Safety Tips for Your Fireplace

Now that winter is here, many families are enjoying their fireplaces. What better way to socialize and get comfy and cozy than gathering around a warm and crackling fire? However, fireplaces and chimneys can pose a threat to the health and safety of you and your family if they are not properly used and cared for. We are an insurance adjuster in Minnesota, and we want to make sure you and your family stay safe this winter when using your fireplace.

On a yearly basis, make sure that you get a professional chimney sweep to come to your home to inspect your chimney and clean it. The sweep will note if there are any needed repairs. Make sure the chimney sweep company you use is licensed by your state and make sure they are fully insured to do the work.

When burning wood, make sure it’s been dried and cured. The logs need to have been stacked for at least 8 to 12 months before being used, and they should be stored somewhere that they can be exposed to air but where they will not get too damp. If you store your wood pile outside, make sure you cover it with a tarp but keep the sides open so plenty of air can flow through.

In any type of fireplace you might have, make sure only that particular fuel source is burned. So if you have a wood-burning fireplace, make sure the only thing that is burned in there is wood. Do not burn painted wood or treated wood, and do not allow anyone to burn plastic, glass or any other materials like that.

Close the damper when your fireplace is not in use. This will help keep warm air from escaping out of your home through your chimney. When you have a fire going in your fireplace, make sure you open the glass doors so the warmth can go into your home. This is also a safety issue as well.

During the inspection process, make sure the chimney cap is in good shape as well. The cap is what will keep animals from nesting in your chimney and it also helps keep water out of your chimney as well, not to mention downdrafts that could cause problems in your home.

Are you interested in learning more about our services as an insurance adjuster in Minnesota? Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to get a Free Consultation.

Be Prepared for Winter Weather

It seems fall has only begun, but winter weather will be here before we know it. Here in Minnesota, we get our fair share of frigid temperatures, blustery wind and snow. It is important for you and your family to be prepared in case there is a winter weather emergency. If your home is damaged as a result of winter weather, you can contact us for help with insurance claims management in the Twin Cities.

Before that happens, we want to go over a few things to help you prepare for winter weather. One of the most important things to know is the difference between a winter storm outlook, advisory, watch and warning.

Outlook: Winter storm conditions are possible within the next two to five days.

Advisory: Winter weather is expected and it will most likely cause inconveniences or hazards for traveling. You are advised to take caution.

Watch: There is a good chance winter storm conditions will occur within the next 36 to 48 hours. You should stay updated on weather conditions and be prepared for the possibility of a storm.

Warning: Severe and life-threatening weather conditions are already happening or will begin in the next 24 hours.

To be prepared for a winter storm, you should have a fully stocked emergency kit in your home. This kit should include items like batteries, a battery-powered radio, flashlights, candles, matches, bottled water, nonperishable food, sand or kitty litter, extra blankets and jackets. You should also have a first aid kit as well as extras of any necessary medication.

Have a plan for what to do if a winter storm strikes, and make sure everyone in the family understands the plan. If your family members are not all home during the storm, be sure everyone knows how to get in touch.

Try not to get caught in the storm. Watch the weather and avoid traveling if possible when the forecast is predicted to get bad.

Once the storm is over and you know all your family is safe, be sure to check your home and property for any damage. If you do have damage, contact us for our insurance claims management service to help you through the claims process.

For more information about insurance claims management in the Twin Cities and other services we offer, call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 866-512-LOSS (5677), or you can contact us to set up a Free Consultation.

What to Look for When Hiring an Insurance Adjuster

After some type of disaster or weather event damages your home, you are probably feeling quite stressed out and anxious. Filing an insurance claim with your insurance company can be confusing, especially if you have never done it before. There are a ton of forms and other paperwork to fill out. And it’s even worse if you are already feeling overwhelmed because of the weather event and the damage to your home! We are an insurance adjuster in the Twin Cities, and we have a few tips on what you should look for when you are hiring an insurance adjuster.

The first thing you need to look into is the insurance adjuster’s license. Is the adjuster licensed to work in your state? Get a license number and make sure you verify it with your state department of licensing. Sometimes if the insurance adjuster works for a specific company, they will practice under that license. Either way, get that number and check to make sure it is legit.

You should also ask for some references from the insurance adjuster. Call a few of them and ask about the experiences they had with the adjuster. You should also ask the insurance adjuster a few questions too. For example, how many claims have they handled for other customers? How much experience do they have?

Of course, you should always check on the fees too. How much of the insurance claim money will you owe to the insurance adjuster after the claims process is finished? Make sure you fully understand the adjuster’s fees and how they will be collected from you. And be sure you get everything in writing, just in case.

Last but not least, listen to your gut instinct. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Make sure you get along with your insurance adjuster and that your personalities mesh well, considering you will be working closely with this person for at least a few months until the claims process is finally over.

You should call us any time you need an insurance adjuster! We are fully licensed and experienced, and we do our best to treat our clients with the utmost care and attention to detail.

Would you like more information on how to hire an insurance adjuster in the Twin Cities and the surrounding areas? Call Norcia Insurance Consultants at 1-866-512-LOSS (5677) or 952-892-7831, or you can contact us to set up a Free Consultation.

Need Help with Your Insurance Claims?

Navigating the tricky and often-confusing waters of insurance claims can be overwhelming, especially when you’re already feeling stressed out because some type of tragedy has struck your home. Storm damage? Accident? Or one of those ambiguous “acts of God”? No matter what bad thing has happened, you need insurance claims help. Twin Cities-area Norcia Insurance consultants has a few reasons insurance claims help can bring you peace of mind and help alleviate some of your stress.

The thing is, the insurance companies are not necessarily looking out for you and your best interests. Sure, they will pay out some money to help you recover from that “act of God” or storm damage, but they also need to protect their own interests. So sometimes they will only want to pay out the bare minimum when you submit a claim. And insurance claims forms can be very tricky and detailed. So these are two good reasons you need insurance claims help from Norcia. We can fill out the forms for you and can help figure out why your insurance company has returned your forms. Some possible reasons: missing information, incorrect information, mismatching information or too long of a delay between the incident and when the claims were submitted.

But when you get insurance claims help from us, we can help make sure you get the maximum pay out possible from your insurance company, and we can also help resubmit the forms so the information on them is accurate. When you’re already feeling overwhelmed, getting insurance claims help from a company like ours can be invaluable.

You have enough to worry about when a tragedy strikes. Why should you also have to worry about battling the insurance companies? Just ask for insurance claims help from Norcia and we’ll be there for you to help out.

Just call 866-512-LOSS (5677) or request a Free Consultation.

Understanding the Basics of Being a Public Insurance Adjuster

Have you ever wondered what a public insurance adjuster does? After all, they always seem to show up whenever there is a disaster of some type. This is because it is their job to inspect property and determine just how much the insurance company should pay out. They are there to help the victim(s) get back on their feet as soon as possible so they can move forward with life.

But, how does a public insurance adjuster do this? Is it just a matter of making an educated guess? No, of course it isn’t! There is actually a process involved that any reputable adjuster will employ. Here are the elements of that process: investigate, evaluate and settle. However, a public insurance adjuster has much in common with these other professions – appraisers, examiners and investigators.

With these roles involved, an adjuster may also find themselves doing a variety of other jobs. For instance, they may need to determine if the loss claimed was actually covered by the policy, contact the claimant’s medical professionals or employers regarding any questionable claims, speak to legal representation, negotiate settlement and set up payments.

The job of being a public insurance adjuster is certainly not dull! In fact, it can even mean travelling to other parts of one’s state or to other states to assess damages. In addition, the adjuster must know about a variety of topics that may range from dealing with the aftermath of a disaster like area-wide flooding to understanding the fine details of a worker’s compensation claim. They will interview claimants and witnesses, take pictures and statements and talk to any experts (accountants, architects, construction workers, engineers, etc.) in that field, so that they can be sure to get their client the biggest settlement possible within the quickest amount of time.

Keep in mind a public insurance adjuster is there to help you. It is their job to see that all parties involved are in agreement regarding the incident and the report turned into an examiner clearly explains the situation. In the event that one of the parties is not in favor of the claim or settlement, the adjuster will work with the attorneys and expert witnesses to reach an agreement that pleases everyone.

Should you be in the need of one, it is important that whether you hire one from an insurance company or have someone who is self-employed, that you take the time to make sure that they are licensed and that there are no complaints filed against them. You should expect to pay them at least 10 percent of whatever the final settlement is, as well. 

Simply put, the primary job of a Twin Cities public insurance adjuster is to help you, the client.

Does using a public adjuster increase payments?

In a recent study, the Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability discussed the value of using a public adjuster, and it showed that claims where adjusters were used had increased payments.

The study (which can be found by clicking here) shows how important and valuable it is to use public adjusters. Company adjusters work on behalf of insurance companies, while public adjusters work on behalf of policyholders.

Another important part of having a public adjuster on your side is that he or she will handle all aspects of the claims process from beginning to end, and policyholders will receive a full explanation of coverage, loss and insurance company claim requirements.

Contact Wisconsin public adjusters by clicking here.

Insurance Adjusters Can Work For You, Or Against You

When you have a major property insurance claim, such as with storm damage, you will be contacted by an insurance adjuster who is assigned to handle that claim. The adjuster will evaluate the damage and follow up with a monetary offer to cover your loss.

There are many factors involved in determining loss. Not only is there the actual damage to the property, but there are secondary considerations. If the damage is to your home, there may be temporary living expenses incurred while the property is being repaired.

If the damage is to your place of business, you may have additional expenses that are required to continue operations while you don't have access to your premises, or you may have a loss of business income that is covered by your insurance policy.

It can be overwhelming to try to determine what is covered while you are already distracted by the displacement and interruption to normal activities. How can you possibly know if your insurance company's adjuster is considering all of the appropriate expenses and losses, when you may not even understand the intricate details of your insurance policy?

Insurance adjusters sent by the insurance company, represent only the interests of the insurance carrier, not your interests. His job is to settle the claim efficiently with the minimum financial impact on the insurance company. So what do you do?

The solution is to get your own Minnesota insurance adjuster. You can engage a Public Insurance Adjuster to represent you in settling the claim. A public adjuster represents only the insured party, is extensively trained in insurance, and is usually required to be licensed by the state.

He or she will be able to properly evaluate the losses that you have incurred, as well as determine the obligations of your insurance carrier. They will be familiar with the intricacies of insurance settlement and knowledgeable in the subtle differences in terms such as "actual cash value" as opposed to "replacement cost". These terms are quite different and don't necessarily mean what the average none trained person would expect.

To learn more about the role of insurance adjusters in settling your claim, click here to read the article, “The Truth about Insurance Adjusters.”