Dangerous Dogs

Breeds like this Doberman were specifically bred for guard duty. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As an insurer, you are probably already aware that dogs are responsible for many of the claims made by homeowner’s insurance policyholders. Dogs can not only bite others, causing damages, but they can also cause damages to a person’s home.

Fortunately, studies have shown which dogs are more likely to cause injuries and/or damages, and as a result, you have the right to raise insurance rates for those who own “high risk” dogs.

Dogs that top the risk list include Pitbulls, Staffordshire Terriers, Doberman Pinschers, Rottweilers, Chows, Great Danes, Akitas, German Shepherds, and Siberian Huskies, among others. It’s up to you to decide if you will up rates for owners of these dogs, and if so, by how much.

However, the claims management process in general will likely cause you a lot less flack and backlash if you stick within the industry standards as they relate to rate rises and breed restrictions. To get help setting up or modifying claims management policies and processes related to dogs, contact HC Adjusters of New York.

High Property Insurance Rates Under Scrutiny

When it comes to insurance in Florida, you might think that commercial insurance claims come with the highest premiums attached. In truth, however, it’s actually property insurance that tops the cost chart. Florida CFO Jeff Atwater, however, is questioning these super high insurance premiums.  

He draws attention to the fact that, last year, the vast majority of property insurers in the state filed for rate increases and were granted them by the Office of Insurance Regulations. Atwater also expresses confusion over the fact that, despite the rate increases, there hasn’t been a hurricane in the state in several years.

He blames these facts for the average property insurance premium in the state- which is a whopping $1,933 and the highest in the nation. With property insurance figures like that, it’s no wonder that insurers don’t pay more attention to commercial insurance claims.

With the insurance industry coming under such scrutiny, it’s so important to make sure all of your books and records are up to date and that you’re operating well within the confines of the law. If you want to check up on your “overall health” as an insurer, contact HC Adjusters of Florida for assistance.

Related articles

• Florida insurance commissioner says rates are falling (TBO.com)

79 Year Old Homeowner Commits Insurance Fraud

In many ways, Hurricane Sandy brought out the best in people. It helped them to bond together and to show care and compassion for one another. Unfortunately, however, the tragic hurricane also brought out the worst in some people, namely a 79 year old resident of Burlington County.  

The resident made a $75,000 homeowner’s claim for damage he said his home incurred as a result of the hurricane. Unfortunately, those claims turned out to be bogus, and the man is now facing charges of third degree insurance fraud, second degree theft by deception, third degree hindering apprehension, and fourth degree providing false statements to law enforcement.

Stories like this one just go to prove that, in this industry, you really can’t trust anyone or be too careful. Your company should have a professional insurance adjuster thoroughly investigate each and every claim. Of course, that’s easier said than done. If you don’t have a large staff and/or get overwhelmed with claims, it can be hard to give each claim the attention it merits. Fortunately, you can always hire an as-needed professional insurance adjuster to assist you by contacting HC Adjusters of New Jersey.

Related articles

• Arrests in California Fraud Ring Targeting Auto Dealers and Insurers (insurancejournal.com)

Insurance Companies Offering Discounts on Hail Resistant Roofs

When it comes to home and property insurance claims, homeowners will do just about anything to save money. Many of these thrifty homeowners have recently become aware of a “secret” of the home insurance industry, thanks to a report from Fox News. The report explained how a whopping 67% of home insurance claims were related to roofing problems. It also explained that many insurers offer large discounts of up to

$500 per year for those who install stronger hail-resistant roofs. 

As an insurer, it’s up to you to determine whether or not you wish to give discounts for hail-resistant roof installation. Doing so isn’t really a bad idea since it basically rewards people for decreasing their likelihood of filing roofing related property insurance claims.

If you are interested in offering a discount for hail-resistant roofing, it’s important to educate yourself on the types of roofing that are actually effective and what the average discount is for your area. Get the facts and some much-needed help from HC Adjusters of Pennsylvania.

Dog Bites and Insurance Claims

Dog (Photo credit: KB35)

When you think of homeowner’s insurance claims, dog bites probably aren’t the first thing to come to mind. Believe it or not, however, NY recently reported that it has incurred the most costs out of any US state for insurance claims related to dog bites.

Dog bites have cost the insurance industry a whopping $483.7 million in the last year alone. What kind of costs are incurred per claim when a not-so-friendly-Fido bites someone? Well, in NY, the cost is around $43,122 per claim.

While homeowners are being encouraged to take steps to reduce their dog’s risk of biting, dog bites will probably continue to happen for as long as people have dogs for pets. Does your company know how to handle these claims?

If not or if you could just use a few tips, you can always hire an independent insurance adjuster to assist you. An independent insurance adjuster can also help you teach your clients how to reduce their dogs’ biting risks. For more information, contact the friendly, experienced pros at HC Adjusters of New York.

Related articles

• Dogs Take Big Bite Out of Liability Insurance (insurancejournal.com)
• State Farm Encourages Communities to Take a Bite Out of Dog Attacks This Year (wcbi.com)

Florida Backed by a Strong State Fund

Like many Southern states, FL is prone to hurricanes, which can cause lots of damage. Fortunately, the state is smart, realizes its hurricane risk, and has a state fund that is designed to help insurers to pay for claims. All a Florida catastrophe claims adjuster has to do to access this hurricane fund is to show that a claim is related

to a recent hurricane and then follow a few simple steps to get funding.

Fortunately, getting funding is easier than ever, since the state’s Hurricane Catastrophe Fund is estimated to have $13 billion in available funds at the start of this year’s hurricane season.

Not everyone is familiar with how to take advantage of these funds however. If you need a catastrophe claims adjuster who is “in the know” about this funding option, then contact HC Adjusters of Florida for assistance.

Related articles

• Florida's insurance fund strong for storm season (miamiherald.com)
• When Will Coastal Property Values Crash And Will Climate Science Deniers Be The Only Buyers? (theenergycollective.com)

Many New Jersey Residents in Violation of Federal Rules

Many NJ residents suffered serious damages and losses as a result of Hurricane Sandy. Fortunately, a lot of these residents had good insurance coverage that allowed them to rebuild or repair their homes. On the downside, however, many of these residents are rebuilding or repairing in ways that aren’t in line with federal flood insurance codes.  

While FEMA alerted the NJ Department of Environmental Protection to the problem and claims that most contractors know the rules they must abide by, homes that are not in line with federal flood laws are still going up. This could cause some homeowners to not be eligible for insurance or to have to pay penalties.

Because flood laws can be difficult to understand, it’s very important that you have a property claims adjuster on-staff who knows and fully understands all flood related codes. If you need some help understanding these codes and helping customers to obey them, secure the services of an expert property claims adjuster through HC Adjusters of New Jersey. 

Related articles

• Rebuilding Sandy Survivors May Violate Federal Flood Insurance Rules (njspotlight.com)
• N.J. Flood Zone Building Rules Conflict with FEMA (wnyc.org)

Tricky Home Insurance Claims

Recently, a Pennsylvania appeals court was asked to take a look at a somewhat surprising case. A young boy had playfully struck another young boy, a guest to his home, in the groin, causing injuries and also causing the injured young man’s parents to sue. The parents of the “hitter” initially weren’t all that worried, believing that their homeowner’s insurance policy would protect them from costs incurred as a result of their son’s actions.   

According to the appeals court, however, the insurer is not responsible and is not required to defend or indemnify the teenage boy or his parents. The main reason for the finding is that the boy committed his prank of his own accord. Thus, the victim’s injuries were not the result of a household accident but of an intentional act that just happened to be committed in the home.

As you can see, claims aren’t always cut and dry, and it’s not uncommon for an insurance adjuster to have trouble knowing whether or not to approve a certain claim. If your company is dealing with a claim that even your best insurance adjuster isn’t quite sure how to tackle, don’t worry. There is help and advice available from a team of expert professionals who will happily “dig deeper” into the claim in question to help you make an informed decision about what to do about it. For assistance, Pennsylvania insurers can turn to the pros at HC Adjusters. #PennsylvaniaInsuranceAdjuster

Related articles

• Penn. Court: Homeowners' Policy Doesn't Cover Injury From Insured's Prank (insurancejournal.com)