After a fire in your home, an insurance adjuster plays a crucial role in assessing the damage and determining the fair compensation you deserve under your insurance policy. Their primary responsibilities include:
1. **Investigating the fire:** The adjuster will visit your property to inspect the damage, gather evidence, and determine the cause of the fire. They may take photos, collect samples, and interview witnesses to get a comprehensive understanding of the incident.
2. **Evaluating the damage:** Based on their investigation, the adjuster will estimate the extent of the damage to your home and personal belongings. This includes assessing the structural damage, repair costs, and replacement costs for lost or damaged items.
3. **Preparing a claim estimate:** The adjuster will compile their findings and calculations into a detailed claim estimate. This document will outline the scope of damage, the estimated repair and replacement costs, and the proposed settlement offer.
4. **Negotiating the settlement:** The adjuster will negotiate with you to reach a fair settlement amount. They may consider factors like your policy coverage, deductible, and the value of your property and belongings.
5. **Facilitating repairs and replacements:** Once a settlement is agreed upon, the adjuster will work with you and your chosen contractors to facilitate the repair or replacement of your damaged property and belongings. They may also assist in coordinating temporary accommodations if necessary.
6. **Answering questions and providing guidance:** Throughout the claims process, the adjuster will answer your questions, address concerns, and provide guidance on how to proceed. They should be a helpful and knowledgeable resource for you during this stressful time.
Remember, the adjuster is your advocate in the insurance claims process. They are responsible for ensuring that you receive a fair and timely settlement for your losses. If you have any questions or concerns about your claim, don’t hesitate to contact your adjuster.
“As an owner of any business it is our duty to protect our clients privacy and ensure proper security systems and procedures are in place to protect their data.”-privacy officer-Dan Desbiens
8 privacy tips for businesses Based on best practices suggested by the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, the tips below can help us better protect our customers’ personal information and help create a strong regulatory compliance environment at our brokerage. Please note: These tips offer general topics—
1)Get your customers’ consent to collect their personal information.
2)Limit your collection and retention of that information.
3)Ensure that your staff receive appropriate privacy protection training.Limit and monitor access to personal information and take appropriate action when an employee accesses information without authorization.
4)Think twice before collecting sensitive personal information, and guard against collecting sensitive information you are not likely to need, such as your customers’ social insurance numbers.
5)Inform your customers if you are using video surveillance.Have a privacy policy and be upfront about your collection and use of personal information.
6)Protect personal information stored on laptops, USB keys and portable hard drives through technological safeguards such as encryption and password protection.
7)Respond to your customers’ requests for access to their personal information in a timely manner.Safeguard personal information against privacy breaches.
8)Report all breaches that could result in significant harm to an individual.
Q: What’s the difference between privacy and security?
A: There are overlaps between these two terms. Privacy has to do with control over personal information and how that information is collected, used and disclosed. Security refers to how personal information is protected and safeguarded.If, for example, you give your information to a company, and that company then uses secure methods to transmit your information to a third party who in turn uses that information to call you at dinner time, security may not be an issue, but privacy might be.You can have security without privacy, but it’s impossible to have privacy without security.
Q: If our brokerage gets a call asking for roadside confirmation of in-force coverage, how do we know it really is a police officer?
A: You have the right to challenge the caller to confirm that it is a legitimate call. For example, you might want to ask the officer’s name, their badge number, which police force and detachment they belong to, and a phone number for their detachment.Think carefully about the information you are providing and the risk of that information falling into the wrong hands. For instance, you might have told the “police officer” that the coverage on a 2017 Dodge Caravan was renewed in September. Then you call the client and they reveal that they haven’t been stopped by the police for years. You determine that it wasn’t really a police officer who called you. That’s a breach, even though you acted prudently. The renewal date on an insurance policy likely wouldn’t lead to a real risk of significant harm. But if the “officer” had asked you to share the insured’s banking information or the value of scheduled jewellery on their home policy, the conversation should stop there, unless you receive express consent from the insured, a subpoena or some similar court order.
Q: How do I deal with a client with limited English proficiency who had a friend or family member help set up their insurance?
A: First, determine what this person’s relationship is to the insured (neighbour? daughter? work associate?). Second, get clarity around this person’s role (for example, one-time translation help, or a go-between for all future insurance transactions?).If this person is providing ongoing translation assistance, obtain the insured’s express consent, such as by asking the insured to sign a form. Consider using this text:I consent to having any of my (and my family’s) personal information related to my (our) insurance needs shared with or collected from (friend/relative’s name) for (length of time the consent applies).You will need to trust that the translator will explain the form to the insured before getting the signature, which would ensure that the consent qualifies as informed. This consent should be secured in person with both the translator and the insured present, so you can be sure you are obtaining informed consent.
•Pick up and secure loose items stored outside to avoid them becoming flying debris causing potential damage and personal injury
•If you have a pool, consider covering your pool to avoid debris entering and causing damage
Prepare your home
•Install a sump pump to prevent groundwater from entering your basement. If electric, consider installing a battery-operated back-up in case of a power outage
•Keep drains and toilets free of household grease and other foreign objects that may cause blockage
•Know where basement floor drains are and keep them clear
•Know where your shut-off valves are and how to turn them off in an emergency•Check eaves trough and downspouts every spring and fall to ensure that they are not blocked
Know what to do during a flood
•Do not touch electrical wires, appliances or devices
•If sanitary sewer backs up into your basement, do not flush toilet or turn on any taps
•Never cross a flooded area
•Separate damaged property from undamaged property and prepare an inventory of what has been lost or damaged
•Take photographs of damaged property
•Keep receipts of any clean-up costs incurred
Prepare for power outages:
•Ensure fridge and freezers are well stocked and open only when necessary
•If you have a generator, prepare it for use –including checking fuel and oil levels and ensuring it is in proper running condition
•Have flashlights and blankets ready
•Fill the bathtub with cold water
•Ensure all electronic items are fully charged (laptops, smartphones, etc.)
•Keep non-perishable foods stocked
•Disconnect electronics to prevent electrical surges when power resumes
•Have alternative plans to visit friends, family, a warming centre or a mall to stay warm
Most policies protect you against a host of hazards including wind and rain storms. Review your coverages with your broker to understand your coverages, deductibles and any limits which may apply.
