After A Hurricane, What Does Your Insurance Cover?

Thousands of people are struggling with the aftermath of Hurricane Irene up and down the East Coast. Power companies are struggling to reconnect their customers and towns that are surrounded by flood waters are having supplies, food and water airlifted in. According to an article in USA Today, estimates of damage range anywhere from $3-$7 billion dollars. Unfortunately, most of that is flood-related - and we've repeated time and time again flood damage isn't covered by your homeowners policy. Robert Hunter, director of Insurance for the Consumer Federation of America estimates that less than 20% of the population outside of the Gulf Coast have special flood insurance policies.

People without flood insurance won't be happy that the flood damage isn't covered - the "it couldn't happen to me" attitude may not have been prudent - but other damages caused by the hurricane can be covered under a homeowners policy.

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  Downed Trees: Any time a hurricane or tropical storm comes along, it brings high wind speeds for sustained periods of time. Even the strongest trees might have trouble standing up to 110 mile-per-hour gusts. If that tree blew over and hit your house or another structure on your property, your insurance should cover the costs of removing the tree and repairing the damage. If you were lucky and the tree missed your home, insurance won't pay for the cost of removal.


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  Damaged Cars: Of course, homes aren't the only thing in the way of the hurricane-force winds and rains. Cars are often flooded or hit by trees or other debris. If you have comprehensive coverage on your car, these types of damage would be covered.


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  Living Expenses: Most polices will cover temporary housing and living expenses if you can't stay in your home. Some will even cover the costs of evacuations if your home or others nearby were damaged. The best thing to do is to check your policy to see what is covered and where you'd be on your own.


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  Spoiled Food: If you have the sort of luck where a natural disaster would happen on a full refrigerator, you'll be happy to know that most policies will cover the cost of replacing food that has gone bad. There is a limit in your policy for food that you can't eat so be sure to review your policy to see how much you'd be covered for.

For more information about what would and wouldn't be covered, and tips for filing a claim after a disaster, visit www.usatoday.com/money/perfi/insurance/story/2011-08-29/Homeowners-insurance-and-the-aftermath-of-Irene/50180862/1. Of course, if you have any specific questions about natural disasters and your policy, feel free to give us a call. We are always happy to help!

Keeping in Touch With WSDOT

You know how it is around here - there always seems to be some sort of traffic. Whether the 520 Bridge is being updated, or the Mercer Street project is taking up another weekend. Which makes the Department of Transportation's plethora of resources so helpful. WSDOT has their website meant to alleviate traffic woes - or at least keep you up-do-date on the latest happenings. The main traffic site - www.wsdot.gov/traffic/ - provides the links to statewide transportation. You can check out the ferries, border crossings and even pass conditions.

My favorite part of the site, however, is the traffic cameras. By clicking the links to Seattle area traffic, you can see how heavy traffic is all over Seattle, and for those of us used to fighting a commute one way or the other that knowledge is very valuable. You can also check out travel times from major destinations around the sound so you can plan your trip. I know there have been times when I have tickets to the 5th Avenue, and looking at how heavy traffic is and what the travel times are have helped me get there.

Of course, if you are a social media fan, you can find the WSDOT on Twitter at @wsdot_traffic for Puget Sound traffic news. Sometimes being in the loop on the traffic in the area can be the difference between a stressful drive and one where you know what's ahead of you.

Should You Look Over Your Insurance Policies?

Common sense says that you should review your insurance policies every so often to make sure that they match your life. There are the obvious changes - you bought a new car, your dream house at the ocean just became a reality, your "little girl" just earned her drivers license - that most of our clients know to give us a call about, but there are some that are a little less clear. Here a few major life events that require you to revisit your insurance protection.

1) Getting Married

Once the wedding is over and you're home from the honeymoon, it is time to look at your insurance. First on the list should be your auto insurance. If you haven't already decided to combine your policies, now would be a good time to do that. Call your agent and let them know that you are now married, and you may also need to update your mailing address. We can also guide you through that process of adding your spouse, and changing any other information that needs updating after your big day. With some companies, married people often qualify for lower insurance rates...which might offset any tickets your new spouse failed to mention!

The next piece of insurance you should consider is your homeowners coverage. Did you two just move in together? Are you renting? Did you just buy a home? Depending on your situation - and whether or not you just combined all of your belongings - your homeowners coverage may need adjusting. We are always more than happy to help determine the right coverages and the right amount of those coverages.

Lastly, take a look at your respective health insurance plans. Would you benefit from adding a spouse to one or the other? Sometimes employers offer coverage for spouses at favorable rates and it would be a good idea to make sure you have the coverage you need.

2) A New Baby

If you are expecting a new baby, congratulations are in order! But there are a few other things that need to be put in order as well...have you and your spouse considering life insurance? As depressing as it sounds, new parents (and current parents with another on the way) should consider life insurance. Typically, life insurance helps support the surviving family members in the event one spouse or parent passes away. With rising childcare costs and other such expenses, it is something to seriously consider.

Along that line, take a look at your health insurance plan. What new-baby coverage is there? You might want to consider what is covered, and what isn't and whether or not that is enough for your comfort level.

3) Moving Day

Moving to a new home is a very exciting, and often stressful, time. If you are buying, we will need to secure coverage for both the home itself and your belongings inside. And if you're renting, you may need to adjust some of the coverage on your belongings since most of us have a tendency to redecorate when we move to a new home.

Secondly, auto insurance rates are often based in part on zip code. Depending on how far you'd moved, your auto rates may shift. Give us a call and while we update your home insurance we can adjust your auto insurance to reflect your new address.

And as a final note of common sense, make sure you change your mailing address on all your insurance policies...and the other important things in your life.

For more information and tips on when to re-evaluate your insurance after life events, visit the research center on our website: www.mcdonaldmcgarry.com/research-center. And, of course, you are always more than welcome to call our office!

In the Mood for an Outdoor Festival?

It's Friday and the sun is shining, and according to the weather reports, the warm temperatures intend to stick around for the weekend. For those of us that realize what a gift the warm weather is, we look for opportunities to get out and enjoy. Well there's a festival this weekend, that caught our eye: The Duwamish River Festival.

It might be a little strange that one of the nation's most toxic rivers is the host to a family event, but the Duwamish River Cleanup Coalition hosts this even as a way to make sure that the communities surrounding the river can learn about the project as well as comment on the progress of the cleanup. The festival will also highlight the connection between healthy communities, human health and the health of the wildlife in the area.

The festivities begin at 9am, when the Walk-Bike-Paddle along the Duwamish kicks off. The length of the each of the routes vary, but the destination remains the same - everyone ends up at the Festival! At 12pm, the family-friendly festival begins at Duwamish Waterway Park. Activities include kayak tours on the river, water taxi rides, children's activities, yard care tips, and, of course, food.

For more information about the festival, visit www.duwamishrivercleanup.org/programs.html. Have a great weekend!

Riots, Civil Disorders and Insurance

This month has been quite the hotbed for, well, rioting. London, and other cities in the United Kingdom, received a lot of publicity for their destructive actions. As everyone saw on the news, stores were damaged, cars were burned and there was what could kindly be called chaos in many cities.

Comparatively, things here in the United States have been pretty calm lately. The last riots in Seattle were the Mardi Gras riots in 2001, and the rather well-known WTO situation in 1999. But with the United Kingdom situation in mind, The Insurance Information Institute put together some numbers on what they term "civil disorders" here in the US. They looked at the most expensive riots for insurers...and discovered that 7 of the costliest civil disorders took place in the 1960s (for a look at the graphic, click this link: www.iii.org/facts_statistics/civil-disorders.html).

Since those 7 events cost insurance companies quite a bit of money (if you look at the graphic, remember those numbers are in the millions) they were reluctant to insure homes in high-risk areas. To the people living and working in those areas, it seemed unfair that they were unable to get insurance because of risk factors that they couldn't often control. As a result, the first Fair Access to Insurance (FAIR) Plans were developed for the purpose of providing insurance protection for those at-risk properties.

A lot of times, we don't know how insurance came to be (rumor has it, it just sort of appeared) so when I come across an explanation for a certain type of coverage I like to share that. It's interesting to know that national events impacted the world of insurance, isn't it?

Are You Ready to Shake, Rattle and Roll?

Yesterday's earthquakes on the East Coast and in Colorado were clearly unexpected (and thank goodness the damage wasn't too extensive). Those of us on the West Coast are a little more acclimated, shall we say, to the idea of the earth moving under our feet. We remember rather vividly what to do when a quake starts - go to the nearest doorway, dive under your desk and avoid anything that could fall on you. Despite the fact that we know what to do, the yesterday's pair of earthquakes serve as a reminder that we do need to prepare more than just a sturdy object to "duck and cover" under.

The Seattle PI has a put together a few articles about Washington State's readiness for an earthquake - including the fun fact that Washington is second highest state for earthquake coverage after, of course, California. Here's one article that most homeowners should glance at since it outlines the 5 steps homeowners should take to make their homes quake-safe: http://bit.ly/n6ux0r.

For those of you more interested in where the quakes can happen, this graphic from the US Geological Service shows earthquake risks across the country. Their site also has a lot of information about recent quakes, and possible risks.

While we haven't had a serious earthquake in many years, preparing your home and family for one is increasingly important. We've toughed out a few big quakes in Seattle in the past, so the possibility that we could face another one is very real. If you're like me, the events yesterday on the East Coast and in Colorado got you thinking about what to do to get ready for a bit of shaking. These are just a few resources for you - there are many more out there and I'm sure in the wake of yesterday's seismic activity, there will be an increasing focus in the news on earthquake preparedness.

Looking for Local News? Check Out This Website!

One of the great things about having an office in Dowtown Edmonds is getting to be a part of the community. Whether it's walking to the coffee shop down the street, smelling the food from the Taste of Edmonds or seeing the crowds wandering around during the Third Thursday Art Walks, Edmonds is a pretty cool place to be. Which is why I feel like sharing a great local news site would be beneficial for those of you not-so-close to the heart of Edmonds.

The website, www.myedmondsnews.com, is "an online gathering place for neighbors and friends". With a community calendar as well as news articles, the site is a great resource for anyone new to Edmonds or looking to see what's happening around town.

Check it out and if you have any other cool, local news sites to share let us know! We are always looking to see what is happening in the area!

Top Tips for Teen Drivers

For many teens, getting their driver's license is a major milestone; but the privilege of being able to drive requires a good amount of responsiblity. Learning to judge situations and really feel comfortable about maneuvering the roads does take some time. To ease some of that learning curve, I've put together a few tips for brand-new drivers to help guide them through the first years of taking the wheel. Feel free to add any tips of your own!

General Driving Tips:

• Maintain your car. Bald tires, a slipping transmission or a hesitant engine could lead to accidents.


• When driving to a new place, get complete directions before you go. Figure out what exits you need to take and what turns to make beforehand. One visitor hit a divider at an exit ramp location after being told too late tat this was the place to get off the highway.


• Drive into your garage straight, not at an angle. Another teen thought her car would straighten out before she got inside, but instead she denter the car and broke the moulding on the garage.


• Don't drive like you own the road. Drive like you own the car.


• Make sure your windshield is clean. At sunrise and sunset the light reflecting off of your dirty windshield can momentarily blind you from seeing what's going on.


• Don't blast the radio. You might miss hearing a siren or horn that could warn you of possible trouble.


• Don't make assumptions about what other drivers are going to do. The only thing you can assume about another driver with a turn signal on is that he has his turn signal on.

Driving in Bad Weather:

• Keep your windows and windshields clear and make sure your wipers are working. Visibiltiy is especially important in inclement weather.


• Braking in bad weather can be tricky, Be sure you know how long it takes you to stop on slippery roads, and how to handle your braking system.


• Watch for danger spots ahead - you've probably heard that bridges and overpasses freeze before roads do. Be sure you keep an eye out for those ahead.


• If you're stuck in the ice or the snow, try putting your floor mats under the edge of the tire to give them traction.

Tips for Parking Lots:

• Backing out in crowded parking lots can be tricky. If there are perpendicular spaces available see if you can find one you can pull straight out of as opposed to bakcing out.


• Don't leave valuables like wallets, shoes, leather jackets or sports equipment in your car where they can be seen because they invite break-ins.


• Be sure to go slowly and exercise extra caution in parking lots.

And, finally, the "Five Golden Rules" of Safe Driving:

1. Seatbelts. Everyone must wear them all the time.


2. Never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.


3. Drive defensively.


4. Don't break the law.


5. Pay attention. Don't use your cell phone, and don't take your eyes off the road.

If you need more information about teen driving tips, and how that brand-new driver can affect your insurance visit www.mcdonaldmcgarry.com/research-center/real-life-situations/teen-will-drive-soon where we've compiled information to help clarify how a teenage driver impacts your insurance plan.