Why is Your Insurance Company Always Lecturing You?

Does it ever feel like insurance companies and agents are always lecturing you about safety? There’s a legitimate reason behind it (aside from us being helicopter moms). For starters, we genuinely care about your wellbeing and the wellbeing of the people and pets in your life. But, beyond that, we’re also concerned about how you protect your own property. You see, in the insurance world, if you walk around haphazardly not caring for your belongings, we don’t like that. Why? Because, while we’re in the business to pay covered claims, we’re also in the business of minimizing risk. We call this “loss prevention” which is just insurance talk for “what can we do to prevent bad things from happening to your property?”

Look at it this way: We all pay into a pool with our insurance premiums, so if nobody ever took preventative measures, we’d deplete that pool. Then, when people who have diligently taken care of their property file claims, there’s no money left for them because the people who were negligent got it first. The pool is now empty.

And, let’s face it, empty pools are less fun…unless you skateboard. In which case, wear a helmet. Because your mom and Pioneer say so.

That’s an extreme example of course. An insurance company would have to be dang near insolvent (that’s insurance talk for "near death") for this to happen but you get the picture.

The bad seeds tend to affect the prices of the good seeds as well (thanks bad seeds). It’s always the few that ruin it for the many, right?

So, what might loss prevention look like? We’re so glad you asked.

Here are a few examples of what that might look like with homes and vehicles:

Vehicles:

• Getting new tires when necessary
• Regular maintenance - oil change, tire rotation
• Driving safely and obeying speed limits

Home:

• New roof when necessary (this might be every 10, 20, 30 years depending on the type of shingles you purchase)
• Locking doors and windows
• Having someone check on your home while you’re away

You get the idea, right?

Basically, take care of your belongings and practice safety in your everyday life. Experiencing a loss is not something anyone wants to go through and taking preventative measures can help ensure that you won’t. But rest assured, if and/or when the time comes that you need us, we’ll be there to help you figure it all out.

Disclaimer: This is a general interpretation of processes and coverage. All claims are subject to Insuring Agreements, Endorsements, Exclusions, Terms, and Conditions of the Policy.

Have any questions about what you just read? Please contact your Independent Insurance Agent or email us at socialmedia@psmic.com!