ZIMMER INSURANCE GROUP
  • Home
    • News
  • Contact
    • Client Testimonials
  • About
    • Our team >
      • Christi Whalen
      • William T. Zimmer
      • Dave Hinkley
      • Carla Stauffer
      • Alex Zimmer
      • Jodi Newman-Schliefert
      • Betty Piper
      • Shauna Randall
      • Sara Burton
      • Shannon Aikman
      • Shannon White-Michener
    • Our Partners
  • Services
    • Personal Insurance >
      • Auto Insurance
      • Motorcycle Insurance
      • Homeowners Insurance
      • Renters/Condo Insurance
      • Personal Watercraft
      • Umbrella Insurance
    • Commercial Insurance >
      • Property Insurance
      • Business General Liability
      • Business Auto
      • Worker's Compensation
    • Life Insurance
    • Health Insurance
    • Retirement Plans
    • Group Insurance
  • Payments/Claims
  • Blog
  • Insurance 101
  • Legal Statements
  • Holiday Closing Schedule

​Hello and welcome

To the Zimmer Insurance Group Blog
Give feedback

Tuesday Tips: Motorcycle safety

7/12/2016

 
Picture

It's that time of year again, where motorcycles, mopeds, and scooters are enjoying the summer sun. Remember to stay safe when riding with these tips.


Read More

8 Tips For The Road Ahead Be Safe, Be Smart On A Long-Distance Road Trip

7/7/2016

 
Whether you’re traveling alone, with a buddy or with your spouse and a car full of kids, there are few things more “American” than the long-distance road trip. Countless vacation travelers will drive the highways looking for fun and making memories with every mile. If traveling down the “holiday road” is in your plans, take the time to prepare for your trip. You’ll have a more enjoyable vacation if you plan carefully. Here are a few driving tips, courtesy of Zimmer Insurance Group:
 
1) Maintain your car. Make sure your vehicle is up to date on its maintenance schedule, and be sure to check the battery and tires.
 
2) Plan your trip and know where you’re going. Call ahead for proper and safe directions to get you to your destination safely and have maps of the area on hand to help you navigate once you are off the main road. You’re more likely to make good decisions, even in dangerous situations, if you’re clearheaded and know where you’re going.
 
3) Be alert. Seems obvious, but driver inattention is surely the cause of a lot of accidents. If you stay focused behind the wheel and plan carefully, you will have a wonderful summer road trip.
 
4) Take precaution with a cell phone. Cell phones can be a lifesaver when you need immediate access to emergency services after an accident. Keep your phone within easy reach and get to know its features. However, use it prudently. Reports suggest that driving while talking on the phone increases accident rates.
 
5) Wear your seat belt. Whether or not it’s required by law in the state through which you’re driving, always wear your seat belt as a safety precaution.
 
6) Protect your car against theft. Help deter criminals from taking your car with steering wheel locks, switches that disable fuel or ignition systems, and electronic tracking devices.
 
7) If you’re in an accident. Taking immediate steps if you’ve been in an accident can protect your family and your car from further damage. Stop immediately and make sure your car is not blocking traffic. Turn off your car to keep it from overheating or catching fire. Warn oncoming cars using road flares or orange triangle reflectors. After you have protected yourself and your family, call your insurance company immediately.
 
8) Make sure your auto insurance is up to date. Before you even leave the driveway, you want to be sure you’re protected when you’re on the road and far from home. An independent insurance agent or broker can provide the personal service and advice you need to travel in confidence.
 
To learn more about what an independent insurance agency offers you, visit progressiveagent.com or contact Zimmer Insurance Group.

Tuesday Tips: Anchors up! How to prepare for boating season. 

6/14/2016

 
Picture
It's summer, the sun is shining, the weather is warming up and that means it is boating season! Here is a quick guide put together by some of our agents to help get you ready for the water.

Read More

What is “Actual Cash Value” or ACV?

6/6/2016

 
Picture

Spring is here in Nebraska and if you are like many you are already dealing with severe thunderstorms. 

When hail storms, lightning strikes or tornadoes happen you might be digging out your policy to see what you are covered for.

If your property is damaged and you file a claim, there are a couple of ways the repair/replacement will take place.  

You could receive full value replacement, or an actual cash value replacement. 

So you might still be asking, what exactly does actual cash value mean? 
​
When "actual cash value" is used in a policy, a policy owner is entitled to the depreciated value of the damaged property.


In other words that means the insurance company takes the Current Replacement Cost – Depreciation = Actual Cash Value of the item.

The reason behind this is that it recognizes the reduction of value as the property ages, becomes obsolete, and is subject to wear and tear.

In some cases you can talk to your insurance agent and they will guide you on what requirements it takes to have a different valuation method for your items if possible.

This method of valuation can apply to personal property, your roof, your actual home, additional structures like awning or window coverings, and etc.

Many times “actual cash value” will be abbreviated to ACV.

​A common example of when ACV is used in a policy is if a roof on a home is getting old or worn down, the insurance company will likely tell you to either replace the roof before something bad happens or that damages will be moved to an actual cash value basis. 

BEWARE of scams during storm season!

5/11/2016

 
Picture
With Spring weather doing it's usual thing here in Nebraska, we want to inform our customers of the dangers caused by unscrupulous contractors. 

Hail and wind claims can have major problems when a homeowner is taken advantage of by a scammer.



A homeowner may be asked by a contractor to sign an agreement whereby the homeowner assigns all rights and benefits under his insurance policy to the contractor. The homeowner usually does not even realize he has done this, or doesn’t understand the implications of it.

Why this is an issue is because assignments of benefits are NOT necessary. 
  • A contractor and insurer can always discuss the scope of work and a reasonable price for that work. In most claims, the contractor and adjuster reach an agreement as to the cost of repairing damaged property before a contract to perform the work is signed. Without an assignment, the homeowner can stay advised of these discussions. The insurer can and will keep the homeowner updated on the progress of his claim. In contrast, with an assignment of benefits in place, the homeowner is not kept “in the loop.” In fact, the insurer may be prohibited from even discussing the claim with the homeowner once an assignment is signed. The homeowner has no recourse for unsatisfactory work.
  • After an assignment of benefits is signed, the contractor may raise the estimate or include work that was not actually needed. The claims adjuster will then have to re-adjust and re-negotiate the claim until the dispute is worked out. This leads to increased costs for the insurer, and delay for the homeowner. And if the insurer and contractor don’t get it resolved, litigation may ensue. Because an assignment of benefits gives all of the homeowner’s rights to the contractor, the contractor who is not satisfied with the amount will sue the insurer directly. Increased claims processing and litigation defense costs ultimately lead to increased premiums.
  • The assignment of a roof/ hail claim to a contractor violates the basic insurance principle of insurable interest. Once the claim is assigned to the contractor, the contractor becomes the owner of the claim. However, the contractor has no insurable interest in the insured home. The contractor does not own nor live in the home, and it does not matter to the contractor whether the work is done quickly or correctly​

Claims are already hard enough to go through and with these storms passing through the area, scammers are already targeting homeowners!

​ If you have suspicions about a contractor that comes to your door, deny the service and find a trusted contractor. If you are unsure about who to trust, work closely with your insurance adjuster and agent.  They work with claims frequently and will have trusted business relationships with genuine contractors. 


We are here to serve YOU first!


What does 80% co-insurance mean?

5/3/2016

 
Picture
​Insurance carriers require that an insured party insure at least 80% of the property's value in order to collect a partial loss in full. 

Read More
<<Previous
    Call Us

    Just for you!

    This blog is to serve as a learning center created just for you! Have suggestions? Don't be afraid to speak up, we encourage you to send us your thoughts, needs, and wants!

    Archives

    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016

    Categories

    All
    Business Insurance
    Car Insurance
    Homeowner's Insurance
    Insurance
    Life Insurance
    Tuesday Tips

    RSS Feed

    View my profile on LinkedIn

Services


Personal
Commercial
Life
​Health
Group
​Retirement
​
Online quotes

Company


Who we are
​Our team
News

Support


Contact
Insurance 101
Testimonials
Read our blog
© COPYRIGHT 2015. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Photo from lucadea
  • Home
    • News
  • Contact
    • Client Testimonials
  • About
    • Our team >
      • Christi Whalen
      • William T. Zimmer
      • Dave Hinkley
      • Carla Stauffer
      • Alex Zimmer
      • Jodi Newman-Schliefert
      • Betty Piper
      • Shauna Randall
      • Sara Burton
      • Shannon Aikman
      • Shannon White-Michener
    • Our Partners
  • Services
    • Personal Insurance >
      • Auto Insurance
      • Motorcycle Insurance
      • Homeowners Insurance
      • Renters/Condo Insurance
      • Personal Watercraft
      • Umbrella Insurance
    • Commercial Insurance >
      • Property Insurance
      • Business General Liability
      • Business Auto
      • Worker's Compensation
    • Life Insurance
    • Health Insurance
    • Retirement Plans
    • Group Insurance
  • Payments/Claims
  • Blog
  • Insurance 101
  • Legal Statements
  • Holiday Closing Schedule