Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

Banking Fraud is a concern for businesses!

    There are perils to using Electronic Banking and Wire Transfers that comes along with the ease of internet banking.  You can expose your company to a loss from criminals.  Your insurance carrier may not provide any coverage for Wire Transfer or Computer Fraud.      In fact, most insurance carriers do not have adequate coverage automatically included or available to protect you in case of loss.     Please call us if you are using banking services over the Internet to review how you can properly protect yourself and how your current policy covers you.  Talk to an agent at Sparks for special programs that can cover you for your expenses should a breach or fraud occure.

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Employment Practices Liability (EPL) is an affordable way for business owners to help protect themselves against claims brought by employees alleging discrimination, wrongful termination or harassment, including sexual harassment.  Your commercial Liability & Workers Compensation policies do not provide you any protect for these types of claims.

An EPL claim can happen to any business. If you have employees, you have a potential for a loss. Any of  these practices can potentially prompt an EPL claim – hiring, performance assessments, payroll decisions and terminations.

Defense:  EPL provides coverage for defense costs (within policy limits) and settlement. Even a groundless claim can cost a business time and money – just asking a law firm to open a file can cost thousands of dollars (and that’s before even getting to a hearing).

Affordable:  EPL coverage is affordable.  Rates are based on the number of full and part-time employees.

Assistance:  Insurers will provide policy holders access to experienced claims professionals and attorneys who specialize in employment law.  You can also have access to loss prevention resources.

Who’s Covered:  Covered parties include the entity, owner, partners, and full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary employees.  Customers can add third-party EPL coverage for claims brought by customers, clients or vendors for an additional premium.

If you do not have this valuable coverage, call SPARKS INSURANCE  for a proposal today!

Do You Have Flood Insurance?

 Did you know the most costly natural disaster we face is flooding?  Most people do not have insurance for flooding.  Please note that Homeowners policies do not cover this cause of loss.  Most insurance carriers will provide coverage by endorsement for backup of sewers and drains or failure of the sump pump system for an additional premium.  Water that enters your home from the surface is not covered with this type of endorsement.

 What is a flood?  It is a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties from overflow of inland waters or unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source.

 There is a solution to this gap in coverage.  Flood insurance is available from Sparks Insurance and the cost is probably less than you might expect.  It is definitely less than the expense of home repairs and loss to personal property.  If you would like a no-obligation quote, give us a call.  As always, we will be happy to go over any other insurance concerns you may have and answer questions about any of your insurance policies

New Law Will Require Carbon Monoxide Detectors in All Homes

On March 10, 2010, Governor Doyle signed into law Senate Bill 415, legislation that requires all homes to have carbon monoxide detectors beginning on February 1, 2011. Carbon monoxide is a dangerous, poisonous gas which cannot be detected by human senses. Dubbed the “silent killer,” carbon monoxide claims more than 2,000 lives each year and sends more than 40,000 people to the emergency room in the U.S. alone. At high concentrations, carbon monoxide can be fatal within minutes. Twenty three other states already have laws requiring carbon monoxide alarms in residential properties.

This new law will expand the current carbon monoxide detector requirements to all one- and two-family homes and parallels requirements for smoke alarms for ease of installation. Specifically, this new law will require carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in the basement of the dwelling and on each floor level except the attic or storage area of both newly constructed and existing homes. For new construction, the alarms must be hard-wired in order to be current with national model safety codes. For existing homes, the alarms can be battery operated and can be multipurpose (smoke and carbon monoxide). Dwellings with no attached garages, no fireplaces and no fuel-burning appliances are exempted from this requirement.

Similar to the smoke alarm law, the new carbon monoxide detector law does not have a fine or penalty associated with non-compliance. However, all home inspections will be required to check for carbon monoxide alarms.

Last session, the legislature passed and Governor Doyle signed into law a measure requiring carbon monoxide detectors in all new and existing multifamily units. Beginning April 1, 2010, all existing multifamily units are required to have carbon monoxide detectors. Plug-in alarms are acceptable to comply with this new law in existing multifamily units.

 One of the owners of Sparks Insurance is senior volunteer member on the National Board of Directors of Ducks Unlimited, Inc. and is very pleased to post this news release from Ducks Unlimited Inc. 

Interior Secretary Unveils Special Edition Duck Stamp Cachet

at Ducks Unlimited National Headquarters

 MEMPHIS, Tenn., July 27, 2010 – U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar unveiled a special edition Federal Duck Stamp cachet during a press conference held at Ducks Unlimited national headquarters here today. Proceeds from the voluntary purchase of the cachet will be used to acquire wetlands for inclusion in national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast.

“Today, the wildlife of the Gulf Coast faces new threats – from the current oil spill to disappearing wetlands – that we must rise to confront,” Secretary Salazar said. “This special edition duck stamp cachet will provide hunters and other conservationists the opportunity to once again go beyond the call of duty by conserving disappearing wetlands for generations to come.” 

 “This new collectible cachet will help raise badly needed funds for our tremendously important national wildlife refuges along the Gulf Coast,” Dale Hall, DU CEO, said. “I urge all DU supporters to purchase one to help restore habitat in those refuges.”

 Among the nearly 100 persons attending the press conference today were Rowan Gould, acting director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; Evan Hirsche, executive director of the National Wildlife Refuge Association; Johnny Morris, founder and CEO of Bass Pro Shops and members of the DU board of directors. A representative of U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (TN) was also in attendance.

 “As conservation leaders, we know there is a real sense of urgency in our efforts to restore the treasured wetlands of the Gulf Coast,” Hall said. “As each day passes, an average of 50 acres of coastal wetlands are lost in Louisiana alone ─ and with those acres, another piece of the Gulf Coast’s heritage is lost and another piece of its future slips away. Working together, we must strive to restore these magnificent wetlands so future generations will be able to enjoy their rich bounty of fish and wildlife.”

 The cachet features a silk rendering of an award-winning photograph of St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge on the Gulf Coast of Florida by David Moynahan, as well as the 2010-2011 Federal Duck Stamp, which depicts an American wigeon painted by artist Robert Bealle of Waldorf, Md.

Starting today, the cachet may be purchased nationwide for $25 ─ which includes the 2010-2011 Federal Duck Stamp ─ at post offices and Bass Prop Shops stores or by dialing 1-800-852-4897. Bass Pro is underwriting the first edition of the cachet and will market it in its retail stores across the United States and Canada.

 Morris thanked those who have dedicated their lives, talents and energies to ensure healthy fish and wildlife habitat for future generations. “We are blessed to live in America where we have the finest conservation model in the world,” he said.

 Ducks Unlimited is the world’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving North America’s continually disappearing waterfowl habitats. Established in 1937, Ducks Unlimited has conserved more than 12 million acres thanks to contributions from more than a million supporters across the continent. Guided by science and dedicated to program efficiency, DU works toward the vision of wetlands sufficient to fill the skies with waterfowl today, tomorrow and forever.

 Tony Dolle                   901.758.3937             tdolle@ducks.org

  Lauren Oxner             901758.3851             loxner@ducks.org

ERIE Agency Principals

From:  Lorianne Feltz-Upperman, Senior Vice President, Marketing

Re:      Promotion of J.D. Power and Associates Award

Congratulations are in order as we celebrate ERIE’s receipt of the 2010 J.D. Power and Associates award for “Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Shopping Experience, Three Years in a Row.”  This recognition is clearly a reflection of the unmatched value provided by an independent ERIE Agent

Date:   July 16, 2010

To:       ERIE Employees and Agents

From:  Terry Cavanaugh

President & CEO

Re:      ERIE Named In 2010 Ward’s 50 Top Performing Insurance Companies

I’m pleased to announce that ERIE has been named to the 2010 Ward’s 50 top performing insurance companies.  Ward Group is a leading provider of benchmarking and best practices services for the insurance industry. This is the third consecutive year that ERIE has been named to the Ward’s 50.

Each year, The Ward Group analyzes the financial performance of more than 3,000 U.S.-based property-casualty insurances and identifies the top performers.  According to the Ward Group, the 50 best companies excel at balancing financial safety, consistency and performance over a five-year period.

The recognition is significant third-party acknowledgement of ERIE’s consistent focus on managing costs and efficient day to day operations.  The Ward’s 50 designation identifies ERIE as a financially strong company with the ability to grow while maintaining strong capital positions and underwriting results.  To achieve this growth, we will continue to enhance the way we manage our relationship with our strong agency producers.

Thank you for your contributions to this achievement and keep up the good work.  By remaining committed to our Above All in SERVICE philosophy we achieve preeminence in execution and operating results.

Terrence W. Cavanaugh / President & CEO / 814.870.2270