Posts Tagged ‘ Haiti ’

Insurance Agency Blog Round-up: Knowledge and Community sell Insurance

February 3, 2010 by admin

IMHQ looks around the country to see what independent insurance agents are blogging about this month.

Dump Trailers Not Worth What they Used to be – Truckers have special insurance needs. The fine folks at Berrier Insurance, specializing in transportation and construction insurance in CA, OR, AZ and NV offer an excellent anecdote to drive awareness about adjusting the value of insurance policies in a post titled, Tips for Truckers and Contractors:

“Recently one of our sand and gravel truckers had an accident involving a dump trailer. It was damaged but not totaled. They had the trailer insured for $20,000, which was accurate in 2006 but not today. It turned out that the current market value of the trailer was only about $7,500 due to a glut of dump trailers on the market today. What a shock!”

If you read the entire entry, not only did Berrier share a story with purpose, they also used it to reaffirm their practice of annual policy reviews and further drive home the company’s expert knowledge of trucker’s insurance needs. Well played Berrier, you are a testament to the new insurance marketing.

Bonds…Performance Bonds - Contractors and construction professionals who deal primarily with state and commercial business are familiar with bid and performance bonds. Ryan Hanley, of Albany Insurance Professional blog fame speaks on both types of bonds in a series of posts aimed at contractors. Mr. Hanley states,

“Bid Bond ensures the Principal that upon acceptance of a contractors work-bid, the Bid Bond will be replaced with a Performance Bond. Insurance Carriers underwrite Bid Bonds and Performance Bonds at the same time ensuring consistency between the two products.”

A contractor who is new to the bid process will almost certainly be looking for guidance. Taking the time to educate yourself on topics relevant to potential customers and then sharing the information publicly is a good way to position yourself as a thought-leader. This knowledge can help customers find you and ultimately become customers.

The Common Man Cooks for Haiti – If you’ve driven through scenic New Hampshire, it’s very likely you’ve seen one of the 15 Common Man restaurants spread throughout the state. Davis & Towle Insurance Group, voted Best Insurance Broker in New Hampshire by the New Hampshire Business Review used their insurance blog to feature a press release issued by The Common Man. The release stated:

“…The Common Man will donate 50 percent of each guest’s food bill, to be split by the American Red Cross and the non-profit organization Partners in Development, for their ongoing disaster relief efforts in Haiti. Guests who visit during any meal period over the course of the day will participate in the event simply by ordering a meal. Raffle tickets will also be sold at each restaurant for prizes from its Common Man Inns, Spa, Company Store and Flying Monkey Movie House, to raise additional funds.”

Regardless of whether the Common Man is a client or not, Davis & Towle did something for the greater good. A blog can be a great place for sharing success stories and knowledge, but using it to show support for a cause or promote a call to action shows you’re interested in more than just selling insurance.

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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.