R&R Insurance Blog

It only takes a few inches of water in a basement to cause tens of thousands of dollars in damage. The average water damage claim, including sump pump overflow, results in approximately $6,000 worth of damage. Unfortunately, many homeowners often overlook this protection on their homeowners policy. This can easily be added with a separate endorsement called "back up of sewer and drain" with many of the carriers we represent here at R&R Insurance.

A standard homeowners policy will not have coverage for a sump pump, or any existing drainage system, and the back ups are also not covered by flood insurance so it's a very valuable endorsement to add. The average lifespan of a sump pump is about 10 years, and eventually they do wear out, but there are a few regular maintenance checks you can do as a homeowner:

NOTE: Make sure the power cord is unplugged before any maintenance.

1. Clear the debris from the basin - Make sure any unwanted items are not stored in the basin cause the float mechanism to fail. Test the float itself and make sure it's not burned out. Fill up the pit with water, and make sure it both starts and stops as it's supposed to.
2. Inspect the "check" valve - The check valve's arrow should not be pointing toward the sump pump, and it should be set up so that when the sump pump shuts off no water will go back into the pump.
3. Clean the weep hole and/or the impeller - Some pumps have a small hole between the pump and check valve, you can clean it with a tiny object like a toothpick, but be careful not to break anything into the hole. The impeller is a small filter that can become clogged, if you hear a whining noise, it could be the impeller - and it could use a good cleaning to work properly.
4. Smells - Typical odors are caused from the sump pump's trap. You can eliminate it by using a bleach water mixture to clean the basin or you can fill the basin until the sump pump engages and cycles the water to help eliminate odors.
5. Back-up power - A back up power supply or a generator is a great idea to avoid overflow when you have an outage! Most power outages are caused by thunderstorms that bring a substantial amount of rain.

Wisconsin residents, contact an R&R knowledgebroker about adding the proper protection for your home.

A recent survey of insurers estimates that pemiums will almost triple for a 27 year-old man in 2014 as a result of the federal health reform law. Those in the health insurance industry would like to see those restrictions loosened making insurance more affordable for younger adults.

The facts: it costs six times as much to insure a 64 year-old than an 18 year-old. Simply tripling the insurance cost for an 18 year-old to help subsidize older individuals will be unaffordable and thus they will elect to be uninsured (not helping subsidize for the older age pool).

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) regulates the health insurance market in three ways:

1. All Americans must secure health coverage.
2. Because everyone must carry coverage, the law requires insurers to sell policies to whomever wants to buy them. There is also "guaranteed issue" meaning insurance carriers cannot deny coverage because of health status or history.
3. In an attempt to control the cost of coverage, there is "community rating": the law prevents insurers from charging older individuals more than three times what they charge younger individuals.

Providing a perspective from health insurance underwriters, Janet Trautwein, CEO of the National Association of Health Underwriters, has outlined the affects of health care reform: How to Help with Healthcare "Sticker Shock".

For questions on how PPACA affects the State of Wisconsin, please contact knowledgebroker & WAHU President Pete Frittitta.

When shopping for health insurance, businesses receive more advantages. Companies typically purchase insurance for an entire group thus giving more room for negotiating to keep costs down. This is a direct correlation as to why 63% of Americans were satisfied with coverage provided by their employer - it is affordable.

Today, the money an employer spends on health insurance is untaxed. So every dollar an employer spends, the employee receives a dollar's worth of benefits. However, individuals buying their own health insurance do not receive such tax breaks. They are paying for their own insurance AFTER taxes and NOT receiving a dollar's worth of benefits.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) is starting to change the employer-paid coverage landscape. Providing a perspective from health insurance underwriters, Janet Trautwein, CEO of the National Association of Health Underwriters, has outlined the affects of health care reform: Preserving What Works: The Perks of Employer-Provided Coverage.

For questions on how PPACA affects the State of Wisconsin, please contact knowledgebroker & WAHU President Pete Frittitta.

Individual market claims costs, and in turn insurance costs, will soar as a result of Health Care Reform! Research sponsored by the Society of Actuaries predicts health care reform-driven changes in individual market composition could drive up underlying claims costs by an average of 32 percent nationally by 2017. The research also predicts high variability among states, with as many as 43 states experiencing a double-digit claims cost increase.

Check out what’s predicted for the Wisconsin individual market and in other states.

We welcome you to join in the conversation with our LinkedIN group dedicated to discussions for business owners on Obamacare: Strategies for Business To Survive. Read articles, download documents, join the conversation, and add your expertise!

The snow which blanketed communities throughout Wisconsin this winter is melting on top of frozen earth. When combined with the inevitable springtime rains, excessive run off could produce record flooding.

Many people are unaware that their homeowner's policy does not cover their property and possessions in the event of a flood. Flood insurance covers the direct physical losses caused by floods, flood-related erosion, severe rainstorms, flash floods and mudslides.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), almost all Wisconsin homeowners (99%) lack proper flood insurance. Can you imagine what it would cost to recover from a flood? And are you prepared to foot that bill if it ends up happening? In most cases, the answers to these questions are no and no.

Top Ten Reasons to Have Flood Insurance:

1. Be Flood Smart! Spring flooding is almost here and there is a 30-day waiting period before coverage begins. You can’t simply wait for it to start raining before you call to obtain coverage.
2. Coverage is relatively inexpensive with an annual average premium between $300 and $400 for approximately $100,000 of coverage.
3. You can depend on being reimbursed for flood damages because NFIP flood insurance is backed by the federal government, even if the President does not declare a federal disaster.
4. You do not have to repay flood insurance benefits, and your premium will not go up because you make a claim.
5. You become eligible for additional benefits to elevate, strengthen or move your building.
6. Renters can purchase flood insurance contents coverage for their personal belongings or business inventory.
7. Basement coverage includes cleanup expense and items such as furnaces, water heaters, washers, dryers, air conditioners, freezers, utility connections, and pumps.
8. You can request a partial payment immediately after the flood, which can help you recover even faster.
9. Buying flood insurance is the best thing you can do to protect your home and business, and your family's financial security from a flood.
10. Your standard home policy does not cover damages caused by flood.

Wisconsin residents, for more information about your homeowner's policy or flood coverage, or to find out if your home is in a flood zone, contact a knowledgebroker today.

A reminder from our friends at Kelman Restoration - certain things should never be put in the dishwasher. As the photo shows us, never put a wooden spoon in your dishwasher. In the case of this insured, the spoon fell between the cracks and landed on top of the heat coil, resulting in a fire.

Other items to avoid putting in your dishwasher:

• Acrylic
• Adhesive-joined pieces all aluminum
• Antiques
• Blown glass
• Bronze
• Cast iron
• China with metallic decoration
• Crystal
• Disposable plastics NOT labeled "dishwasher-safe"
• Flatware with bone, plastic, or wood inlays or handles
• Gold-plated flatware
• Iron
• Knives
• Many nonstick pots and pans
• Milk glass
• Pewter
• Rubber tools
• Tin

Remember, dishwashers can catch on fire. Wisconsin residents, contact a R&R knowledgebroker to ensure all aspects of your home are properly covered.

Within a month of your policy renewing, you'll receive a declaration page along with policy information. We've come up with 5 "P's" to remember what to do when you receive this - It makes it easy!

• Preview your policy - Look for changes you've made, i.e.:
  • Did you pay off your car or your home?
  • Did you switch jobs/change your commute?
  • Does your new teen driver qualify for the “good student discount”?
• Packaged? You can save money if you have your items packaged together...home, autos, recreational vehicles, life insurance)
• Proof – Put your new proof of insurance or auto identification cards in the glove box of your vehicle. You are required to have auto insurance in the state of Wisconsin and this way you'll have it if you need it!
• Payment – making your payment lets the insurance company know that you'll be continuing coverage. The grace periods for late payments are different with each insurance company and some do not allow for a grace periods so it’s important make the payment on time. This is a good time to look at the billing options: monthly, quarterly, or annually by automatic withdrawls or invoices.
• Phone – if you have any question at all, please call us.

Wisconsin residents, if you'd like us to evaluate your policy, please contact us. We appreciate the trust you place in R&R Insurance and our staff!

ERISA is one of those areas of HR administration that is probably not high on the list of most HR practitioners' favorite things to do. And, honestly, many simply don't have enough people to spend sufficient time on plan issues. The Department of Labor has recently hired more than 1,000 new employees to - you guessed it - make sure you are in compliance!

An increased chance of an audit means that HR departments need to confirm these things:

• The people running the plan know the plan document inside and out
• Plan operations must be in compliance with the plan document
• The plan document must be in compliance with laws and regulations -- all required amendments must be made.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you know if you offer ERISA health and welfare benefits to your employees?
2. Do you have an ERISA plan document?
3. Do you know what needs to be included in your ERISA plan document (known also as an ERISA wrap-document)?

Here's a link to the full article found in HREOnline.com. Should you have any questions regarding your ERISA compliance or anything regarding your health insurance or benefits packages, please contact knowledgebroker Jane Shevey.

Assume for a minute a disaster strikes your community – a tornado – maybe a major ice storm – an industrial explosion – or a fire in a water/sewer facility.

What is your next step to keep your municipal operations functional?

Take a look at this heart wrenching video of Kentucky Mayors reliving the January 2009 Ice Storm – the largest to ever hit the state.

What do your residents want?

1. Toilets that flush.
2. Water pressure in faucets.
3. Communication and information on what’s happening.
4. Police and fire services.

The League of Wisconsin Municipalities Insurance Trust (Trust) has purchased a service (no cost to your community) that will do the following:

• Arrange for priority delivery of emergency generators, communication equipment and temporary office space
• Assistance in orchestrating logistics and connecting the equipment
• All within 24 – 48 hours of the event

Yes – You may already have a contingency or disaster plan – but, does it include information on generator hook ups and vendors that guarantee equipment, fuel and service for you?

Yes – You have access to the County Emergency Disaster Coordinator – so do all the other county municipalities, schools and private businesses.

The Trust has teamed with a nationally recognized Disaster Recovery Service: AGILITY RECOVERY, which provides the assets and resources to service Wisconsin LWMMI Insureds, including generators, satellite voice and data connectivity, computers and portable office units. Maybe even more important, Agility will help your staff create or enhance your existing Disaster Plan, thereby ensuring the right pieces of the puzzle are in place during the chaos of a disaster.

What do you need to do? Direct your staff to contact Sandy Hagen or Dennis Tweedale at 608-833-9595 or sandra@lwmmi.org for more information. If you are not part of the LWMMI Trust program, contact knowledgebroker Rick Kalscheuer for more information.

The Trustees thank you for participating in the LWMMI Insurance Program. Our mission is to work together, ensuring Wisconsin Municipalities provide the quality services our residents expect.

More images from the 2009 Kentucky Ice Storms