Do you know the most common residential insurance claims? Learn what they are so that you can prepare your home this fall. That way, you'll prevent expensive repairs and possible insurance rate spikes before winter weather strikes. 1. Water Damage From a leaking roof to cracked pipes, water damage can ruin your home and possessions. Inspect the roof and make any repairs before heavy snow and ice arrive. Clean and repair rain gutters, too, to ensure water runs off into the street instead of saturating the ground around your basement. 2. Fire Damage Unexpected cooking or heating source fires can quickly level a home. While you'll want to test your indoor smoke detector batteries and practice the escape plan, replace furnace filters and clean the chimney, too. Then, inspect the exterior of the chimney to remove bird nests and ensure it is in safe working order. 3. Storm and Wind Damage Snow, ice and wind storms damage fences and roofs. Take time now to trim trees and remove dead or low-hanging branches that could do the most damage around your property. Nail loose siding into place and secure patio furniture, bicycles and other loose items inside the shed to prevent them from flying away or being damaged. 4. Visitor Accidents Uneven sidewalk, loose railings and worn deck stairs could cause your winter visitors to slip and fall. Fix these problems now. Also, stock ice melt and a sturdy shovel so that you can remove ice and snow as soon as bad weather starts and before anyone suffers an injury. 5. Animal Bites Prevent your dog from biting or attacking anyone when you repair the fence so that it can't escape the yard. Ensure the lock is tight as well. When visitors come into your yard, tie your dog securely to a post with a sturdy leash. These five common insurance claims could affect you, but preventative measures go a long way toward protecting your family, home and visitors this winter. While you're at it, ensure your home insurance policy is up to date. Add liability coverage or an umbrella policy if necessary when you talk to your agent today.

Witches, ghosts, and goblins, oh my! That’s right, Halloween is around the corner and as you are shopping for the perfect costume and making your Halloween plans, we wanted to share with you some fun facts about Halloween that we bet you didn’t know.

1. The mask for Michael Myers was designed using the likeness of William Shatner’s character on Star Trek. What did William Shatner think about that? He was honored.
2. Jack o’ Lanterns were originally carved out of turnips and not pumpkins.
3. The word witch actually means ‘wise woman’ from Old English.
4. If you have a fear of Halloween then you are suffering from samhainophobia.
5. Chocolate is the coveted candy of Halloween with over 50% of children vying for it.
6. In 1993, Norm Carver was awarded the world record for growing the largest pumpkin ever. The size of the pumpkin was 836 pounds. Now that’s a lot of pumpkin pie!
7. Halloween is the second-most commercial American holiday, bringing the candy industry $2 billion in revenue—that’s 90 million pounds of candy!**
8. Historians believe Halloween began in Ireland over 2,000 years ago.
9. Salem, Massachusetts and Anoka, Minnesota both proclaim to be the Halloween capital.
10. In the 1880’s Candy Corn was originally known as “Chicken Feed.”**

From all of your friends at Cadence Insurance, we wish you a Happy Halloween! Content provided by Transformer Marketing. Sources: http://facts.randomhistory.com/halloween-facts.html ** - http://www.businessinsider.com/13-facts-you-never-knew-about-halloween-2013-10

When you get your employee back to work after an injury everyone benefits. The employee has less stress from financial and job worries, they maintain their job skills and their recovery time may be shortened. It also alleviates depression that can accompany an extended period of inactivity. You should get your employee back to work but safety must be a priority. These tips will help. Communication is Key -- An employee who is off work for an extended period of time can become disconnected from their employer. It is important that the supervisor or a contact from your company maintain positive communication on a regular basis. Keep them Connected -- Ask the employee about things they may need when they return to work that would make their transition back to work easier. Talk about possible part time or a telework schedule as a temporary solution to get the employee back to work. Check on the Employee Regularly -- Once the employee is back at work, communicate with them regularly by phone, email and face to face. Get feedback on how they are transitioning, what needs they may have and any accommodations they might require. Communicate with the Doctor -- Your employee's doctor is required to send you a Work Status Report (DWC Form-073) after the initial visit with the employee. Subsequent visits will be documented and you will receive reports periodically. The purpose of this is to keep you abreast of the employee's progress as well as the extent of the injuries. Find Work Assignments the Employee can do -- Section IV of the Work Status Report details what the employee is able to do. See if anything on the task analysis lines up with any portion of their regular work. If they can still perform any portion then talk to the doctor and employee about returning to work on a partial duty restriction. Monitor Closely -- The last thing you want is a secondary injury occurring because the employee pushed too hard or tried to do too much. Monitor not only their work and production but also make sure they are following any orders or restrictions the doctor has assigned. A transition back to work is good for all involved but you can't rush it. Be smart about it; maintain communication and follow doctor's orders and you will have your employee back on full duty in no time. Content provided by Transformer Marketing. Sources: http://www.tdi.texas.gov/wc/rtw/documents/rtwguide.pdf

When an employee is injured on the job there is a specific protocol that you must follow to report the injury and begin the steps to determine eligibility for worker's compensation. This information will help you navigate the process. The Employer's First Report of Injury or Illness (DWC Form-001)

1. This form, the DWC Form-001, must be filed with your insurance carrier no later than eight days from the day that your employee cannot work:
   1. More than one day because of an injury sustained on the job
   2. Immediately if the injury is a death or occupational disease
2. The employee must be given a copy of the DWC Form-001 once it is completed and is filed. The employee should also receive a copy of the Employee's Rights and Responsibilities.
3. Report the injury to your insurance carrier via that company's specified reporting methods.

Work Status Report (DWC Form-073)

When your employee is injured he or she should be seen by a doctor. When the examination is complete, the doctor will complete a DWC Form-073 and send it to you. This form addresses the work abilities or restrictions of the employee.

OSHA Requirements

When a DWC Form-001 is completed and submitted to your insurance carrier it will fulfill OSHA reporting requirements where applicable. There are some workplace injuries that OSHA does not record. Additionally, there are some industries that are not required to report to OSHA so they are exempt from the record keeping. It is advisable to know before an injury occurs if your business is exempt from OSHA reporting and record keeping. You can contact the OSHCON program to get that information (1-800-687-7080).

Disputing a Claim

If you believe that your employee's injury did not occur at work you should contact your insurance carrier to contest it. If you have any documentation or information to support your belief, present it at that time. If the carrier accepts liability for the claim or continues to accept it they you should file these two forms:

1. Employer's Contest of Compensability (DWC Form-004)
2. Request to Schedule, Reschedule or Cancel a Benefit Review Conference (BRC) (DWC Form-045)

There will be a Benefit Review conference at a local TDI-DWC office that you must attend and present any documentation or other evidence. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.

The complex and widely diverse nature of inland marine insurance can prove to be challenging to insurance carriers as well as the customers who need it. Because of the nature of this type of insurance, policies can be difficult to navigate. However, filing a claim for loss typically only involves a Property Loss Report that is filed with the insurance company. This form is fairly straightforward, but must be completed accurately to avoid any delays or rejections. The report is obtained from the customer's insurance agency and is usually completed by the insured. There are several types of information that are captured and are vital to accurate processing of the claim.

Member or Insured Information

This captures the insured or contact person's name, phone and other contact information.

Loss Information

The date and time of loss as well as location is captured here. It is important that the person completing the form strives to be as accurate as possible. The type of loss is also noted, whether it was theft, vandalism, fire or something else. The description of loss is vital and should be completed with as much detail as possible. If the property can be repaired that too should be noted on the form.

Property Information

The property that has been lost, damaged or destroyed should be described in detail. This should include a serial number, model number, brand as well as a good physical description. The property owner should be noted as well as the property's value. If an accurate value cannot be obtained (if the property is old or unique to that company) then an estimated value is appropriate.

Reports

If the incident involved the police, fire department or other entity and a report was filed that information must be included on the Property Loss Report. It should capture the agency that filed the report, the address and phone number of that office as well as the officer's name. The case number should also be included.

Insurance

Since the Property Loss Form is filed with the insurance company, the insurance information is usually already present. In the event that it is not, the policy holder's name and contact number as well as the policy information and policy number, must be included. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.

How much insurance do I need on my home?

This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. You should have an amount of insurance that is sufficient to rebuild your home in the event it is totally destroyed by a fire, tornado, hurricane or other insured catastrophe. It’s estimated that about 60 percent of American homes are underinsured by an average of 22 percent, according to a company that provides building-cost data to the insurance industry. Your home is probably your largest single investment, so insuring it adequately is an important part of maintaining your financial independence. The amount of insurance should cover the cost of rebuilding your home at current construction costs, not including the value of the land. Don’t think about the price you paid for your home or the appraised value. The cost of rebuilding could be more or less than the price you paid or could sell it for today. Besides the cost of materials and labor you normally consider when thinking about building a home, there are other considerations such as

• The expense of clearing debris from the lot before rebuilding can begin
• Fees for an architect or other design professional to estimate costs and produce plans to be followed by the contractor
• Rapid inflation in the cost of building materials and labor following a major catastrophe that affects a number of homes in the same area
• Local building codes that require replacement with additional features or more expensive materials

Debris Removal When rebuilding a home after a loss, you can’t start the process until the lot has been cleared of the debris. This is an additional expense you wouldn’t incur if you were building a home from scratch. All insurance policies pay for this expense, but some pay more than others. Some policies pay debris removal expenses in full, but the payments reduce the amount of insurance available to replace the home. Other policies provide an additional limit for debris removal expenses on top of the amount available to replace the home, usually 5 percent or more of the limit of insurance shown on the policy for your home. Extended Replacement Cost Coverage After a major hurricane or a tornado, building materials and construction workers are often in great demand. This can push rebuilding costs above homeowners policy limits, leaving you without enough money to cover the bill. To protect against such a situation, you can buy a policy that pays more than the policy limits. An extended replacement cost policy will pay an additional amount – up to 20 percent or more – above the limits, depending on the insurance company. A guaranteed replacement cost policy will pay whatever it costs to rebuild your home as it was before the fire or other disaster. Not all insurers offer these features, so be sure to ask us to find an insurance company that does offer them if this exposure is important to you. Building codes Local building codes are updated periodically and may have changed significantly since your home was built. If your home is badly damaged, the building officials in your community may require you to rebuild it to meet new building codes. Some communities require you to demolish undamaged parts of the home if they determine the damage exceeds a certain percentage of its value. Most insurance policies include the extra expense of rebuilding to code, up to a certain dollar amount like $5,000 or a certain percentage of the limit like 10 percent. But the amount provided generally does not increase the limit of insurance. Most insurance companies offer an additional limit for building code coverage for an additional premium. To fully cover the additional costs related to required building code enforcement, you must add the necessary amount to the limit of insurance or purchase additional coverage if offered by the insurance company. Whose Job Is It to Determine the Proper Amount of Insurance? Ultimately it is your responsibility to establish the value of your property and select the amount of insurance for your policy. We can help with that decision and explain what you can do to avoid an unpleasant surprise after a loss. Help Is Available There are several resources available to help you determine an appropriate amount of insurance on your home. Remember: Home values and rebuilding costs change all the time, so it’s a good idea to do this annually when your policy renews.

• Obtain a real estate appraisal from a qualified professional. Unfortunately, the cost of such an appraisal may be prohibitive, but some insurance companies who specialize in writing higher-valued homes pay for such appraisals as a service to their policyholders.
• Use the insurance company’s replacement cost estimator. Almost all major insurers offer this service. It is an automated program provided by a leading aggregator of building cost data (such as Marshall & Swift (www.marshallswift.com). You provide information on your home – such as square footage, type of construction and special features – to input into the computer program. Some insurance companies will provide “guaranteed replacement cost” coverage if you agree to purchase the limit of insurance recommended by the replacement cost estimator.
• Use your own replacement cost estimator. For example, AccuCoverage by Marshall & Swift (www.accucoverage.com) will provide a real-time estimate based on the information you submit on their website for a fee of $7.95 charged to your credit card.
• Talk to a local home builder. But keep in mind that they are usually building new homes from “scratch.” The cost per square foot for new construction is generally less the cost to rebuild. Ask the builder what a typical cost per square foot is for remodeling or adding a room to home – that’s generally closer to the actual cost of rebuilding a damaged home.

This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content. Some of the content for this article was reproduced with permission by the Insurance Information Institute (www.iii.org). Please read your insurance policy. If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply. The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,700 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.

    http://tiadaannualconference.com/schedule-events/ http://www.txiada.com/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1  

When many people think about summer safety, they think about how to stay as safe as possible during outdoor activities. If you're going to be playing on a softball league, for example, you might think about ways to avoid injury. Those methods can include making sure that you're buying the right type of shoes, owning the proper equipment and making sure to take time to stretch before every big game. Many people don't think about the real source of danger that everyone faces during the summer: the sun. Heat safety for your health this summer will include a few important tips that you should make sure that you're using on a daily basis. Staying Hydrated One of the most important things to remember about heat safety for your health this summer is to make sure that you're staying hydrated. For years, doctors have recommended that the average person drink around eight glasses of water per day. If you're planning on performing a large number of physical activities outside, however, you're going to want to increase that number by at least two to three glasses to stay on the safe side. As a general rule of thumb, always drink around a glass of water an hour to stay hydrated during those warm summer months of the year. Remember that soda and other beverages are not viable alternatives to water. Rest Periods As the temperature starts increasing, so should the frequency at which you take rest breaks during your outdoor activities. Baseball is a great summer activity because it features a lot of downtime. You aren't being physically active for the entire game - sometimes you're standing in the outfield, unmoving. Other times you're sitting on a bench waiting to bat. Baseball has rest periods built right in, but other sports aren't so lucky. If you're planning outdoor football, street hockey or any other type of physically demanding activity, make sure that you're taking at least one fifteen minute break every 1.5 hours to prevent overheating and general dehydration. These rest periods will also help keep everyone at their best. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.

Knowing whether you live in a flood zone is critical when it comes to protecting your home and family. Guessing or simply assuming that you are safe is not a good decision. There are several sources available that you can use to determine your risk and some of these can provide very detailed results. 1 - www.floodsafety.com/texas Regional information in available through this link. Maps cover Austin, Dallas, Houston, Central Texas and San Antonio. You can also get more detail information from a main map that provides a color indicator of flood danger areas from Dallas through Waco, Temple and Austin down to San Antonio. This area is referred to as Flash Flood Alley. A downloadable, printable poster is available for extra convenience. Additional links provide stream flow information and flash flood zones by sections based on the number of flood events from 1986 through 1999. Up to date data is available for peak stream flows at http://waterdata.usgs.gov/tx/nwis/peak. 2 - http://www.fema.gov/risk-map-flood-risk-products Going directly to the FEMA.gov website will connect you to a large database of free, downloadable products including Flood Risk Maps (FRMs). These maps will provide you with specific information for your area including potential flood depth levels. Information is also available for areas that are undergoing changes in risk level. Additional Danger Areas The Lower Colorado River area presents dangers when the river overflows banks and basins. Problems also occur along the Rio Grande and Nueces River. Coastal areas are subject to storm surges during hurricanes. Keep in mind that you do not have to pay to access the flood risk maps on FEMA or other government websites. The information is provided at no charge in order to help you stay safe. Texas residents need to realize that coastal areas are not the only sections defined as flood zones. During flood season, many areas are at risk. Your homeowners insurance does protect you from many storm perils; unfortunately, floods are not covered. Check current flood risk areas and make sure you have a flood insurance policy that provides your home and family with the protection you need. Content provided by Transformer Marketing. Sources: http://www.fema.gov/risk-map-flood-risk-products, http://floodsafety.com/texas/regional_info/knowyourzone.htm, http://www.floodsafety.com/media/maps/index.htm