DROP BY FOR A VISIT
BUSINESS HOURS:
MONDAY - FRIDAY
8AM TO 5PM
Newsroom
05/09/11 - House passes sweeping property insurance bill
By Janet Zink, Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau
TALLAHASSEE -- Plans to increase the rates of state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp. by up to 25 percent are dead in the Legislature this year.
But proposals are still moving forward in the private insurance market, most notably for sinkhole insurance.
The House on Wednesday passed a sweeping bill intended to rein in frivolous and fraudulent sinkhole claims that insurers say are draining their coffers and driving up rates for all policy holders.
Among other things, the bill would require insurance companies to only cover structural damage for primary buildings. The bill also strictly defines structural damage to minimize what have been characterized as frivolous claims for such things as hairline cracks in driveways. And it reduces the window for filing hurricane and windstorm claims from five years to three years after a storm.
Supporters say the changes will lure insurers to Florida, increase competition and lower rates.
“The state of the property insurance market in Florida is of great concern to many of us in this room. The question we’re faced with is how do we fix this market,” said Rep. John Wood, R-Haines City. “This is a first step.”
Rep. Jim Boyd, R-Bradenton, who sponsored one of the failed Citizens reform bills, lamented during debate that those proposals didn’t move forward. Citizens officials have warned that the premiums they charge their 1.3 million policy holders aren’t high enough to cover all potential losses if a massive storm hits the state. In that case, taxpayers would have to pick up the tab.
“Let’s not lose sight of the looming, potentially crippling liability hanging over our heads as Floridians,” Boyd said, noting that the bill before lawmakers may not be perfect, but it is a good start.
Opponents of the measure say it’s anti-consumer and a gift to the insurance industry.
“If this bill passes, a victim of a tragedy or loss will have less rights and less opportunity to recover for their damages,” said Rep. Rick Kriseman, D-St. Petersburg. “You better hope that the only thing falls into the hole in the ground is your home.” If your garage, swimming pool or outdoor kitchen is destroyed by a sinkhole, he said, “You’re out of luck.”
Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Dania Beach, said it would result in increased rates.
Supporters of the measure, he said, are “going to tell you big insurance is losing money hand over fist in this state, but at the end of the day we have no way of really actually knowing.”
The House voted 85-33 in favor of SB 408, which was amended Wednesday to replace language approved by the Senate last week with the House version. It now goes back to the Senate for a vote.
The Senate bill was much more extreme, freeing private insurers from having to offer comprehensive sinkhole coverage at all. Instead, they would have to offer coverage only for “catastrophic groundcover collapse,” which represents about 1 percent of sinkhole claims. People who need comprehensive coverage would have to get it from Citizens.
Janet Zink can be reached at jzink@sptimes.com or 850-224-7263.
03/01/11 - Watch Our Latest Video
Enjoy...
02/18/11 - Mangan's Corporate Branding Wins Gold!
Many of our clients and the community have noticed the recent redesign of our corporate identity. And now the advertising community also has taken notice. Last night at the Ocala Advertising Federations ADDY® AWARDS, A Gold ADDY® Award went to George Mangan Insurance Corporate Branding Package.
Our corporate identity was designed by our design firm Zed+Zed+Eye Creative Communications, located in Ocala, with Public Relations by Toni James and Associates.
So what's our new look all about?
Andy Stracuzzi, President of Zed+Zed+Eye explains... "Given Mangan Insurance’s rich heritage, we took the opportunity to communicate the longevity of the company. Zed+Zed+Eye created an identity that maintains its historical integrity while giving the brand a more contemporary feel. This new “classic” design uses symmetry to convey trust and stability... something that will not go out of style any time soon. With a new identity that looks like it could have been the original l894 logomark, Zed+Zed+Eye choose to follow this philosophy throughout he brand. After intensive research of early 1900’s design, the letterhead reflects design cues of the era. The office exterior incorporates wood carved signage. While the website was given modern functionality, yet maintains a turn of the century feel."
Credits go to:
Andy Stracuzzi, Creative Director
Danielle Berryhill, Creative Consultant
Toni James, Public Relations
Jack Moring, Programming
02/07/11 - Who Wants to Be You? Identity Theft a Common Risk for Consumers
Nine million. That’s how many Americans have their identities stolen each year, estimates the Federal Trade Commission.
From January 2005 until October 2007, a staggering 215 million personal records were breached, reported the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. The FTC noted that, in half of the criminal incidents in 2005, thieves obtained goods or services worth $500 or less. In 10 percent of cases, thieves stole at least $6,000.
ID theft has only been a crime since 1998, when Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, but it’s escalated as a problem. Not only do criminals use identity theft to steal assets, they also commit crimes in the name and character of the victim.
The FTC urges a “deter-detect-defend” approach to battle ID theft, which costs consumers and businesses plenty of money and time. Deterring means safeguarding personal data to make it harder to steal and misuse. Detecting means monitoring and becoming aware of irregularities that indicate data has been stolen. Defending means reporting the crime and then taking steps to regain data security, recover stolen assets and fix misused information.
Identity theft criminals commonly use six methods to steal consumer and business information:
1. “Dumpster diving” for papers with personal information
2. “Skimming”—stealing credit/debit card numbers when a card is processed
3. “Phishing”—pretending to be a financial institution or company and sending spam e-mail messages to get people to reveal personal information
4. Changing an address by completing a change of address form to divert bills to a criminal’s location
5. Stealing wallets, mail, checks, employer personnel records and other paperwork—through breaking-and-entering physically or electronically or bribing employees who have access to information
6. “Pretexting”—using false pretenses or tricks of social engineering to obtain personal information from consumers, financial institutions, telephone companies and other sources.
Identity theft robs a victim of time that must be urgently spent to alert police, credit bureaus, financial institutions, medical providers and others. A victim has to prove an identity loss or financial loss; close accounts; write letters to government entities; and even work with a legal advocate to recover and rebuild a stolen identity.
Likewise, the costs for legal fees can quickly add up and overwhelm a stressed victim. The loss of work time also can be costly, at the very time when financial resources are under attack by a criminal.
Personal and business insurance can play a key role in the “defend” stage of the identity theft battle. Insurers offer services to help consumers and businesses report identity theft and recover from it. Sometimes these services are included as part of a homeowners insurance package or even a business insurance package; the cost may be included or additional.
An identity recovery package may include reimbursement of legal fees related to identity theft, as well as costs of credit reports and postage, phone, shipping fees, lost wages and child/elder care for those forced to spend time away from family to resolve the situation. The ID package also might include a limited benefit for mental health counseling for crime victims.
The first step in checking on whether you’re covered for identity theft? Contact Mangan Insurance today.
11/08/10 - Safe Home Heating Tips
Fire safety tips:
- Use only portable heating equipment that is approved for indoor use. Space heaters are temporary heating devices and should only be used for a limited time each day.
- Keep combustible materials, including furniture, drapes, and carpeting at least three feet away from the heat source. Never drape clothes over a space heater to dry them.
- Never leave children alone in the room where a space heater is running. Always keep an eye on heating equipment. Turn it off when you are unable to closely monitor it.
- Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Never use an extension cord or power strip. Do not plug anything else into the same outlet when the space heater is in use. Do not use space heaters with frayed or damaged cords.
- Make sure you have a working smoke alarm in every room. Test them at least once a month and change the batteries twice a year.
- If you are going to use an electric blanket, only use one that is less than 10 years old from the date of purchase. Also avoid tucking the electric blanket in at the sides of the bed. Only purchase blankets with an automatic safety shut-off.
Carbon monoxide safety tips:
- Carbon monoxide comes from the burning of fuel. Therefore, make sure all fuel-burning devices such as furnaces, boilers, hot water heaters, and clothes dryers are properly vented to the outdoors and operating properly. If you are not sure, contact a professional to inspect and make necessary repairs.
- Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector. Most homes and residential buildings in New York City are required by law to have carbon monoxide detectors installed near all sleeping areas. Owners are responsible for installing approved carbon monoxide detectors. Occupants are responsible for keeping and maintaining the carbon monoxide detectors in good repair.
- If you have a working fireplace keep chimneys clean and clear of debris.
- Never heat your home with a gas stove or oven, charcoal barbecue grill, or kerosene, propane, or oil-burning heaters.
- The symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are non-specific and include headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, sleepiness, trouble breathing, and loss of consciousness. Severe poisonings may result in permanent injury or death.
- If you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, call 911, get the victim to fresh air immediately, and open windows.
From New York City Office of Emergency Management (Jan. 7, 2010)
Copyright © George Mangan Insurance, Inc - All Rights Reserved - Ocala Web Design