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Greetings,
As 2011 comes to a close, it has done something that I didn't think was possible so soon after the storms of 2010. Drumroll please .... 2011 has set a number of records, all for the wrong reason, in the insurance industry.
Joplin, Alabama, and much of the Southeastern portion of the US grabbed headlines as victims of some of the worst tornadoes in our our country's history struck with tremendous severity. So far in 2011, over 500 lives have been taken by the 1,764 tornadoes we have experienced. This death toll is greater than the total of the last 10 years combined.
Besides tornadoes, we have seen larger than life damage from a multitude of hail and wind storms. As an example, one of our companies experienced over 6,500 claims from a six state region - including SD - in a 24 hr. period in August due to an outbreak of wind and hail storms. We saw a crushing hail storm damage a significant portion of Yankton, multiple wind events hit the Lake Madison area, and major storms hit the Presho area, and out west near Rapid City. In Sioux Falls heavy rainfall continued to present problems and some of the heavy lightning storms we experienced caused several homes to sustain significant fire damage.
Whatever name you call it, the current weather pattern is as severe as it has been in a long while. In fact, for the first time in 40 years, we saw our companies being stretched to their limits to keep up with the number of claims being reported. Let's hope as we move into winter we will see a mellowing of our weather.
Your friends,
The Staff of Kouri Insurance
Anne, Bryan, Laura, Sheldon, Tammy and Warren
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1. Why Did The Adjuster Do That?
The rhyme and reason of why things happen...
Claims are a part of life; they happen every day and range from life changing to an inconvenient nuisance. They all share a common element though; they all involve recovering from a loss and putting you in a condition comparable to where you were before the loss occurred. While Insurance policies are designed to put you in the condition you were at the minute before the loss occurred, there can be disagreement as to exactly what that condition was and if it is possible to do so. Though conflicts are fairly rare, they do occur.
A good insurance company will work through these times to ultimately reach a fair conclusion. The purpose of this article is not to defend the insurance company, but to simply provide some background as to the reasoning behind why a decision may be made. In the following paragraphs I will provide some examples of the more common claims that create questions... (Keep reading) | |
2. Keys To Help Your Claim Go Smoothly
Keeping your claim on the fastrack... | |
Ideally, every claim would be smooth and trouble free. Unfortunately though, that is not always the case as companies and policyholders can both have reasonable views that don't line up. How does this happen? Often it is a result of a miscommunication or a missing piece of information that causes a conflict which is then quickly resolved.
Sometimes it is just a difference between the numbers approach that a company takes versus a more emotional approach that the person suffering the loss uses. More of a style than substance issue. Other times though, there may be a distinct difference in opinion that can be difficult to resolve. In more rare occasions, it may be a matter of the company being wrong and then we work with you to correct their position.... (Keep Reading)
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3. Fight The Fire!
6 tips to reduce the impact of a fire... | |
Home fires caused 2,565 deaths (not including firefighters) and almost $7.8 billion in damage in 2009, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). While it's impossible to completely prevent fires, there are several measures you can take to protect your family, home and valuables from the flames.
- Check smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Test these devices monthly to make sure they are working properly and replace the batteries annually. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends putting at least one smoke detector on each level of your home. We would even suggest adding detectors by each bedroom. Never disable these detectors even if they go off while cooking or showering.
- Create a home escape plan. Draw a map of your house that includes all the doors and windows and discuss a fire escape plan with all family members. Practice the escape route at least once a year.
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Keep it clean. Remove leaves and debris from around the property and clean out the gutters. It's also important to trim back any shrubs or tree limbs that are close to your home. All of these things can be potential fire hazards.
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Make sure your home is fully insured. Talk to your Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent to ensure your home is fully covered for fire loss and that you have loss-of-use coverage in the event your home becomes uninhabitable.
- Take a home inventory. Make a list of everything valuable in your home and document it with photos and video. Keeping a record of all your belongings will help you file a claim if you experience a fire or other loss.
- Protect important documents. Keep a copy of your homeowner's policy, home inventory, and other important documents, such as passports, legal documents and birth and marriage certificates in a fireproof lockbox or at an off-site location.
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Bryan's Corner  Thank you for voting us one of The Local Best...
Since 2007, we have been honored to have been voted one of The Local Best insurance providers. We are especially proud that we are the only agency to have received this award each year since 2007.
The Local Best added some new voting categories and I am humbled to have been named one of The Local Best Agents. That means a lot to me. Sheldon is also pleased to have been named a Local Best Agent in multiple demographic categories. As an agency, we are proud to be recognized in these ways.
Kouri Insurance is not an agency that is out there pounding doors, calling our customers with the latest "must have", or making crazy claims to bring people in. While we do a modest amount of advertising, our energies are focused on our clients and making sure we are providing the best experience that we can.
Your referrals drive business to our agents and we greatly appreciate that so many of our clients send their friends, family and those they work with to our agency. All of us at Kouri Insurance are very thankful for your referrals and support of our agency. You are the best!
Blessings,
Bryan R. Kouri, CPCU
Kouri Insurance Agency
605.336.6303 * Refer to your policy for actual coverage benefits and restrictions. |
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