Mercury Insurance: 50 Years of Service Excellence
Low rates, great benefits and more than 50 years of providing top-notch service…see why more than 4,000 people a day choose Mercury insurance.
Carrier Spotlight- MetLife Auto & Home
In June, 2009, Ken May Insurance Services was proud to add MetLife to our stable of fine insurance partners. Though we have companies that target all types of risks, from the ultra good driver (or ultra-preferred) to the high risk (or non-standard) driver, I am excited to have an old (but forward thinking), solid company like MetLife in which to place our top-tiered drivers.
MetLife, or as some of you know them as the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was founded in March, 1868. That’s right, 1868. That is over 144 years ago. So I am pretty sure that they aren’t going anywhere. MetLife has over 90 Million customers in over 60 countries. It is the largest life insurance company in the U.S. and serves 90 of the Fortune 500 companies.
Ken & Kim with Snoopy at The Alliance Convention 2010
I’m sure that you have seen the MetLife adds on television with the Peanuts characters, primarily Snoopy. And I’m pretty sure that you have seen the MetLife blimp floating above major sporting events (actually, there are 6 blimps in their stable). The Super Bowl Champion New York Giants and the New York Jets share the fabulous new MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands (New Jersey), across the Hudson River from Manhattan (Hey, how about a new stadium for the San Diego Chargers?).
I am proud to tell you that I have had the honor of being asked to sit on the MetLife Producer Council to offer insights to the company into what we the agents and you the consumers need from them to make the partnership strong and long-term. There are only a handful of us on the council so I take this responsibility very seriously and am proud to be involved with a company that not only listens to what we have to say but actually solicit our opinions and make changes that can be made. My first meeting of the Producer Council occurred near Monterey earlier this year where our group was invited to watch the Pebble Beach Golf Tournament in the MetLife sponsor tent overlooking the 17th green of the Pebble Beach course. As expected from a 1st class company like MetLife, we were treated in a 1st class manner.
2012 Pebble Beach Pro Am
So, when you see Snoopy, Lucy, Schroeder, Linus, or even good ole’ Charlie Brown, please think of us and think of MetLife, another solid, financially strong carrier that Ken May Insurance Services has to offer to you.
Ken May has been serving North County since 1982 offering quality insurance products with strong carriers. He is currently the president of the American Agents Alliance of California, the local chairperson of the North San Diego County Chapter of the Alliance, and a member of the MetLife producer council. He can be contacted at ken@kenmayinsurance.com.
Seven Commercial Vehicle Insurance Myths Debunked
By Ryan Furmick, business auto product manager, Progressive Commercial
Your vehicles are the backbone that keeps your business up and running. But when it comes to the insurance for those vehicles, there may be some misconceptions floating around out there. For example, you might have been told that it’s okay to cancel your vehicle insurance in the off-season, or that all of your drivers are automatically covered by your policy.
To help you get to the facts about commercial auto insurance, we’ve collected some of the more widely-held misconceptions and uncovered the truth about them–along with some tips on how to make sure you have the right coverages for your business.
1. Myth: It’s cheaper to cancel your insurance if you have a seasonal business.
Fact: Not necessarily. If you cancel your insurance policy, your stored vehicles won’t be protected. A Comprehensive-only policy provides coverage for a business that doesn’t need liability coverage during certain months, but needs basic protection against incidents, such as vandalism, theft, falling tree branches, hail, etc. This is ideal for vehicles that sit for long periods during off-season.
Plus, a Comprehensive-only policy provides continuous insurance which may save you money in the long-run. If you drop your insurance completely, you may pay significantly more to purchase a new policy when your peak season rolls around because most insurance companies ask for proof of continuous coverage to get you the best rate.
2. Myth: All commercial vehicle insurance companies use their own claims adjusters.
Fact: Most companies use part-time or contract adjusters to handle commercial vehicle claims, which can slow down the time it takes to get your vehicle back on the road and in business. Progressive handles 100 percent of its commercial vehicle insurance claims with its own staff of in-house commercial insurance experts, making sure claims are processed faster than other insurers that outsource this work.
3. Myth: You must pay your insurance premium in full up-front.
Fact: This isn’t always the case. Some insurance companies offer payment plans that allow your insurance premium to be paid in installments, with very little initial payment. Keep in mind that you might qualify for a discount if you pay your policy premium in full up-front; however, your carrier or agent may also have other bill plan options available to help you manage your cash flow. Progressive, for example, offers several bill plans, including low initial payments and no interest financing
4. Myth: Your employees are covered when they drive your business vehicles.
Fact: Some vehicle insurance companies will only extend coverage to drivers who are specifically named on the policy. Make sure your insurer allows “permissive use,” which means that all of your drivers are covered as long as they have your permission to operate the vehicle.
5. Myth: It’s cheaper to buy all of your business insurance products from the same company.
Fact: You need a wide range of coverages to protect your business, from commercial vehicle insurance and general liability to workers’ compensation. While it might be easier to buy all of these products from the same company, you could save big bucks by buying your policies from separate providers. Shop around to find the best deal, or ask your local agent for quotes from several different companies.
6. Myth: All insurance companies offer 24/7 service.
Fact: Many insurance companies are only available during regular office hours, which can make filing a claim, adding a vehicle to your policy, and paying bills inconvenient. Before you buy, check with your insurance company to make sure they’re available when you need them.
7. Myth or Fact
Wonder if one of your perceptions about vehicle insurance is myth or fact? Talk to a local agent. They can provide answers and help you determine which coverages are right for your business.
Ryan Furmick is a business auto product manager for Progressive Commercial. Progressive, in business since 1937, is a market leader in commercial auto insurance. For more information on Progressive’s coverages please call Ken May Insurance Services at 760-967-0385 or go to www.kenmayinsurance.com.
A Tale of Two Companies: Program Changes and Pebble Beach
Things never stay the same in the insurance industry. Everything is static and ever-changing which creates headaches, problems, bad feelings, and, at least to me, interest. Let me tell you the tale of two companies.
As many of you have noticed or will notice when you receive your renewal offer, the Mercury Insurance Company has completed a makeover of their personal auto insurance program. Some of you will be thrilled with the changes while some of you won’t be happy. You see, Mercury compiled information from the past five years of claims activity and made adjustments to their auto program based on these numbers. There was no emotion involved in making these changes; everything is based on metrics (that’s numbers to us commoners). Some zip codes saw rate decreases because the numbers show that historically, there have not been a lot of claims coming from these areas while other zip codes have seen rate increases due to a lot of claims coming from these areas.
Oceanside has two zip codes that have been hit particularly hard due to a lot of claims activity from these areas. So, if you think that a lot of your neighbors filing many small nuisance claims or embellishing the facts while trying to “hit the jackpot” when filing a claim doesn’t affect you, think again. And all of those payouts by your company because the other guy didn’t follow the law and have the necessary, mandated insurance coverage? You end up paying more.
Mercury also created their own vehicle rating symbols based on how much certain vehicles cost to fix or replace. You would be shocked to see how much money is paid out on Honda Civics vs. a Toyota Prius. So, Prius drivers are getting a break while Civic drivers are seeing an increase.
Other underwriting factors such as driver classes (a person’s age and marital status) come into play as well. The whole idea is to charge more where the numbers show the risk to be higher and to charge less where the numbers show the risk to be lower. But, I really understand the pain somebody feels when he or she has done nothing wrong, have been safe drivers, have not filed claims, yet see an increase simply because others in their area have done just the opposite.
So what are we doing about it? We are re-shopping every renewal that comes across our desks. If we have another option for you to consider, we will let you know about it. We ask that you look at both options and decide which way you want to go. And if you have questions, we ask that you contact us. As an independent agent, we have many companies in which to place you, not just Mercury. I promise that we will try our hardest to continue to serve your needs and craft a solution that best fits you.
One of these other programs that we offer is through MetLife who has been around since 1863. You may have seen their commercials that feature Peanuts characters, particularly Snoopy. MetLife is an ultra-preferred program where we place our safest drivers so if we send you an offer to move to MetLife, you know that your good driving habits have paid off and you can rest assured that you are with a solid company.
But what about this Pebble Beach stuff I alluded to? I have been invited to be on the MetLife Producer Council which means that I will have input into their insurance programs. Using the experience gained in the agency as well as your experiences, I will be able to suggest changes to make the program better for you and me.
Recently, MetLife invited me and other council members to come to Monterey and the Pebble Beach golf tournament. I was able to have a wonderful dinner with senior management of MetLife and then the next day, join other MetLife producers and staff in the MetLife tent that overlooked the 17th green on the Pebble Beach course (golfers rotate on three different golf courses during the tournament). The view next to the ocean was spectacular, the golf was amazing, and the hosts could not be more hospitable. This was a huge thank you by MetLife for volunteering my time to give input into changes that will make their program even better for you.
MetLife has a goal of creating a partnership with their agents to help us grow and offer great products and services to our communities. In the upcoming months, you may see us at community events and I am considering partnering with MetLife on a blood drive at the agency. And of course, Snoopy will be there too.
And Mercury? Though my life and the life of my staff have become more difficult while we navigate through the program changes to the Mercury auto program, I still support Mercury 100% and understand why these changes are being made. Mercury did not become the third largest carrier in California by being stupid or lucky.
I am proud to be a Mercury agent, a MetLife agent, and an agent of the other programs we have to offer to you. Please, always feel free to stop in or give us a call if you have any questions or concerns. We work for you, not the insurance companies.
Ken May has been serving North County since 1982 offering quality insurance products with strong carriers. He is currently the president of the American Agents Alliance of California, the local chairperson of the North San Diego County Chapter of the Alliance, and a member of the MetLife producer council. He can be contacted at ken@kenmayinsurance.com.
A DUI is more than points on your driving record…
By Kim Stankiewicz
SANDAG just recently released the arrest statistics for San Diego County for 2010. In 2010, nearly 17,000 adults were arrested for misdemeanor DUI in 2010 in San Diego County. That works out to be almost 50 people per day! And remember, this is just a figure for those arrested, there are many more driving illegally intoxicated that are never caught. As the step-daughter of a police officer, I am reminded all too often of the consequences of drinking and driving. When I first set out to write this blog I was going to quote all sorts of statistics and include images of DUI crashes but then I decided that if I really wanted to make an impact the article should be about the people affected by DUIs not the people making the selfish decision to drink and drive. Lives are affected and some lives are cut tragically short.
One that hits home for me was that of a young man that my sister and I went to school with from elementary to high school. Kevin Leonard, 27, and his wife Samantha, 23, were heading back to their home in Idaho on September 26, 2010, when a vehicle crossed the center line and struck their 2001 Volkswagen GTI head on.
Pictures of Samantha from MADD Walk 2011
Kevin and Samantha were on their way home to Mountain Home Air Force Base, were Kevin was stationed, after visiting family in San Diego. The impact of the collision forced the Volkswagen off the road where it overturned causing both Kevin and Samantha, who were both wearing their seatbelts, to have to be extricated from their vehicle. Kevin was treated at the hospital and released. Samantha’s injuries, on the other hand, were much more severe.
The day after the accident she underwent 8 hours of reconstructive surgery on the right side of her head and face. The next day she suffered mini strokes and brain seizures and had to be put on a ventilator. The brain swelling increased and she began running a fever. On October 2, 2010, Samantha Leonard succumbed to the injuries she sustained in the accident. She left behind a loving husband, parents, brothers and sisters who are still grieving her loss to this day. Samantha had her whole life in front of her but someone’s selfish decision took that away from her.
The man responsible for this crime had a blood alcohol level of .19. He was charged and convicted of felony vehicular manslaughter and sentenced to 15 years in prison but is eligible for parole after 5 years. Nothing will bring Samantha back but his punishment doesn’t seem fair in the grand scheme of things.
Kevin and his family participated in MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) San Diego’s “Walk Like MADD” 5k walk in October to remember Samantha but they weren’t the only family there. Far too many families were also walking to remember a lost loved one. According to the MADD website last year, 10,839 people (one every 50 minutes) died in drunk-driving crashes in the United States.
Remembering (MADD Walk 2011)
As you celebrate with your friends and family this holiday season please remember to not drink and drive. And do me one favor, if you don’t remember the statistics regarding DUIs at least remember Samantha the next time you have a few drinks and think about getting behind the wheel.