Whether we want to admit it or not, accidents do happen, and you should know what to do in the event of a claim. Many people react at the first site and immediately file the claim. Only to be aggravated later when the claim is not covered, or the claim does not outweigh the deductible. What you may not realize, once you file a claim (whether the carrier pays out or not), the claim will remain on your record for 5 years. While the impact is not huge for a $0 claim, it can affect your rate with a new carrier or the new carrier could deny coverage due to the number of $0 claims.
1. Assess the damage.
Home: Walk the property and take pictures of the damage.
Auto: Walk around the car, be sure to look underneath the vehicle and take pictures. It is important to take pictures of both vehicles, the location of the accident, etc. Often the police will not come out for a minor accident. You need to have evidence to determine which driver is at fault.
If the police do not indicate fault on a report, it is up to the insurance carrier to determine fault. This becomes your word against the other driver!
2. Swap information *This is only related to an auto claim*
Get the other driver’s name, phone number, and picture of their insurance card. This is helpful during the claims process. If the other driver is at fault, file the claim with their company. If you are not at fault and you file with your own, you will pay your deductible. You will get this back, however it can take MONTHS if the other driver has a substandard carrier.
3. Know your deductible!! It only adds more time to your repair if you file the claim, wait for the adjuster to come out and obtain your assessment only to find out the damage is less than your deductible. It also means the claim will be on your record for 5 years.
4. Contact service professionals for a bid to determine if the damage outweighs your deductible. Do your homework. If the claim is less than your deductible and the claim is filed with the carrier, it will be on your record for 5 years. I have had clients denied coverage by other carriers due to too many small claims.
5. Mitigate the damage. Once pictures have been taken it is safe to clean up the area. You want to do this so the damage does not become worse.
6. Consult your agent with any questions or issues. Many assume we are alerted every time someone files a claim, but we are NOT. Your agent can help set expectations, obtain answers, and fight if need be.
*Please note, this is only for small claims. If it is a large claim (i.e. fire, major roof damage, etc.) call immediately to get the process started. The carrier will provide you immediate relief funds to stay somewhere safe!
Boost Valentine’s Day Flyer by Kelly Burke
“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes.”-Andrew Carnegie
While setting my 2022 goals, I realized I have not shared them in the past and while my goals do not necessarily provide education about a certain insurance product it does provide insight to the type of office I have. Making them public also puts a form of accountability on me, forcing me to accomplish these goals.
- Create written process for quoting and maintaining the database
- Create activities to promote team growth
- Analyze technology to increase productivity
- Implement initiatives for employees
- Focus on account rounding
- Social Media Marketing
- *Analyze activity (website, FB, LI)
- *Create educational videos
- *Ask for reviews/testimonials (Jan and June)
- Set time to focus on the business/administrative responsibilities.
- *Analyze productivity
- *Reconcile commission
- *Send Thinking of You cards
*Healthcare: Open Enrollment has been extended until January 15th. Current policy holders can submit changes to their existing plan or submit a NEW plan. Once the 15th has passed, you will not be able to make any plan changes. NEW policies submitted during this time will take effect February 1st.
*Medicare: Medicare Supplement policy holders ages 65-75 have the option to change to another Medicare Supplement plan without requiring underwriting approval. To qualify for the Birthday Rule, you must enroll in a plan with the same or lesser benefits. The change must be done within 45 days AFTER your birthday.
*Medicare: Medicare Advantage policy holders are currently in a second Open Enrollment period until March 31st. During this time, you can change to another Medicare Advantage Plan.
*Auto/Home Insurance: Many policies renew during the month of January. When reviewing rates consider these tips:
+Always review the total package (i.e. home and auto). Often, some carriers will have a better rate on the home as opposed to the auto however, the total calculation needs to be reviewed when determining the best scenario.
+Make sure you are matching coverages. Some carriers are notorious for removing full coverage to reduce the rate. Sadly, some people do not realize that until they have an accident. Full coverage means the carrier will fix your vehicle in the event of an at fault accident. On the flip side, liability only means your vehicle is NOT getting fixed in the event of an at fault accident.
*Life Insurance: With the start of the New Year, many will review their financial goals for the year and discuss any gaps. Many people will not buy Life Insurance because they overestimate the cost of a policy. Costs depend on a number of factors, including your health, age, tobacco use, and gender. As one example, a healthy 35-year-old male can expect to pay about $20 per month for $250,000 on a 30-year term.
*Business Insurance: We’ve received LOTS of calls lately regarding employees injured on the job. A workers compensation policy provides wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured as a result of their job. Premiums are based on the annual payroll and type of work performed.
REMINDER: Medicare Open Enrollment ends December 7th and Health Insurance Open Enrollment ends January 15th.
TIPS to Reducing your Medicare Premium…
*Consider a Medicare Advantage Plan. If you are already in one, you may want to consider another carrier. Be sure to pick a plan with a low maximum out of pocket and confirm that your doctors accept the plan before switching.
*Consider switching the type of Supplemental Plan you are in currently (i.e. Plan N is less expensive than a Plan G). I will caution, that changing your plan may require you to pay for services that you have not paid for in the past.
*Consider switching carriers for your Supplemental Plan. Plan coverages are the same regardless of who the carrier is. Please note, you may be medically underwritten which means the new carrier can charge a higher rate or deny you based on your medical history.
*Review your drug lists with other carriers. Medicare.gov is a great source for reviewing rates with other carriers. Simply plug in your drug information, select your pharmacy, and review the different plans available (based on the drugs you have been prescribed).
*Consider switching pharmacies. First, make sure your pharmacy is still in the Preferred Network with your prescription drug plan. Second, find out what the different pharmacies charge for your drugs. You may see a difference that can save you some time in reaching the donut hole.
TIPS to Reducing your Health Insurance Premium…
*Be prepared to discuss your household, estimated adjusted gross income for 2022. This will be used to determine if you qualify for assistance. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, the threshold has increased. Some families making $250,000 per year can qualify for assistance!
*Those without pre-existing conditions should consider a short-term medical plan. These plans do not provide coverage for pre-existing conditions, maternity, and limited wellness visits. However, these plans are a fraction of the cost of plans offered through the Marketplace and they have a PPO network.
*If you are going to opt to self-insure, protect yourself with an accident or critical illness plan. The plan works separate from health insurance and pays you in the event of an accident (slip, fall, and break an ankle) as well as a diagnosis of a critical illness (cancer, heart attack, or stroke). The purpose is to use the funds to pay towards the unexpected treatment.
Consider splitting your household. If one of you need to be on a plan that covers pre-existing conditions the other can look into the short term medical plan. You can also split plans through the Marketplace.
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