With the election of Donald Trump as the 45^th President of the United States, changes are coming to the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. The process has already started in Congress to fully repeal the law, leaving millions wondering what will happen to their coverage.

From an insurance agency standpoint, the answer to that is: we don’t fully know, yet. Some analysts estimate that any changes to the law would take 18-24 months to fully implement. As stated in BenefitsPro.com’s February magazine, the ACA is the law, and will remain so until it’s not. In other words, it will take agreement from the Senate and House of Representatives to fully repeal the law. In the meantime, those on all sides of the debate wait to see what comes next. In the same edition of Benefits Pro (Feb, 2017), experts say they are following several key areas: finding more control on pricing of health care; legislation that may lower costs to insurance providers, and ultimately consumers; more transparency from providers and hospitals to help insureds understand what they are paying and what they are paying for; and potentially more free market competition. None of these changes are in place, or necessarily going to be made. These are simply some areas that could see changes.

Scott Wooldridge, in his article “Interesting Times” (Benefits Pro, Jan. 2017) points out that some of the uncertainty and change when the ACA became law has forced buyers and sellers of insurance to become more flexible. It also has made consumers become smarter with the health insurance market, trying to understand the aspects of the coverage and the care they are receiving. Wooldridge includes a quote from Lance Shnider, President of Voluntary Benefits Agency, who expects any major changes to the law to not happen until 2019, and even then, many elements of the ACA (such as pre-existing conditions, coverage for children up to age 26) to remain intact: “Maybe it won’t be called Obamacare or ACA anymore, but at the end of the day, some version of it will still exist.”

While this has tended to be a very emotionally charged political debate, in the end, the goal is to make health care available and affordable to as many people as possible. And while we don’t know what specific changes are coming, local agents are working to stay on top of the changes. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your local agent. If they don’t know for sure, they can work to find the answer, especially in this ever-changing climate.

Each insurance policy is unique. While some generalities can be made, each situation should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This is not considered advice on any specific insurance matter. Please contact an agent to discuss any concerns you may have.

 

As we continue through the winter season, it is a good time to remember some things to do to be prepared for hazardous driving conditions.  The National Safety Council offers several tips to consider to make sure you arrive safely at your destination.

First, know the weather. Most local TV stations now have a weather app, or you can find information online if you are travelling out of town. Be aware of conditions that might change through the course of the day. If you can, change your travel plans to avoid potential storms. But if you must travel, leave early, slow down, and make sure you share your route and plans with someone.

If you happen to get stranded, don’t leave your vehicle. Light flares, call for help, and make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked by snow, ice or mud. Run your vehicle for 10 minute intervals to keep warm until help arrives.

Also, be sure your vehicle is winterized. Your mechanic can do a thorough check of the following systems to ensure they are working properly:

• Ignition
• Brakes
• Wiring
• Hoses and fan belts
• Spark plugs
• Air, fuel and emissions filters, and PCV valve
• Distributor
• Battery
• Tire wear and air pressure
• Antifreeze level and freeze line

If you are driving in hazardous conditions, slow down. Pull off the road until conditions improve. If you do continue, give yourself more space between you and other vehicles, accelerate and decelerate slowly, and don’t use the cruise control.

Also, as part of the preparation, be sure to have a full tank of gas and fresh antifreeze, along with these winter driving items:

• Properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod jack
• Shovel
• Jumper cables
• Tow and tire chains
• Bag of salt or cat litter for better tire traction or to melt snow
• Tool kit
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• Reflective triangles or flares
• Compass
• First aid kit
• Windshield cleaner
• Ice scraper and snow brush
• Matches in a waterproof container
• Scissors and string or cord
• Nonperishable, high-energy foods like unsalted, canned nuts, dried fruits and hard candy
• Blankets, mittens, socks and hats

Be sure to check with your insurance agent, as many companies offer some sort of roadside assistance. Confirm with your agent if you have that coverage, and be sure to have the contact information of a towing service handy if you are stranded.

We constantly see messages about insurance, and saving money, and all sorts of craziness. But why exactly do we need insurance? Is it simply because we have to show the officer proof if we get pulled over? Or because that’s what mom and dad always did, so it must be right? While both of those reasons are true,  insurance is an important piece of your financial security.

Insurance is a way to help spread the risk of a loss from one to many. When you buy insurance, you pay a monthly premium to the company. At the same time, hundreds of others are doing the same thing. So if you have an accident, rather than having to pay for the entire loss yourself, the insurance company uses the money earned from premiums to offset the cost and pay for the damages.

What can that do, besides save you from paying the body shop? In addition to paying for physical damages, the insurance company may also pay for medical bills and liability costs associated with an accident, rather than risk your personal assets. Also, if you are involved in a crash with an uninsured driver, most companies have coverage that can help offset costs that they may not be able to cover.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are more than six million car accidents in the U.S. each year. The National Safety Council estimates the average property damage cost is approaching $10,000 per accident, which does not include medical payments for any injured parties.

The same holds true for other aspects of your life—tornadoes, lightning or fire may damage your home; your livestock or farm equipment may be stolen or tampered with; your crops may suffer hail damage. There are a wide array of insurance offerings that can address most circumstances you may have. If you have any questions, please contact us and we can review your current coverages, and offer advice for any changes that might need to be made to get you the best coverage you deserve.

Each insurance policy is unique. While some generalities can be made, each situation should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This is not considered advice on any specific insurance matter. Please contact an agent to discuss any concerns you may have.

We are proud at the Fulwider Agency to be Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agents. But why? What does that mean? What difference does it make for you, the consumer? With some help from the Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa, let us explain.

Buying insurance isn’t like dining out or buying groceries. Insurance is an important safety net for your family, your home, your car or your business. There are three main sources for insurance:

• Captive Agents, who can sell you the insurance of only one company.
• Telephone Representatives, who can offer you the insurance of one company, and only on the telephone.
• Independent Insurance Agents, who represent an average of eight insurance companies, and research with these firms to find you the best combination of price, coverage and service.

At the Fulwider Agency, we have three main, standard insurance companies: Nationwide (Allied); IMT/Wadena; and EMC. But we also work with several others for those risks that may be harder to find coverage for, including Viking, Eastern Iowa Mutual, and American Modern, among others. We have relationships with multiple companies, which allows us to work for you to find the best coverage to protect your assets. One company may be a good fit for one customer, while another customer may be better served by a different company. We are able to discern this for each case, finding the best combination of price, coverage and service.

We also offer a full range of products: home, renters, auto, RV, farm, business, life and health. In an ever-changing environment, we can periodically review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs. Customer satisfaction is key to our success, so serving each and every client is our most important concern.

Our staff features licensed professionals, who know how insurance can work for you. We are local residents, having lived in the West Branch/Springdale area our entire life. We know what it means to live and work here, and value the relationships we have developed with our neighbors.

We would love to provide you with a free review of your insurance coverages. Feel free to contact us and we can discuss your entire insurance portfolio and how it meets your needs.

Each insurance policy is unique. While some generalities can be made, each situation should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This is not considered advice on any specific insurance matter. Please contact an agent to discuss any concerns you may have.

The Fulwider Insurance Agency has been servicing the insurance needs of the West Branch area for over 50 years. Jack Fulwider founded the agency in 1966, after spending many years farming northeast of Springdale. Jack’s son, Bob, left a career as a public school teacher to work in the family business in 1970. Bob and wife Jan have been actively involved in the insurance business, as well as the West Branch and West Liberty communities.
As an Independent Insurance Agency, the Fulwider Agency is able to represent multiple insurance companies, which allows us to find the products that most appropriately meet the needs of our clients. The agency is very selective of the companies we work with, looking for the best coverage at a fair price. We also aim to educate our clients about insurance, looking at available coverages, limits, and pricing.
Bob and Jan live in West Liberty, and split time between the Fulwider Agency, and our West Liberty companion agency, the Wuestenberg Agency. Gloria Zamora also lives and works in West Liberty as a licensed agent. Sheryl Bull markets Life and Health products for our subsidiary, Bob Fulwider & Associates, and Jarod Williams assists in a variety of ways in both locations.
Bob’s sister, JJ Fulwider, works in the West Branch office, along with Karen Thurness, as customer service representatives. Steven Grace is a licensed agent who lives and works in West Branch. In addition to his time at Fulwider, Steven and his wife Jessica own and operate Main Street Sweets (since 2010) in downtown West Branch. Also, Konnor Myrvik is helping with underwriting and life insurance out of the West Branch office. Steven and Konnor are working to take over the duties of long-time agent Bruce Jeffries, who retired in 2014 after many years helping his neighbors find the plans they need.
The Fulwider Agency offers personal lines coverage—homeowners, auto, RV, renters, boat; Farm coverage, including crop insurance; Business; Life; and Health; as well as various other speciality coverages. We are proud to be rooted in both West Branch and West Liberty, and strive to find the best coverages for each, individual case, which is why “Your insurance is our Assurance.”

This week is Fire Prevention Week. We are encouraging everyone to take steps to stay safe at home, work and school. Nationwide, through their Make Safe Happen campaign is making Saturday, October 15 “Home Fire Drill Day.” While many of us remember having fire drills at school, and may even still have one at work, how many of us practice in case of a home fire? There are three main steps to be prepared:

1. Know where to go. Have a safe spot where everyone can meet and ensure everyone is safe.
2. Check your smoke alarms.
3. Do the Drill. Set off the smoke alarm, and practice safely exiting the house and meeting at the safe spot. Plan to practice twice a year so everyone stays prepared.

The Home Fire Drill Day website has more information, as well as some fun ways to practice, other resources and fire safety tips, and a downloadable app for home fire safety.

 

PCI’s 5 Step Disaster Reality Check for Financial Preparedness and Insurance Readiness 

CHICAGO — Just within the last month the U.S. experienced the first hurricane hitting Florida in more than a decade, historic flooding in Louisiana, and the strongest earthquake on record in Oklahoma. Because Mother Nature has the power to change lives overnight, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is urging property owners to take a “Disaster Reality Check” regarding their preparedness and ability to recover from a natural disaster or other emergency.

“Insurance is the critical back-up plan that enables people to financially recover from a disaster,” said Chris Hackett, PCI’s senior director of personal lines policy. “National Preparedness Month is an excellent time for homeowners and renters to not only make sure they have their emergency supplies in order, but also review their insurance policy. The first step to financial preparedness involves talking with your insurance agent or company to make sure you have the right coverage to rebuild. While wildfires and winter storm damage is covered under a typical homeowners or renters insurance policy, there are specialized coverages to protect homes and belongings from earthquakes and floods.  Depending on where you live it’s vital to consider all the risks you face.”

PCI, along with many of our members, are participating in National Preparedness Month and the September 30, National PrepareAthon Day. As a NOAA Weather Ready Nation Ambassador, PCI takes great pride in being part of the of a national collation made up of federal agencies, first responders, private sector companies, schools and community organizations that work throughout the year and promote September as National Preparedness month for all natural catastrophes.

PCI’s infographic which shows you exactly how to complete a disaster reality check.

PCI Insurance Checklist: 

1.)   Talk with your insurance agent or company about your insurance policy. Check your deductible and make sure you have a solid understanding of your current coverage. Do you have a replacement cost policy that replaces everything with materials of like, kind and quality or an actual cash policy that takes depreciation into account and costs less but pays out less following a disaster?

2.)   Assess whether you have adequate home, renters, auto and other property coverage. Property damage can take a tremendous financial and mental toll. Knowing you have proper coverage will give you peace of mind. If you rent your home, consider bundling coverage with your auto policy.

3.)   Review additional coverage options, particularly flood coverage. Heavy rains and storm surge can cause extensive flood damage in coastal and inland areas. Keep in mind that there’s typically a 30-day waiting period between the date of purchase and when flood coverage takes effect. Also, depending on where you live it might be a good idea to check into purchasing earthquake insurance. The standard homeowners policy does not cover losses that result from earthquakes, due to the unpredictability and widespread catastrophic nature of these events. The deductible for earthquake insurance varies based on the policy and the insurer. These deductibles are generally based on a percentage of the replacement value of the home. The deductible can range from two to 25 percent of the home’s replacement value.

4.)   Update Your Policy After Home Improvements.  If you update a bathroom or kitchen, be sure to call your company or agent to tell them about the changes.  If you add square footage or upgrade materials, your policy will need to be updated to cover those changes.

5.)   Maintain Insurance.  If your home is paid off, be sure to maintain property insurance.  Do not be caught after a major disaster with no way to rebuild your home or replace your belongings.  The maximum federal grant for disaster recovery is under $40,000 which is not nearly enough to rebuild a home.  Check with loved ones that have retired and paid off their mortgage to make sure they continue to carry homeowners coverage.

For more tips on how to prepare for a natural disasters follow @PCIAA use #NatlPrep or #HaveAPlan or log on to the PCIAA website.

PCI promotes and protects the viability of a competitive private insurance market for the benefit of consumers and insurers. PCI is composed of nearly 1,000 member companies, representing the broadest cross section of insurers of any national trade association. PCI members write $202 billion in annual premium, 35 percent of the nation’s property casualty insurance. Member companies write 42 percent of the U.S. automobile insurance market, 27 percent of the homeowners market, 33 percent of the commercial property and liability market and 34 percent of the private workers compensation market.

While we have seen a lot of positives come from the recent flooding–neighbors helping neighbors, schools busing kids to flood zones to help sandbag, businesses opening their arms to fellow businesses–there are still reports of scammers trying to take advantage of these disasters. One area long after the flood that people may not consider is the sale of flood-damaged vehicles.

By definition, a flood vehicle has been completely or partially submerged in water to the extent that its body, engine, transmission or other mechanical component parts have been damaged. If the vehicle is so damaged that it is no longer operable, the driver’s insurance company settles the claim by buying the vehicle and selling it as a “salvage” at an auto auction, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Here are a couple ways that scammers try to take advantage of a bad situation:

*Title Washing: switching or cloning VINs from a clean car to a flood vehicle. Also, when someone sells a car with a salvage title in a state with fewer title standards.

*Hiding Flood Damage: sellers dry and clean a vehicle and make it appear to be in good working order, and then sell it in an area unaffected by a flood.

To check a vehicle for flood damage: look for water stains, musty odors, brittle wires, mud in the glove compartment or under seats, damp carpets.

To avoid fraud: buy from a reputable dealer; ask specific questions about the vehicle’s history; check the vehicle’s title.

 

(Info came from “How to Avoid Becoming A Victim of ‘Flood Vehicle’ Fraud” from www.propertycasualty360.com) 

We are proud at the Fulwider Agency to be Trusted Choice Independent Insurance Agents. But why? What does that mean? What difference does it make for you, the consumer? With some help from the Independent Insurance Agents of Iowa, let us explain.

Buying insurance isn’t like dining out or buying groceries. Insurance is an important safety net for your family, your home, your car or your business. There are three main sources for insurance:

• Captive Agents, who can sell you the insurance of only one company.
• Telephone Representatives, who can offer you the insurance of one company, and only on the telephone.
• Independent Insurance Agents, who represent an average of eight insurance companies, and research with these firms to find you the best combination of price, coverage and service.

At the Fulwider Agency, we have three main, standard insurance companies: Nationwide (Allied); IMT/Wadena; and EMC. But we also work with several others for those risks that may be harder to find coverage for, including Viking, Eastern Iowa Mutual, and American Modern, among others. We have relationships with multiple companies, which allows us to work for you to find the best coverage to protect your assets. One company may be a good fit for one customer, while another customer may be better served by a different company. We are able to discern this for each case, finding the best combination of price, coverage and service.

We also offer a full range of products: home, renters, auto, RV, farm, business, life and health. In an ever-changing environment, we can periodically review your coverage to keep up with your changing insurance needs. Customer satisfaction is key to our success, so serving each and every client is our most important concern.

Our staff features licensed professionals, who know how insurance can work for you. We are local residents, having lived in the West Branch/Springdale area our entire life. We know what it means to live and work here, and value the relationships we have developed with our neighbors.

We would love to provide you with a free review of your insurance coverages. Feel free to contact us and we can discuss your entire insurance portfolio and how it meets your needs.

Each insurance policy is unique. While some generalities can be made, each situation should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This is not considered advice on any specific insurance matter. Please contact an agent to discuss any concerns you may have.

Back to School Tips

As the calendar turns to August, we are quickly approaching the start of a new school year. While most kids are cringing, and many parents are counting down the days, the truth is, there is a lot of excitement associated with the start of classes. However, that excitement can also lead to some dangerous situations. Here are several reminders on how to stay safe as school starts from the National Safety Council (www.nsc.org)

Safe Driving:

• Pay extra attention at crosswalks and around schools and playgrounds for kids walking to and from school.
• Don’t stop in a crosswalk while waiting for a red light or stop sign
• Yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk
• Slow down
• Avoid distracted driving—don’t text or talk on a cell phone and avoid other distractions that may take your eyes or attention from the road
• Never pass a school bus with its lights flashing
• Stop at least 25 feet away from a stopped bus, and wait for the children to be safely on the sidewalk before proceeding

Safe Walking:

• Always cross at a crosswalk
• Always use the sidewalk—if there is no sidewalk, walk on the side of the road, facing oncoming traffic
• Don’t text and walk—be aware of your surroundings
• Don’t wear headphones

At School:

• Don’t double park
• Always drop off on the school-side of the street
• Be alert for opening doors/kids hopping out without looking

Teen Drivers

• Don’t speed & always wear your seat belt
• Avoid distractions while driving
  • Texting, Snapchatting, eating, talking, messing with the radio
• Parents-create groundrules for:
  • Who & how many riders can your teen have
  • When & where they can drive
  • When & how to safely use a cell phone while in a car (pull over and park)
  • Set consequences if any of these are not followed
• School Permits
  • Check with school & state for specifics
  • Typically between 5 a.m. & 10 p.m.
  • To get to and from school for classes or extra curriculars
  • Be sure to add your teen as a driver on your insurance policy

Off to College

• Enjoy your new found freedom responsibly
  • Don’t binge drink
  • Remember to sleep regularly
  • Focus on your schoolwork (the reason you’re at college!)
• Insurance Concerns
  • Dorms—typically can be covered on a parent’s homeowners policy (ask your agent to determine if this is accurate)
  • Apartments—typically required to have a renters insurance policy (ask your agent for options and pricing)
  • Be sure to take an inventory of items you have, in the case of a claim (fire, theft, etc.)
  • Each situation is unique, so always check with your insurance agent to determine what coverage is best for your situation