Our agency has represented Safeco Insurance as an Independent Insurance Agent for the past 9 years.  We represent many home and car insurance companies but Safeco is our largest.  In a typical year,  they payout out over $1M to our customers in home insurance and car insurance related claims.  Safeco Insurance pays all of our customer’s claims quickly and fairly and is very easy to do business with!   So why are you seeing negative reviews on the internet??

The Biggest Reason:  Lead generation companies that sell home and car insurance leads to insurance agents are cleverly disguising their objectives by hosting insurance review sites that offer customers a place to voice their opinion.  Unhappy customers are 10 times more likely to want to share their story than a satisfied customer making it easy to provide a forum for, and attract, unhappy customers.   Their objective is to create doubt about the company you are looking at so that you will be more likely to get a quote from them or the advertiser on the site.

How do you know if a site is trying to manipulate you with fake reviews?  This one is easy…. if the review site is trying to offer you a quote or if it has advertisers on the site trying to entice you to get a homeowners insurance quote, you are probably being manipulated.  If you are not being asked to get a quote, there is a much higher probability that the site is legitimate.  Keep in mind that Safeco and other nationwide carriers are very large.  They pay out hundreds of millions of dollars each year and some consumers are not going to be happy with the settlement of their claim…..which brings me to my last point…

Why are some consumers dissatisfied with their claim payment (regardless of the company)?  Again, I think this question is pretty easy….there are 3 reasons:  First, the agent that sold the policy failed to explain the coverages in an understandable way or the agent didn’t understand them will enough himself/herself to explain them.   Second, the agent sold lesser/inferior coverage just to make the sale.  Lastly, the consumer didn’t ask enough questions to understand what he/she was buying and/or the consumer doesn’t have the legal, technical expertise to interpret the written policy contract.

Violation of the written insurance contract leads to bad faith lawsuits that will cost an insurance company dearly.  Any competent attorney will take this type of case if the contract has been violated.  My point is that insurance companies rarely violate the written contract and so the problem goes back to consumers not knowing what they have purchased due to the shortcomings of the agent or their failure to do their due diligence in shopping.

Von Nix, Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter

The post Safeco Insurance Ratings: Fake Homeowners Insurance Reviews in Oklahoma first appeared on Statewide Insurance Agency.

Even a small leak can become a major problem, so knowing what you’re covered for and how to prevent water damage are equally important.  The below tips should help uncover any potential water problems down the road and keep your property dry this summer.

• Check appliance hoses.
  • Standard hoses are not as durable as they used to be. 
  • Replace rubber hoses with steel-braided hoses.
  • This is a low cost fix that can save thousands in water damage. 
• Broken tiles in the shower can allow water to leak into the walls or on the floor.
  • Replace cracked tiles and re-grout when needed. 
• Run dishwasher and washing machine only when you are home. 
  • If a leak occurs, you can turn the appliance off right away. 
• When on vacation, turn off the main water supply to your house. 
• Keep storm drains near your house clear of leaves. 
• Install a gutter guard.
  • This can prevent a rooftop disaster caused by drain clogs, and also prevents flooding by water that isn’t carried away from the house. 
• Install a water pressure gauge.
  • An inexpensive gauge can prevent damage caused by water pressure that’s too high. 
  • Pressure should be between 60 and 80 PSI. 
• Have the correct insurance coverage.
  • We currently represent and offer free Home, Auto & Renters insurance quotes from over 10 different companies!
  • By doing so, we are able to find the company that is best for you.

The post Water Damage Prevention Tips first appeared on Statewide Insurance Agency.

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There’s a ticking time bomb in your Tulsa, Oklahoma house right now, waiting to strike when you least expect it. In fact, there might even be more than one. And each can cause thousands and thousands of dollars in damage.

We here at Statewide Insurance are talking about faulty appliance hoses, of course.

Consider your humble washing machine: According to the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), washing-machine failures cost an average of more than $5,000, and faulty hoses are responsible for more than half of those failures.

You can take steps to defuse these ticking time bombs — or at least make them less likely to go off. Here are the common hoses and tubes you should be checking:

Washing Machine

Most washing machines come with rubber hoses that connect to your water supply — hoses that can wear out and eventually burst. The IBHS says to check frequently for blisters, worn tubing, stress cracks and loose connections. Even if there is no obvious wear, replace hoses every five years. Use a reinforced steel-braided hose, as they are less likely to fail.

Dryer

Although you should clean the lint trap in your dryer with every load, danger lurks behind the dryer as well. Flexible plastic or foil ducting can easily trap lint and increase the risk of fire, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The agency recommends the use of a rigid or semi-rigid metal duct instead. Whichever you use, be sure to disconnect and clean the ducting annually.

Refrigerator

If your refrigerator has an ice maker or water dispenser, it also has a hose connecting it to the water supply. Replace the standard hose with a steel-braided line for added security.

Dishwasher

Dishwasher leaks can easily go undetected, so it’s important to check these connections regularly as well. Make sure that hoses and lines have no kinks, and periodically remove and clean the filter in the dishwasher, which is designed to stop food pieces from making it into the drain hose. 

Gas Grills

At least once a year (typically when you fire up the grill for the first time after winter), check the hose connecting the fuel source to the burners. Simply brush it with some soapy water, turn the gas on (do not light the grill) and check the hose for air bubbles. If you see any, replace the hose and fitting.

In addition to checking your hoses regularly and replacing them when needed, there are monitoring systems available now that can automatically shut off your water supply in the event of a failure. Some detect leaks with moisture indicators, while at least one new system actually checks your water meter for unusual activity.

To further protect you, your homeowners insurance may cover certain damage that results from appliance hose failures. But, it all depends on the circumstances of your situation and on your specific policy. You may find that an appliance hose failure is not covered by your insurance, so it’s best to maintain your appliances to avoid damage in the first place.

If you have questions about your homeowners insurance coverage or need help with a claim, we here at Statewide Insurance Agency are happy to help.

The post Appliance Hoses first appeared on Statewide Insurance Agency.

Thank You City of Edmond/Edmond Fire Department!

http://www.edmondsun.com/news/edmond-residents-could-see-reduced-insurance-rates/article_b79aa620-08f6-11e6-a514-93d88ddd0dce.html

The post Edmond Home Insurance Decreases With New Protection Class first appeared on Statewide Insurance Agency.

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Stop Throwing Away Money on Homeowners Insurance 

In 2019, we will celebrate Earth Day on April 22nd.  This is a great time to think about conservation of all the resources on the planet, including your money!  I often hear Oklahoman’s complain about the high cost of home insurance quotes in Oklahoma; however, the truth is that most Oklahoma City consumers are paying too much for their home insurance because they are with the wrong company.  And, they are too scared to change homeowners insurance companies because they fear a bad experience. 

Quality home insurance with excellent pricing exist for most homeowners in Oklahoma City, Edmond, Yukon, Moore and Norman, OK.  An Independent Insurance Agent (like Statewide Insurance Agency) has a better chance of finding the right home insurance quote in Oklahoma City because we represent multiple companies. 

Now, let’s stop talking about your “man-made” resources and talk about natural resources. 

People are thinking more and more about the environment — whether it’s something that affects quality of life here in Oklahoma or global issues such as climate change and extreme weather. But more importantly, people aren’t content with simply thinking about these things any more. They’re focused on taking action. Earth Day, which is celebrated April 22, is the perfect time to take action, whether you are looking to take part in a community event or organize your own. Here are some tips to help you get involved — and think about our planet Earth all through the year.

Find an event

It’s easy to find Earth Day events, whether you live in Edmond, Oklahoma or the OKC Metro. City and town Facebook pages are a great place to start, along with the websites of local environmental organizations. Newspapers, radio and TV often publicize events as well.

The Environmental Protection Agency website lists major Earth Day activities at http://www.epa.gov/earthday/index.html.

What can I do?

There are all kinds of Earth Day activities, even some you can easily complete by yourself or with your family. Examples include:

• Planting trees
• Cleaning up litter from a natural area or park
• Adopting a road for litter control
• Talking about Earth Day and helping to educate others
• Using alternate transportation, instead of taking your car
• Holding a garage sale or clothing swap, rather than throwing out unwanted items
• Learning more about actions you can take to reduce your environmental impact

What if I want to organize an event?

Hosting an event doesn’t have to be a Herculean task, particularly if you keep it small. Any of the ideas above could be turned into your own event — just get the word out via social media, friends and family or even local print and broadcast media. But if you do want to organize a full-scale event, go for it!

Make it more than a day

Of course, one of the best ways to have an impact is to make every day your own Earth Day. You can take part in earth-friendly activities at any time! So in addition to celebrating once a year, make this April 22 just the beginning of something special.

And whether you find an event or create your own, the important thing is getting involved!

CLICK HERE TO GET A FREE HOMEOWNERS INSURANCE QUOTE FROM US

The post Earth Day 2019 first appeared on Statewide Insurance Agency.

Did You Know: In Oklahoma, if you are hit by an uninsured or under-insured motorist, the damage to your car is not covered under this coverage….you’ll need Collision Coverage to pay for the damage to your vehicle! Learn what Von has to say about this important coverage.

The post Uninsured Motorist Coverage in Oklahoma first appeared on Statewide Insurance Agency.