Homeowners a Public Adjuster relationship is essential
Posted on October 2nd, 2011
Gene G. Veno is the President of the American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters (AAPIA). He is featured in the Youtube video above as he explains the importance a Public Adjuster is to a homeowner. AAPIA is an important organization that represents Public Adjusters and fosters communication and education about the industry. They are a great resource for various insurance related topics and offer a very informative website.
The AAPIA website is easily navigable to the various areas on legislation and other relevant topics. They also host events and will be showcasing in Miami Springs, Fl later this month.
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The Value of Hiring a Public Adjuster
The American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters is busy getting the word out about how hiring a public insurance adjuster can add value to a policyholder’s insurance claim. AAPIA prides itself on being a professional organization representing public adjusters from all over the United States. AAPIA sponsors educational, social, and networking programs throughout the year.
Town Hall Meeting October 18
October 18th
Location: Holiday Inn Miami International Airport, 1111 S Royal Ponciana Blvd, Miami Springs, FL 33166
Arrival: Noon
Lunch: Included
Meeting: 01:00 – 05:00
Cocktails: 05:00 to 07:00
Please respond directly to Robertcook1999@gmail.com with rsvp.
This is a very important meeting to discuss the future of our Industry
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Visit their website to learn more about the resources available to property owners.
Tags: AAPIA, American Association of Public Insurance Adjusters
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What’s your policy?
Posted on June 27th, 2011
Today homeowners have options when it comes to the types of policies, coverages and the insurance companies that offer these products. Public adjusters don’t broker insurance policies; however, they deal directly with companies such as Allstate, State Farm, and Citizens. Miami insurance companies that offer these policies don’t get involved in insurance claims. These distinct roles can often be confusing for the public.
The reason these insurance professionals, in the same industry, do not overlap is that the skills are different and so are the licenses. If you take a look at the various insurance company websites they offer links to how to initiate an insurance claim directly on their site; however, insurance brokers do not take care of the claim – it’s passed to the company. Likewise, the public adjuster needs to process the claim directly to the insurance company – they represent the policyholder’s rights with the insurance company through the claim process. This helps the property owners ensure they collect what they are entitled to under their policies.
The brokers and the public adjusters are in a way similar in that they both work with the public as the middleman to the insurance companies – one gets coverage, the other demands recovery. Both utilize resources and tools on the insurance company websites.
Here’s a snippet of useful info. from various companies:
Allstate Insurance – On their website there is a tool that will show a breakdown of the most common and most costly claims in your zipcode.
State Farm Insurance – On their website there’s a list of useful and important steps in the claims process – Take reasonable steps to prevent potential safety risks and/or further damage, If the loss is caused by theft, notify the police, Notify banks and credit card companies about any missing debit or credit cards, Keep accurate records of what you spend repairing things.
Citizens Insurance – The Citizens’ website has a list of how to report a claim. At the top of their list is to call a agent at Citizens.
When approaching these companies, remember that you want to be as prepared as possible. Our team of adjusters will help you get what you deserve.
Tags: allstate homeowners policy, citizens homeowners insurance policy, state farm homeowners policy
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Rate hikes loom – Are you informed?
Posted on March 9th, 2011
Florida and Insurance is a sticky business and even sticker political game. The sleeping giant in the complex web of Florida property insurance, especially in South Florida coastal properties are hurricanes. Hurricanes a real X Factor that have the potential to shake up Florida’s economical landscape. The issue is based in the ability for insurance companies to have the ability to reimburse the homeowner in the event of a major hurricane. Keeping things simple, rates are going up and potentially as high as 20%. It seems at every corner prices are going up and risks are turning into reality.
Americans still have a voice and should stay informed with issues related to these matters – it hits all of our pockets. Give us a ring and we’ll be glad to explain what’s going on and give you insight into your situation. We have a motto, “stay informed, stay protected, stay calm.”
The recent article, “Major overhaul and rate hikes proposed for state’s largest insurance company” on March 04, 2011 by Gary Fineout addresses the rate hikes. This article is worth a quick read. Here are the main points from the article:
SB 1714 — would not only allow Citizens to raise its rates to make the carrier more financially sound, but it would also do the following:
Require Citizens to drop coverage of higher-priced homes and condominiums. Starting in 2012, Citizens could no longer cover homes that would cost $1 million or more to replace. That figure would drop to $750,000 in 2014 and $500,000 by 2016.
Prohibit Citizens customers from hiring a public adjuster to help them with any claims.
Require Citizens to hire a consultant to study whether or not some operations should be outsourced.
Make homeowners ineligible for Citizens coverage if they can get a policy from a private carrier that charges up to 25 percent more than Citizens does.
Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, has filed the House version of the legislation.
Do you agree that this is anti consumer regulations? Should I be stopped? Give us a ring we want to hear from you and we’ll explain if this concerns your policy and insurance claims.
Tags: citizens, flood insurance, insurance coverage, rate hikes
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Proper documentation – an important part of a successful claim
Posted on December 23rd, 2010
We’ve gone over many different aspects to proper homeowners insurance, coverage, and claims. It’s very common for homeowners to rush to the assumption that their personal property is included in a homeowners policy. It’s true that some damages that affects personal property might fall under certain coverages; however, it’s recommended that a homeowner contact a professional to get the specifics on their policy. When it comes to personal property it’s crucial to properly document each item.
The documentation should include, but is not limited to the following:
1. Description of the item
2. Quantity of the item if appropriate
3. The replacement cost/value
4. Where it was purchased
5. Where the item was located in the home
6. Does it need to be repaired or replaced
7. Any supporting documents of ownership and value – photos, receipts, videos, print outs of similar items.
An important topic of personal property coverage is JEWELRY!
Jewelry should be insured separately, because the monetary value of most jewelry in homes exceeds traditional limits and is not covered if there’s a theft – most of the time it’s capped at $1,000 for damage. This is known as certain exclusions and limitations concerning certain items; jewelry is in that list, also are antiques and firearms. The best way to stay covered and be able to assert a claim is to have an additional policy specifically for items excluded. This is easily done by contacting your insurance team. Give us a ring and we’ll set you on the right track.
The documentation is very important when obtaining these types of policies and your agent will review each step. Think about it like this, the more detailed and specific your documentation the smoother the claim process. It’s that easy. Remember it’s always safer to contact a professional to give you the guidance and advice to keep your personal property in good hands.
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Actual Cash Value vs. Replacement Cost
Posted on May 27th, 2010
Let’s speak one on one: Rami Boaziz 305.467.5645
Knowing the details is very important to any insurance claim. These policies are complex and so is the claim process, a public adjuster will simplify the matter giving you a clear understanding. One of the most common questions is the bottomline when it comes to how payout is determined. A hot topic on this point is the differences between actual cash value vs. replacement cost.
The actual cash value is a formula that calculates the difference between purchase price and depreciation. Replacement value points to the cost of replacing an item of similar likeness in today’s market. This type of difference can mean a lot when it comes to money you receive. Your public adjuster will help guide you through this detail and determine if a policy change might be necessary or how recovery should be calculated based on your specific claim.
You can read more about Actual Cash Value vs. Replacement Cost or call Rami Boaziz 305.467.5645 and ask your questions directly.
Tags: actual cash value, replacement cost
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