Waiver of Subrogation, What is it?

If after an insurance claim is paid out by your insurance company, it is deemed that another party was actually the negligent one, then your insurance company (via the insurance policy contract) has the right to go after the negligent party. This right is usually found in the "Conditions" section of your insurance policy. This conditional right can, however, be waived. This means that your insurance company would then not be allowed to go after the negligent party. The term for this waiving of rights is called Wavier of Subrogation.

Often you will see the Waiver of Subrogation in commercial leases. Landlords will require that tenants have this verbiage in their insurance policy so that if a claim occurs at the leased location that the tenant's insurance company cannot come back after them for damages. The landlord, however, would be less inclined to have this wording on their policy since it would mean they and their insurance company would not be allowed to go after their tenant after a claim. A building owner and their insurance company usually have more to lose (the building and its rental income) than the tenant does so they would be very interested in being able to go back after a negligent party.

There are two example of where a landlord may want the Waiver of Subrogation wording on their own insurance policy. The first is if they are renting to a family member or friend who they know doesn't either have enough assets or money to be able to cover them in case of a claim, they may not want their insurance company to be able to go after them to collect for damages. The second is if the landlord and tenant are owned by the same person or organization. In some cases, usually for legal or tax reasons, a person may have one company that owns the building and another company that owns the business that is the tenant. In those cases you would probably want both the landlord and tenant policy to have a Waiver of Subrogation clause in their policies so that you don't have your two insurance companies fighting over payout.

Another place where you will see Wavier of Subrogation is in situations where companies or organizations will subcontract work to other companies or organizations. Often, if a business is going to hire another business to do work on their behalf they will request that the subcontractor have Wavier of Subrogation on their policy. Similar to the Landlord/Tenant relationship, if the contractor requires the subcontractor to have Waiver of Subrogation on their policy it means the subcontractor, if a claim arises, is not able to go back after the contractor for money.

When entering into a lease or a business contract it is important to know if you are going to be required to have Waiver of Subrogation and if you have it or not in your insurance policy. It is best to have both your legal team and your insurance professionals review contracts to make sure you are adequately protected.

Own or Plan to Own a Classic Car? Protect Your Investment

Antique and classic cars are not only a treasure to their owners, but also can be a lucrative investment. Collector cars in mint condition can command many times their original value. But, whether you have one, are considering restoring one or are looking to buy, you need to consider a number of things before spending a lot of money on your "dream car".

Hurricane Sandy, which recently hit the East Coast, damaged thousands of collector cars. One insurance company specializing in classic and antique cars estimated that between 8,000 to 10,000 collector cars were damaged in the storm! Although it is impossible to protect these cars against a force of nature this devastating, it serves notice that classic car owners ensure that their car, whether a treasure or an investment, is as safe as possible. That starts with, but is not limited to, adequate insurance.

Adequate Insurance

Since collector cars don't depreciate like regular cars, coverage is based on an agreed value rather than a cash value. You and your insurance company agree on a value when the policy is purchased that takes into account everything you have invested in your collector car.

Antique or Classic?

Is your car an antique or a classic car? The general rule is that antique and classic stock vehicles were built from the turn of the century through 1972.

It used to be said that any vehicle 20-25 years old or older was considered collectible. That is no longer true. Automakers' production numbers significantly increased in the mid-1970's and quality standards fell. Because of this, there are some mid-1970's and 80's vehicles that are not collectible.

However, some still are because they have desirable amenities such as:

• Convertibles
• 2-door sports cars (few 4-door sedans are collectible)
• Unique body shapes
• Foreign sports cars
• Big block V8 engines

Safe Storage

A garage is a necessity for your collector car, and you need to make sure the building is solidly built. Is the foundation strong enough to withstand earthquakes or flooding? Is the roof in good condition, free of debris, and the gutters working properly? Make sure the siding and windows are in good shape and sealed from the elements. While there's little you can do if a hurricane or earthquake strikes, many collector cars are ruined by leaking roofs, excess moisture or minor flooding that could be prevented with a little building maintenance.

If your garage is like most, you probably also have garden tools, a lawnmower, paint and cleaning supplies stored there. All of these items can cause damage if they drop or fall against or into your classic car.

How to Reduce the Risk of Damage:

• Store rakes, shovels and other hanging tools in cabinets and secure them with hooks. If cabinets aren’t feasible, secure tools to their wall hooks with small bungee cords or rubber straps.
• Cover your car when it’s being stored to help protect it from flying debris.
• If you store your car elevated, be sure to support it on sturdy jack stands under the suspension, which should always be under tension. Never use concrete or cinder blocks.
• For long-term storage, always disconnect the battery. Also, if you know a storm is coming, be sure to pick up from the ground any battery tenders and extension cords to keep them out of floodwaters.
• Secure heavy objects, such as drills or toolboxes and appliances, with safety straps.
• Install safety latches (like childproof ones) in cabinet doors and drawers to prevent them from opening and spilling their contents.
• Fasten ceiling lights and other hanging equipment to supports by using safety cables.
• For framed pictures, car signs and neon signs, use long-shanked, open-eye hooks and picture wire to fasten them to walls. Make sure the hooks are anchored into the walls with studs. You can also try closed-eye hooks and securely screw them into the back of the frame.
•  Install flexible gas lines and automatic gas shutoff valves (if your garage is heated).
• Keep a multipurpose, dry-chemical fire extinguisher in your garage.
Even if disaster never strikes, following these tips may contribute to a garage that has less clutter and an environment in which your classic car is generally safer.

Sources: Progressive Insurance and Hagerty Classic Car Insurance

Your Car Needs Care to Keep Healthy

Just like your regular health checkup at the doctor, your car needs a good checkup to see how healthy it is.

To keep your car running smoothly and getting optimum gas mileage, it needs to be properly maintained all year, but especially as the weather turns colder. Windshield wipers, as well as antifreeze and oil levels need to be checked to make sure they’re adequate. Tires need to be checked for wear and proper inflation, and headlights checked for alignment and adequate luminosity. Batteries, which are forced to work much harder in cold weather, need to be fully charged and able to hold the charge. With long, cold, dark nights ahead for the next few months, your safety and the safety of your passengers will rely on your vehicle being in good condition.

While most of the simple maintenance can be done at home, it’s best to have a certified auto repair facility give your car a complete checkup. With their sophisticated diagnostic equipment, they can discover potential problems before they strand you on the road. A weak battery that is adequate in the warmer months, can suddenly give out when you need it most because of the added strain of turning over a car’s engine in the cold. Suddenly the battery won’t start the car and you’re stuck.

Engine oil is another factor. Not only is the oil level important, but the weight of the oil plays a crucial role, too. 30- or 40-weight oil in the summer is fine, but it’s necessary to have a multi-viscosity oil (10-30 or 10-40 weight) in your car for colder weather. 10-weight viscosity is thinner, which helps keep the oil from turning to sludge in the cold, whereas straight 30-weight oil remains thicker, making it difficult to turn the engine over to start it.

It’s also a very good time to have your belts, hoses and fluids tested. While the belts may not be making noise or the hoses leaking, they may be getting worn to the point that they will break at any time. The harsher temperatures put an added strain on them, and can result in a breakdown.

Tires need to be checked for wear, and replaced if worn out. Wet, slippery or icy roads will test a tire’s ability to ‘hold the road’, and worn-out tire treads are dangerous in these conditions. State law also mandates a minimum tread depth, and anything below that can result in a ticket. Additionally, if you are involved in an accident with illegally worn tires, you can be held liable for the damages, depending on the situation.

Why take chances with your car’s health or yours? It can also affect you and the passengers in the car if your car breaks down or is involved in an accident due to being poorly maintained. It can end up costing you much more than the checkup.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips from NFPA

Here is an article from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) on Thanksgiving Safety Tips.  From our family here at Fey Insurance Services to yours, have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving! 

THANKSGIVING SAFETY TIPS
The kitchen is the heart of the home, especially at Thanksgiving. Kids love to be involved in holiday preparations. Safety in the kitchen is important, especially on Thanksgiving Day when there is a lot of activity and people at home.

Safety tips:


•Stay in the kitchen when you are cooking on the stovetop so you can keep an eye on the food.

•Stay in the home when cooking your turkey and check on it frequently.

•Keep children away from the stove. The stove will be hot and kids should stay 3 feet away.

•Make sure kids stay away from hot food and liquids. The steam or splash from vegetables, gravy or coffee could cause serious burns.

•Keep the floor clear so you don’t trip over kids, toys, pocketbooks or bags.

•Keep knives out of the reach of children.

•Be sure electric cords from an electric knife, coffee maker, plate warmer or mixer are not dangling off the counter within easy reach of a child.

•Keep matches and utility lighters out of the reach of children — up high in a locked cabinet.

•Never leave children alone in room with a lit a candle.

•Make sure your smoke alarms are working. Test them by pushing the test button

Flood Insurance Facts (Re post from 11/23/09)

With all the flooding that has occurred as a result of Sandy we thought this might be a good time to re post an old flood insurance blog article that gives a few facts about flood insurance.

Posted November 23, 2009 on www.feyinsuranceblog.com:

Flood insurance had its fifteen minutes of fame after the Hurricane Katrina disaster in 2005. During this time period the media was making everyone well aware that flood insurance is not part of your typical homeowner policy. Today that is still the case and with this post I would like to point out a few more facts about flood insurance.

Flood insurance is run through a government program called FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency). You can purchase it through insurance agency such as Fey Insurance Services but the backing is from FEMA. Typically it takes 30 days for a new flood insurance policy to go into effect. The one exception would be for a mortgage closing where flood insurance is required. So you need to plan ahead. Hearing about a big rain on the nightly news and calling your agent the next day will not work. Many people think of flood insurance when they think about what is stored in their basement. Flood insurance will only cover things such as furnaces, water heaters, washers, dryers, air conditioners, freezers, pumps and utility connections. Everything else you store down there (old cloths, furniture, carpet, TV, etc) is not covered unless those items are on the first floor of your house and the flood reaches that level.

In some cases flood insurance is required in order to get a loan. If your home or a home you are about to purchase is in a 100 year flood plain (meaning at least once every 100 years your location is under several feet of water) you will be required to purchase a flood insurance policy to close on your loan.

Damage to Rented Premises

Any time a business rents or leases a space to operate from they sign a contract. In that contract are insurance requirements stating that the tenant will carry certain liability limits. Normally they will ask the tenant to carry a commercial general liability policy, and more often than not they ask for at least $1,000,000 per occurrence limit. The reason they ask for this is that if the tenant is the cause of a fire or other type of damage to the rented building, the landlord wants to make sure that the tenant’s insurance will pay for the damages, and not their own insurance.

Commercial General Liability takes care of a lease contract with two different types of coverages. The first is the coverage I mentioned above of $1,000,000 per occurrence limit. This coverage, however, only gets the tenant half way there. The per occurrence limit doesn’t cover for actual areas of a building that the tenant rents or leases. It will pay for only the part of the building that is not rented by the tenant. An example might help explain this better.

Example:

Let’s say that business XYZ, Inc rents unit A of a four unit office building. If XYZ, Inc causes a fire that extends damages to both unit A and unit B, the per occurrence portion of their insurance policy will only cover damages to unit B. It will not pay for damages to unit A because it is leased or rented by them.

Damage to Rented Premises (sometimes called Fire Legal Liability) is the other coverage a tenant needs when they rent space. This coverage is often included in a general liability policy as well but many times is not specifically mentioned in lease contracts. In the example above, Damage to Rented Premises would be the coverage that would pay for unit A that XYZ, Inc. rented.

The reason I bring this up as a blog article topic is because the Damage to Rented Premises is often overlooked. Since it is left out of many lease contracts, businesses don’t think to check with their insurance carrier about the coverage. Your typical commercial general liability policy will only include $100,000 to $500,000. If company XYZ, Inc. in the above example rented a large space, this may not be enough coverage, and they could pay for some of the damages out of pocket.

So next time you rent a space for your business be sure to have Fey Insurance Services review the lease and double check your commercial general liability insurance limits to make sure you are covered in case of a large fire.

How Safe are the Airbags in Your Car?

U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Warning

Since their invention in the 1950s, through their development during the 1970s and added as a required feature in the 1980s, airbags have become an important factor in decreasing injuries of those involved in automotive accidents. Airbags function as supplemental safety devices designed to work with seat belts to minimize injuries in car accidents. In theory, airbags reduce the chance that the occupant of a vehicle's upper body or head will strike the vehicle's interior or windshield during a crash, thus decreasing the severity of injury.

But, are the air bags in your car really safe? Will they deploy in the event of a collision, or will they actually cause further injury? That question has been raised due to the increase in faulty air bag deployment caused by improper installation of airbags in a number of independent auto repair shops in the past few years.

The U.S. Department of Transportation recently warned the public that they have a concern involving the purchase and installation of a significant number of potentially faulty air bags by these smaller repair shops. Soon the DOT will announce a process for the public to follow to determine if their vehicle may be at risk. That process may involve questions for insurers who paid claims for air bag replacements. 

The DOT estimates less than one tenth of one percent of all vehicles may be affected, and they have determined that this problem is limited to within the last three years.


In addition, the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) has determined that air bags must be used correctly or injury or death can result. Children are especially vulnerable to injury or death from airbags. The NHTSA estimates that about 300 people, including 180 children, have been killed because of air bags. Countless others have sustained injuries.
 
NHTSA Findings:

• Passenger-side air bags, as they are currently designed, are not acceptable as a protective device for children positioned in front of them and can kill or critically injure these children in accidents that would have been survivable had the air bag not deployed.
   
 • The number of children killed and critically injured in accidents similar to those investigated for the Board’s study will continue to increase unless immediate action is first taken to determine the benefits of passenger-side air bags, as currently designed.

• Air bags are being designed, because of certification testing requirements, primarily to protect unbelted rather than belted vehicle occupants even though the air bags are promoted as supplemental restraint systems and the majority of motor vehicle occupants now use seatbelts.
   
• In 9 of the 13 accidents investigated for this study in which there were collisions with other vehicles and passenger-side air bag deployment, the change in velocity was less than 20 mph, yet 5 of the 9 children in the right front passenger seats in these accidents sustained serious, critical, or fatal injuries from contact with the passenger-side air bag (2 of the 5 children were in rear-facing child restraint systems).

If you have had repairs done on your vehicle in the last three years that involved the installation or repair of airbags, it is imperative that you have the devices checked out to make sure they will work properly in the event of an accident. 

You can find more information at http://www.nhtsa.gov/ 

Deductible Basics

When a covered insurance claim happens the insured, in many cases, will be responsible for the first few dollars of most losses. The amount they are responsible for is called the deductible. More often than not, deductibles are only associated with property damage of the insured’s own possessions whether that is a vehicle that was damaged or damage to their contents, their buildings or even their loss of income. On some occasions you may see deductibles on liability claims but not in many.

Deductibles can come in many different forms on insurance policies. You can have a given dollar amount, say $500. Often times you see this type of deductible on home insurance or business property insurance. Some deductibles might be a percent of the loss like 1% or 10%. Sometimes you will see this type of deductible on a home or business but many times it will be associated specifically with earthquake coverage. Deductibles can be vanishing deductibles. As the insured racks up years of no losses, their deductible gradually drops each year until eventual it is $0.

In most cases the deductible is per claim. This means that each time you have a claim you pay a deductible. It isn’t like your typical health insurance policy where you have an out of pocket deductible for the year and once you meet that limit you are done with the deductible. In property and casualty, if you have a $500 flat per claim deductible you will pay $500 each time you have a claim no matter how many you have in a given year.

Deductibles can be a helpful cost savings tool. They can be raised to help drop premiums but the insured needs to understand that by raising deductibles they have taken on a bit more of the burden of possible claims.

It is important for insureds to understand what their deductible is so that they can be prepared to financially meet its requirement if a claim were to happen. I mention this more in connection with a percentage deductible. The insured should know if the percent is on the cost of the claim or on the coverage limit. For example, if a person had a $200,000 house and an insurance policy with a 5% deductible (on the coverage limit) it would be best to know that you have a $10,000 deductible before you have a claim. Someone that doesn’t know their policy might think that it is 5% per the cost of the claim.

Deductibles are just one of many facets to an insurance policy. Be sure to familiarize yourself with your policy and policy coverages and consult your independent insurance when ever you have any questions.

Mobile Phone Rule Changes: How CMV Drivers Communicate on the Road

Here is recent information about cell phone use in CMV published by RiskControl360:

All drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles (CMV) should know by now about the new rule restricting their use of hand-held mobile telephones and devices. This rule was adopted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and went into effect on January 3, 2012.


The purpose of the rule is to help reduce distracted driving and prevent roadway accidents, injuries and fatalities. According to the FMCSA, the odds of a driver being involved in a safety-critical event, such as an unintentional lane deviation, crash or near-crash, are 6 times greater when dialing a mobile phone while driving than when not doing so. Similarly, CMV drivers are 23 times more likely to be involved in a safety-critical event while texting and driving versus when not texting and driving.

Therefore, the rule restricts CMV drivers from reaching for or holding a mobile telephone while operating their vehicle, or pushing more than one button to operate the device. What this means is that the device must either be mounted or otherwise securely within reach at the control panel. In short, CMV drivers who use a mobile phone while driving can only operate a hands-free phone located in close proximity and cannot unsafely reach for a device, hold a mobile phone, or press multiple buttons.

So what are drivers still permitted to do?

-Locate the mobile phone so it is operable by the driver while restrained by properly adjusted safety belts.

-Utilize an earpiece or the speaker phone function.

-Use voice-activated or one-button touch features to initiate, answer, or terminate a call.


Drivers found not in compliance with these rules can face civil penalties of $2,750 and disqualification for multiple offenses. In addition, employers are prohibited from requiring or allowing their drivers to text or use a hand-held mobile phone while driving and may be subject to civil penalties up to $11,000.

CMV drivers wishing to comply with the new rules and improve roadway safety can follow FMCSA’s simple slogan: No Call, No Text, No Ticket!

For more information, please contact RiskControl360’s Group Safety Coordinator, Lisa Shaver at (877) 360-3608 ext. 2367.

Mind the GAP

Every time you step off the Tube in London's Underground you hear a women's voice in her perfect British accent reminding you to "Mind the gap". It is a good thing too. At some stops on the Underground there is a pretty big gap waiting for you as you exit and if you got caught in one of those monsters you could be in some trouble. The same is true for the gap that occurs in leases and loans on cars. Normally over time a vehicle's value depreciates faster than the loan or lease can be paid off. This is commonly referred to as being "upside down" on your loan or lease. If during this "upside down" period you total a vehicle in an accident there is going to be a gap between what the insurance company will pay you (actual cash value of the car) and what you still owe on your loan or lease. The good news though is there is insurance that covers this gap and it is appropriately named GAP insurance.

GAP insurance coverage helps pay for the difference between actual cash value of the car and what is owed on the loan or lease. One thing to keep in mind though, GAP insurance from personal auto insurance companies does not cover the cost of warranties or other add on charges that might have been included in the loan or lease.

So for an example, you totaled your vehicle and the insurance company is going to value your car at $5000 but your loan was still $7000. Let’s also say that of the $7000, $500 of it is because of the warranty that you had purchased. Therefore, the insurance company (if GAP insurance was on your policy) would give you $6500 ($7000 due on the loan minus the $500 warranty cost) instead of $5000.

Cost Savings Ideas

There is constant talk today about cutting costs. Here are two options that might help you save a few dollars on your insurance in this rough economy.


1)Raise your deductibles:
A typical homeowner policy has a deductible of $500 and a typical auto insurance policy has $100 for comprehensive and $250 for collision deductibles. One way to help save a few dollars on your annual insurance bill is to increase your homeowner deductible to $1000 and your comprehensive and collision deductibles on your auto to $500 each. Note that when you do this you bring a little bit of the financial risk back on yourself. A good rule of thumb to help figure out if the deductible change is worth the risk is to take the savings you will get for increasing your deductible and multiply it by three. If that number is larger than the difference between your old deductible and your new deductible in my opinion you are taking on an appropriate amount of risk for the savings.

2) Drop physical damage on your old vehicles.
If a car is 10 years or older it is probably worth researching whether you should have comprehensive and collision coverage on your car (many people know this as "full coverage"). Two ways to help you decide if dropping comprehensive and or collision from your car is worth it are:

1. The Insurance Information Institute says that if your car is worth less than 10 times the amount you pay annually for comprehensive and collision coverage it isn't worth keeping the coverage.

2. Another way to analyze if it is worth keeping the coverage is to take the premium you pay for collision and add it to your deductible amount. That is the total amount that it costs you to insure your car. (i.e. Your annual collision premium is $250 and your collision deductible is $500. If you total your car you will have paid $750 ($250 in premium and $500 in deductible) before you received any money from your insurance company) If in your mind it isn't worth spending that kind of money to save your vehicle if it was totaled than you might want to consider dropping that coverage.

Insurance and Your College Kids

Out in front of our Oxford, OH insurance office, it is a busy place. Today 16,000+ Miami University students return to begin a new school year. This annual pilgrimage brings up potential insurance issues pertaining to what parent's personal insurance policies cover or don't cover. Three areas that parents should be aware of:

(1) If your son or daughter is going away to school over 100 miles from home without a car, most companies will rate your Personal Auto Policy for them being married which is a nice discount. Let us know if this discount might apply to your family and your Personal Auto Policy.
(2) Most insurance companies will extend personal property (contents) coverage and personal liability for your son or daughter while they are in college and living in a dormitory. Some, but not all, will also extend coverage if they are living in off campus facilities such as an apartment or other student housing. Please check with us to see if your insurance company provides this extended protection. If not, we should be able to write a Tenant/Homeowner for your student to cover both their personal property and personal liability while they are an undergraduate. If they are in graduate school, they should definitely have their own Tenant/Homeowner Policy.
(3) If you or your children are using a rental truck to take their things back to college, U-Haul, Penske, Hertz and other will offer you coverage on the vehicle (collision damage waiver) and extended liability. While these may be covered by your Personal Auto Policy, not all companies extend the protection, so check with us before renting the vehicle. Whether or not they are covered will depend on the length and Gross Vehicle Weight of the vehicle and several other factors. We may be suggesting you buy the extra protection from the rental company before your trip.

Washington and Oregon drivers at odds over self-serve gas

Washington and Oregon Drivers Worlds Apart on Self-Service Gas Laws

PEMCO Insurance has released a survey that shows a big difference in opinions on pumping your own gas between drivers in these bordering states.


The release shows that 63% of Oregon drivers support their state’s ban on motorists pumping their own gasoline, while 60% of Washington drivers – male and female – support being able to pump their own gas. About half of Oregon drivers said they would support a change in their self-service ban if it meant saving as little as five cents per gallon.


While Washington allows self-service gas stations, Oregon is one of just two states that ban self-service gas stations, with New Jersey the other state. The laws in these two states require gas stations to train attendants to pump gas for customers and prohibit drivers from pumping their own gas.


“The Oregon legislature says that full-service gas stations are especially necessary because of Oregon’s high rainfall, which increases the risk of people slipping on wet pavement and falling on spilled gasoline,” said PEMCO spokesperson Jon Osterberg.


The self-service ban was passed by the Oregon legislature in 1951 (although self-service gas didn’t become popular nationwide until the early 1970s) on the basis that self-service gas stations are less safe, increasing the risk of accidental fires. The Oregon Revised Statutes also defend today’s law on economic grounds, citing that “self-service dispensing at retail locations contributes to unemployment, particularly among young people.”


According to the PEMCO poll, Washington residents are unconvinced of the economic benefits of gas-pumping laws. The poll presented drivers with a proposed scenario suggesting that a shift from Washington’s self-service model to the full-service law would result in an increased cost of about five cents per gallon and create new jobs for Washington residents. Despite the prospect of new jobs, nearly two-thirds of Washington drivers said they would oppose costlier gasoline.
Oregon drivers, however, are more motivated by economic factors – about half (49 percent) said they would consider favoring a change in the self-service ban if it meant saving as little as five cents per gallon.


So, as it stands now, once you drive across the Columbia River into Washington, you'll need to get out of your car and pump the fuel yourself, since you won't find anyone to help you.


And as for you Washingtonians, don't forget that it's illegal to pump your own gas, so hopefully you won't be waiting long!

Source: PEMCO Insurance Northwest Poll  www.pemco.com/poll

Cyber Liability Insurance

As absolute dependence on computers and computer stored information grows there are new ways companies can be sued by third parties for damages.  When private information such as dates of birth, social security numbers, credit card numbers, etc are stolen off of your business' computer systems, it is called a data breach, and they are very costly to manage.  The insurance industry has calculated this cost to be about $200 per individual whose information was taken.  Also, if a malicious virus is distributed from your computer to a customer’s computer system and causes damage, you could be held responsible for cost to repair their system.  Your basic general liability policies are not designed to pay for such claims so many times when businesses look to their business policies the coverage is not there to help with these expenses.  Because of that, insurance companies have developed a new product called cyber liability.  It is designed to step up and pay for the third party damages caused by your data breaches and damage by viruses to other’s computer system.

So what kinds of business should be looking into this new cyber liability products?  Any business with a computer, especially one that stores or interacts with any private information or distribute emails to others should look into this product.  Restaurants and retail stores that take credit cards, professional business that store dates of birth, driver’s license numbers and social security numbers, even doctors’ offices are at risk for the types of claims mentioned above.  Unfortunately, even if a business has the best firewalls and antivirus software, they still are at risk of data breaches and malicious viruses.  Cyber liability is something designed to help protect your business assets if an unpreventable claim strikes.

MSN Health recently published on their website a great article about firework safety.  We wanted to post this article as both a way to wish you a Happy Fourth of July and to make sure you keep it a safe Fourth of July.  Here is the article.  To go directly to their site click here or read below:

Fourth of July Safety Tips

By Hank Bernstein, D.O., Harvard Health Publications

Each year, especially during the early summer weeks around the Fourth of July, thousands of people are treated in emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries. While some are minor, many of these injuries are serious, for example, resulting in burns or blindness. In 2008, seven deaths from fireworks-related injuries were reported; perhaps these could have been prevented.

 

Children should never be allowed to use fireworks! Of the 9,800 fireworks-related injuries reported to the U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) in 2007, almost half occurred in children under the age of 15.

 

All fireworks are dangerous—even sparklers—which cause the majority of fireworks-related injuries to children under the age of 5. Sparklers burn at very high temperatures (up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit), sending out sparks that can easily set clothes on fire and cause permanent eye damage.

 

Because the risk of injuries when using fireworks is so high, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) supports a nationwide ban on the private use of any and all fireworks. Instead, families should attend public fireworks displays, which are much less dangerous.

 

While a few states have banned all consumer fireworks, most have not. Until every state bans fireworks, the CPSC and the National Council on Fireworks Safety recommend taking the following safety precautions to make it less likely that someone will be injured by these potentially dangerous devices:

 

• Never allow children to touch fireworks of any kind, including sparklers even after they have "gone off". It can be hot, or even explosive and debris from fireworks can be extremely dangerous.
• Older teens should only be allowed to use fireworks under close adult supervision.
• Fireworks must never be used while drinking alcohol or using other drugs.
• Obey all local laws.
• If allowed in your area and you choose to do so, buy fireworks only from reliable sellers.
• Store fireworks in a dry, cool place.
• Only use fireworks outdoors and always have a good amount of water close by (a garden hose and a bucket), in case of emergency.
• Read and follow label directions.
• Light only one firework at a time.
• Never hold any part of your body directly over the firework while lighting it.
• Be sure all other people are out of range before lighting fireworks.
• Never throw or point fireworks at anyone.
• Never light fireworks in a container, especially a metal or glass container.
• Never light fireworks near a house or building, dry leaves or grass, or any other materials that can catch on fire.
• Never re-light a "dud" firework. Instead, wait 15 to 20 minutes, then soak it in a bucket of water and throw it away.

Information contained in this article was adapted from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.

 

 

 

iPhone Apps for Insurance Companies

Over the last year mobile applications for smart phones have begun to pop up amongst the different insurance companies that Fey Insurance represents. It started with Travelers and Progressive and has expanded into Safeco, Chubb and now Cincinnati Insurance Company. The applications all allow you to view your current policies and auto ID cards. They help give you contact information to report claims as well as advice on what to do during a claim. Some of the applications actually allow you to report the claim directly from the mobile device.

So how do you get your insurance carriers mobile application? First go to your most recent insurance policy declaration page for either your home or auto insurance. Double check which company you have. Once you know which company you have your insurance with then pull up the applications icon on your iPhone. In the search box type the company name. Once you have located the insurance company's application be sure to download it to your device. Some of the applications will allow you to setup your account right in the app but others may require that you first go to the insurance companies website and create a login.

When you are all finished creating a log in you are then set to use the app and have your personal insurance information handy at any time. Each app also has a button you can press to give us a call directly for more detailed assistance. Try it out today.

New Ohio State Wide Texting Law

On June 1st Ohio Gov. John Kasich signed into law a state wide texting while driving ban. The law will go into force in 90 days from June 1st. This new law has tougher restrictions on those under 18. If you are under 18 you are not allowed to use a cell phone at all in a car when you are driving, hands free or not. Those over 18 are still allowed to make phone calls on their phones and are allowed to use the phone to dial while driving. They are just not allowed to send or read texts while driving. Also, for those under 18 the phone use law is a first offense meaning if a police officer sees a person under 18 using a phone while driving they can be pulled over and ticketed just for that offense. Those over 18 can only be ticketed for texting while driving if they were also pulled over for another violation such as speeding, running a red light, etc.

The law is a misdemeanor for drivers with fines up to $150. If you are under 18 you’re first offense could be $150 fine with a 60 day license suspension. A second offense for those under 18 is $300.

Improved Workplace Awareness Helps Traffic Fatalities Trend Downward

Employers and employees need to address the issues associated with automobile accidents as part of their daily management routine. A heightened awareness of automobile safety in the workplace has resulted in greatly improved fatality results. In 2010, 32,788 people lost their lives in vehicle accidents - down nearly 10,000 in the last decade. Fourteen percent of workplace fatalities result from automobile accidents. That is also down from 22 percent just 10 years ago. While this trend is moving in the right direction, the automobile exposure to a business offers one of the most serious liability exposures that can be faced.


Performance Management consultants recommend compliance with the 4-A’s of driving:

Anticipate what could possibly go wrong and focus on driving to avoid mishaps
Adjust to changing circumstances such as traffic congestion or changing weather
Assume nothing - don’t automatically assume that traffic will stay moving or a car won’t change lanes into your path
Allow no distractions - drivers must avoid anything that takes their focus off of driving

Not only can the strict adherence to an automobile safety program help relieve a business from a serious claim, maintaining drivers with good records reflect positively on the business’ auto insurance premiums.

Performance Management predicts that if employers would institute just two actions, implement standards of practice for driving and educate employees about good driving principles and management’s expectations, accidents would be reduced by more than 50 percent.

Dog Law in Ohio to Change

A recent article in The News-Herald does a wonderful job summing up the changes to the Ohio dog law.  The article was written by Jean Bonchak and was posted on April 29th, 2012.  Read below:

"Whether you own a poodle, Pomeranian or any pooch at all, be aware that new laws regarding your canine responsibilities soon will take effect.

Matt Granito, president of the Ohio Dog Warden's Association who also serves as the Geauga County dog warden, presented preliminary information regarding the state laws, which begin May 22, to Geauga County Commissioners at a recent meeting.

Granito said the association initiated the legal action because something more had to be done to protect the public from dogs who bite.

The laws passed by the Ohio General Assembly state if an unprovoked dog bites someone then the dog's owner or person responsible for the dog at the time of the incident can be subject to criminal prosecution. It would range from a fourth-degree misdemeanor to a fifth-degree felony with the possibility of facing time in jail.

"Without provocation," as defined in the legal document, means that a dog "was not teased, tormented or abused by a person, or that the dog was not coming to the aid or the defense of a person who was not engaged in illegal or criminal activity and who was not using the dog as a means of carrying out such activity."

Dogs displaying aggression may be classified as "dangerous" or "vicious."
A "dangerous" label means that without provocation it has caused injury, other than killing or serious injury to any person, or has killed another dog. Dogs classified as "vicious" have killed or caused serious injury to any person.
Owners of dogs deemed dangerous will be required to pay an annual fee of $50, have the animal spayed or neutered, provide up-to-date rabies shots, secure microchipping, purchase a special tag to be worn by the dog warning it is dangerous and have appropriate signs posted on their property. Chain-link fences also will be required."

Purpose Statement

The church insurance business is a game, a contest between the church and the insurer. You'd like to think you're working together, but let's be serious. The insurer wants to collect as much premium as possible from you while paying the least amount in claims, and the church is trying to pay the least amount in premium while getting the big problems paid by the insurer. It's a competition.

In any fair game both sides know and understand all of the rules, but that's not true of the church insurance game. The insurers know the rules, but the churches only know what the insurer or their experience has told them about the rules. It's sort of like playing poker and only one guy knows that two pair beats two aces, so when you show your pairs of 2's and 3's, he tells you his pair of aces wins and if you don't know better, you give him all your chips.

This website is designed to help even the playing field a bit by giving churches more knowledge of the rules of the game so they can compete evenly with, or perhaps even gain an advantage over, the insurance companies. I won't be discussing specific coverage at this site - that's a discussion you should have with your agent.

The most important post on this site is "What Your Churches Insurance Agent Doesn't Want You to Know". I've detailed many of the rules of the game in that post and it's a must-read for any church preparing to negotiate their insurance deal. There is also an audio version of this information which you can listen to my clicking on the player in the right-hand sidebar. Your church insurance agent won't like it, but nobody likes to lose an advantageous negotiating position.

I'm also going to use this site for two other purposes. I'm going to tell you some stories from my church insurance days, some funny, some irritating, but all true. Some of the things happened to me, and some I heard from others. I won't give you the names of the companies I worked for, the name of the agency or the people I worked with, nor will I mention the names of the church clients and prospects I worked with. There's no sense in poking the bear more than I have to.

I'm also going to talk about people management, or more correctly, how not to manage people. During my years in the church insurance business I was witness to and victim of some of the poorest people management skills I've ever seen in a person who was not the homicidal dictator of some banana republic. Think Hugo Chavez with a Lexus. That's why I describe myself as a "recovering church insurance agent". Whether you work in insurance or any other field involving people, these stories will be instructive.

This post will stay at the top of the page. New posts will appear beneath it.

Related Tags: Church Insurance, Church Mutual Insurance, GuideOne Insurance, Brotherhood Insurance, Philadelphia Insurance, Church Mutual, GuideOne, Insurance For Religious Organizations, Insurance For Churches, Church Insurance Programs, Church Insurance Agent

What Your Church's Insurance Agent Doesn't Want You to Know

(NOTE: I wrote this piece in an effort to pass on some valuable knowledge I accumulated during nearly nine years in the church insurance field. I figure there are some church administrators and board members who could use this and might stumble across it while searching the net for information.)

NOTE 2: A 3o minute internet radio broadcast of this information is now available at by clicking on the player in the right-hand sidebar. It includes additional stories and examples not included in the printed version. You can listen to the broadcast at the link, or download it to your computer or iPod so it can be shared with your church staff or other pastors or leaders who could benefit from this information.
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I’m your church insurance agent’s worst nightmare. Now, why would a guy who usually writes and talks about politics want to do a post about church insurance? Well, my friends, it’s difficult to admit this, but I am a recovering church insurance agent. Yes, I’m sure you admire the courage that it took for me to admit that, but for nearly 9 years I worked for one of the largest church insurers in the country.

During those years I handled everything from little bitty start up congregations with 20 people meeting in a school cafeteria, to a 7,000 member megachurch with tens of millions of dollars worth of buildings and property and every activity known to man. I had conservative Baptist churches, Pentecostal churches, stuffy Presbyterian churches, mysterious Asian religions, a couple of mosques, independents of all types, and a fair number of cults. If you were a 501(3)c church and you weren’t burning witches at the stake, weren’t witches yourself, or weren’t passing out snakes during your Sunday services, our company would probably insure you.

During my countless hours on the road I often thought that if churches knew what I knew about the various pricing tricks insurance companies use to mysteriously find savings when a competitor comes calling, my life as an agent would be a lot tougher and churches would be paying a lot less in premium. I decided that if I ever found myself in a position where I could counsel and advise churches on this subject, I’d give them that information their agent doesn’t want them to know and help them keep more of their money for ministry and help them spend less on necessary evils like insurance.

When I entered the business I was naïve enough to believe that two identical churches in the same town with similar activities and loss history would probably have two very similar premiums. Not so. In fact, there could be a dramatic difference between the premiums paid by both churches, and what I’m going to show you here is how to make sure you’re taking advantage of the pricing options the insurance companies have that they don’t want you to know about.

Let’s get one thing clear at the beginning: Church insurance is not a ministry. It can help support you as you perform your ministry, but the companies are not providing coverage as a charitable act. Insurance is a business and the company’s goal is to extract as many dollars from your ministry as possible while paying out as few as possible in claims.

Now, before I go any further, let me just say that I’m not trying to imply here that the church insurance business is more unsavory than any other insurance business. You’ll find these same things going on with any insurance company. However, churches tend to put more trust than they should in church insurance companies just because they work primarily with churches. That trust will cost you a lot of money.

If an agent walks into your office carrying a Bible, throw him out! It’s an act designed to disarm you, and just because he carries an 18 pound gold embossed King James Bible with the original Greek and Hebrew manuscripts, doesn’t mean he still isn’t out to get your money. He may be a good guy, and may even be a dedicated Christian, but as your agent, the two of you are in a business relationship and you have to remember that

The larger church clients of mine often had full time staff members who served as administrators. These people were sometimes pastors with administrative backgrounds, or lay administrators with business management backgrounds. I enjoyed working with professional administrators since they had a great deal of knowledge about the subject and understood the importance of proper coverage. They could also be challenging, thanks to their business savvy and concern for the bottom line.

Smaller churches often had volunteer lay leaders, perhaps the pastor himself, or even the church secretary handling the insurance program. There were several occasions when I had to make a pitch to the part-time secretary who was then supposed to pass all my information on to the church board. That was usually a waste of time, and I’ll give you a suggestion regarding the proper contact person later on.

With all that having been said, here are a few rules you should take to heart when working with your insurance program:

-Don’t fall in love with your agent. You certainly want to have a good relationship with your agent since he’ll be more likely to respond favorably when you need something, but as they say, love is blind. I’ve seen churches willingly pay thousands of dollars more than they had to, and sometimes for less coverage, because they were so blindly in love with their agent. When you start to value your agent more than you value the ministry dollars you have to work with, you set yourself up for needless costs.

Your agent works for you – make him earn his money. If he brings you a box of candy at Christmas, thank him, eat the candy, but don’t forget insurance is still a business and if he isn’t competitive, you’ll spit him out like one of those chocolates with the coconut in them.

-Control your claims. You can’t help it if the little old lady falls down and hurts herself in your parking lot, but you can make sure your grounds and buildings are as free of hazards as possible. Be observant for things that can generate claims, because claims are your worst enemy when it comes to keeping your insurance costs down. Insurers assess loss ratios based on the dollar amount of claims paid versus the dollar amount in premium collected. Some also take into consideration the number of claims submitted, even if they were for small dollar amounts because there’s still an adjusting and underwriting cost associated with small claims. For the average insurance company, an account is considered profitable at anything below a 65% loss ratio. If you’re under that, the company is making money and they’re more likely to be willing to negotiate better rates for you.

For property claims, use your deductible as a guideline. If a claim situation arises that’s going to cost less than three times your deductible, pay it yourself and don’t file a claim. It will save you money in the long run. And speaking of deductibles, choose the highest deductible you can afford to pay on your own. Underwriters are more likely to grant credits on policies with high deductibles (more about credits later).

-Get competitive quotes every year. If you don’t do anything when your insurance renewal time comes up, I can almost guarantee you that your costs will go up, even if you haven’t had any claims. Sometimes that will be due to rate changes that may occur in your area, but often it’s due to company policies that dictate that they want a certain premium increase on existing accounts during that year. There were dozens of occasions when I got renewal worksheets from the company that showed a 5% increase in premium just because that’s what the company wanted. The customer hadn’t had any claims, and there weren’t rate changes in that territory. Because the church didn’t show any signs of shopping for other insurers, the increases sailed right on through. Your agent is probably paid based on a percentage of the premium you pay, so if he thinks you won’t mind an increase, he certainly won’t mind sending one your way.

So, how do they increase your rates even though there hasn't been a rate change? Easy. There's a little tool called "Special Risk Rating Credits" that can be applied to many policies that have the effect of adjusting the rates up or down according to the whims of the agent and the underwriter. There's an "official" list of reasons and allowable adjustments, such as Care and Condition of the Premises, or Management Cooperation, and each has an allowable percentage credit or debit. If any such credits or debits are applied, the agent has to complete a form to justify those changes. In theory, the agent should take that form, go down the various rating factors, and apply the appropriate credit or debit to each item to come up with the final percentage.

In reality, the agent and underwriter agree on the percentage of credit or debit they want to assess to the policy, and then work the form to justify the amount. For instance, if the agent thinks he needs 25% credit to be competitive and the underwriter agrees, he fills out the form accordingly. If the agent doesn't want to "leave money on the table", or perhaps the church is a start-up with no building and falls below the minimum desired premium, he can likewise apply a debit to the policy using the same process. If the company wants a 5% increase in premium, they just knock 5% off the credits at renewal time. There's more fiction writing done on Special Risk Rating forms than in the entire Harry Potter series. That's why it's so important to get a quote every year and keep the agent and the company on its toes.

What’s the process? Here’s what you should do about two months before your property/liability package comes up for renewal:

Contact your existing agent and request hard copy loss runs. That will do three things for you: -It will give you loss information that you can use when negotiating rates with other carriers (assuming the loss run looks good);

-It will put your existing carrier on notice that you’re shopping, and will make them more likely to sharpen their pencils a bit when calculating your renewal;

-It will make your existing agent nervous, and a nervous agent is your best friend.

You probably have a desk full of cards and mailers from other church insurers. Call them all. Two months lead time is plenty for most insurers to gather information and prepare a quote. If you have a very large church with individual buildings that would be valued at $5 million or more, you may want to start this process 3 months early since there could be some reinsurance issues that will take more time to quote.

Don't pay your bill until you absolutely have to. Your insurance won't get canceled if you don't pay your renewal bill a month early. Even if your payment is a day or two late there are regulations which prevent the insurance company from cancelling your policy on the renewal date.

I'm not advising you to pay late, just don't pay too early. The companies bill you early for a variety of reasons, but none of those are because they benefit you the customer. here's what happens when you send your money before you have to:

-You give the insurance company free money to use which they can invest and make money on, none of which will benefit you. It's better for you to keep the money in your account until you have to pay it.

-Secondly, an early payment tells the agent that the deal is done and he'll keep the business. Therefore, he doesn't need to spend any extra time and effort to try and retain your business. His work is finished.

-Thirdly, you make it more difficult in the event another agent wants to submit a bid late in the process. Usually the first thing they'll ask you is if you've paid your bill, and if you have, they may still give you a bid but they probably won't put that much effort into it since the assumption will be that the buying decision has already been made. If you haven't paid yet the agent will have more incentive to give you his best deal (especially if you follow the advice below and released all the information to him).

Keep your money in your pocket as long as you can. There's nothing like an unpaid premium bill a few days before renewal to motivate your agent to get creative in order to keep your business.

Full disclosure. This item will probably tick off the insurance industry more than anything. When a competing agent comes to your church, pull out your insurance policy, premiums and all, and let him look at whatever he wants. If he wants copies of the coverages and pricing, give it to him.

Why? If an agent knows what he’s competing with, especially in terms of pricing, he’s more likely to come back with a quote that’s superior to what you currently have. Some administrators believe it’s unfair to reveal pricing and coverages to a competitor. I could buy the unfairness argument if information is being revealed to only one side, but full disclosure means everybody gets to see everything. The competitor coming in gets to see the existing policy, and the current agent gets to see the competitive quotes. When the dust finally stops flying, you’re going to end up with the best deal.


Have the decision makers there when the agents present their proposals. There’s nothing worse for the agent or the church than having the agent give his best presentation to somebody who’s not empowered to make the decision. If the decision makers are not present, somebody will have to translate that presentation for them and much will be lost in the translation. You want to make sure the right people are hearing directly from the agent and have the opportunity to ask questions.

Don’t be afraid to set up a dog-and-pony show some evening. You can get the board members together and give each agent a specified amount of time to make his pitch. That way everybody hears the same things and it will be easier to come to a group decision (for those churches that make these kinds of decisions by committee).

And now, a caveat to this whole thing. Many of the large mainstream denominations have group programs that are outstanding. The programs often have huge property and liability limits and are priced very competitively. The downside is usually service. One of my pet peeves as an agent was the occasions when the boss would insist that we solicit business from churches that had these group programs. My company couldn’t touch them and we knew it, but the guy with the rose-colored glasses would always insist that we could win these accounts away with our charm and good looks. After looking at these massive group programs I felt I was doing a disservice to the client by trying to convince them to abandon a clearly superior program just so they could see my smiling face from time to time.

Look folks, service is a wonderful thing and you want great service from your agent, but if he can’t match the multi-million dollar blanket coverages that you find on these big group programs, don’t switch. He may come back with something that saves you a few bucks and he’ll promise to return your phone calls and name his firstborn after you, but when you compare costs relative to coverage, you’ll be making a bad decision if you leave the group program.

A little knowledge, planning, and effort on your part can save your ministry a lot of money, and since I haven’t seen the church yet that has too much money, I’m sure you can find better uses for it than paying insurance premiums. Meanwhile, I’m going to head off to the Insurance Agent Witness Protection Program so I can remain safe from all the insurance companies and agents who are now out to get me.
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NOTE 3: Rick is available to speak on this subject. Leave your contact information in an email.


Related Tags: Church Insurance, Church Mutual Insurance, GuideOne Insurance, Brotherhood Insurance, Philadelphia Insurance, Church Mutual, GuideOne, Insurance For Religious Organizations, Insurance For Churches, Church Insurance Programs, Church Insurance Agent

Renting A Car

When you rent a car, you are liable for injuries and property damage you cause to others, and damage to the rental car whether it’s your fault or not. With some restrictions, your insurance policy will cover you in your policy territory (United States, its possessions and territories, and Canada) if you injure someone or their property. In most cases, your auto policy will also cover damage to the rental car, but you must carry comprehensive and collision coverage on at least one of your covered autos.

If you plan on your credit card covering damage to your rental car, read the fine print. Some only provide coverage after you prove there is no coverage under your personal policy. Some cards actually have dollar limitations and very restrictive coverage.

Tenant’s Improvements to the Premises

A common circumstance surrounding commercial leases involves the tenant making alterations, or improvementsto the rented premises. A strip mall retail location could be used for many different types of tenants. It is unreasonable to assume that the premises is already set up to handle any type of tenant from a clothing store to a restaurant. For example, a new tenant might have to build partitions, add refrigeration or install a kitchen.

The commercial property policy defines improvements and betterments as “fixtures, alterations, installations or additions that are made a part of the building that is occupied but not owned by the named insured, and that the named insured acquires or makes at his expense but cannot legally remove.” Since business personal property coverage insures the tenant’s “use interest” in improvements and betterments located at the rented premises, the amount of these improvements should be calculated into the limit you choose for your business personal property.

Insurance Industry Loses Big in 2011

When a wave of major storms strikes Ohio, or anywhere in the United States for that matter, your carrier uses insurance premiums to pay claims to help customers, like you, recover. If they expect more storms, your rates increase. Ohio has been rocked with several devastating storms this past year, causing damage from hail to tornadoes.

Catastrophe losses in 2011 caused the U.S. property and casualty insurance industry to experience its worst losses since 2002, and analysts say 2012 should only see modest improvement. A.M.Best, the industry rating agency, reported the industry experienced more than $44 billion in catastrophe losses, driving down net income.

Simply stated, a greater frequency and severity of storms create higher premiums, regardless of whether or not you have had a claim.

“We are in the midst of a very long-term trend. Whatever the underlying causes are, this is pushing up the cost of providing insurance in many parts of the country. Insurers have begun to reflect that in their rates,” said Robert Hartwig, chief economist and president of the Insurance Information Institute.

The Buckeye State ranks 6th lowest in the United States based on its average homeowners insurance premium. Even with the increase looming, the cost of coverage remains considerably lower in Ohio than in most other states.

How to save on homeowners insurance

The best way to reduce the impact of a rate increase is to talk to your independent insurance agent about your coverage options and let them find the best solution for your needs. Their knowledge and professionalism is your best option.

Protect Your Phone's Data with a Passcode

Do you have a passcode on your iPhone or Android device? If not it is recommended as phones can easily be miss placed or stolen. A passcode to get into your device will help keep your information private and secure. Many personal and business phones have apps on them that hold a lot of important personal information. That information in the wrong hands can be dangerous and because of this we have three steps we recommend in helping protect your phone.

The first step is simple; decide to put a passcode on your phone. I know, it may be annoying to have to type something into your phone each time you use it but it is better for you in the long run.

The second step is to make the passcode something more than just four digits. Recently there was a software invented called Micro Systemation XRY app. This software can crack any four digit code in only a few minutes. Currently this software is only used by law enforcement agencies however the hackers are never to far behind in developing their own. We recommend you using the setting in your phone that lets you put in more than just four digits. Letters and numbers help to make the cracking process harder. Throw in a few other characters and it becomes even harder to break.

The third step in protecting your phone’s data is to put on the setting in which your data is wiped from the phone after so many failed attempts to login. I know it would be annoying to lose your data from your phone but hopefully you have it synced and backed up on your computer or in a cloud (plus is someone stole your phone you not only lose the data anyway but also the phone). By having the phone wiped after so many failed attempts you are preventing hackers and thieves form being able to use software to try and figure out your passcode.

Carbon Monoxide Alarms Now Required Before Homes can be Sold in Washington

 

Carbon monoxide poisoning kills hundreds of people each year in the U.S. This poisonous gas is invisible and odorless, and so you cannot hear, taste, see or smell it. Many of its victims are individuals or entire families who, although they are aware they don't feel well, by the time the gas has taken effect they are disoriented and unable to save themselves. Young children and pets are usually the first affected by this killer.

As of April 1, 2012, Washington's RCW 19.27.530 requires all sellers to have operating carbon monoxide alarms installed in accordance to the state building code before a buyer or any person can legally occupy the residence following the sale. The building code (WAC 51-51-0315)  requires alarms to be installed:

1) outside of each separate sleeping area in the immediate vicinity of each bedroom;

2) on each level of the dwelling; and

3) in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.

The building code also requires that the alarms comply with UL 2034. There are no exceptions to this, and they may be electric or battery operated.

In addition, a property owner must install carbon monoxide alarms when performing any remodels, repairs or additions to their dwelling that require a building permit. (New construction has been required to have carbon monoxide alarms installed since January 2011.)

At times during power outages in cold weather, unsuspecting homeowners will operate propane heaters or barbeque grills inside in an effort to stay warm. One of the byproducts of this combustion is carbon monoxide. This can, and does, poison entire families while they sleep. Do not EVER use propane heaters or wood stoves without proper ventilation to the outside!

The alarms are triggered by carbon monoxide levels below those that can cause loss of ability to react and prevent death from exposure to this poisonous gas. Small children and pets will display symptoms before adults, so be aware if they suddenly start acting ill. Immediately open windows and exit the house, then call the police. Do not re-enter the building until the source of the gas has been eliminated.