By Terry K. Headley
President, NAIFA
The news reports and images from the violent series of storms and tornadoes across America’s hearltand are devastating. I have been following the coverage closely, and my heart goes out to those who have suffered such loss. At the same time, I am amazed by the strong will and persistence exemplified by many who are living through these life-changing events.
As president of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, I wanted to hear how our members who reside in those areas were doing. We called our contacts at our state and local offices to check in with them, and we have heard many compelling stories.
Most of the members provided updates on how their clients fared, and the news was often severe (total loss of property) and very sad (loss of a loved one). NAIFA members reported that their top priority is to help clients with claims while providing guidance and advice on how best to move forward. Insurance agent and member Nancy Allison of Columbia, Missouri, put it this way: “Many clients are in shock and don't really know what to do, so you must help them move from shock into action.”
As I read Nancy’s and other member reports from the field, I am gratified to be a part of this industry. This is where we step up to the plate, honor our commitment and uphold our promise to serve our clients.
Hear more Voices from the Field
Alabama
Oxford – Our office insures a church that was a total loss. We have met with the church members on several occasions. They use our office for whatever they need in the form of office help and we will be delivering the check today (just 15 days after the first meeting with the adjustor). We also have handled a life insurance death claim from the results of the storm as one of their members lost a son taking shelter in a nearby facility with a basement. We have delivered water, food, clothing and have served meals in the disaster area. (Greg Turner)
Anniston – One customer, who I took an emergency claims draft to, had so much damges in their subdivision, I had to walk about a half mile to get to them. (Larry Currie)
Georgia
Grovetown – Our storms have not been the magnitude of some of the others getting more media attention but the ones we have had have been just as devastating to our clients as the other ones. We have had homes destroyed, houseboats severerly damaged and families left feeling vunerable to the elements and dependend on friends and their insurance companies. We provide words of encouragement, our personal assistance and of course the financial assistance toward returning them to normal lives. (Van Land)
Gainesville —It is very difficult to hear the stories and know about the devastation; but very good to hear that folks were happy with the way we handle these things. (Drane Watson)
Kansas
Topeka – In my 25 years in business, servicing has been my top priority above everything else. The reporting of claims is only the tip of the iceberg - it is the aftermath that takes most of the time. Clients are concerned & worried about their claim & keeping their property from further damage. (Kathryn Moulin)
Kentucky
Lexington – I drop everything for my existing clients. Delivering on my promise to be the best agent they've ever had is more important than growing my book of business in times like these. People tend to understand and be more patient as to why they can't get a hold of me for a new business quote if they understand that, because I promise I’d do the same for them. It comes around full circle. (Micah Campbell)
Mississippi
Brandon – Claims handling is always where the rubber meets the road. Being an agent doesn't put us in the position to handle the claim for our customer, but we are always there to help if they have questions about the process and even filing the claim for the customer. It usually can make or break a relationship with a customer. I always tell my customers that a company is only as good as the agent! During a major storm is not the time to neglect the customer. (Jess Hinton)
Missouri
Sedalia – Because we knew the path of the tornado in our town, I was able to start turning in claims instantly, we had clients being contacted and paid within 24 hours due to this - though the claims will not be fully settled till demolition and repairs are done, the clients at least know we are here for them and have funds to start the process of getting new clothes, medicine, and applying for new documentation (such as licenses, birth and marriage records and passports). (Michelle Drum)
Columbia – It takes more time to handle claims disasters when the losses are catastrophic in nature. Many clients are in shock and don't really know what to do, so you must help them move from shock into action. One helpful tip is to ask policyholders to separate the damaged items from the undamaged. (Nancy Allison)
Montana
Billings – In 32 years in this business, we have never seen the rainfall amounts and water levels so high over such a broad area. What happens here will continue to affect those down-stream all the way to the Gulf. Both the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers flow from the mountains of Montana eastward. The dams are at historic levels, even before snow melt begins. So when snow melt begins (which normally would have already begun), there will be no way to hold back the extra water. The mountains are at over 200 percent above normal snow pack. You can see where this is going. Even after the storms pass, the water problem will continue to affect a very wide spread area of the Midwest. I hope that gives you a perspective of what we are dealing with. Thanks for asking. (Ed Smith)
North Carolina
Four Oaks – I have seen a lot of houses destroyed and have helped clients rebuild. (Allen Neil Strickland)
Ohio
Wapakoneta – We have been able to deliver claims payments and help people when they need us the most. Sometimes it is helping them find a place to live or help non-customers with a claims settlement question. (Alan Davis)
Oklahoma
Tulsa – One of my customers lost his entire home in 2 minutes in the storm on Tuesday, May 24. Fortunately they were in the celler and there was not a loss of life for them. (Michael Pinion)
South Carolina
Charleston – We suffered a sudden isolated hail storm with golf-ball sized hail. Cars were damaged/totaled and roofs were destroyed. Our claims department stepped up to the plate and opened the drive-in service window seven days weekly and extended hours. Still taking claims (Gail Williamson)
Tennessee
Bristol – I had a client call me at 2 in the morning saying 'Its all gone." The next day I saw for myself that it really was all gone. (Dale Cook)
Lawrenceburg – I have been an agent with the same company Tenn Farmers Mutual for 32 years. There is a lot of responsibility in writing and servicing Home Insurance. In times of severe storms, our insureds know they can call me any time of the night, and I'll be there to help them with their claim. My phone statring ringing at 5 a.m. on May 26 2011 from insureds who have had major damage to their house. They know that I will do everything I can to help them put their lives back together as well as their houses. I try to put myself in their place, and treat each customer as I would want to be treated. (Bobby J. Belew)
Chattanooga – I have really been amazed at how much more my customers have been concerned about others. Their stories of the events and actions have touched me in ways I have never experienced in my 20 plus years in the business. (Phil Downey)
Wisconsin
Mauston – One of our customers -- who had baseball-sized hail that totaled both of their cars and the roof of their home and garage -- commented that our service proved to them why they don't do business with an "800 number company. A farm client was in Texas when he heard that his farm had been hit by a tornado. He called me from Texas and reported the claim, so I rushed out to the farm to assess the damage and get the claim started. I took photos and texted them to him in Texas and he had to get a teenager in the airport to show him how to retrieve the pictures. He called as soon as he saw them and said he was about to go crazy not knowing what was going on at home and was so thankful to have me as his agent. (Elwood Syverson)
Sparta - On Sunday afternoon on 4/10/11 we experienced a hail storm in our area. Our agency experienced about 100 claims from that storm. We were taking calls about 30 minutes after the storm in our office and reporting them to our call claim center for American Family Insurance. Our adjustors for our company were in the area within two to three days. We had more than 2,000 claims. Due to the volume of claims American Family Insurance assigned a catastrophe loss and a temporary CAT office for vehicle inspection was setup in the LaCrosse area for insured’s to take their vehicles to the temporary drive-in claims center.
Then, on Sunday afternoon on 5/22/11 the Sparta area experienced an F1 level tornado, causing damages to homes in the Sparta area. Once again I was in the affected areas within an hour after the storm, assisting our insured’s with their damage to their homes and mobile homes. One of our insured’s lost his mobile home and the next day our adjustors were there to pay our insured for his mobile home. I think he was very surprised how quickly we were able to assist him.
It is at these times that our customers really need us and I was glad that we were able to take care of them. The damage to my area was in no comparison of the type of destruction, damage and loss of life in the Alabama and Joplin, Missouri areas, which experienced much greater losses then we did.
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