W3 Insurance

Suffered a Loss? Here’s What to Do.

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Whether you’ve suffered a loss due to storm surge, fender bender or another insurable situation, you can take charge. Begin the recovery process immediately by choosing to act. A Florida insurance remedy for the unfortunate event is in your future. Here’s how to reach it as quickly as possible.

When you suffer a loss, complete the following steps:

  • First, make sure you are in a safe space. Calling your Florida insurance agent in the midst of a hurricane to declare that the roof has just been torn off your residence is not advisable. Instead, exercise caution. Report the devastation as soon as you are able and to the best of your ability. In most cases your insurance policy has a claims hotline accessible 24/7. The most efficient way to report your claim is directly with the insurance company. If you prefer contact with your agent first, you’ll likely need to wait to call during normal business hours.
  • Every insurance policy places the duty to protect property from further damage upon the insured. Become familiar with your duties in the event of a loss as shown in your insurance policy preferably before or right after you suffer a loss.
  • Take pictures. List any and all affected items, and if you must order any immediate repairs, keep all receipts. *Take note that extensive repairs are not advisable until you have spoken with your insurance representative. Often, the carrier will supply you with a ‘preferred list’ of contractors.
  • Get ready to file a claim. You’ll need to provide the following information: policyholder’s name, policy number, address of affected property (if this filing is in response to a homeowner claim), loss date and damage description.
  • Your claim is filed – congratulations! Now what? It’s time for an adjuster examination as to the scope of damage. Answer the professional’s questions fully and completely. Too much information is much better than erring on the side of too little.
  • A claims report will be compiled by the adjuster. No two losses are the same, so your report will be unique. Your agent will monitor the outcome of the claim and be available to assist you.
  • Remember that you may have a deductible to pay before the insurance company takes care of other charges.

Have questions throughout this process? Call your insurance agent. Working with a W3 insurance professional is a great way to ensure that you receive the assistance you deserve. From initial quote through claim fulfillment, our Florida insurance team is with you every step of the way.

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) Awareness Month – Is your workplace prepared?

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The United States loses more than 350,000 people each year to sudden cardiac arrest. This staggering number includes infants, children, teens, young adults, middle aged persons with no sign of heart disease, and mature adults. According to stopcardioarrest.org, SCA is caused by a structural or electrical problem that often stems from an undetected heart condition. It can also arise from an infection or a severe blow to the chest.

If a victim of a SCA is not treated immediately, he/she does not survive. Every minute that passes without a shock from an AED (automated external defibrillation) decreases the chances of survival by 10%. Statistics like this present a compelling argument that it’s necessary to prepare your worksite and employees for such an emergency. Training your staff to recognize the symptoms, perform CPR, and become certified to use an AED could save a life. Having an AED on site is critical. Many schools now stock AEDs and have trained their teachers on proper use of the equipment.

October is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness Month, so it’s a good time to review your policies, procedures, and budgeting for AED and CPR/AED training. You can find plenty of resources at:

http://www.stopcardiacarrest.org/

http://www.sca-aware.org/cpr-and-aed-training-resources

Have questions? Need assistance scheduling an onsite training? Feel free to contact me at tblocker@w3ins.com.

Business Insurance Names W3 Insurance One of the Best Places to Work

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Annual Award Recognizes Outstanding Employers

According to Business Insurance, Wallace Welch & Willingham (W3 Insurance) is a workplace where employees thrive, achieve job fulfillment and assist with company growth. These attributes contributed to the agency’s inclusion on the publication’s annual Best Places to Work in Insurance list, which was announced September 24.

“Being named to Business Insurance’s list of the Best Places to Work in Insurance for 2018 demonstrates that W3 has built a culture in which employees are supported and engaged, which benefits their customers and their employer’s financial performance,” says Peter Oxner, publisher of Business Insurance.

The Best Places to Work in Insurance list includes agents, brokers, insurance companies and other providers who provide the highest levels of employee engagement and satisfaction. Leading insurance industry employers are identified by Best Companies Group through a two-part assessment. The first, a questionnaire, is completed by the employer and encompasses company policies, practices and demographics. The second is a confidential employee survey that measures engagement and satisfaction.

W3 Insurance CEO Scott Gramling points to the company’s ‘Raving Fans’ philosophy as a huge indicator of organizational success. Taking care of employees is extremely important, he says, and the W3 team naturally extends that passion to client services.

“Our company-wide goal is to make clients into raving fans, and we do that as a team,” Gramling says. “There’s a pervasive sense that we’re all in this together.”

This year’s list features 75 companies of various sizes, from 25 employees to more than 4,000. Overall rankings and winning company profiles will be unveiled as a sponsored content supplement in the November issue of Business Insurance and online at BusinessInsurance.com.

Founded in 1925, Wallace Welch & Willingham (W3 Insurance) is an independent insurance agency with a rich tradition of service and unwavering commitment to clients and community. The agency represents an extensive list of “A rated” carriers in order to provide the best coverage at the most affordable rates available. W3 Insurance offers coverage for the specific needs of businesses and individuals, including homeowners, auto, boat and life insurance as well as employee benefits coverage. For more information, call (727) 522-7777 or visit www.w3ins.com.

Business Insurance is the authoritative news and information source for executives concerned about risk and the impact on their business. With information for risk managers, insurers, brokers and other providers of insurance products and services, Business Insurance delivers in-depth analysis on new and emerging risks, case studies of successful programs, market intelligence on trends, and guidance on how to capitalize on opportunities and overcome challenges.

Best Companies Group works with partners to establish “Best Places to Work,” “Best Companies,” and “Best Employers” programs on a national, state-wide and regional basis. Through its thorough workplace assessment using employer questionnaires and employee satisfaction surveys, Best Companies Group identifies and recognizes companies that have been successful in creating and maintaining workplace excellence.

Florence Called, Florida: You Need Flood Insurance Now.

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The lesson from Florence is clear: Florida residents need flood insurance, and they need it now. Waiting for that tropical system to appear on the radar is not wise; the National Flood Insurance Program usually imposes a 30-day waiting period before issuing coverage. By that time, multiple storms could loom on the horizon. If you didn’t know that a typical homeowners’ policy does not cover flooding, you do now.

Water has yet to recede in North Carolina; adjusters can’t push through the dreaded surge to evaluate the extent of the damage. Flood insurance coverage is not the norm in the affected area, so even cautious damage estimates are in the low billions. The Associated Press reports that a mere 35% of properties located in ‘flood hazard areas’ were insured when Florence hit.

Florida does not have to face the same level of devastation after such a storm. Here’s how to find a flood policy that’s right for you:

  • If you don’t currently have flood insurance, contact an insurance advisor to learn about options. This professional will discuss with you the differences between private flood insurance and flood insurance obtained through the National Flood Insurance Program.
  • Consider going private. The same waiting period does not usually apply in the private marketplace, and this avenue offers additional benefits.

Contact your W3 Insurance advisor today and cross ‘obtain Florida flood insurance’ off your To Do list. We’ve witnessed the devastation from Florence in the beautiful state of North Carolina. Let us all in the Sunshine State be prepared if such a storm turns our way.

Request a Flood Quote

Personalized Wellbeing in Today’s Employee Wellness World

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One-size-fits-all solutions for employee wellness are falling by the wayside as targeted approaches continue to thrive. This trend of wellness program personalization puts a strong focus on individual fitness, nutrition and holistic needs. Businesses continue to find ways to creatively meet these needs.

Fitness programs available through employers are improving as insurance carriers team up with fitness club networks to present an array of choices. Cigna has partnered with Active and Fit Direct to offer members a fitness center membership for $25 per month; this membership allows the holder to visit any participating facility. Florida Blue offers a similar plan through Fitness Your Way by Tivity Health.

In addition to carrier offerings, employers are updating onsite gyms, offering stand-up desks or under-the-desk ellipticals, purchasing activity trackers for employees, and subsidizing bike share programs.

The second approach to wellbeing  is nutrition, and companies are facing the challenge by presenting healthy food options at employee meetings, stocking vending machines with healthy choices, partnering with local restaurants, and engaging in campaigns like “Fruit Fridays.” For the competitive crowd, nutrition competitions such as mean green (fruit and veggie intake), water challenge (drink 8 glasses of water daily), and meatless Monday are prevalent.

Another important component for wellbeing is sleep. When was the last time you took a nap at work (on purpose) or took 10 minutes to meditate? This planned time-out can increase employee productivity and overall health. If you have an extra small room or closet that is not utilized, consider turning it into a quiet space. A calming atmosphere with soft music, amber lighting, couch or recliner, yoga mat and plants can set the stage for a great sleep suite or quiet room.

Have questions? Need assistance implementing any of these personalized wellbeing programs? Contact me at tblocker@w3ins.com.

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