shopping or meeting friends for dinner and will be away from home for just few hours. Either scenario, you lock the doors and make sure the garage door is down.

Now it's time to post a note on your front door saying, "No one is here and we won't be back for a while." Or possibly you'll put a sign in your front yard that announces "Hey! I'm not home; come on in and take what you want!" Sounds foolish, doesn't it?

According to PleaseRobMe.com, people are making this type of statement all the time. Maybe not quite in those exact words, but the messages posted on Facebook and Twitter are similar: "Flight delayed; I won't get home until tomorrow," or "Waiting to board the plane," or "At the pub."

Foursquare and other similar services provide the opportunity for people to identify where they live. This is fine, and helpful when friends want to locate your house. But it certainly can be an issue if you're announcing to the world that you aren't home. PleaseRobMe.com was created to provide awareness of online privacy issues and to understand the implications of location-sharing.

My 2 cents ... an inventory is important, and I encourage everyone to have one. But I don't advocate creating the need to put it to use because of something posted on your social media sites. Be sure you aren't saying, virtually, "Please rob me."