Risk e-Business

Slips and Falls Can Be Costly. Protect Your Friends - and Yourself!

Maybe it's all the rain and snow we've had this year. Maybe it's the economy . Maybe it's the increase in ads for plaintiff attorneys. Whatever the cause, it seems we've seen an increase in slip-and-fall liability claims lately.

Our agency would normally see one or two slip-and-fall accidents in a 6-month period. This year, we've seen almost that many every month. On stairs and in parking lots, in retail stores and private homes, southern Mainers seem to be having trouble keeping their balance.

It's possible that today's higher unemployment rates have left fewer people with medical insurance available to pay for their emergency room visits and doctors' treatments. With last winter's heavy snow and this spring's constant rain, surfaces have been especially slippery. Combine those factors with the power of suggestive advertising by plaintiff attorneys telling the public that "someone has GOT to pay", and it may be logical that we have seen more slip-and-fall claims.

What can you do to protect your guests, yourself and your assets?

• Maintain your property
• Carry adequate liability insurance limits: equal to your net worth, or $500,000 for individuals and $1,000,000 for businesses - whichever is higher.
• Report any injuries or incidents to your insurance agent.

For more information, call Noyes Hall & Allen Insurance.

Everybody in the Pool!

Despite Maine's cool, wet June weather, pool season is here once again. Swimming pools provide healthy family fun. They can also be a source of risk to your family, friends and financial assets.

Sobering Water Safety Statistics
Drowning is second only to auto accidents as the most common cause of unintentional injury-related death for children under 14, according to the American Red Cross. According to an ACR survey, 48% of respondents said they had nearly drowned at some point in their life.

Pool injuries aren't limited to the water, either. Slippery deck surfaces and other equipment can cause trouble too. The Red Cross' web site has excellent water safety advice.

Five Smart Pool-Owners' Tips
1. Make sure your pool is up to code. Plumbing, fencing and deck requirements can vary by locality. If your pool doesn't meet current codes, your risk increases greatly.

2. Supervise pool activity.
It only takes seconds for tragedy to happen. Make sure a strong-swimming adult is present when the pool is in use. Use an alarm to prevent accidental, unsupervised or unwanted use of your pool.

3. Fence and lock your pool.
This is required in most locales for in-ground pools and for many above-ground pools.

4. Carry adequate liability insurance.
If someone is hurt while using your pool, insurance may be the only thing between you and bankruptcy. Make sure your liability limits are high enough to protect your net worth and earnings potential. A great idea: buy an umbrella policy, which provides even higher limits than homeowners coverage.

5. Consult Your Insurance Agent
Many insurers do not charge an extra premium for swimming pools, but they usually have underwriting requirements. These are designed to manage the company's - and your - risk. For example, many companies will not insure pools with slides or diving boards, or without locking fences.

Don't let tragedy spoil your summer fun when warmer weather finally comes to Maine (we hope!). Play it safe, and have fun!

Watch for Moose!

The Maine Department of Transportation recently issued a reminder to motorists to watch for moose on the road. Out-of-state visitors often chuckle when they see "moose crossing" signs, but colliding with a moose is no laughing matter.

Maine averages more than 600 crashes a year between moose and vehicles, killing 22 drivers over the past decade. Nearly 90% of crashes occur between dusk and dawn, with about 80% in darkness.

Moose are dark brown, and therefore difficult to see at night. They are so tall that their eyes do not reflect oncoming headlights. They tend to move in groups; if you see one, they may well be another. Because of their height, the animal is often thrown into the windshield when struck, causing injury and significant vehicle damage.

While many Mainers know that deeer are on the move during November breeding season, many don't know that moose are more active during their summer mating season.

The DOT has produced a helpful brochure with safety hints, offering advice ranging from driving safely in known moose-crossing areas (operating "within your headlights") to what to do if you see a moose in the roadway (stay in your vehicle, and don't try to drive around it), to what to do if a crash is unavoidable (let up on the brakes just before impact).

Southern Maine drivers, especially in urban and suburban areas, tend to think that they're out of the danger zone. But moose collisions have occurred in heavily populated neighborhoods in Portland, Lewiston-Auburn and Bangor.

Buckle up, slow down, drive carefully and live!

Burglaries on the Increase?

An article in today's Sunday Telegram cites evidence that home burglaries are on the rise in Cumberland County. The county Sheriff's Department says they investigated 54 burglaries from December to February, double that of last year.

While we haven't yet seen an increase in burglary claims this year, it's always a good idea to be vigilant and to take measures to keep your home safe.

Here are some suggestions from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office.

• Be sure your outdoor lighting illuminates all entrances to your home.
• Cut back shrubbery to discourage burglars from hiding near window and doors.
• Keep windows and doors locked at all times. Make certain your garage door is closed and locked.
• Install a peephole in your front door.
• Windows and sliding glass doors should be secured with auxiliary locks. Special door pins, available at home improvement stores, can prevent your sliding doors from being lifted from their tracks during a burglary attempt.
• Deadbolt locks should be used on all exterior doors (single or double cylinder with a minimum one inch throw is recommended).
• Never hide or store keys or tools outside.

The Sheriff's Department also offers these hints if you're planning to be away from home for an extended period:

• Let trusted friends and neighbors know that you'll be away.
• Make your home appear occupied. Attach timers to lights and television sets and set them to turn on and off at different times.
• Have your newspaper and mail held, or picked up by a friend or neighbor.
• Disconnect automatic garage door openers.
• Open some of the drapes or blinds on your windows. During daytime hours, it gives the appearance that someone is home, and during the evening, lights inside the house are more visible.
  

Myth Buster: "Most Ticketed Vehicle List" Full of Surprises

If you had to guess what kind of vehicle is most likely to tickets, what would you choose? A flashy sports car like Ford's Mustang or the Porsche 911? A "pocket rocket" like the VW GTI that attracts a younger buyer? Guess again.

According to ISO's Quality Planning Corporation' s recent study, The Hummer H2/H3 actually leads the pack. Why? That's the subject of great debate. Is it that Hummers attract a buyer who's independent and "type A"? Does the stance of the vehicle itself change the way drivers interact with traffic and roads? Who knows. But Hummers are over 450% more likely to be ticketed than the average vehicle.

Rounding out the top 10 are three Scion models, the Toyota Solara and Matrix, all of which appeal primarily to younger drivers, and a couple of the higher powered Mercedes models. Another surprise is the Subaru Outback Station Wagon, over 2.5 times more likely to be ticketed than the average vehicle.

So which vehicles are the least likely to be ticketed? Well, some are not surprising: three Buicks and an Olds make the bottom 10. Interestingly, some other SUVs and a few pickups make the "least ticketed" list: Chevy's Suburban, Tahoe and CK pickup, and the GMC Sierra. Each of these is less than half as likely to get a ticket as the average vehicle. The absolute least likely: another surprise - theJaguar XJ sedan.

The study compared a vehicle's violation count per 100,000 miles driven for a one year period from 2007 to 2008.

EVERY Property is in a "Flood Zone"

Many people fail to purchase flood insurance when they buy a property. Some believe that their homeowners policy will cover flood damage. It won't. Others think that because their lender hasn't required them to buy flood insurance, they're not in a "flood zone".

Every property is susceptible to flood - some more than others. Of course, ocean- or river-front property is more likely to flood than homes located on higher ground. The good news is that it's relatively inexpensive to buy flood insurance if you live in a low risk area.

The word "flood" conjures up images of rising rivers and streams, or ocean storm surges. Those are floods of course, but so are: snowmelt runoff; dam breaches; heavy rains; and flash floods. All of those things can and do occur in Maine. Here's a list of past flood disasters in Maine, which doesn't include some notable recent events.

Remember the heavy rains of August, 2008 that flooded several southern Maine areas? Many property owners in the affected areas had never experienced flooding before.

Mandatory 30 Day Waiting Period
Let's say you've heard weather forecasts of heavy runoff from snowmelt. Concerned about your property, you call to buy flood insurance to protect your home. The government knows that many people who would buy such coverage may be in imminent danger. That's why they require a 30 day waiting period for coverage to take effect - unless you're buying property and coverage is required by your lender.

That means now is the time to think about buying flood coverage - not when the river's rising.

Flood insurance is only available through the National Flood Insurance Program, a government program managed by FEMA, and available through virtually any insurance agency. Call us for a quote. For more myths and facts about flood insurance, download this brochure.

Outdoor Oil Tanks and Homeowners Insurance

Maine's DEP recently issued a statement warning homeowners who have outside oil tanks to take steps to prevent leaks. During a recent Channel 6 news piece, Peter Blanchard from the Maine DEP explained that snow and ice dropping from the roof can cause the nipple to break between the oil filter and the tank.

Approximately 80% of Mainers heat their homes with oil. It is unknown how many of these oil tanks are outdoors. The DEP recommends installing a shield over the filter to protect it from damage. They've even produced a video about it. This is more than a good idea; homeowners with outside oil tanks are required by code to have a protective shield.

Blanchard points out that his department responds to almost 500 oil spills every year. Cleanup costs can run from $10,000 to over $100,000. By contrast, oil tank covers cost about $75.00.

What if the worst happens? Does your homeowners policy cover you? Our agency has not had such a claim, so we don't have any "real world" experience to report. However, most homeowners policies exclude pollution damage unless it's caused by one of 16 named perils. "Weight of ice and snow" is only a covered peril for property located INSIDE a building. That doesn't sound promising. "Falling objects" is another covered peril. Would an insurance company consider snow dropping from a roof to be a "falling object"? Who knows for sure. The New York Insurance Department is equally unsure. So, we agree with the DEP's advice: $75.00 worth of prevention is worth $100,000 of cure.

For more information, call the DEP at 1-800-482-0777.

A Cold Forecast Means Frozen Pipes, Ice Dams

The arctic cold returns this weekend, according to the NWS forecast. Our phones have been busy this week with two kinds of claims: frozen pipes and ice dams. Local plumbers, water extraction contractors and heating technicians expect lots of overtime this weekend. We are ready to handle an influx of claims if necessary. 

One of the companies we represent, OneBeacon Insurance has issued a bulletin with some useful instructions for how to safely thaw frozen water pipes. Their website also has a good winter safety checklist that addresses topics like preventing damage from heavy snow,  frozen pipes and ice dams. 

Speaking of ice dams, the University of Minnesota Extension Service has an excellent article explaining what they are, what causes them and how to prevent them. 

As always, Noyes Hall & Allen clients can contact us in a claim emergency any time, night or day. Stay warm and stay safe!

Six Lessons from a Fire

One year ago this weekend, my bedroom phone woke me at 7:00 on Saturday morning - never a good sign. It was my business partner, Tom. "The building's on fire", he said as sirens screamed in the background. I quickly dressed and raced to the office to find firefighters crawling all over our office building, battling smoke, water and flames.

We've helped so many clients recover from disaster over the years. Now, it was our insurance agency's turn to be the victim.

The fire wasn't all that big. It started when the electric sign on the fascia of the building shorted. It burned through the overhang and spread up the roof, where it eventually burned through, setting off the sprinkler system. Three or four sprinkler heads opened, pouring water for about 40 minutes before the fire department shut it off. By 9:30 am, the fire was out and the cleanup and recovery began.

Six weeks later, everyone was back in the building, and 95% of the damage was repaired.

Lessons from an Office Fire

1. Safety Pays.
Even though we're in the safety business, we're not that different from anyone else. We curse the fact that we have to punch in our alarm codes when we open and close the office every day. We dread the quarterly visit from the sprinkler contractor, who tests the system, causing screeching alarms while we're trying to work and meet with clients. We curse the calls from our alarm monitoring system when they call us at night or on the weekend to tell us they're getting an alarm signal that's almost always false. We don't look forward to our annual fire department inspection.

But on that Saturday morning, we were thankful that the alarm system alerted the Fire Department, that the sprinkler system doused most of the fire, and that the South Portland Fire Department responded so quickly and was so helpful in the beginning stages of our recovery. Without all of these safety systems, the fire would have been much bigger, and our recovery many times longer.

2. Relationships are Important. We called ServPro, a remediation contractor that we knew from many fire, water and other disasters that our clients have experienced over the years. They extracted over an inch of water from the floor of our 9500 square foot building, and set up giant fans to begin the drying process.

We hired Maine Properties, another contractor that we knew from their work with many condo associations that we insure, to do the repair work. They were on the scene that day, scoping out what could be salvaged and what would need to be ripped out and replaced.

Our computer network consultant, Tom Vose of BroadSound Technologies, showed up Sunday to help us get our computer network up and running. Like most modern businesses, we're almost completely dependent upon our computer system to help us serve our clients. The day before, we were picking computers up off the floor and dumping water out of them. We thought they were fried. Miraculously, every workstation but one survived.

As insurance agents, you would expect us to be well-insured, and we are. Of course, our insurance was with one of the companies we represent, Peerless Insurance. They were responsive, cooperative and professional in settling our claim.

Our other insurance company partners were empathetic, too. When they heard of our misfortune, they were quick to offer any accommodation to help us serve our mutual clients. Their response was heartwarming. Even one of our competitors, Dan Haley from Portland, called to offer the use of his office if we needed it.

3. Our team is our strength
Insurance is a people business, and we have some of the best. Many of them have worked with us for decades. They're professionals who work well together and have our clients' best interest at heart. We've always known how important our staff is to our success, but the fire really emphasized that. They showed up for work on Monday, ready to do whatever they needed to do in a smoky, wet, cold building. For weeks, they tolerated noise, dust, smell, balky equipment and physical upheaval. Perhaps the best testament to their professionalism is that most clients never even knew we had a fire. We prided ourselves that we didn't miss a minute of regular office hours. Our staff was the key to our continuous operation.

4. Everything's Bigger Than It Looks
From the outside, our fire looked minor. There were a couple of holes in the roof and a couple of more in the fascia, all of which were repaired within a few days. The fire damage was heavier in the side of the building occupied by Town & Country Credit Union and The HCR Group. But the water discharged from the sprinkler system spread throughout the building. We had to rip up all of the carpet, and cut much of the sheetrock several inches from the floor to allow drying. The cost to repair the damage from our "small" fire was hundreds of thousands of dollars. It took months for everything to get back to normal.

5. Pay Attention to the Little StuffOur fire was caused by a short in an electrical sign on the front of the building. We had noticed a few days before that the lights behind a couple of letters were not lit. We assumed that they were burned out, and put it on our mental "to do list" to check out later. We never got the chance. We learned our lesson. Whenever something's "not quite right", we take action. You never know when a little issue can become a big one.

6. Insurance Works
Having enough insurance allowed us to act quickly to repair all of the damage. We didn't have to worry about how to pay for it all. It was the same for our tenants who had insurance. Those who were displaced were able to set up temporary offices in their homes. Their expenses, including phone, internet and other utilities, were covered by insurance. Those who didn't have insurance were fortunate that they were able to move back in quickly, with little down time. If they had been in the more heavily damaged part of the building, they may not have been able to continue their businesses.

We hope that sharing these six lessons we learned helps you in your own disaster planning, whether for your business or your family. We also hope that you never have to pull such plans off the shelf and put them into action.

Forecast: Wicked Cold. Prevent Frozen Pipes

The local forecast is for cold weather for the rest of the week. By Thursday or Friday, Greater Portland could experience the coldest air mass we've seen in 5 years.

Many homes experience frozen water pipes in weather like this. Often, the homeowner made improvements to the home (additions, remodeling, etc.), and the insulation that was placed in the remodeled area wasn't sufficient to protect the domestic water pipes.

If you've made such improvements in the last 5 years or so, this week will be the harshest test your home has had to endure since then.

Save yourself some trouble by checking the insulation (if it's visible) in these areas of your home.

Here are some other cold weather hints:

In Especially Cold Weather

• Keep cupboard doors open below sinks. This allows warm air to circulate, and helps keep pipes from freezing.
• Turn on hot and cold faucets enough to let them drip slowly. Keeping water moving through the pipes prevents freezing.

If You Leave Home for More than a Day

• Keep the temperature at the minimum 65 degrees F. People often set their thermostats lower than this and assume they'll be ok. They find out the hard way that the temperature in the living space may be fine, but the temperature inside the walls, where the pipes are, may not.
  
• Have someone check your home regularly. If there is a problem with frozen pipes or water leakage, early discovery can save major damage.
  
• Use a "temperature alarm". Many people use a low-cost fixture available at the hardware store that installs on a household lamp, turning on the lamp when the temperature drops below 60 F. Install a colored bulb in the lamp, and alert your neighbors to keep an eye out for the light. Others tie a low-temperature alarm into their home security system.

If You Think Your Pipes are Frozen

Don't wait for them to burst. Take measures to thaw them immediately, or call a plumber for assistance. Do NOT attempt to thaw them yourself with any sort of flame!

If Your Pipes Do Burst...
Even a 1" split in a pipe can cause thousands of dollars in damage in a short time. You need to act quickly to prevent additional damage.

• Turn off the water!
• Clean up the water. You don't want more damage than you already have. An insurance adjuster doesn't need to see the water, but will want to inspect any damaged items.
• If you have a lot of water, contact a remediation contractor. Your insurance agent can help you locate one.
• Remove any carpets, furniture, or other items that can be damaged from further seepage.

Making an Insurance Claim

Many standard homeowners policies cover most of the kinds of damage that can result from a freeze. If house pipes freeze and burst, or if ice forms in gutters and causes water to back up under roof shingles and leak, the resulting water damage is normally covered. Not all policies are alike. Contact your agent to be sure what your policy covers.

Filing a claim:

• Call your agent or company as soon as you notice the damage. Noyes Hall & Allen clients can find their insurance company claim emergency phone number and other instructions here. If your agent or company requests you to do so, follow up with a written explanation of what happened.
• Make temporary repairs and take other steps to protect your property from further damage.
• Save the receipts for what you spend and submit them to your insurance company for reimbursement.
• Make a list of damaged articles. If your home is so severely damaged that you cannot live there, save the receipts from any additional living expenses you incur for accomodations while repairs are being made.