Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy will rate as one of the costliest U S Hurricanes ever.  Here in the Midwest we watched the photos from the media and are fortunate to not incur damage in the central states region.  Here are some insurance facts about the damage. 

According to initial estimates Sandy will be one of the five costliest hurricanes to date putting insured losses between $10 billion and $20 billion. These figures would make sandy the third costliest storm. Katrina in 2005 was $46.6 billion and Andres in 1992 was $22.9 billion.  According to an insurance industry source, total economic damage will range $30 to $50 billion.

What are the implications and initial conclusions that we can learn from a storm such as Sandy?

·         Make sure you review your present insurance.

·         Take photos and make inventory lists of your home or business before losses occur. These will help you to establish claims.

·         Flood insurance is not included in property insurance but is available.  Even in areas that are not generally considered as flood zones, coverage is available. For example flood insurance can be important in heavy rain storms.

·         Review your insurance for sewer and sump pump failure.  Water damage that backs up in sewers or floor drains; or from sump pumps that fail or overflow are not covered unless you have additional coverage.

·         Business interruption for businesses is a coverage that is not well understood. Review your coverage to make sure you have adequate limits. In the event of a catastrophic storm such as Sandy, the time to rebuild can be much longer than estimated. 

If you have questions about your specific coverage, please feel free to contact any of the staff at Nixon Insurance Agency Inc.  We are here to serve you

Dave Nixon

Owner, Nixon Insurance Agency Inc.

Yes Deer

October through early December is the time of the year when automobile and deer collisions increase dramatically.   Illinois does not have the highest incident rate in the country but according to the Illinois Department of Transportation, in 2011 there were 18,037 deer crashes which account for 6.4% of all accidents.  Over 70% of the deer crashes occur at night. 

Here are some tips to avoid or reduce a deer collision:

Be aware of posted deer crossing signs as they are placed in active deer crossings.

Use high beam headlamps as much as possible to illuminate the areas surrounding roadways.

Keep in mind that generally deer travel in herds, if you see one there is a strong possibility there are others nearby.

If a deer collision is inevitable, do not swerve as you could lose control of your car or move into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

Slow down and wear your seat belts.

If you do have a deer accident, the damage to your vehicle is covered under the comprehensive coverage of the automobile policy and as a result, many times has a lower deductible than your collision coverage has.  Check your policy to make sure you have coverage for rental of a replacement vehicle while you vehicle is being repaired.

David H Nixon CIC

President, Nixon Insurance Agency Inc