Posts Tagged ‘ Haiti earthquake ’

Lessons Martin Luther King Jr. can teach you about insurance and community

January 18, 2010 by admin

To many, Martin Luther King Day is nothing more than one-third of a three-day weekend. Dr. King’s significance has been diluted over the years as the generations of people who were directly affected or influenced by the civil rights leader grow fewer and fewer, but his message remains as powerful and important as ever.
Dr. King spoke often of a “Beloved Community” achieved through nonviolence and service to one another. He taught that problems such as hunger and homelessness, prejudice and discrimination could be overcome if American citizens worked towards a common goal and didn’t let ideological differences get in the way.

While insurance agents are not generally drivers of social change, they are essential to the concept of a Beloved Community. By working with people who have experienced catastrophic, life-changing events agents often assume the face of recovery in the eyes of customers, a vital role in any community.

The recent earthquake in Haiti created the need for unbelievable amounts of food, water and medical supplies, but more importantly, the need for people to step up in the wake of a tragedy. Family Insurance Services (FIS), an independent agency with offices throughout Miami recognized the impact on their community. Working with one of their insurance providers, Family Insurance Services set up their main Miami office as a drop-off location for donations while coordinating with a non-profit called Hope for Haiti to advise people who wanted to make monetary donations.

Even without clients in Haiti, FIS understands how important the Haitian community is to Miami and how insurance marketing and day to day operations are trivial in the face of such devastation. This mentality is what separates a regular insurance agency from one dedicated to their Beloved Community.

Two quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reflect the sentiments represented in this post:

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

Family Insurance Services could have ignored the call to action and gone about business as usual, processing claims, writing policies and strategies for 2010. Instead, they felt compelled to, “…walk in the light of creative altruism,” and answer the call of their Beloved Community.

Insurance Marketing HQ challenges you to do the same in 2010.

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Haiti Earthquake Underlines Importance of Insurance Agency Crisis Plan

January 13, 2010 by admin

Yesterday’s 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, the poorest country in the western hemisphere, is a stark reminder of how fragile our society is in the wake of a natural disaster. According to a report by the AP’s Jonathan Katz, the earthquake was the most powerful to hit the island nation since 1770 and the capital of Port-au-Prince was all but leveled, including the National Palace and headquarters of U.N. Peacekeepers.

The immediate concern is locating survivors in the mountains of rubble, a monumental task considering the sheer scope of damage in a nation with virtually no building codes. A disaster of this magnitude will require an indefinite recovery process made more difficult by destroyed communication lines and inadequate infrastructure.

Despite the tragedy occurring within the last 24 hours, recovery efforts have already started, many spurned by the internet and social web. The Red Cross working with the White House posted the following update within 12 hours of the disaster and other agencies were quick to follow.

@Whitehouse (official Twitter feed) – Text “HAITI” to 90999 to donate $10 to @RedCross relief efforts in #Haiti. Learn more: http://bit.ly/6KiRtE
Oxfam – A UK based charity with a long-term presence in Haiti set up a splash page where donors can easily contribute to the recovery. Oxfam spokesperson Louis Belanger can also be heard on the site explaining how resources will be moved from the regional headquarters in Panama and the difficulties of recovery. Future reports will be posted from within Haiti’s borders.
UNICEF – Despite damage to its offices in Haiti, the agency is poised to deliver resources, also posting a splash page for making donations and highlighting the plight of children in the country, “Four out of every ten children live in homes with mud floors or in severely overcrowded conditions, with more than five people living in each room. With an estimated 46% of the population currently under the age of 18, the struggle of Haitian children reverberates throughout society, and one that is bound to have serious consequences far into the future.”
@NYTimes – Set up a Twitter list of people in the country who are providing real-time photos and reports from the streets

The U.S. is certainly better equipped to handle devastation, but if Hurricane Katrina taught us anything, it’s that you can never fully prepare for a natural disaster. An event lasting hours or even minutes can forever alter how and where people live.

As independent insurance agents, you owe it to customers to be as prepared as possible with the right communications tools should such an event occur. Having a crisis plan and understanding what needs to be done when faced with a massive influx of claims will allow you to be a supportive presence for customers looking for some kind of stability. An updated agency website, blog or even twitter feed can be vital for communication and recovery efforts.

Besides making yourself available to customers, what else goes into an insurance crisis plan?

IMHQ highly encourages you to donate to the Red Cross or other recovery efforts. Even $10 makes a difference.