Contents-365
The Case of the Model Jet
February 19, 2010 | Dan Farrell
EnservioSelect was asked to research and find a retail replacement value for a scale model, radio controlled, fully operational jet aircraft. This model jet was a military style aircraft (SU-35), measuring nine and a half feet long and was fully accessorized with retractable landing gear, special lights and brakes, an operating pilot’s canopy and twin jet engines. The aircraft was fully flight capable and could operate at speeds approaching 300 mph! It had crashed (Duh!), and the claimed replacement cost was just in excess of $30,800.00. This was unusual, even for EnservioSelect, but just another example of the lengths to which we can extend in the field of specialty appraisals - boys and their toys!...
The Case of the Golden Spike
January 24, 2010 | Dan Farrell
EnservioSelect was asked to determine if a “Golden Spike” - made as a commemorative of the 1869 joining of the Union Pacific and the Central Pacific tracks creating the first transcontinental railroad in the US - could be worth the $3,000 claimed by the Insured. The Insured purchased the spike in 1979 along with a Special Edition “Golden Spike” rifle made by Winchester in 1969 to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the historic joining of the tracks....
The Opportunity Around Scheduled Items
December 2, 2009 | Jon McNeill
As property insurance professionals and homeowners, each of us is familiar with the contents that are typically scheduled separately for specific coverage: a diamond engagement ring, Rolex watches, firearms, a fur coat, etc. In actuality, there are many more items that can and should be scheduled – and they’re not necessarily what you would think. Upright pianos, mountain bikes, riding mowers and large flatscreens are all items that can cost thousands of dollars, yet they remain tucked into...
Catastrophe customer service
November 6, 2009 | Rob Chase
Picture this: half of your house has just burned down, and now that the fire department has left and the black, charred embers are soupy and waterlogged, your adjuster gives you a sheet of paper and asks you to write down everything in your home that is now damaged or destroyed. Not a very comfortable feeling. It’s true that policy holders have an obligation to produce this information, but their lives have just been turned upside down. They are about as ill prepared in the moment as you can get....
What your claim data is trying to tell you
November 4, 2009 | Jon McNeill
When you think about it, there are some really intriguing questions around your organization’s contents claim handling: How many lines per day does each department handle? What are your cycle times? What does your historical trend on television reimbursements look like now that flat-screen TV’s are so popular? The answers to these questions can provide key competitive advantages, but the problem is that most claims management executives don’t have this information. Why? Because it’s trapped in claims data that doesn’t exist or can’t be accessed....
The Need to Inventory
October 23, 2009 | Jim Fini
If you ask the average person walking down the street whether they know what’s in their home, chances are they’ll say, “sure.” But take that same person after experiencing a house fire, flood, or other loss and they will be hard pressed to list out even half of what they actually own. It’s just human nature. We acquire a lot, pay attention to some, and forget about the rest. I’m in the same boat as everybody else. That’s why my advice is to periodically make some record of what you have, room-by-room....