Fingar Insurance

WHY FINGAR INSURANCE

2011-12-14T13:16:00.003-05:00

FROM THE DESK OF DOROTHY LaBOUNTY

1. Calvin and Virginia K - Client just had an Allstate auto policy with us and came in as rates went up. Re-quoted auto and rewrote with New York Central. They asked about a defensive driver class that didn’t cost $40.00. I told them I just had to cancel my class. I called the instructor and got them registered for the class at a cost of $10.00. Also, they had their homeowners with National Grange with another agent. I rewrote that with NYCM with Coupler Discount.

2. Driver insured with GEICO struck porch of our insured’s house. GEICO advised our insured he should collect under his homeowners policy as they don’t have property adjustors. Our insured did not want to use his homeowners insurance- I called GEICO several times, faxed papers, etc and followed up with the until they finally paid the claim.

Client lives on Worth Ave- can’t remember the name.

WHY FINGAR INSURANCE?

2011-12-08T08:58:00.001-05:00

I am tired of hearing folks say "I'm with Geico so you probably can't beat their price". Fact of the matter is, sometimes we can, sometimes we can't. Don't believe all you hear in advertising. So what is the advantage of doing business with a locally owned independant agency? Here's a few actual events we have handled in our office that a Direct Writer insurance company would brush you off quicker than you could dial 1-800...

FROM THE DESK OF TAMMY VINCENT:

1. William G. - rewrote his auto due to Allstate rate increase.
Erin H. - rewrote her home due to Allstate rate increase

Now keep in mind neither one of them called me- I was pro-active in making sure they rec’d the best rate. Both thanked me for being so pro-active and have referred people to me. They left here with smiles on their faces knowing their agent was looking out for them. ( okay I might be exaggerating a bit, but you get the point)

Of course one of our biggest selling points is being an independent agency where we have several companies. Do you think Geico could have done this? NO, they are exclusive.

2. William B. - got into an accident out of state- other party at fault. The other company was dragging their feet, so I made several calls to get this handled correctly.

3. Mike B. - NYCM was making us increase the liab on sons auto to meet U/W guidelines, plus added the son to the PUP which would have been an increase of $191.00. Mike was highly upset about this…called Leigh @ NYCM to see of we could up-tier them due to being a client for so long- they allowed DP tier 1 on renewal which was an annual savings of $464, less the $191 inc, he still saved $273.00- and I came out looking like a hero :)

4. Caroline F. - NYCM wanted off the house due to conditions- got the insured to do some of the work - forwarded photos to NYCM- they agreed to stay on with some changes to the policy form, ded’s etc.

5. Client couldn’t come in for photo inspection within 5 days. I stopped by their house on my way home and took care of it for them.

6. I just wanted to comment on what a wonderful job one of your staff members is doing. Last week we ran into a insurance issue and Tammy Vincent took care of it within two hours. She was fast,friendly, and very easy to work with. I wish their were more people in the world like her!

Thank you

Vanessa S.

(AGENCY OWNER'S NOTE - WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING TAMMY CLONED AFTER THIS COMMENT)

WHY FINGAR INSURANCE?

2011-11-30T11:37:00.001-05:00

1. Insured went to pick up their car from the body shop. The body panels painted were a different color blue than the rest of the vehicle. The body shop said they had problems with the paint and the Insurance Company will not pay for another paint job so she has to take vehicle as is. The insured refused and left the vehicle at the body shop and called us for help. We called the insurance company and had a representative call the body shop. We were on the other line & resolved the problem stating the body shop's a certified Insurance Company shop and they had to re-paint the car. The insured was VERY happy with the service we provided.

2. Insured’s son was in the hospital for many months. The insured has all business and personal insurance with us. Doesn’t remember what bills are due for which company and when. I totaled all 10 bills due and was able to allow the insured to make one lump sum payment at our office. I then disbursed the payment among all the bills due for the insured.

3. Insured was hit by another vehicle. Insured didn’t have collision coverage & didn’t have another vehicle to use while his car was being repaired. The insured needed to rent a car. Insured had a police report so I called other driver’s Insurance Company and reported the claim. While on the phone, I was able to approve rental vehicle for the insured at Enterprise- gave insd reservation #.

4. Activity for Therese LASTNAME: Insured parked in wrong spot and vehicle was towed however towing company towed vehicle incorrectly causing damage- advised insured no comprehensive coverage so her insurance company will not get involved but if she wants to bring in estimate for damages & name of towing company I will send letter on her behalf- told her her only recourse is small claims court.

Stay tuned for more stories next week from thje desk of Tammy Vincent!!!

Babysitter Checklist

2011-06-17T11:35:00.000-04:00

Where I will be: ______________________________

I will be home by: _____________________________

Number(s) to contact me on:_____________________

___________________________________________

If I am not reachable call: ________________________

at: _________________________________________

In Case of an Emergency:

Police: _________________________________________

Fire dept.: ______________________________________

This address:____________________________________

______________________________________________

This phone number:________________________________

If you cannot reach me in an emergency the following contacts

can be trusted to help you.

Contact 1

Name: _______________________________________

Number: ______________________________________

Address: _____________________________________

Contact 2:

Name: ________________________________________

Number: ______________________________________

Address: ______________________________________

Insurance company: ______________________________

Policy number: __________________________________

About the Children:

Names: _______________________________________

______________________________________________

Ages: _________________________________________

Bed time(s): ____________________________________

______________________________________________

Allergies: ______________________________________

______________________________________________

Medication(s): __________________________________

_____________________________________________

Additional information: _____________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

______________________________________________

* PERMISSION IS GRANTED: Any licensed physician,
dentist, or hospital may givenecessary emergency medical
service to my child at the request of the person bearing this
form with note to the allergies, medications and other information
listed above.

Signed (parent/guardian): _____________________Date: _________

Are you insured for Flood?

2011-03-21T08:55:00.000-04:00

Fingar Tips - Insurance News You Can Use

Two types of water damage: Your standard homeowners’ insurance policy will cover losses caused by water that accumulates in your home because of the accidental discharge of a system or appliance, such as a broken hose or valve. However, this same policy will NOT cover losses caused by water that collects as a result of the overflow of a body of water or surface water runoff.

Just a few inches of water from a flood can cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. During the past decade, the average flood claim has amounted to more than $33,000. Flood insurance is the best way to protect yourself from this devastating financial loss. Please contact Fingar Insurance at 518-828-4500 or mark@fingarinsurance.com today to make sure you are covered. As a reminder, flood insurance must be purchased before flooding occurs and has a 30-day waiting period from the date of the application (unless purchased in conjunction with a loan closing).

If you live in a moderate-to-low risk flood area, you can purchase a preferred risk flood policy for as little as $129 per year. Remember – about 25 percent of all flood insurance claims come from areas with moderate-to-low flood risk. In addition to investing in flood insurance, you can also protect yourself and your property by developing a family communications plan, creating an emergency kit, and keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place away from your home.

Even if you are renting an apartment or condominium, it’s important to have flood insurance. Coverage for your home’s contents (like clothing, furniture and electronics) can be purchased separately from building coverage.

If your business suffers a flood and you don’t have flood insurance, you’ll only have three options: pay recovery costs out of your pocket, take out a loan or close your doors. Avoid becoming one of the 25 percent of businesses that never reopen because of a disaster by learning about the value of flood insurance from Fingar Insurance at 518-828-4500 or mark@fingarinsurance.com.

The Golden Rule of Insurance

2011-02-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

Our philosophy is simple. We follow the Golden Rule - "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". Sounds too simple. How does this play out? We care about insuring you properly. We return phone calls. We get the best coverage at the best available price. Prompt, Curteous and Professional Customer Service. That is what we expect from others...that is what our customers receive from us

Insurance Tip for Secondary Homeowners re: Cold Weather

2010-12-07T15:44:00.001-05:00

Fingar Tips – Insurance News You Can Use

ATTENTION SECONDARY HOMEOWNERS – the cold is coming!!!

As a secondary homeowner, you should know that most of the claims we see in our office are cold weather related and most include either pipes freezing and bursting or water damming up from the gutters and entering the house through the shingles.

In regard to the pipes freezing up, secondary homeowners typically leave their homes unattended for several days a week and that is when the problem arises. The furnace will shut off for a number of reasons, the house goes cold, the pipes freeze. So far, there has been no damage. The damage happens when the house heats up and the pipes thaw. The cold caused the pipes to crack. Water then escapes the piping and damages the walls, floors, rugs, furnishings. Moisture from the water can then destroy furniture, pianos, paintings, etc.

As for the water freeze-up claims, there is a solution!!! You can purchase low temperature devices that work several ways. When the temperature in the house falls below a certain temperature (we recommend you set it to 50 degrees), some devices will turn on a light for your neighbor to see (make it a red bulb) or some will dial a phone number to alert you or a caretaker the temp has dropped. These devices are relatively inexpensive…but can save you thousands of dollars and many months of hard work repairing or replacing damaged items. No matter how painless an insurance claim looks on a TV commercial, I can tell you that you do not want to have a water claim like this…it is messy.

The way to prevent water dam claims is to get a roof rake (sold at hardware stores) and remove the snow on your roof. Not all the snow, but rather just the first 3 to 4 feet of snow starting at the edge of the roof. This allows the water to run freely down the shingles where most of it will evaporate. The snow in the gutters typically will prevent the water from leaving the roof. The water then freezers over the eves where there is no heat escaping. The ensuing water then backs its way up the roof and under the shingles and into your attic.

Mark W. Fingar, Vice President
Certified Insurance Counselor
mark@fingarinsurance.com
518) 828-4500

Fire Prevention - good stuff

2010-10-24T10:17:00.000-04:00

Heating safety tips

Heating equipment is a leading cause of home fire deaths. Almost half of home heating equipment fires are reported during the months of December, January, and February. Some simple steps can prevent most heating-related fires from happening.
Safety tips

•Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating equipment, like the furnace, fireplace, wood stove, or portable space heater.
•Have a three-foot “kid-free zone” around open fires and space heaters.
•Never use your oven to heat your home.
•Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer’s instructions.
•Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
•Remember to turn portable heaters off when leaving the room or going to bed.
•Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel burning space heaters.
•Make sure the fireplace has a sturdy screen to stop sparks from flying into the room. Ashes should be cool before putting them in a metal container. Keep the container a safe distance away from your home.
•Test smoke alarms monthly.
Smoke Alarms

Smoke alarms should be installed on every level of the home (including the basement), outside each sleeping area, and inside each bedroom. Larger homes may need additional smoke alarms. Never remove or disable smoke alarms.

Interconnection of smoke alarms is highly recommended; when one smoke alarm sounds, they all do. (This is particularly important in larger or multi-story homes, where the sound from distant smoke alarms may be reduced to the point that it may not be loud enough to provide proper warning, especially for sleeping individuals.) A licensed electrician can install hard-wired multiple-station alarms. Wireless alarms, which manufacturers have more recently begun producing, can be installed by the homeowner.

There are two types of smoke alarm technologies – ionization and photoelectric. An ionization smoke alarm is generally more responsive to flaming fires – like a pan fire or the smoke from cooking. A photoelectric alarm is generally more responsive to smoldering fires – like a cigarette, overheated wiring or something hot like a space heater. Install both types of alarms in your home or combination ionization and photoelectric alarms that take advantage of both technologies.

Test smoke alarms at least monthly by pushing the test button. If an alarm “chirps,” warning the battery is low, replace the battery right away.

All smoke alarms, including alarms that use 10-year batteries and those that are hard-wired alarms, should be replaced when they’re 10 years old (or sooner) if they do not respond properly when tested.

Never remove or disable a smoke alarm.

Smoke alarms for the deaf and hard of hearing

There are some smoke alarms with strobes or the ability to be used with strobes – also called visible notification appliances – that signal to awaken those that are deaf (those with profound hearing loss). The use of tactile notification appliances (such as a pillow or bed shaker) is also now required, and activated by the sound of the smoke alarm. The means for signaling to awaken those who are hard of hearing (those with mild to severe hearing loss) is through the use of a complex low frequency audible signal. Smoke alarms currently on the market do not produce this signal. However, separate notification appliances are available that do produce this signal, and are activated by the sound of the smoke alarm.

Reproduced from NFPA's Fire Prevention Week Web site, www.firepreventionweek.org. ©2010 NFPA.

Accident Surcharge Threshold to increase

2010-09-29T20:33:00.000-04:00

Effective 9/28/2010 for new car insurance policies and 11/27/2010 for renewal car insurance policies, the accident surcharge threshold will be increased from $1,000 to $2,000. What does this mean? If you were involved in an at-fault accident, the damages were between $1,000 and $2,000 and you are currently being surcharged, you could see a reduction in premium next time your policy renews.

Currently, if you are involved in an accident and you are at fault AND the amount of damage is greater than $1,000, your car insurance premium will be surcharged approximately 20%. For example if you were paying $500 a year on car insurance, your premium would increase to $600 when your policy renewed. This lasts for 39 months (3 years, 3 months).

With this new change, if the damages were less than $2,000, you would not be surcharged. This is a good thing for insureds. However, insurance companies are currently working out the details with the insurance department on how exactly to implement these changes so don't expect anything too soon.

Submitted by: Mark W. Fingar, Certified Insurance Counselor
Vice President, Fingar Insurance

FaceBook aids burglars

2010-07-22T14:46:00.000-04:00

The Register Star in Hudson ran this story on July 14, 2010 -

HILLSDALE — Information garnered from a Facebook page helped two female burglars figure out the best time to a enter a Hillsdale home, according to the New York State Police.

Eighteen-year-old Jessica Schwed and Jennifer Montague, 17, both of Philmont, allegedly broke into the house July 10 and stole a flat screen TV, computer, video game system and a large quantity of alcohol while the homeowner was on vacation and their daughter was at work.

State Police Inv. Abdul Weed obtained information Sunday evening that the two suspects had sold the stolen items around Hudson, said authorities, and he and Troopers Eric Buchinsky, Mike Castle, Jeremy Proper, Andrew Behrens and Wayne Oles recovered much of the merchandise.

The two girls were then arrested and charged with second-degree burglary, a class C felony.

Police said they later determined that Schwed was familiar with the daughter and found out when she would be at work from her Facebook page.

Schwed solicited the help of her accomplice, Montague, said authorities.

Both girls were arraigned in Greenport Town Court before Judge Robert Brenzel. Schwed was released on $1,000 cash bail and Montague was remanded to the Columbia County Jail in lieu of $1,000 bail pending future court appearances.

“She learned a valuable lesson about what shouldn’t be on (her Facebook page),” said Weed of the victim’s daughter.

Weed said this was his first personal encounter with Facebook being used this way, but said that there had been other cases handled by the State Police.

Facebook, the largest social networking site in the world, has more than 300 million users.

According to Legal & General, a British financial services company, a survey of more than 2,000 social media users found that nearly four in 10 — 38 percent — of users of sites such as Facebook and Twitter have posted status updates detailing their holiday plans, while 33 percent have posted when they would be away for the weekend.

“Coupled with the finding that an alarmingly high proportion of users are prepared to be ‘friends’ online with people they don’t really know, this presents a serious security risk for people’s home and possessions,” wrote the company in its report titled “Digital Criminal Report.”

Recent news reports from Indiana and Virginia tell similar tales of victims giving out too much information on their Facebook posts that allowed burglars to figure out when their victims would be absent.

Weed said people need to be very careful about what information they give out on these sites.

Across the country and world Facebook and other social networking sites have been used by criminals of all stripes, from cyberbullies to sex offenders, based on numerous reports.

In March a man in Nebraska allegedly set up a Facebook account under a fake name to lure his ex-girlfriend to an apartment building where he shot her, while a Connecticut man who allegedly sexually assaulted five teenage girls in 2008 met all the victims on different social networking sites, according to various news reports.

Facebook recommends users choose their “friends just as carefully on Facebook as ... in real life (and) use the privacy tools to restrict more sensitive updates to your closest friends."

Maximize your insurance dollars in 2010

2010-03-22T08:53:00.000-04:00

© 2010 The Insurance Information Institute
In the beginning months of the New Year, many consumers will be making resolutions, including about saving money. There are several ways to save money on insurance, but consumers should be careful about the ways in which they cut their insurance costs, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

“Money is tight right now and many people are looking for ways to cut costs,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and consumer spokesperson for the I.I.I. “However, there are smart ways that savvy consumers can save on their home and auto insurance, and there are mistakes that can result in being dangerously underinsured.”

Following are the five biggest insurance mistakes consumers should avoid:
Insuring a home for its real estate value rather than for the cost of rebuilding. When real estate prices go down, some homeowners may think they can reduce the amount of insurance on their home. But insurance is designed to cover the cost of rebuilding, not the sales price of the home. You should make sure that you have enough coverage to completely rebuild your home and replace your belongings. A better way to save: Raise your deductible. An increase from $500 to $1,000 could save up to 25 percent on your premium payments.
Selecting an insurance company by price alone. It is important to choose a company with competitive prices, but also one that is financially sound and provides good customer service. A better way to save: Check the financial health of a company with independent rating agencies and ask friends and family for recommendations. You should select an insurance company that will respond to your needs and handle claims fairly and efficiently.
Dropping flood insurance. Damage from flooding is not covered under standard homeowners and renters insurance policies. Coverage is available from the National Flood Insurance Program, as well as from some private insurance companies. Many homeowners are unaware they are at risk for flooding, but in fact 25 percent of all flood losses occur in low-risk areas. A better way to save: Before purchasing a home, check with the NFIP to check whether it is in a flood zone; if so, consider a less risky area. If you are already living in a flood zone area, look at mitigation efforts that can reduce your risk of flood damage and consider purchasing flood insurance.
Only purchasing the legally required amount of liability for your car. In today's litigious society, buying only the minimum amount of liability means you are likely to pay more out-of-pocket – and those costs may be steep. A better way to save: Consider dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage on older cars worth less than $1,000. The insurance industry and consumer groups generally recommend a minimum of $100,000 of bodily injury protection per person and $300,000 per accident.
Neglecting to buy renters insurance. A renter’s policy covers your possessions and additional living expenses if you have to move out due to a disaster. Equally important, it provides liability protection in the event someone is injured in your home and decides to sue. A better way to save: Look into multi-policy discounts. Buying several policies with the same insurer, such as renters, auto and life will generally provide savings.

“By taking a few simple steps, it is possible to cut costs and still be protected should disaster strike,” pointed out Salvatore. “When money is tight, it is extremely important to be financially protected with the right amount and type of insurance.”