Flood Warnings in South King County

The Washington State Insurance Commissioner, Mike Kreidler, has requested that all insurance carriers with homeowners policies in effect notify every one of their policy holders that the standard homeowners/business policy does NOT cover flood damage.

With the Green River Valley in serious flood jeopardy this fall, it is absolutely vital that business and homeowners take the necessary precautions to protect their assets...this is a very serious issue and should not be taken likely. We have seen people lose everything they have worked for to mother nature and it saddens me. This is one area where I know I can make a difference and salvage someones livelihood.

If you follow this link and read the article, you will find great insight and information on this matter. Just remember, Flood Insurance does not take effect until 30 days after the policy is written...so think about this now, not later.

Increasing Theft in Restaurants...In Broad Daylight!

I recently read an article that interviewed a bunch of restaurant owners on theft issues. Surprisingly enough, each one of them had mentioned how they have started to notice an increase in petty theft. The decor that hangs on your wall, that photo that you have in the restroom that you absolutely love, or the small painting you picked up in Paris. Most of the time, as you already know, restaurant owners probably spend more time in their establishments than they do at home...so it only makes sense to decorate your place with some of the things that you love and make you happy - it's sort of an extension of your home.

So what do you do about increasing theft on those valuable items? Do you take them down and replace them with something of less personal value? Do you bolt them to the wall more securely? It's sad that we even have to weigh those options to be honest...and to file a claim for such a petty theft is almost never even worth it.

A small suggestion might be to, yes, secure them to the wall a little better...perhaps schedule those items on your insurance policy that mean the most to you and that would more than likely be the most difficult to replace or find again. But for those items that have sentimental value, I would recommend placing them a little higher on the wall, perhaps even a fun spot on the ceiling to ensure their safety from the hands of thieves or showoffs.

Just remember, take a look around your establishment and decide which items you would like to schedule on your policy so that you can be assured they are covered not only from theft, but fire as well. Good luck!!