2014

Attic Storage Hazards for Homeowners

Homeowners, risk, risk management, Technology, tips, Videos
June 22, 2020

Picture by Roger Mommaerts (flickr.com) — Picture by Roger Mommaerts (flickr)

Homeowners who don’t pay attention to what’s going on in their attics can face costly damage that can spread throughout their entire home. Internet is full of videos made with wireless ip video surveillance cameras which capture critters such as mice, squirrels, bats and bees living in people’s attics; meanwhile, one in 10 homeowners have never even seen their attics.

Rodents in the attic can be a nuisance at best, and if they are not eradicated quickly, they can become home wreckers, as squirrels and rats have been known to chew through electrical wires in attics. While this almost always ends badly for the animals, sparks from their gnawing can set the house on fire.

Many attics also house mechanical equipment, such as central air conditioning systems, exhaust fans, electrical junction boxes and plumbing. Homeowners should regularly make sure that any system that is connected to an electrical or water source in their attic is in good working condition, as a burst pipe or a clogged drain in the attic could lead to widespread water damage on the floors below.
Read More »Attic Storage Hazards for Homeowners

Everything you need to know about Accident Insurance

Health
October 28, 2014

Over the past few years, voluntary benefits have emerged as a way for employers to enhance their overall benefits package in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Most people are familiar with offerings such as dental, vision, life and disability insurance, but accident insurance is now emerging as one of the more popular voluntary benefits in the marketplace, primarily due to the increasing costs of medical expenses and employers’ need to shift more of that cost to the employee.

WHAT IS ACCIDENT INSURANCE?

This product is designed to pay a lump sum benefit directly to the insured for an accidental injury. Accidental injuries include dislocations, fractures, loss of limbs, burns, and disabilities or deaths due to accidents. The lump sum payment can be used to help defray the cost of out-of-pocket medical expenses associated with an accidental injury, such as doctor fees, copayments, deductibles, X-rays, crutches, wheelchairs, blood plasma, stitches and other emergency services. Accident insurance can cover an insured’s spouse and/or children. This offering is supplemental to any medical coverage, meaning that it is separate from any other coverage the insured has. As such, accident insurance can be purchased on its own or to fill a gap left by other coverage. The bi-weekly premium is about $8 for single coverage.Read More »Everything you need to know about Accident Insurance

Do I Need Wedding Insurance

Special Event, Travelers Insurance Company
October 24, 2014

Wedding insurance, similar to a special event insurance, becomes very popular in the U.S. Common causes of payouts include the venue or caterers going bust after having taken a big deposit. Extreme weather, a spouse being deployed by the armed forces and an absent priest can all trigger payouts. Most policies will pay to re-stage the photos if the snapper fails to turn up or disappears with the pictures. Read this short article by Economist about wedding insurance in the U.S.

Top 5 Ways for Homeowners to Prepare for Winter

Claims, Homeowners, Insurance Coverage, Travelers Insurance Company
June 22, 2020

Roof is the largest single surface and the first line of defense in protecting your home. Insurance carriers tend to see a lot of damage to roofs in those instances where they also have structural claims. Obviously certain portions of the country get very different climate and different winter weather. The northern states will have heavier snow and ice, where the south may get more rain.

Here are top 5 recommendations to homeowners to prepare for winter:

- Do a visual inspection of your roof to look for maintenance issues or things that could make it more susceptible to hail or wind or other damage — like missing or damaged shingles or tiles on sloped roofs. Or if it’s a flat roof, look for surface bubbles in the membrane material or missing gravel.
- Look at flashing along the roof to make sure it’s in place and in good condition. The flashing is where you transition between vertical places and the horizontal roof — things like around skylights, vents or chimneys. Anywhere where you have a change in roof elevation, you’ve got flashing there and that’s a typical source or place for water to penetrate into the roof covering.

Additional Insured Endorsements – After the Work is Done

Additional Insured, Additional Interest, Certificate of Insurance, CGL Commercial General Liability
January 5, 2021

Additional Insured – Completed Operations
How often the general contractor denies “blanket” additional insured, or CG 20 38 Additional Insured-Owners, Lessees or Contractors – Automatic Status for Other Parties When Required in a Written Construction Agreement? The problem is that in the construction contract between the general contractor and subcontractor, the subcontractor may be required to include the general contractor as an additional insured for completed operations coverage for a period of six years after the subcontractor’s work is finished. While the current “blanket” additional insured endorsement CG 20 38 does meet a portion of the insurance requirements – to protect the additional insured for certain bodily injury or property damage claims that take place during the project – the CG 20 38 specifically excludes any bodily injury or property damage that takes place after her customer’s work is finished.

And why in the world would a general contractor want to be an additional insured six years after the subs work is finished? Let’s review an example that shows the rationale behind completed operations coverage for an additional insured.

Example: A general contractor has been hired to remodel a building. Much of the work, such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and site preparation, is completed by trade subcontractors hired by the general contractor. Eight months after the building has been completed by the general contractor and put to use as an office space, a small fire breaks out in the mechanical room, injuring two workers of the office. When it is determined that the fire was the result of sloppy electrical work, the general contractor is sued by the injured people for bodily injury.

Additional Insured – Completed Operations CG2037
On the other hand, if the electrical subcontractor had listed the general contractor as an additional insured on its policy using CG2037 – Additional Insured – Owners, Lessees or Contractors – Completed Operations, the general contractor would have been covered as an additional insured by the electrical contractor’s CGL policy, provided the electrical contractor’s acts or omissions, at least in part, caused the bodily injury to the workers.Read More »Additional Insured Endorsements – After the Work is Done

Someone has to be responsible…

CGL Commercial General Liability, Claims, Colorado, Coverage
September 18, 2014

Often times our prospective clients tell: – “I wouldn’t worry about this…” or “I wouldn’t worry about that particular issue with my coverage… How likely people are going to sue me for something I should not be responsible for?”

Well, our answer is something most people are not going to like:

– In United States of America everyone with a slightest chance your operations/negligence/products have something to do with the accident or claim that occurred is to be found responsible.

For example,

How to Assess Your Home Insurance Policy

Homeowners
June 22, 2020

The best, easiest and most practical way to asses your homeowners (condo-, renters) insurance policy is to ask your insurance agent about it. We are trained to provide professional review and advise. We have access on special industry certified tools, that can calculate the replacement cost of your dwelling and personal property.
But, if that’s not enough or you prefer to be a solo warrior on the insurance field, the following should help to you asses your home insurance policy.

Anatomy Of Effective Craigslist Advertising

Business Owners Package Policy, CGL Commercial General Liability, tips
September 8, 2014

When it comes to affordable advertising, your local Craigslist site has the potential to give you plenty of bang for your buck. In fact, many service oriented businesses depend almost entirely on the classified site for business. It’s free, it’s easy to update, and, for many businesses, it works for generating leads.
Like all aspects of your overall advertising plan, Craigslist marketing requires some forethought and strategy. That said, it shouldn’t be very time-consuming if done correctly: you can spend as low as 15 minutes a week on your Craigslist campaign.

Anatomy Of Effective Craigslist Advertising

Your Craigslist advertisement should include the following:Read More »Anatomy Of Effective Craigslist Advertising

Why Californians Aren’t Buying Earthquake Insurance?

Earthquake, Earthquake Coverage
September 4, 2014

No doubt after last earthquake near Napa, you’ve purchased or restocked your emergency kits, and rehearsed with friends and family what the plan is if another big one hits. And then, there’s earthquake insurance, or probably not. Most Californians if they’ve looked into it have already determined earthquake insurance is far too expensive for what they’re likely to get in return. According to Amy Bach, an executive director and co-founder of United Policyholders, a San Francisco based nonprofit that advocates for insurance consumers, people often go on rumors, and there is a lot of misinformation out there about earthquake insurance in general. Including in the agent/broker community. Now there’s a lot of folks out there selling it that really don’t know about all the options.Read More »Why Californians Aren’t Buying Earthquake Insurance?