Looking for a Commercial Lines Customer Service Team Member

Commercial Lines Customer Service
Northeast PA employee owned independent insurance agency specializing in personal lines, commercial lines, life insurance and other financial services is hiring a Team Member in Commercial Lines Customer Service Division

Preferred Requirements

• Commercial Lines Insurance experience

• PA Property and Casualty license
• Sagitta experience preferred

Minimum Requirements

• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills

• Self-motivated and detail oriented
• Ability to work in a team environment
• Strong multi-tasking skills
• Excellent communication skills - written, verbal and listening
• Proficient with online and computer technologies,
 
Responsibilities

• Service existing clients’ billing, policy changes & general questions

• Clients Advocacy & maintaining underwriting standards
• Work with several different insurance companies on a daily basis
• Quote and write policies for existing clients
• Maintain compliance with agency and carrier guidelines
 

Benefits:

• Excellent Compensation Package including, Medical, ESOP & 401K plan

• Production bonus
• Salary plus potential for extra earnings

Please email your resume to maries@dgkinsurance.com

Renting A Car

When traveling by plane to my destination I am without my car.  Being without a car in the USA is very difficult unless you are staying in a city with public transportation.   Where I travel a rental car is usually required.  Everyone who has ever rented a car knows the ensuing dilemma:  do I buy the insurance, how much and which kind?

 

This brings me to my tale.  I traveled to California for my cousin’s funeral, which will be a separate blog.  After I arrived at LAX, I needed to travel to Corona Del Mar, Big Bear, Anaheim and finally back to LAX.  I needed a rental car. 

 

I reserved a rental car online and I had already decided to purchase the physical damage aka Loss Damage Waiver, LDW, for the rental.  What I still need to decide is the liability.  If you purchase their liability, any at fault accident you may have with the rental car, the liability coverage will come from the rental car insurance and not my own insurance.  Armed with most of the information about coverages, I approached the counter at the rental car.

 

I decided to buy their additional or supplemental liability coverage since I was traveling in several affluent areas of California.  I purchased the LDW, liability along with supplemental liability.  Does that sound like over kill?  The “basic liability” is similar to PA’s basic coverage: $15,000 for injury/death to one person, $30,000 for injury/death to more than one person and $5,000 for damage to property.  Since I believe PA’s basic coverage required by law is too low for adequate protect, I believe CA’s is also too low, hence the purchase of the Supplemental Liability for up to one million dollars of coverage.  I carry an umbrella in PA I wanted the same liability limit in CA. 

 

I incurred those extra charges for the rental car.  The rental started at $105.00 by the time taxes, fees and insurance were added, the cost of renting a Chevrolet Malibu tallied $409.00.  The rental company, Advantage, also added a refundable $200 deposit to the charge for a grand total of $609.00 for five days.  I wanted to cry.  I felt hoodwinked, bullied and conned all at the same time. 

 

I needed the insurance coverages; I wanted the insurance coverages.  I just did not want it to be so expensive.  It seemed so imbalanced.  Ah, you say I did not need the insurance coverage?   I beg to differ.

 

 If I were in a car accident, let us assume no other parties involved, the coverage would have to come from my own automobile insurance.  I have a deductible of $500 for collision and I would be responsible for any down time for the rental.  Down time for a rental is NOT covered under my own auto insurance; remember they have my credit card so that charge would go directly on my credit card.  If I do not have collision coverage on any of my own cars then the rental would not have collision coverage and I incur the whole cost of the damage and down time immediately on my credit card.  Some rentals demand payment immediately, remember my credit card, and have you settle with your insurance company.  If the car is totaled it is the cost to replace the car!

 

Let us look at an at-fault accident, mine, and another vehicle.  The liability coverage I purchased comes into play in this instance.  I am now responsible for not just the damage to the rental vehicle, I am also responsible for the damage to another car and possibly a person.  If someone is injured, there could be a lawsuit; I stayed in areas where homes were valued at $15,000,000.  I could let my automobile insurance answer this claim by not buying the liability or supplemental liability or have the rental car company address this claim by purchasing the liability and supplemental liability.  I prefer the rental car company answer this.  Therefore, I paid for the coverages.  It did not make me feel any less conned or hoodwinked by some car rental person.

 

Back to my tale, I parked my rental car across the street from my cousin’s house in Corona Del Mar.  The street has 4 houses, all worth over $5,000,000 each.  The house that was across from the car was valued at $15,000,000.  The next afternoon I came out to the car to drive to Big Bear for my cousin’s funeral and I could not open the driver’s door.  I tried again and the door would not budge.  I investigated the area that was stuck and then I saw the dented panel and door.  Someone struck the car while parked and left no note. 

 

I had to be in Big Bear!  I called the police while traveling to Big Bear.  I had to come to them to make a complaint so they could view the damage and no, an email picture would not be acceptable.  I was not coming back to Corona Del Mar.  I called the rental company to explain that I called the police but I could not go the station to fill out a report where there were no witnesses.  The rental person said you purchased the LDW, no problem you will have to fill out a report when you return the car; end of story.

 

I made it to Big Bear in time.  I did not fill out a police report; it really seemed useless to do so since there were no witnesses and I wanted to spend time with my family.  I was still apprehensive when I returned the damaged rental car.  I pulled into the return car area, was given a form to complete regarding the details of the damage – hit and run of a parked car, was told a claim agent would call the next day and there was no charge or problem. 

 

I received the call when I was home.  The claim agent said you have the LDW insurance I just need you to repeat what happened.   That was it.  I still have not received my refundable $200 deposit; I am waiting on that.  There are no other charges on my card like deductible or down time of the rental.  While I am not happy with the cost, I am happy with the outcome.  My advice is buy the LDW and liability; it saves in the long run.

 

 

Knock, Knock, Anyone Home?

I had my home broken into when I lived on the highway outside of Tunkhannock.  My house was perfect for the pickings.  I had trees and shrubs that blocked the view of doors and windows.  I had teenage children that did not always lock doors.  I did not have curtains on all of my windows.  The outside lighting was minimal.  The doors and windows had very flimsy locks.  No wonder my home was broken into!

 

On a good note I had very little to take.  The burglars ransacked the house looking for good stuff.  I was a single mother with 2 teenage daughters.  I bought clothes.  The only television was not new and it was before ipods, ipads and kindles.  Nothing was taken, just messy.

 

They got in through an old single-pane side glass and opened the lock on the door, which was hidden from the road by a big apple tree.  Then the intruders walked right in the house.  If they watched my house at any time, they would know my daughters went to school and I went to work.  We all returned home between 6:00pm and 8:00pm.  We were the proverbial perfect mark. 

 

I learned what not to do by that experience.  After we scrubbed every inch of the house, we changed our ways.  I trimmed all the bushes around the windows, I bought curtains, we locked our doors and first floor windows when we left and at night. We stopped leaving the garage doors open; no reason for anyone to go “shopping: in my garage.  I bought several motion-activated spotlights and installed them all around the house and garage; my house looked like a small airport. 

 

I practice more safety tips now that I live in the boonies and everyone can tell I am at work during the day.  When I am home, I am outside or the dog is outside.  Therefore, if my house is quiet during the day it means no one is home.  I practice techniques that I learned, curtains on windows, locked doors and windows, I keep the barns and shed doors closed if I am working outside, all out-buildings have locks and my house is still  lit like a small airport.  I have a small safety deposit box at the bank for important or expensive items; the box annual fee is $40.00.  I do not have an alarm, I have deadbolt locks and I do have a dog.  Dogs tend to scare thieves away, sometimes. 

 

I believe, if someone really wanted to break in my house, s/he will find a way to do it.  I take precautions it is the best I can do along with insurance for my belongings.  Like many people, I keep an inventory list of my things and update it when I finish with taxes.  There are companies that do inventories and video for you like Asset Docs (http://www.theassetdocs.com/).  If I do get broken into again at least I know the thieves had to work for their “take.”

Feed a Fever, Starve a Cold

I have the sniffles, stuffy head, sore throat, chills and I am trying to develop a cough.  I. HAVE. A. COLD.

When I start to get a cold the first thing I do is have a cup of black tea with lemon and honey.  I like Lipton tea and I use local honey currently from Gingher’s in Tunkhannock.  The next thing I do is make homemade veggie soup that includes some crushed dried red pepper flakes for some heat to help my sinuses. 

I have tried Mucinex and pseudoephedrine unsuccessfully.  The medicine either keeps me awake or I sleep for 3 hours and then lie awake for the remainder of the night.  I have other tricks for colds that seem to be more successful. 

I use eucalyptus oil and peppermint oil in the water when I mop the floors.

I also put about 6 drops of eucalyptus oil on the faucet in the shower so it vaporizes in the hot steamy shower.  I rub Vicks only on my feet followed by wearing warm comfy socks.  I drink unsweetened cherry juice mixed with water in a ration of 1:3 for inflammation.  I also drink a mixture of Ginger Soother in hot water also a ration of 1:3 for an upset stomach, sore throat and nasal congestion.  Lastly I curtail my 7 days a week exercise program to only walking and stretching.  I stay away from the pool when I have chills and I try not to over exert so I do not sweat.  I figure if my body is working to maintain a proper body temperature it will be unable to fight the pesky rhinovirus?

 

The human rhinovirus is responsible for the common cold.  The entry for the rhinovirus is the upper respiratory system which is the perfect temperature for the virus at 89 degrees.  The virus begins replicating itself within 15 minutes of entering and attaching to the body.  The majority of people will develop symptoms in 24 to 48 hours. 

Treatments for the cold are still in the development stage.  We can only treat the uncomfortable symptoms which can be chills, sore throat, congestion, cough, loss of appetite and all other influenza symptoms except fever.  If you have a fever, that is more likely to be influenza and requires a visit to the doctor for Tamiflu a viable treatment for influenza.  Influenza can also lead to pneumonia, dangerous to many. 

For the common cold, bottom line... it takes time to recover from the virus.  In the words of my mother, “Three days coming, 3 days staying and 3 days going.” I’m only on my 5^th day.