Series Kick-Off: Mock Monday

Next week we are kicking off a new blog series.
It's called Mock Mondays.
Every Monday we will take you through a part of the claim process to help you better understand how a claim works.
Obviously EVERY claim is different, but hopefully you will understand insurance, claims, accidents, getting paid by an insurance company and the many parts of a claim process.
If you miss a Monday, there will be a label to click on to track you back to other Mock Monday posts.
Thanks for joining us on the journey.

Career Opportunity

A few weeks ago I wrote about how I jumped into the insurance industry. Check it here.
We are currently looking to hire another person looking to develop their career.
Here is our job posting: Job Posting
Check it out.
Are you interested?
A few cons of working in the insurance industry at our office:

• Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm
• Nights and weekends off (occassional nights needed for networking events)
• Paid Holidays
• Generous paid time off
• Occasional travel
• Continuing Education
• 401k with match
• Health & Dental Benefits

Did I say cons? I meant perks.

Anyway.
Here's what I can tell you about working in the office.
It can be challenging. You have to be a team player. We are looking for someone who will come in early and stay late (not all the time). We want someone who will do what it takes to get the job done. You need to be innovative and think outside the box.
Have you heard of Seth Godin? Check him out. He is a marketing guru who had a bestselling book before it was printed.
How about Steve Jobs? He transformed the way we listen to music. {hello itunes. do record stores exist anymore?}
Back to Murray & MacDonald Insurance.
We want someone who is willing to take insurance to the next level.
You saw what Peter did with the Electronic Business card.
That's thinking outside the box.
What are your ideas? How can you help us change the insurance industry?
Starting on Cape Cod.
Contact me for more information.

the electronic business card

in the late spring we started using contxts - a mobile sms business card. you register & enter information into contxts database and can then direct a client, prospect, friend, family member to text your name {the one you registered with} to 50500. once they do that, they receive a text with your information {personal or business, this is the information entered into contxts}. no more wasted business cards and now your information is automatically stored in their phone. brilliant idea.

a few weeks ago my coworker {and brother}, Peter MacDonald, decided he wanted to change the way we hand out business cards. some people still like having the paper in their hand. Peter put together QR Codes for some of our employees to test out. now when we hand out our business card, there is a QR Code on the right side of the business card.


{sorry i couldn't get it to rotate}

 using the scan app from QR Code City you scan the QR Code on our business card.

once it scans, the contact information from our business card is added to the "scan history".

if you want to add me {Sara L MacDonald} as a contact, you can. at the bottom of the screen there is a {create new contact} spot. {not shown on the picture above}. if you don't want to add me {Sara L MacDonald} as a contact, the business card information will be saved in the "scan history".
now we have an electronic business card. this will be helpful for events we attend. especially business after hours with the Falmouth Chamber of Commerce, Mashpee Chamber of Commerce, Canal Chamber of Commerce, Sandwich Chamber of Commerce, Cape Cod Young Professionals, BNI, Falmouth Young Professionals or other networking events.
instead of keeping the business card and never entering contact information into their database, the people we meet can scan our business card at their leisure, have the information stored in their phone in the even they want to contact us, and toss the business card.
{i'm not promoting printing business cards & throwing them out. i'm promoting using our business cards to do the work of entering contact information into our phone}
now, if others could jump on the contxt or QR Code bandwagon it would be fabulous.

fireproof

{image}

Where do you keep your important documents such as: social security card, birth certificate, passport, banking records, life insurance policy, etc?
A) All over the house
B) In a specific filing cabinet
C) Safe Deposit Box at the Bank
D) Don't know

{image}

What was your answer? Do you know where those important documents are? Some people may have NO IDEA where they keep them. Others may have said, they have them in random places all over their house.
Then, there are the smart ones. The ones who have filing cabinets and/or safe deposit boxes and are all organized.

I have to admit, I'm a little jealous of people who are that organized, but they are doing things right.
If your apartment/house burns down, how will you get your important documents?

{image}

There are two things you can do to protect yourself.
1) Invest in a safe deposit box at your local bank and store WICKED IMPORTANT documents there. These are documents you absolutely could NOT lose in a fire.
2) Invest in a fire-proof filing cabinet or at the minimum a metal filing cabinet. You can store important documents and have some peace of mind. {disclaimer: I am not a firefighter}

Personally, I do not have a safe deposit box at the bank, although I think about getting one. I do have metal filing cabinets. I'm not sure if they're 100% fire-proof, however they are more fire-proof than boxes or bookshelves or random places around the house. In the event of an emergency, I know where I can find our family's important documents. If we happen to come back to a torched home, because they are in a metal filing cabinet, they are more likely to survive. {disclaimer: I am not a firefighter}

Just a thought as you plan for the future.

Below are two links you can check out.
What I Own
In Case My House Burns
Both links give you tips on what to do to prevent serious loss to important documents and how to keep a log of what was damaged or decimated.

when in doubt
1) Contact your local Cape Cod insurance agent for coverage questions
2) Contact your local Falmouth Fire Department on how to prevent fires and how to prepare in the event there is a fire.
3) Check wikiHow on Fire Prevention tips

insurance is a career?

ever wonder how you got where you are today?
what skills did you acquire that got you there?
how much was luck?
who did you know?
what did you do?
OR
what didn't you do?

some could say i landed in the insurance business by default. it's a family business.
but maybe i should tell you how i got my start.
i grew up on cape cod.
i went to high school and planned for college.
i had many dreams, as most young adults dream.
i went off to college planning on traveling the world.
becoming an ambassador, a translator or some other international career.
i graduated and took a job at TD Banknorth. i didn't want anything to do with the family business.
i wanted to see the world. i wanted to experience life away from the family business.
a few years went by and i decided maybe the family business was what i wanted.
i had a conversation, sent in my resume, had an interview and was hired.
i was in. not just because i'm the boss' daughter.
i had real work experience.
then began the exams. i thought those were behind me after my college days.
after the insurance exams were passed, i got into a groove.
insurance started to have real meaning to me.
sure, growing up i realized it was important.
i was probably the only college student who asked her dad to buy her a life insurance policy while she was young so she could get the best price. you know, because the cost of life insurance increases as you age and would probably be astronomical when she turned 25.
{oh the mind of a college student}
i understood auto insurance protects you in a car accident and it's expensive when you're an inexperienced driver.
house or renter insurance is important if your home burns or suffers some other unfortunate catastrophe. it will replace your belongings at little cost. {in simple terms: you buy $100,000 of homeowner's insurance with a $1000 deductible for $1000, your risk is $2000 and if you have a loss, you can collect up to $100,000}
life insurance is important. what happens if the people who pay the bills {mom/dad} die. who will make sure there's food on the table, the mortgage/rent is paid, utilities are kept up with, clothes are bought, college is paid for?
so, i knew insurance was important.
since i knew it was important, i thought the whole world knew it was important.
i was wrong.
many people do know the importance of insurance.
however many people do not understand insurance.
it is confusing.
i will agree to that.
{i took many tests that say "I'm an Expert" and i'm still learning insurance}
so, insurance took on a new meaning.
i started to tell people the importance of insurance.
sure, people thought i was nuts. or a little weird.
i mean who ENJOYS telling others about the importance of insurance.
{ahem, that would be me.}
i could tell just about anyone how important it is to have life insurance, especially if you own a home. or car insurance, especially if there's a loan on the car. homeowner's insurance, if you can't self insure for $200,000.
and so began my career in the insurance industry.
if you want to know more about insurance. or want to hear my enthusiasm. feel free to call me, email me, comment, find me on twitter or facebook. i'll chat it up. and no, i'm not just trying to sell you something. i want to educate people, and i truly believe in what we sell at the agency.
if you're just looking for insurance tips. i'm happen to pass along the knowledge.
if you want an insurance review, i'm happy to go over your policies and offer some suggestions.
we're here to educate. we're here to help. we're here to make insurance easy.
{as easy as it can be-you make us do the hard work}

Is Hurricane Irene Headed to Cape Cod?

According to the projected path, Hurricane Irene is still days away from hitting Massachusetts, and will likely land in the area by early next week. While forecasts more than 4 days out have a margin of error of up to 200 miles, Cape Cod residents should still be on alert and begin getting prepared in case Irene hits Massachusetts with significant force. Currently, Irene is rated as a category 3 hurricane, with sustained winds of up to 115 miles per hour. However, Irene is expected to intensify as it hovers over the warm waters of the Bahamas. According to projections, Irene could land in Massachusetts as a tropical storm with sustained winds of 73 miles per hour. Regardless of what happens, it is important that Cape Cod residents prepare for the storm.

Preparing for the storm


In 2007, FEMA released a disaster planning advisory, detailing what people should do to prepare for a disaster. FEMA notes that the first 72 hours after a disaster are critical, because this is when electricity, gas, water, and telephones would be the most likely to be out of commission, and public safety services may not be able to reach you immediately in the instance of an emergency. Each person should be self-sufficient for three days following a disaster; this means able to live without running water, electricity, gas, and telephones. Here's what you should keep on hand:

• Food - nonperishable food for each person
• Water - store at least a gallon a day per person, also store disinfectants such as iodine tablets
• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Flashlights with extra batteries - do not use candles or matches unless you are positive that there are no gas leaks
• Weather radios - internet, telephones, or TV service may be down, so keep a weather radio with extra batteries on hand
• Miscellaneous - blankets, clothing, shoes and money
• Alternative cooking sources - camping stove
• Special items - medications
• Tools - adjustable or pipe wrench for turning off gas and water and a shovel or a broom for cleaning

Make sure to pay attention to the NOAA weather radio:

• A watch is issued by the National Weather Service when the risk of a hazardous weather or hydrologic event has increased significantly, but its occurrence, location, and/or timing is still uncertain
• A warning is issued when a hazardous event is occurring or has a very high probability of occurrence. Warnings advise of a threat to life or property.
• An advisory is issued when a hazardous event is occurring or has a very high probability of occurrence. Advisories describe events that cause significant inconvenience.

Similarly, Red Cross also issued a hurricane checklist that has additional information.

Homeowner's insurance recommendations

• Before the storm, find a copy of your insurance policy and review it
• After the storm, survey the damage to your home
• Is your home liveable?
• Is the damage more than your windstorm/hurricane deductible (typically 1%, 2% or 5% of Coverage A)
• Prevent further damage (board up a window, cover the roof with wood or a tarp, etc.)
• Take picture of the damage - this is especially helpful when there are many claims. Insurance adjusters won't be able to come right away if there are many claims due to a hurricane. Pictures with date and time are invaluable.
• If the damage is more than your windstorm/hurricane deductible, you may need to submit a claim, however, know that your local agent might be busy taking many claims. Your local agent may place claims in the order of need. If someone can't live in their home, that person will come before someone who wants to have his fence or garage repaired.
• Have the necessary information handy when you call your agent:
• Copy of your policy
• Date damage happened
• Brief description of damage
• Best way an insurance adjuster can reach you (home phone, cell phone, email, etc.)
• Offer to email pictures you took of the damage
• Be respectful: of course it is upsetting to have your home and belongings damaged, but realize your insurance agent is working for you and is doing his/her best to take care of your needs as fast as possible.

Regardless of what happens, know that Murray & MacDonald Insurance Services will be open for business, and taking claims if need be. Murray & MacDonald Insurance has contracted Agility Recovery Services in the event of a disaster. We will have internet and phone service, and we will be open to service our clients.

Is Your Home Insured for Earthquakes?

Yesterday, an earthquake, whose epicenter was in Virginia, rattled the East Coast. Reports show that people felt the earthquake as far as Illinois, Maine, Georgia, and everywhere in between. Although damage was minor in Massachusetts, some residents of Virginia suffered costly damages to their property, something that is not typically covered on a homeowner's insurance policy without a special endorsement for earthquakes. While earthquakes aren't as frequent on the East Coast as they are on the West Coast, it's still important to review your homeowner's insurance coverage and ensure that you have the appropriate coverage. Earthquake endorsements are typically inexpensive, and may save you headaches in the future, should your property suffer damages due to an earthquake. For more information, you can review Arbella's earthquake endorsement for homeowner's insurance, or call your agent today at 508-540-2400.

Change Your Address Online

We've all heard our fair share of horror stories at the RMV, so make sure to save some time, and change your address online, instead of having to go into the RMV to change it. In order to complete a change of address form, you must be a Massachusetts resident, you must have an Massachusetts ID (license or permit), and you will need to provide the following: your ID number, your first and last name, your date of birth, and the last four digits of your social security number. Save time and be smart this summer, and change your address online instead of going to the RMV!

RMV Reminder Service

The RMV now offers a free reminder service, which reminds you by your contact preference (phone, text, email) when your license expires. The service will not notify you if your license has been revoked or suspended because of an outstanding obligation. In order to receive the service, you must make sure that you sign up at least 45 days before your license expires. After you sign up once, you will be notified 30 days in advance that your license expires. You can unsubscribe at any time, and you will continue to receive subsequent notifications of when your license will expire. To learn more, or to sign up, visit the RMV's Reminder Service page.

Cancel Your License Plate Online

This is a friendly reminder that you can cancel your license plates online. As long as you have one of your physical plates, you can complete a no-fee transaction and print out a Plate Return Receipt once the transaction is completed. The plate return receipt is important, as it will allow you to cancel your insurance, as well as provide proof of when you took your vehicle off the road. Please note, if you do not have at least one plate in your possession, or if you have reported your plates as stolen, you must fill out a Affidavit For Cancellation of Registration for Lost Plate(s)  and either bring the form to a branch office, or mail it to the address on the form. To begin the license plate cancellation process, visit the RMV's website  and begin their online plate cancellation form.