Your Home: A Water Damage Time Bomb

December 18, 2019 By Amy Hammond

Keep Dry With This Action Plan

Water damage can be a real drain. Protect your home and your pocketbook by opting for the right water damage coverage and addressing potential threats. Proactive “waterproofers” save themselves the expense and headache that comes with an unwelcome deluge. Keep the wet away from your Welcome mat by completing essential home maintenance essential to loss prevention. Below, we’ll examine the common sources for home water damage and how you can prevent excess H20.

Roofing: Plenty of water damage risks don’t involve torrential rainfall or wind. Homeowners are often surprised to learn that maintaining their roof is only one element of protection – but it is of course an important one. Give yours a birthday present by having a professional roof inspector examine it every year. This professional will spot suspect shingles, crumbling flashing and other elements that can put you at risk for leaks.
Plumbing: Plumbing in general should be treated as a valuable home element. If you see corrosion, condensation or leaks emanating from plumbing anywhere in your home, act immediately. Here’s a hint: If your water bill suddenly spikes, you may well have a malfunctioning plumbing element.
Sump Pump: Heading out on vacation? Avoid a surprise ‘gift’ upon your return home by turning off your main water supply line. Since sump pumps can fail for a variety of reasons, it’s a solid strategy. Take the time to inspect those. Clogged inlet screens and float switches can yield problems. Remember to take a look at the outside pipes and watch for that water flow – it should occur away from the home.
Water Heater: Five years is the magic number for these home elements. After age five, water heaters are much more likely to burst. Flush yours of sediment twice annually. And once a year after that five year point, ask a professional plumber to take a look at the anode rod, which will inevitably eventually deteriorate. And remember: no hot shower is worth the amount of damage that water heaters can cause if compromised.
Toilet: Anyone who has ever experienced a toilet overflow will tell you that it’s not a pleasant experience. It’s also unfortunately a common one. A backed-up toilet can wreak plenty of havoc on wood floors and baseboards; plus, it’s downright gross. How’s that flush mechanism working? Ask that question and answer it every six months. If you need to replace the flapper or film valve, do so. Also, giving the supply line some TLC every six months or so will keep that water flowing where it’s supposed to.
Sink: Faulty plumbing lines, thou art evil. When they deteriorate, these lines and the damage they cause can cost a homeowner approximately $7,000. Faulty plumbing lines are the big risk factor in a sink. Inspect it every six months, and if you don’t know where the water supply shutoff line is, go find it immediately.
Washing Machine: This one’s an obvious risk. After all, it has ‘water’ in the name! What you should really be on the lookout for here is water supply lines. Every six months, take a look at it. Is it secured correctly? Is it looking worse for the wear?
Ice Maker: That supply line can really be a doozy. If an icemaker is not properly installed, that supply line hose can fail. The result of such an incident is a watery mess and inevitable damage. Again, every six months should be a good adage for inspection.

It doesn’t take a lot of time or energy to do quick checkups on water hoses and the like. Schedule these ‘visits’ in your calendar and adhere to them. Putting off inspection of potential water damage sources can prove a costly mistake. Additionally, contact your insurance advisor to discuss whether you need increased water damage coverage. Different elements such as age of the home can increase your risk.

Remember: Your insurance policy is designed to cover you for sudden and accidental loss not otherwise excluded in the policy form. It is not a home maintenance policy. By understanding your coverage and doing your part to maintain your home, you’ll earn an A+ in water damage prevention.

At W3, our advisors are committed to helping you understand the protection provided by your policy and making sure that it works for you. Contact us! We’ll review your options and put a watertight plan in place.

W3 Insurance Opens New Sarasota Location – Location Designed to Better Serve Clients

October 31, 2019 By Amy Hammond

Sarasota, FL – St. Petersburg-headquartered W3 Insurance describes its new Sarasota location, at 2000 Webber Street, Suite 100, as an opportunity to better serve existing and prospective clients. The central location features Sarasota’s bustling downtown, a covered parking garage and plenty of room to grow.

“This move gives us the opportunity to merge Vestor Insurance, a recent acquisition, with our last Sarasota office. Now, both are joined into one space,” says Erin Wells, W3 personal insurance manager.

The new office site features rising desks. This is a conscious addition: W3 has long been considered an employee wellness advocate and recently was awarded bronze recognition in the American Heart Workplace Health Achievement Index.

Founded in 1925, Wallace Welch & Willingham is an independent insurance agency with a rich history of providing quality service and unwavering commitment to its clients and community. The agency represents an extensive list of “A rated” insurance companies in order to provide the best coverage at the most affordable rates available. Wallace Welch & Willingham has insurance products to fit the specific needs of both businesses and individuals, offering commercial, homeowners, auto, boat and life insurance, as well as employee benefits coverage. For more information, call (727) 522-7777 or visit w3ins.com.

Storm Preparation for Golf Clubs Tees Off Here – Before the Storm, There’s W3

October 15, 2019 By David Cosper

You can’t prevent a severe storm from affecting your club, but you can put an effective risk management program in place to reduce the total impact. Mitigate loss from claims and protect resources and assets. It’s worth the preparation time. Remember: loss history affects your club’s risk profile and premiums over a period of 3-5 years.

Here are a few tips to improve the outcome of a loss:

Where there’s a heavy storm, there’s bound to be tree debris. Subcontract professionals to handle the day–to –day pruning and removal of dead limbs. This action will have a positive impact on your workers compensation exposure and ensure your trees are not top-heavy or excessively tall.
Limit your claims submission to what is needed. For example, if your club loses 100 trees but 50 of them are located in a wooded area away from the course, only file claims for trees which truly need replacing. This will improve your loss ratio and thus improve your marketplace risk profile.
Evaluate potential exposures to flying objects. If necessary, consider adding storm shelters or hurricane (tempered) glass to mitigate future losses.
Consider a backup generator. Significant power outages can occur during these events; clubs need to consider additional losses such as food spoilage.

Ready to take proactive measures for your club? Contact W3. The W3 Club Advantage team will help your club conduct a vulnerability analysis to evaluate probable threats. Together, we will then prepare a disaster program which can be implemented before, during, and after a severe weather event.

Implementing a disaster response plan is critical to your club’s ability to respond to a severe weather event. This plan should include emergency contacts, disaster procedures and communications, alternate vendors and suppliers, and steps for recovery. It should also have employee information as well as necessary passwords and codes for technology – essentially, everything needed to expedite re-opening.

The W3 Club Advantage program addresses all exposures your club could face in the event of a catastrophic event. For more information about the W3 Club Advantage, contact Hospitality Risk Practice Leader David Cosper at 727.522.7777 ext. 110, email dcosper@w3ins.com or compete the form below.

What’s New in Smoking Cessation? Goodbye, Cigs – Hello, Healthier Employees

October 7, 2019 By Amy Hammond

Did you know that nicotine is considered to be as addictive a substance as heroin or cocaine? No wonder many smokers find it difficult to quit. It’s a battle worth fighting, though. According to the American Cancer Society, smoking leads the way as a main cause of lung cancer. And anecdotally, employers report lost productivity from smokers who take multiple breaks to light up throughout the workday.

New advancements in smoking cessation offer novel ways to quit. Read below as we examine some of them, and then share the information with your workforce. We hope you’ll have an entire roster of quitters as a result.

Smartphone Apps – These vary immensely. Some simply offer quitting tips, while others take on a journal approach. Woke up and had a cigarette? -Log it. Avoided buying a pack? -Log that too; give yourself a pat on the back. Not dissimilar to a diet app that requires the user to log meals, the journal apps keep a person accountable. Whether this approach works is very individualistic, and not a lot of research has been done to demonstrate efficacy. However, if a person responds to text reminders that tell him to ‘stay strong and put down the cigarette,’ that method may work. A few of these apps to consider include LiveStrong and Quit for Life.

Behavioral Techniques – Heard of mindfulness? It’s a buzz word in the cessation realm now. Different behavioral techniques like mindfulness are being purported by some as quit aids. The idea of “self-expansion” is also being considered; this couples quitting with other positive events. Joined the company softball team? -It’s a great time to quit! Purchased a new home? -Why not make sure it’s free from soot? This strategy packages the ‘quit’ into an appealing event, in essence making the cessation action part of the positive occurrence.

Extensive research has not yet proved how effective the different techniques discussed above are, but preliminary results are promising for some individuals. It’s always a good idea to share a multitude of options with smokers, as what works for one person may not work for another. It’s the same with weight loss: some wouldn’t respond to a diet journal, as they would forget to write down every morsel of food consumed; for others, all it would take is a visible reminder of that 3,500 calorie day to change their behavior.

The tools are widely available. And even though employees looking to quit smoking have likely heard of the tried-and-true methods, it doesn’t hurt to remind them that quit lines, nicotine replacement therapy, prescription drugs and support groups are all examples. For more information about these cessation aids, visit https://bit.ly/2kcjq6D.

Homeowners Insurance and Hurricanes: What Is (and Isn’t) Covered

September 27, 2019 By W3 Insurance

Hurricane insurance coverage is as vital to the Florida homeowner as storm shutters that withstand gale-force winds. Those sandbags, batteries, and shutters are must-haves in the emergency preparedness kit, but hurricane insurance coverage alone possesses the power of rebuild. If the worst happens, and that storm demolishes a home, the right coverage can make all the difference. Here’s what to expect as you consider coverage options:

Florida Hurricane Insurance Requirements

It may surprise you to learn that many homeowners policies consider coverage for hurricanes to be standard. However, as a Floridian, beware: a separate windstorm deductible applies to covered losses. When one speaks of ‘hurricane coverage,’ that is actually what they are referring to – the combination of coverages that add up to full protection. This a la carte coverage aspect means that it is important to talk with an insurance professional before choosing coverage. Whatever policy you select, know that the best options cover both the exterior of the home as well as the contents. That takes into account those valuables you hold dear.

Hurricane Damage Covered by Homeowners Insurance

If a tree pushes a divot through your rooftop or the windows shatter (where were those shutters when you needed them)? Your homeowners insurance should cover the damage. Remember, though, that some areas require an extra oomph of coverage––whether that be through increased contents coverage or a replacement-cost endorsement for your contents. This provides you the money to replace your damaged or destroyed possessions with the same, or similarly valued, items.

Possible Damage Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance

Even though hurricanes often bring flooding along for the trip, homeowners insurance does not cover damage from rising surface water. Mold is also not covered by homeowners insurance unless it was added by endorsement and the result of a covered loss. Excess moisture in the air can cause mold, and this is a very real concern when a hurricane hits.

Flood Damage (Even Resulting from a Hurricane) is Not Covered by Homeowners Insurance

You read that correctly. Even though it’s rather counterintuitive, flood insurance is a completely different coverage. Living in Florida, with shrinking shorelines and neighborhoods surrounded by water, it’s essential for your total home protection to elect for flood insurance.

If a hurricane results in flooding, those who elected to purchase flood insurance can rest easy knowing their home and property will be protected.

Every Florida Home Should Have Flood Insurance

We can’t drive this home enough. Did you know that it doesn’t take a major storm for flooding to occur? Homeowners who state that they don’t need flood insurance because they don’t live in a flood zone miss the mark. In Florida, we know that when it rains, it pours. Heavy Florida showers present a very real flood risk.

Protect yourself. Prepare your home against hurricanes and know what your policy covers. Speak with one of our experienced advisors long before that storm system appears on the radar. We will break down the intricacies of insurance and make sure you understand what you’re paying for. We’re here to help you weather the storm.