Insurance Claim

Vehicle theft is the number one property crime in the United States, and it costs consumers more than eight billion dollars a year. Much of that cost is borne by insurance companies, and they pass along the costs in the form of higher insurance premiums.

Let’s face it. If a criminal wants your car, he’s likely going to get it. But there are things you can do to lower your chances of a car highjacking.

1. Be aware of your surroundings. Notice the physical area around you. When you park in the daylight, and you know you’ll be coming back to your car after dark, try to park in a well-lighted area.

2. Be aware of the people around you. Notice if anyone is following you, or coming toward you from any angle. Look at them directly! Criminals are cowards. They would rather not deal with someone who can give police a good description of them.

3. Keep your car doors locked when you are driving. If you are at an isolated stop light, you are vulnerable to a highjacking. At least a locked door will slow a highjacker down a bit. But if ANYBODY taps on your window, drive away immediately.

4. Here’s a HUGE TIP for the ladies, but this scam works on men, too. One of the oldest tricks is that a highjacker drives up behind you and runs into the rear bumper of your car...just enough so that you feel it. Both of you stop your cars. If anybody from the other car gets out of that car and comes to your window, DO NOT ROLL DOWN THE WINDOW! Immediately drive to a well-lighted, high traffic location, like a convenience store, gas station or the closest fire or police station. If you have your cell phone with you, call the police and tell them what you’re doing.

5. Final tip. Buy a handgun, get a concealed weapons permit, and learn how to shoot your gun. Then you will be able to protect yourself and your property with a firearm. Remember that criminals are cowards. But if the criminal is the only one with a gun, your future doesn’t look to good.

Follow these five tips, and you’ll likely never have to deal with a vehicle theft.

If you have experienced an auto theft loss, you need to know winning insurance claim strategies. The insurance company will not tell you the claims process, but I will. I will show you how to take control of your insurance claim, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement. For more information, go to the website listed below.

According to the United States Fire Administration (USFA), fires occurring during the holiday season claim the lives of over 400 people each year, injure 1,650 more, and cause over $990 million in damage. By following these tips, you can be sure of a safe and happy holiday.

Holiday Decorations

• If you use an artificial Christmas tree, be sure it is flame retardant.

• Don’t use flammable decorations.

• Keep decorations away from heat vents and other heat sources.

• Don’t burn gift wrapping paper in the fireplace. Wrapping paper tends to burn hotly and fast, and can throw off sparks that could start a chimney fire.

Christmas Tree Care

A Christmas tree on fire can quickly fill a room with fire and deadly toxic gases. Take special precautions when you bring a live tree into your home.

• Picking a tree: Needles should be green and not easy to be pulled from the branches. The trunk of the tree should be sticky from sap. When you’re picking a tree, stand it upright and bounce the tree trunk on the ground. If needles fall off, it’s probably too dry to buy.

• Tree care: Never stand a tree near a heat source, like a heat vent or fireplace. Heat will dry out the tree and make it a fire hazard. Keep the tree stand filled with water. Don’t keep a Christmas tree in your home longer than about two weeks.

• Tree disposal: Don’t burn it in the woodstove or fireplace. Best to take it to a local recycling center, where they will run it through a wood chipper. You might even be able to scoop up some wood chips and take them home for landscaping.

Holiday Lights

• Before you install lights: check each strand of lights for cracked wires, frayed wires, broken light sockets or kinks in the wires. Lights are really cheap. When in doubt, throw out the old lights and buy new.

• No overloaded electrical outlets. Connect all your strings of lights to an extension cord, and then plug the extension cord into the electrical outlet. Come back a little later and check the lights. If you feel the cords or plugs and they are warm to the touch, unplug them and change outlets. Plugs and wires should never be warm.

• Don’t leave holiday lights unattended. I handled a claim for some people who placed those single electric candles in each window. It sure was beautiful...but one of the candles caught the drapes on fire and burned the house down. Hundreds of house fires happen each year from unattended decorative lights.


Candles

• There are few things as pretty as lit candles. But only use lit candles when you’re present to care for them.

• Make sure the candles are in candle holders that are stable, and not placed where they could easily be knocked over.

• Never use lit candles on a Christmas tree. Never.

• Never leave the house when candles are burning.

Finally, make sure you have working smoke alarms installed on every level of your home. Test them once a month and keep them clean. Make sure they have fresh batteries at all times. Then, Have a Merry Christmas!

If you have experienced a property loss, whether fire, wind, flood or other, you need to know winning insurance claim strategies. The insurance company will not tell you the claims process, but I will. I will show you how to take control of your insurance claim, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement. For more information, go to my website at: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com

Holidays are happy times...for criminals. Your property is far more vulnerable to theft than you realize during the holiday season. Let me show you some ways you can get ripped off, and how you can prevent it.

1. Christmas shopping. Many people go to malls and other shopping centers, and park their cars in the expansive parking lots. Shoppers take their packages back to their cars so they can shop more. Criminals watch this behavior and target those cars. If you leave your packages inside the car...even if it’s locked...you’re only a quick smashed window away from stolen packages. Put your packages in the trunk. I’m not saying that your packages are completely safe in the trunk. I’ve seen motivated criminals pop a trunk and get the loot within seconds. But you have a better chance if your stuff is in your trunk.

2. And while you were Christmas shopping....other criminals are stalking your neighborhoods looking for houses that look like nobody’s home. When you spend all day at a mall on the weekend, you might get a surprise when you arrive home. So, make sure that you have a monitored security system at home, and make sure it’s armed while you’re gone.

3. And when you went to Grandma’s house for a couple of days...the criminals might notice that your home is dark. Make sure you have the mail held at the Post Office, and tell your paperboy to stop delivery while you’re gone. Ask your neighbors to check on your home each day while you’re gone. Finally, call your local police and tell them the dates you will be out of town.

4. Remember that personal items stolen from your car are NOT COVERED by your auto insurance. You'll have to submit any claim through your Homeowners or Renters insurance.

The year-end holidays can be wonderful times of family closeness, joy and deep religious meaning. Be careful, vigilant, and you stand a much better chance that your holiday won’t be spoiled by theft or burglary.

If you have experienced a property theft loss, you need to know winning insurance claim strategies. The insurance company will not tell you the claims process, but I will. I will show you how to take control of your insurance claim, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement. For more information, go to my website at: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com

Winter insurance claims happen with different frequency, and for different reasons, than claims in other seasons of the year.

Spring and summer bring thunderstorms, tornadoes, heavy rain and wildfires. Hurricane season lasts until November 30th.

In Autumn and Winter, people begin to think about staying warm. So, heating-related insurance claims rise in frequency, like

• Central heating systems – be sure you have a Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) contractor come check out your heating system to prevent fires that are caused by system malfunctions.

• Fireplaces – who doesn’t like the scene of a quiet, romantic fire in the fireplace? But before you build that first fire, have a chimney sweep clean the chimney. It will help prevent chimney fires, which are terribly destructive. Logs in the firebox can also roll out onto the floor, and flying sparks can start fires which can spread to the whole house. So make sure that you use a firescreen or some other fireguard for protection.

• Heating Appliances – I’m talking about kerosene and propane heaters, electric baseboard heaters, portable electric heaters...even electric blankets. Remember that when you pull these appliances out to be used, they haven’t been used for months. Take the time to check them carefully. Look at electrical cords and plugs, heating elements, and fuel reservoirs. Make sure everything works safely. Also remember that these appliances should not be left on for extended periods of time, nor placed near flammable goods.

Take the danger out of keeping warm by practicing simple safety measures.

The opposite of heating claims is the frozen pipe loss. Cold temperatures can cause plumbing systems to burst, causing water damage that can be as extensive as a fire claim. For those who live in the North and spend their winters in the South, please take extra precautions that heat remains on in your northern house while you're away. Have someone check on your house weekly.

What about winter transportation? Slippery and icy roads make driving hazardous. Here are a couple tips about driving in winter:

• Drive a little slower.

• Keep more distance between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead of you. Stopping distances are much longer on slippery roads.

• Turn your headlights on every time you use the car. Daytime running lights increase your visibility by about 70%.

Winter doesn’t have to include an insurance claim for you! Be safe and be aware of the perils around you. Then, you can enjoy winter with peace of mind!

If you have experienced an insured loss, whether auto, business, fire, wind, flood or other, you need to know winning insurance claim strategies. The insurance company will not tell you the claims process, but I will. I will show you how to take control of your insurance claim, and add hundreds or even thousands more dollars to your claim settlement. For more information, go to the website at:
www.insurance-claim-secrets.com

The annual holiday office party can be joyous, festive, memorable...and hazardous to the financial health of the business. But without careful planning, you could end up getting sued for what happens at your party...or what happens AFTER your party.

I’m defining “office party” as an employer-sponsored party, including parties where business associates, employee spouses or “significant others” are invited. As an insurance adjuster, I know many vendors, such as accounting firms and fire restoration contractors, that invite adjusters and insurance company personnel to their parties. The adult beverages flow freely at these parties.

If you are hosting a business holiday party, here are Top Tips to keep you out of a lawsuit.

1. Before holiday parties, send out interoffice memos, do bulletin board postings or have meetings in which you urge moderation, and gently explain the measures that will be taken to ensure a safe and successful party. It would be a good idea to distribute your party plan in writing to all employees and invitees.

2. Schedule the party on a weekend or after normal business hours.

3. Hold the party at an offsite location. Better if problems arise away from the business premises.

4. Don't require employees to attend as a condition of their employment.

5. Don't take attendance at the party.

6. Make the party a family event, including spouses and children.

7. Assign certain supervisors or managers as “hosts” to oversee the event.

8. Don't pay for drinks. Guest will drink less if they have to pay for drinks themselves.

9. If you feel you must furnish alcoholic beverages, consider a drink voucher system to limit the number of drinks served. Or, serve alcohol for only a short period.

10. Don’t sell alcoholic beverages at the party. No cash bar arranged by the employer. If your party is at a location that has its own liquor license, and guests buy drinks at their bar, so be it. But you still must make sure they arrive home safely.

11. Hire a separate bartender or caterer to serve alcohol. He will know better when to say ‘No’ to a guest who’s had one too many. The hired bartender should have his own liability insurance and provide you a copy of his insurance certificate BEFORE the party. Instruct the bartender/caterer to notify an appropriate event manager if he finds someone who’s had too much to drink.

12. Serve plenty of non-alcoholic beverages: water, sodas, juices, coffee, tea.

13. Arrange transportation for intoxicated employees. Call a cab, use designated drivers, or provide discounted or free rooms if the party is held at a hotel.

Remember that even if you carry adequate insurance, known as "host liquor liability insurance coverage," it will likely not afford coverage for your business if alcoholic beverages are being sold at your party. You should purchase additional liquor liability insurance coverage before the party.

13.5 Another huge potential problem is dealing with a sexual harassment lawsuit because of an incident at the party. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, and you could have an employee or guest who files a grievance or lawsuit against another employee and the business...or even against another guest...for unwanted sexual advances at YOUR party.

Mention this potential problem to your party “hosts,” and have them be alert for guests or employees who are "too friendly" with other people at the party.

Lastly, make sure you investigate ALL complaints. If you just ignore or shrug off complaints, your business could be in worse trouble than if you just deal with it.

In closing, don’t look at this article as a “buzz kill.” Consider that I’m the lighthouse on the shore, alerting you to the rocks and shoals. Avoid them, and your “voyage” will be a happy one!

A holiday party can be festive, joyous...and potentially hazardous to your financial health. You want to enjoy the company of family and friends. But, if you’re not very careful, you could end up getting sued for what happens at your party...or what happens AFTER your party.

If you are hosting a private non-business party at which alcohol is served, here are Ten Tips to keep you out of a lawsuit.

• Before the date of the party, read your homeowners, renters or condo-owners insurance policy and discuss the party with your insurance agent. Be certain it specifically provides enough liability coverage for events from the negligence of the policyholder, which is YOU.

• Consider buying a Liability Umbrella policy to supplement your regular coverage. Premiums for $1 million of coverage run about $300 to $500 annually. Be certain there’s no gap between the existing policy and coverage provided by the umbrella policy. For example, if your homeowners insurance has liability limits of $300,000 and your umbrella policy covers costs above $400,000, you’d have to make up the $100,000 difference if you have a claim. Got $100,000 just lying around?

• Consider making guests hand over their car keys when they arrive. They are more likely to hand over the car keys before they start drinking than they will be after a few party beverages.

• Don't serve alcohol to ANYBODY under the legal drinking age in your state. If you are sued, your insurance policy might not provide coverage.

• Don't let your guests behind the bar. Consider hiring a professional bartender for your party. He will know better when to say ‘No’ to a guest who’s had one too many. The hired bartender should have his own liability insurance and provide you a copy of his insurance certificate BEFORE the party.

• Serve plenty of food. This will help keep guests from drinking on an empty stomach. However, consider avoiding salty and spicy foods which make people thirsty. Why do you think bars set out pretzels and popcorn?

• Serve lots of non-alcoholic beverages.

• Stop serving alcohol at least one hour before the party ends. Forget the old wives’ tale about serving coffee to drunks. Caffeine doesn’t sober a person up...it only makes for a wide-awake drunk driving a car.

• If someone obviously has had too much to drink, drive them home, make up a bed, or call a cab. But keep them from getting behind the wheel. They may insist that they’re sober enough to drive, but don’t you believe it. Use the final tip!

• Spend about $50.00 and buy a home breath analyzer. They’re listed all over the ‘Net, including Amazon. Then, make each person leaving the party blow in the breathalyzer to see what they blood alcohol level is. Too high and they don’t drive home. PERIOD.

Follow these Top Ten Tips, and you’ll have a happy holiday party!

The answer is “YES!” unless you follow my strategies shown below.

I learned first hand about mortgage escrow accounts back in 2003-2005 when I was working as a Claims Examiner for a huge insurance company. Their product was Forced-Placed Hazard Insurance, which is a property insurance policy sold to mortgage companies.

Here’s how it works when YOU choose your homeowner’s insurance and pay it through your escrow account.

When you buy a home, part of your closing costs customarily is the first premium payment for your homeowner insurance. After that, the insurance company sends their bill to the mortgage company. Part of your monthly house payment pays 1/12 of your annual homeowners insurance premium. The insurance company is sure to get their premium paid as long as you (a) have an escrow account, and (b) as long as you own the house, and (c) as long as you keep making your monthly house payment.

But there are BIG, BIG problems with mortgage escrow accounts. These problems are happening with much greater frequency than just a couple years ago. Foreclosures are only PART of the problem, and that’s a topic for another article.

“Forced-Placed” coverage nightmares

Pull out your file for the closing on your house. In the mortgage, there is a clause that allows the lender to buy a “Forced-Placed” insurance policy on your house if the insurance is cancelled for any reason. So, if you are a homeowner, and your policy gets cancelled for any reason, the bank will pay the premium for you and charge it to your escrow account.

Sometimes, the mortgage companies sell their mortgages in big portfolios to other lenders. When that happens, the buyer gets all of that escrow money, too. In the confusion surrounding the sale of those mortgages, and the time it takes to do the deal, the buyer sometimes fails to make premium payments on time. When that happens, some policies occasionally get cancelled.

Sometimes, lenders just screw up and forget to make premium payments…even when the money is in the escrow account and it’s no fault of the homeowner. And sometimes the lenders fail to notify the homeowner that they have no insurance. The homeowner finds out when they have a claim.

Sometimes, people don’t automatically renew their policies that are in escrow, and the policies cancel.

Sometimes, insurance companies cancel homeowner policies, and the insurance companies send the cancellation notices only to the lender, and the homeowner never knows his policy was cancelled. The homeowner finds out that things have changed when he has a claim.

In each of these examples, the home ends up without insurance coverage. Banks and mortgage companies do not like having loans on properties without insurance. If the house burns down, so does their equity. That’s the reason for “Forced-Placed” policies.

The BIG problem…the HUGE problem for YOU...the homeowner...is that the bank only cares about THEIR MONEY. They don’t care about you, the contents of your home, your legal liability, or where you’ll live if you have a fire and can’t live in that house. They usually only write the “Forced-Placed” policy for the unpaid balance of the loan.

Lenders don’t care about the replacement cost of your property. Forced-Placed coverage usually only covers the outstanding loan balance on your mortgage. So, if you had a house worth $150,000.00, and a loan balance of $50,000.00, the lender would buy a policy for $50,000. The lender only cares about getting the loan paid off.

What if your house is worth $150,000.00, and your loan balance was only $50,000, and you have a total loss fire with their coverage?

You are going to have a very bad, life-changing experience, that’s what!!

Normally, your property insurance covers your liability. Lenders don’t care about your liability exposure. They don’t care if a delivery man falls on your property and sues you for six figures. Forced-placed coverage only covers the outstanding loan balance on your mortgage. There is no liability coverage.

Another very bad, life-changing experience.

Normally, your property insurance covers your contents…your personal property, like your furniture and other belongings. Lenders do not care about your contents. They don’t care if everything you own is destroyed. Forced-placed coverage only covers the outstanding loan balance on your mortgage. There is no contents coverage.

Another very bad, life-changing experience.

Normally, when a homeowner buys insurance to protect his home and contents, the policy also has coverage for Additional Living Expenses. Lenders do not care if you are forced out of your home because something happens that makes your home unfit to live in. Lenders don’t care if you have to live temporarily in a homeless shelter. Forced placed coverage only covers the outstanding loan balance on your mortgage. There is no ALE coverage.

Another very bad, life-changing experience.

Also remember that the LENDER owns the forced-placed policy on your property, not you. The settlement checks will go to them, or perhaps made payable to the lender and you. But they usually won’t let you cash the check.

When I worked for that insurance company, I regularly talked to people who said that the first time they were aware of the forced placed policy is when they filed a claim. Their old insurance company sent the premium notice to the lender, who missed the premium due date, and the policy cancelled. The lender then forced-placed a policy on the property.

So, what do you do if this happens to YOU?

One of these scenarios will explain your situation:

1. You were negligent, and allowed your policy to lapse. It’s not the lender’s fault. The insurance company notifies the lender of the cancellation date. The lender forced-placed a policy for the loan balance. You have a claim.

What do you do? Go to the website for the author, found at the bottom of this article, to learn how to take control of your claim. Then, as soon as the claim is completed, buy your own policy and cancel the one the lender owns. Just make sure that you have coverage IN PLACE before you cancel the lender’s policy.

2. The lender was negligent, and allowed your policy to lapse. Then, the lender force-placed a policy for the loan balance. You have a claim.

What do you do? ALERT!!!! Get an attorney involved IMMEDIATELY!! Don’t wait!! Don’t try to be a nice guy!!

Get your documentation in order. Make sure that you can prove it was the lender’s fault that the premium was not paid. Next, have your attorney call the person at the lender who manages the Escrow Department. Explain what happened, and ask them what they plan to do to make things right. If they fix the problem and you don’t suffer any loss from their negligence, then all will be well.

How does the lender fix the problem THEY created?

The bank could contact your insurance company and accept liability. Many times, the insurance company will allow the bank to make the premium payment and reinstate the policy. Once that’s completed, you can proceed with your claim based upon the insurance policy that you did have before the cancellation.

The lender could accept liability and pay your claim out of their own pocket. You’ll usually see donkeys flying around outside your house right before this happens.

If the insurance company will not allow the policy to be reinstated, then you must seek damages from the lender itself. Your attorney must file a lawsuit against the lender.

Watch this carefully!!

1. If you have an escrow account through your mortgage lender, make sure that your homeowners insurance policy is in force at all times.

2. Call your homeowners insurance company, and make sure that they are sending renewal notices and premium notices to you, not just your mortgage company. Too many mistakes happen too frequently to trust your mortgage lender to take care of your business.

So, you cannot afford to place all your assets and your property at risk by trusting someone else to handle your money for you. You cannot just pay your monthly mortgage payment and forget it.

The strategy is to make CERTAIN that your escrow account keeps your Homeowners insurance policy in force AT ALL TIMES!

This strategy ALONE could save you, the homeowner, hundreds, perhaps many thousands of dollars of insurance benefits.

Final, final thoughts! Your mortgage contract probably states that the mortgage company will replace your coverage in the event of the cancellation of your insurance coverage. However, if the mortgage company force-places an inferior policy, a true “replacement” of coverage has not occurred. Point this out to your attorney. You might have a very compelling cause of action against the mortgage company!!

Check out: www.insurance-claim-secrets.com