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May 27, 2011
Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents provide disaster preparedness and safety tips as hurricane season begins.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 25, 2011 – As the United States experiences and recovers from tumultuous weather, with parts of the South and Midwest reeling from the destruction of fierce recent tornados and flooding, forecasters predict shifting weather patterns and many named storms as hurricane season officially begins next week on June 1.
Yet, according to a 2010 survey by Trusted Choice® and the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers (the Big “I” or IIABA), many Americans are unprepared for a disaster. More than half of respondents (51%) admitted they are only somewhat prepared, and more than a fifth of households (22.7%) reported that they were not prepared at all. Almost 36% said they don’t have or don’t know if they even have adequate insurance coverage to help them through a disaster.
Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents can address these issues and more as extreme weather bears down on much of the country and can also offer disaster-specific readiness and recovery tips for consumers. Trusted Choice® experts can help:
- Sort through coverage confusion when severe weather damages or destroys residential or business property
- Advise how business interruption coverage is impacted by hurricanes and other disasters
- Explain hurricane safety and flood readiness tips, including home and business inventory prep and utilities check-listing
- Supply information on the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)
- Detail safe evacuation procedures
- Discuss how to recover from storm and flood losses, whether or not the property is insured
- Provide suggestions on emergency repairs and rebuilding
- Offer tips for “drying out” safely and replacing belongings
For more specific disaster readiness and recovery tips, click on the corresponding headline.
October 6, 2010
Heavy rains over the past few days have caused water seepage and flooding around the metro area.
Over-saturated ground could loosen some tree roots and cause further property damage before the wet weather is over.
Mike McCartin, national spokesperson for The Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers of America, joined us with a look at navigating property damage claims resulting from heavy storms and flooding.
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/money/navigating-property-damage-insurance-claims-100510
http://www.iiaba.net/na/default?ContentPreference=NA&ActiveTab=NA&ActiveState=0
October 5, 2010
National Flood Insurance Program Extended for One Year
Big “I” vows to continue working toward much needed reforms including adding business interruption insurance and additional living expenses coverage to the program.
WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 30, 2010 — The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) today commended President Barack Obama for signing S. 3814, the “Flood Insurance Extension Act of 2010,” which extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) until Sept. 30, 2011, into law. The NFIP was set to expire today at midnight.
“The Big ‘I’ hopes that this one year extension will provide much needed stability and security for the NFIP and its five and a half million policyholders, but it’s also important to note that our work with this program is far from over,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president and CEO.“Congress now has a year to work on a long-term extension and much needed permanent reforms such as an increase in maximum coverage limits and the addition of optional business interruption insurance.”
The NFIP recently encountered a month-long expiration. The Big “I” has noted that the program has worked for more than 40 years to help protect consumers from flood risks, and Congress has traditionally extended the program for five year periods in order to provide stability for the marketplace. Unfortunately, before the passage of this legislation Congress had only recently extended the program for short periods, from 30 days to six months. The latest expiration period was the third such lapse this year alone.
“Today’s one year extension of the NFIP is a welcomed, but temporary patch,” says Charles E. Symington Jr., Big “I” senior vice president for government affairs. “The Big ‘I’ looks forward to working with Congress and the Obama administration next year to also implement much needed permanent reforms.”
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
September 1, 2010
Trusted Choice® agents offer consumer safety tips as massive storm churns toward Eastern Seaboard.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 1, 2010 – Severe weather from Hurricane Earl is headed toward the East Coast of the United States. Dangerous weather leaves behind paths of destruction and experts say harsh conditions from this storm are likely from the Carolinas to New England. The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) and Trusted Choice® advise consumers to avert disaster by taking safety precautions that will help protect them and their possessions this season and any time of year.
Trusted Choice® independent insurance agents and spokespeople are available to offer the following tips for hurricane safety and explain how to:
Have a disaster evacuation plan in place. Find out how you and your neighbors would be informed about an imminent disaster. Ask if evacuation routes have been established. Contact your city’s or town’s planning and emergency assistance organizations. Make sure everyone in your household knows what to do and where to go in a disaster.
- Assemble a disaster supplies kit and heed weather warnings. This kit should include first-aid supplies, non-perishable food, battery-powered flashlights and radio, bottled water and blankets.
- Inventory your belongings. Keep a list and/or videotaped inventory of your valuables in a safe place, along with insurance policies and other important documents.
- Make a utilities checklist. Be sure adults in the household know how to turn off gas, water and other utilities if necessary.
- Review your homeowners insurance coverage. Check annually to make sure you are fully protected in weather-related disaster.
- Survey the area around your home. Remove dead branches from trees in or near your yard. Bring pets inside, move cars into garages, and secure windows, awnings, and lawn furniture. Driving wind or hail can cause severe damage to these items.
- Watch for flash floods. Never walk or drive through fast moving water. Flash floods can develop so fast and move so swiftly, they can sweep cars away.
- After a severe storm, report downed utility wires and stay out of damaged buildings and areas.
A recent national survey by Trusted Choice® and the Big “I” found that most Americans are not fully prepared in the event of a natural disaster. Of all survey respondents, less than 22% said they felt they are fully prepared in case of a disaster. More than half of respondents (51%) admitted they are only somewhat prepared, and more than a fifth of households (22.7%) reported that they were not prepared at all.
For additional survey results and tips on hurricanes, flooding and disaster preparedness planning, click HERE.
To interview a national spokesperson or a local Trusted Choice® insurance agent in another area, contact Sue Nester (susan.nester@iiaba.net) Big “I” broadcast media director at (703) 706-5448. Print journalists should contact Margarita Tapia (margarita.tapia@iiaba.net) Big “I” director of public affairs at (703) 706-5473.
Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for approximately 10,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 54 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
May 11, 2010
Mike McCartin was interviewed by cnn.com for an article on flood insurance. Check out the link below link. McCartin Insurance gets a mention at www.money.cnn.com
http://money.cnn.com/2010/05/06/pf/saving/flood_assistance/index.htm
April 21, 2010
For our current and future flood insurance clients, you can rest easy in knowing that coverage is again available for now.
Expired National Flood Insurance Program Temporarily Extended Again
Program expired on March 28.
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 16, 2010 —The Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (the Big “I”) today commented on the latest short term extension, until May 31, 2010, of several programs including the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
A few weeks ago, the Senate left town for the Easter recess without voting on extending the NFIP, thereby resulting in the program’s expiration. The House had previously approved, by unanimous consent, a $9 billion measure containing one-month extensions of several programs including unemployment insurance, COBRA subsidies for health benefits and flood insurance. Senate leaders of both parties hoped to have their chamber approve the same bill before the Easter break, but Sens. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) and Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) objected to the House bill saying it was not funded. A similar scenario occurred in early March.
“It is alarming that the NFIP was allowed to expire, causing so much confusion and potentially leaving desperate homeowners and small businesses unprotected for more than two weeks,” says Robert Rusbuldt, Big “I” president and CEO. “The Big ‘I’ is greatly concerned that these short expiration periods, coupled with the uncertainty of temporary extensions, will negatively impact the market.”
In theory, the NFIP will now return to normal operations and, since the extension is also retroactive, then any new policy applications or renewals that were signed and submitted during the hiatus will be effective from the date of application (or in the case of waiting periods, the waiting period will start from the date of application).
“This series of temporary extensions, last minute actions and service lapses during such a delicate period in our economy is of great concern to our agents, homeowners and small businesses,” says Charles Symington, Big “I” senior vice president of government affairs. “Though we are grateful that Congress extended this program, we are increasingly frustrated by these repeated one-month extensions and the periods of expiration that sometimes result from them. The National Flood Insurance Program is meant to provide some level of stability and protection for homeowners and businesses against dangerously unpredictable and costly flooding events, not to be an unpredictable ‘here one minute-gone the next’ program subject to monthly congressional action. The Big ‘I’ strongly urges Congress to pass a long term extension of this critical program.”
In the 110th Congress, the Flood Insurance Reform and Modernization (FIRM) Act of 2007 made progress in the House and Senate. The legislation would have extended the program for five years and made significant and needed reforms to help put the program on sound financial footing. This summer, similar legislation was introduced in the House of Representatives.
Founded in 1896, the Big “I” is the nation’s oldest and largest national association of independent insurance agents and brokers, representing a network of more than 300,000 agents, brokers and their employees nationally. Its members are businesses that offer customers a choice of policies from a variety of insurance companies. Independent agents and brokers offer all lines of insurance—property, casualty, life, health, employee benefit plans and retirement products. Web address: www.independentagent.com.
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