It has been nearly one year since the city of Joplin, Missouri was hit by a fierce tornado. In the next two installments we want to let you know how that city is doing one year later. In this post you will see that the city will remember on May 22nd (through a memory walk) those who lost their lives that day. Stan Hays (pictured above, right) a Director at Farmers, will be there as part of Operation BBQ Relief. Last year, in Joplin, this group fed thousands of people for weeks after the tornado struck. The image above and the article below were featured in the May issue of JC Penney Magazine.
As the city of Joplin rebuilds we ask that you keep the people of Joplin in your thoughts and prayers…
Barbeque to the Rescue
Following a path of destruction, these BBQ gurus have a hunger for feeding the needy.
The devastating tornadoes of Joplin, Missouri, lit a fire inside Will Cleaver, Stan Hays and Jeff Stith. And Operation BBQ Relief (OBR) was born.
In only 11 days, they served more than 12,000 meals to victims and first responders. “Otherwise, lots of people wouldn’t have had a hot meal for days,” Stith said. “We’re a quick answer to immediate need.”
But these guys couldn’t do it alone. They all agree, their most important ingredient is their loyal founding members and volunteers. “We’d be lost without them,” Stith said.
The OBR “family” now consists of a country wide gang of competitive grill masters, caterers and enthusiasts cooking for a cause.
Cleaver said he’d never seen so many grown men hug and cry in his life. ‘It’s about helping your neighbor,” he said. “It changed my perspective on everything.”
The food is donated from generous vendors or purchased through fundraising. “Very few of us know what it’s like to be hungry,” Stith said. “It’s one of the most rewarding things you could do.”
I recently received a question from a reader concerning children who return home to live with their parents and if they are covered under one’s home owners policy. Below is the question and answer.
Question: Paul, with the recent downturn in the economy we see more and more children returning to live in their parents home. Are they and their immediate family (wife and children) covered under the one home owners policy. How about if the parents owned a duplex and each family lived on either side, would one home owners policy cover the entire family?
Answer: This depends on the state so be sure to contact a Farmers agent in your area. But generally, a child, including the child’s immediate family, who are permanent residents living with their parents are covered under the parent’s policy. The child and his/her family would have to treat the parent’s home as their usual, habitual place of abode, versus just visiting.
As for the duplex, the parents would generally cover the duplex building itself, presuming the policy was written to cover both units. However, the child and his/her immediate family need to get renters insurance for their personal property and liability coverage as the parent’s policy will not cover their separate personal property or any liability claims..
But I strongly suggest contacting your local Farmers agent to discuss the appropriate coverage for you.
Thanks for asking,
Paul
Feel free to ask me a question and I will answer your question or find someone who can. You may email me directly at farmers-cares@farmersinsurance.com.
It is hard to believe it has been one year since the tornadoes ripped through the state of Alabama. The most destructive tornado was the one that hit Tuscaloosa and moved 60 miles east to Birmingham. However, there were 60 other tornadoes that day that struck much of Alabama and caused widespread devastation. I asked a few of my colleagues to give us their insights on what they see, and feel as Alabama rebuilds.
David Swindell, Supervisor, Huntsville
The remarkable thing to me is how quickly the people of Alabama pulled together and got down to the business of rebuilding lives and communities. It was slow at first, but from the beginning you could sense that something very special was happening.
Sometimes it takes a tragic circumstance to be reminded of the things that really matter. In the midst of grief and sorrow our state was truly overwhelmed by the generosity of so many people from far away.
This was especially meaningful within the Farmers family! The agents, district managers, and employees of this state were carried along by so many who gave of themselves to come here and help.
Today, many communities have made significant progress. Whole neighborhoods have been rebuilt, trees have been planted and children are playing in new parks with innovative designs.
For me, and I think for many others around the state, things only began to return to normal with the kick-off of college football season in late August. President Obama recently invited the University of Alabama football team to the White House to honor them for winning the BCS Championship.
In his remarks, the President said that this was “a deeply meaningful season” in which the team overcame adversity on many levels. He went on to say that “the Tide showed us what it takes to win as a team, but they also showed what it means to be a part of a larger community: to look out for one another, to help. And that makes them pretty special.”
Cathy Jackson, Supervisor, Birmingham
As we are approaching the one year anniversary of the April 27th storm, it is good to reflect on all that has happened in our community and the Farmers family. My community is near the Tuscaloosa area that was devastated. Since the storms, I have noticed completion of homes that had been destroyed and now the blue tarps are gone. The process for rebuilding took longer than I thought it should have, but it has been good to see progress.
This event did bring together agents and claim representatives and in my opinion made us all feel like one family. I think the claims department’s response during the storm gave all of us a sense of pride. This sense of teamwork and family still carries on one year later.
Bill Kitchings, Manager, Birmingham
The national news may have left but the people in Alabama have not. As we approach the 1 year anniversary of the Alabama tornado event that occurred on April 27th, it’s hard not to think about the families that were affected by the storm. There were 248 lives lost and a significant number of injuries caused by more than 60 tornados that badly damaged or destroyed almost 14,000 homes. It is a time of remembrance, but it is also a time to think about what occurred this past year as Alabama goes forward.
Over the past year, I have witnessed a gathering of all people; organizations, churches, and companies across the US join hands to rebuild Alabama. I do some work with Habitat for Humanity and met groups from New Jersey, Portland, Oregon, and Kansas City that wanted to come to help. In some areas, it will take years to recover, but in other areas, the recovery is almost complete. This started as an Alabama event but evolved into a National event that all people have come together to help their fellow Americans.
This is a sample of the sense of what it means to be a member of the Farmers Claims Team and the Farmers Family. We are there, and continue to be there, when people need us most.
The weather this weekend was amazing as more than 100 tornadoes were reported in 24 hours over a stretch of the Plains states.
You might wonder how insurance companies get ready for catastrophe season. At Farmers we are dedicated to being there as quickly as you need us and Farmers has been on the front lines of many of the worst catastrophes in our country’s history—from the Long Beach, California earthquake in 1933; Hurricane Carla in 1961; Northridge earthquake in 1994—all the way to more recent catastrophes like the Southern California wildfires of 2007, Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike, the San Bruno gas explosion and the tornadoes of 2011 where we sent our Mobile Claims Center (MCC) for days and sometimes weeks.
It is Farmers’ goal to be ready to help the community and our customers, whenever and where ever we are needed. We take pride in our preparation effort and in being one of the first to respond to a catastrophic event. We have a dedicated team that focuses on responding to catastrophic events that occur throughout the country.
Although Farmers has agents and claims offices around the nation, we recognized a need to have a mobile force that can help communities during catastrophes where there may be a loss of infrastructure, power, telephone services or internet connectivity. Therefore, Farmers began work constructing our state-of-the-art MCCs. In October of 2006, our first MCC debuted, responding to storms that ravaged the Pacific Northwest. Since then, we have added two additional MCCs to our fleet.
Having these three MCCs allows Farmers to quickly respond in any location after a catastrophe and provide support to the community and our customers, even when local services or infrastructure are impacted. But, we don’t only arrive quickly, our MCCs also bring the latest technology. With our high speed satellite and internet, self generated power supply, sophisticated phone systems and computers and printers, we are able to help our customers by filing claims or printing checks to help them with covered expenses related to the catastrophe. Our onboard office stations allow 11 claims representatives inside, and as many at 70 more can work outside on wifi.
While the MCCs are able to take care of the needs of our customers, we are also able to provide services to the community, regardless if someone is a customer or not. These capabilities enable the MCCs turn local emergency response locations into a community hub:
45 foot long, 8 1/2 foot wide and 13 1/2 ft tall
Free public access to satellite based telephone and internet
Satellite televisions and Doppler radar system allow us to monitor the latest news and weather developments.
Video conferencing and live web feeds
A cooking grill, coffee makers and other food service equipment, operated by Farmers volunteers, enable us to prepare and serve catastrophe victims and emergency responders.
Here at Farmers, we have a passion not only for taking care of business, we aim to take care of any community when in need. Over the years, our MCCs have allowed us to help in many ways:
When Hurricane Ike struck in 2008, our MCCs were on site to help the over 2.5 million people left without power in Texas and Louisiana.
During the California wildfires in October 2007, Farmers was the first insurance company on the scene. Our MCC was staffed with agents, claims adjusters, employee volunteers, and even our CEO.
Aside from disaster response, our MCCs are also active in community involvement, and are present at many local and national events that Farmers sponsors, such as the March of Dimes, March for Babies events.
We are continuously researching new tools and technology to ensure that our mobile response fleet continues to be industry leading. Our newest MCC was designed with the environment in mind. Wind generators and rooftop solar panels reduce generator use and fuel consumption, and LED lighting lasts longer and does not generate hazardous waste. A water recycling system uses rain water, leftover bottled water, water from sinks and air conditioning condensations for non-cooking and non-drinking needs. The use of lightweight materials reduces the vehicles overall weight. The result, an MCC that is more environmentally friendly and still gets the job done.
It doesn’t matter when or where a catastrophe strikes, you need to know someone will be there to help. Farmers will be.
Caring for you when you need it the most—the Farmers way.
As residents in four Texas counties are currently being told to take shelter, it is important to know the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning.
A tornado watch is issued when the weather conditions are favorable and there is a possibility of a tornado developing in your area in the next several hours. During a tornado watch, you need to be alert and prepared to go to safe shelter in case a tornado warning is issued. Stay close to a radio or TV and pay close attention to the weather reports.
During a tornado watch you should also:
Review your emergency preparedness plan
Make sure you have your disaster kit ready
Possible signs of a tornado to look for during a watch are:
Dark greenish or orange-gray skies
Large hail
Large, dark, low-lying, rotating or funnel-shaped clouds
A loud roar that is similar to a freight train
A tornado warning means that a tornado has actually been spotted in your area and is showing up on Doppler radar. This means you must take shelter immediately in a safe and sturdy structure. If there is a tornado warning you should:
Get inside a secure building (not a mobile home) as soon as you can
Get to the lowest floor, preferably a basement
Get as close to the center of the room (and as far away from windows) as you can
Try to get under a heavy table if possible
Crouch low, facing down, and cover your head
And, as I have mentioned before, one of the most valuable tools is a weather radio. You need to know what is going on around you as weather changes rapidly and with little warning.
So as we all enjoy the Spring weather, know that tornado season is officially here and we all need to be aware and prepared.
The information below concerning Uninsured Motorist Coverage is to expand on my response to the question I had on my Q&A post.
Most of us driving down the road don’t really give our auto insurance much thought. We’ve spent time with an agent, or over the phone, discussing what is needed and even though the coverages were explained, we forget what the coverages really mean. And, like most insurance, we hope we never need it but are glad we have it if and when we do. One of the coverages most of us have, but rarely use, is the Uninsured Motorist and Underinsured Motorist Coverages.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) is designed to protect you and passengers in your car for injuries caused by a motorist with no insurance. Each state has laws that address negligence, but in general terms you can use the UM part of the policy if the uninsured driver was at least partially responsible for the accident and your injuries and those of your passengers.
A simple comparison to another section of your policy may help in your understanding of UM coverage. Most states require that you carry liability insurance so that you have insurance in case you cause injury to someone as a result of driving your vehicle. You are at fault and you hurt someone and they need to be compensated for their injuries. The Liability section addresses their injuries up to the limit of your policy. Now turn the tables, you or your passengers are hurt as a result of the negligence of an uninsured driver. Your UM coverage acts like the other driver’s insurance and addresses your injuries up to the limit of your UM coverage.
So, why do you have to pay for UM coverage if your state has Mandatory Insurance for all drivers? Even with Mandatory insurance the Insurance Information Institute estimates that at least 1 in 7 drivers have no liability insurance. So, at a minimum, 14% of all drivers have no liability insurance, leaving you vulnerable.
What is Underinsured Motorist (UIM) Coverage? Using the example above, you are hit by a negligent driver but this time they have insurance, but it is less than your UM coverage. For instance, the other driver has 25/50 Liability Limits, or 25,000 per person/ 50,000 total per accident. But, you carry 100/300 UM/UIM limits. Depending on the state where you live, your UIM insurance will apply above the other driver’s limits.
In summary UM addresses your injuries if the other driver is negligent and has no liability insurance. UIM addresses your injuries if the other drive is negligent and has insufficient liability coverage to compensate you for your injuries.
Because UM/UIM coverages vary from state to state, I suggest you contact your agent or insurance company to discuss your policy coverages. It is a good idea to have an annual insurance review, much like your annual physical, at least once a year. At Farmers, we call in the Farmers Friendly Review.
I hope this helps to answer the reader’s question and keep those questions coming.
Last winter I wrote a post called Ice Dams: What Can You Do?. The post was very popular as many deal with this problem during the winter months.
To add to the information from my previous blog post, Farmers Insurance now has a very comprehensive video on how to prevent and deal with ice dams. So, enjoy the winter time but try not to let the beautiful snow cause damage to your home.
In the business world, it always feels good when corporate sponsorship means helping worthwhile causes. The Farmers Insurance Open is an event where we get to do a lot of good for the people of San Diego. Under our Farmers brand, which has been part of the Southern California landscape since 1928, our goal is to strengthen community outreach.
On Janary 9th, Farmers announced that it would donate $10 to the March of Dimes for each new fan who “liked” the Farmers Insurance Open on Facebook. In only five days, more than 2,500 people became fans of the Farmers Insurance Open helping generate $25,000 in donations to March of Dimes. Because of the success of the promotion, Farmers doubled the original donation up to $50,000. The Farmers Insurance Open Facebook page reached 5,000 new fans on Jan. 20th.
A supporter of March of Dimes for more than 25 years, Farmers raised $4.9 million in 2011 for the March of Dimes.
This year there are other beneficiaries of the Farmers Insurance Open and some are centered on youth and education. They are:
Blessings in a Backpack- This unique program is designed to feed elementary school children who qualify under federal meal programs. On Wednesday, Farmers volunteers, PGA Tour players and their wives will stuff 500 backpacks for students at Doris Miller Elementary School. On Friday, we’ll deliver the backpacks to the school.
The First Tee – This group is dedicated to teaching valuable life skills to young people using the game of golf as a teaching tool. Their mission is to impact the lives of young people by providing learning facilities and educational programs that promote character development and life-enhancing values through the game of golf.We will be supporting the San Diego Chapter, “ProKids Golf.”
As you can see, being the title sponsor of a PGA event is way more than just golf. It is about community participation and working toward a positive future because we at Farmers care.
The Farmers Insurance Open is being held Monday, January 23rd through Sunday, January 29th at the Torrey Pines Golf Course in La Jolla, California. Tune in Thursday and Friday on the Golf Channel and on CBS over the weekend.
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