Archive for the ‘Nationwide’ Category

Hurricane Safety: Prepare Ahead of Time to Protect Your Family & Home

With hurricane season quickly approaching we, at Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, want to ensure that our clients and the surrounding community are sufficiently prepared. By understanding what you can do before, during and after a potential hurricane, you can better ensure the safety of your home and loved ones.

Below you will find wealth of tips and safety advice from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). FEMA is an outstanding resource that can provide you with the most effective and reliable safety solutions. You can also learn what additional safety precautions, activities and projects people like you are implementing to help reduce and prevent the devastating impact of severe hurricanes.

Before a Hurricane Strikes:

  • Make plans to secure your property. Permanent storm shutter offer the best protection for windows; a second option can include boarding up your windows with marine plywood.
  • Install straps or additional clips to securely fasten your roof to the frame structure; this can help reduce roof damage.
  • Be sure trees and shrubs around your home are well trimmed.
  • Clear loose and clogged rain gutter and downspouts.

During a Hurricane:

  • Listen to the radio or TV for information; keep a battery-operated radio ad back up in case electricity goes out
  • Turn off utilities if instructed to do so; otherwise turn the refrigerator or thermostat to its coldest and keep its doors shut
  • Turn off propane tanks, avoiding using the phone except in serious emergencies

After a Hurricane:

Recovering from any type of natural disaster typically takes a good amount of time; it’s not an overnight process. Safety should always remain your highest priority. It’s always a good idea to keep your insurance information handy and in a safe place—that way if you have questions, need help assessing damage or need to place a claim, all of the information needed is at your fingertips.

Need help reporting a claim? You can always call us or fill out our online claim form—at Dagley Insurance we care deeply about your safety and the safety of your home, so please do not hesitate to call us with any questions regarding the claims process, hurricane season or how we can help you better protect your property today.

Also, make sure to take a look at our previous blog post regarding Hurricane Preparedness Week to learn more about what your emergency preparedness kit should include!

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Preventing Spring Water Damage

After a hectic winter many of us have been eagerly awaiting that perfect spring day. But those warm sunny days will also bring with them the onset of hurricane season—a wet, rainy season which includes a slew of problems all on its own.

The last thing you want to deal with this spring is household water damage, so what can you do to prepare?

Recognizing the first signs of water damage is the best way to prevent further problems— precisely why we at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services have put together a helpful list of signs you should be aware of and common causes of water damage:

1. Surface water running down primary foundation walls.

2. Broken pipes & hoses—check for burst water mains, old pipes or even ice makers that fail—all can lead to significant water damage if not remedied.

3. Common household accidents—this includes overflowing bathtubs, broken toilets, etc.

4. Flash flooding or excessive rain

5. Sewer back up—commonly results from tree roots and debris that clogs drain lines.

6. Notorious Texas hailstorms can also cause leaky roofs and windows

7. This time of the year, air conditioning systems in the attic may leak as well; now that they have been turned on and are running at full capacity, be sure to check for any inefficiencies

Being aware and proactively checking for these typical causes of water damage and leaking can help you prevent damages to not only your home but also your electronics and personal possessions.

As a Texas homeowner, there are many things you can do to combat household water damage. Always remember to keep your gutters free of leaves and other seasonal debris. Create a maintenance plan for yourself to ensure that you keep up-to-date on your landscaping—trimming surrounding shrubbery can help to eliminate clogged gutters and drain lines. Also be sure to periodically check your appliances—your shower, sink, toilet and refrigerator are all common violators that can cause water damage.

Already fell victim to water damage? Need help cleaning up after significant water issues? Why not check out our Preferred Partners Page for great local deals on home restoration and clean-up services.

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Dagley Insurance Named e-Marketing Agency of the Year by Rough Notes Magazine

Innovative insurance company secures top ranking nationally with social media marketing efforts. Dagley Insurance says, “Facebook is the New Internet” and they may just be qualified to determine that as the are the e-agency of the year for 2010.

Katy, Texas (PRESS RELEASE) January 5, 2011 – Dagley Insurance, an insurance agency with locations in Texas and Colorado, has been named e-Marketing Agency of the Year for 2010 by Rough Notes Magazine.

Every month, Rough Notes Magazine, a leading publication in the insurance industry, features an e-Marketing Agency of the Month. Dagley Insurance has won the title for the year 2010 through their implementation of the Astonish Results system and their dedicated and successful digital marketing and social media efforts.

“Understanding the dynamics of social media is critical to the success of any marketing effort in this day and age, that is simply the reality and if you fail to realize that now, you will pay dearly for it in the long run.” At least that is what Nathan Dagley, President & CEO of Dagley Insurance and Financial Services believes and he is willing to tell everyone, and in fact he does, via his blog, twitter, youtube, linkedin and facebook, just to mention a few.

Growth for this relatively young organization, they’ll be celebrating their 10th year in 2011, has been aggressive to say the least, now with offices throughout Texas and Colorado and some other states within their sights. Dagley understands and has contingencies in their business plan that allows for growth in a variety of economic climates. The one thing that remains constant across the board is the absolute need for communication. “Communication is paramount. You must be able to effectively communicate with prospects, with clients and with your team.” Dagley continues, “The key to success within your organization is getting your team to realize the tools that they have availed to them and then getting them to use them efficiently. We put them is a position for optimal success.” Regarding clients, Dagley contends that 1/3 of new business is engendered by great customer service in a model that fosters client referrals. Further, the Dagley plan incorporates the use of COI’s (centers of influence) such as realtors, mortgage brokers, attorney’s and so on. Basically, any relationship that by it’s nature can potentially generate referral business. This component of the program also benefits the COI or partner substantially as they benefit from the wealth of knowledge that the Dagley team has acquired and puts it to use to grow their partners business. If you fall in to the COI /partner category you should reach out to the Dagley organization immediately to get a leg up. The remaining 1/3 of new business is derived purely from a comprehensive digital marketing strategy. “Since partnering with Astonish Results we’ve grown our online presence substantially as well as have built an in-house team that are quickly becoming experts in social media marketing. In fact, we have identified various optimization techniques that have not yet been uncovered by leaders in the field and that feels pretty good.” The understanding in the marketing department at the Dagley headquarters is that facebook is the new internet and this new internet allows you to drill down on your target demographic in a way previously impossible. In other words you can send a specific message to a specific target on a specific day at a specific time. No denying the power of that.

 In a recent radio interview Nathan was asked, where are the gaps in social media advertising, he responded this way, “The nature of this new frontier, and what is vital to understand about it, is that there will be something new tomorrow and there will always be something new, so the gaps are in front of us. You must have clear vision, be proactive, stay ahead of the curve, identify the gaps and fill them in with the appropriate solution. The best part about it is that there is always a solution.”

 To learn more about Dagley Insurance and see their digital marketing efforts in action, visit their Virtual Insurance Office at www.DagelyIns.com. 

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Test Your 2010 Insurance News IQ: Questions via Insurance Journal

With the onset of a new year, we at Dagley Insurance thought it would be fun to test our knowledge on some of the biggest insurance news stories published in 2010 by Insurance Journal. We hope you’ll give it a try too…and who knows maybe you’ll walk away with a fun fact or two!

We chose our 5 top favorite questions, check them out below:

1. What state had the highest number of Internet fraud complaints in 2009?

A. Florida

B. Texas

C. New York

D. California

2. How much did oil giant BP set aside to pay claims from the Gulf of Mexico oil disaster?

A. $20 Billion

B. $100 Billion

C. $75 Billion

D. $200 Billion

3. How much have the world’s insurers and reinsurers paid out in catastrophe claims so far this year?

A. More than $10 Billion

B. More than $20 Billion

C. More than $30 Billion

D. More than $40 Billion

4. What was the workers’ compensation industry’s combined ratio for 2009?

A. 110

B. 101

C. 98

D. 103

5. Last May a volcanic eruption grounded flights in Europe for several weeks. Where was the volcano located?

A. Italy

B. Indonesia

C. Georgia

D. Iceland

Want more trivia? For those insurance-savvy minds, you can access more of the Insurance Journal’s top trivia from 2010 on their website, within their National News section.

All of us at Dagley Insurance would like to wish you and your families a very happy, healthy and successful New Year!

Answers: 1. D; 2. A; 3. C; 4. B; 5. D

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Holiday Travel? – Beware of Bedbugs

For many people the hustle and bustle of the Holiday Season involves traveling to see family and friends, taking flights, staying in hotels and potentially being exposed to bedbugs. There has been a significant increase in the reported cases bedbugs in the US.

In fact, the EPA finds the situation serious enough to warrant a summit. Yes a bed bug summit. In the statement below released by the EPA on December 08 2010 announces that a summit will take place in February.

 WASHINGTON – To help find solutions to the nation’s bed bug problem, the Federal Bed Bug Workgroup is convening a second national summit set for February 1-2, 2011, in Washington, D.C. The summit is open to the public and will focus on ways the federal government and others can continue to work together on management and control of these pests.

The first federal bed bug summit was held by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in April 2009. Since then, EPA has helped organize the Federal Bed Bug Workgroup, which consists of EPA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Agriculture, Department of Defense, Department of Commerce, and National Institutes of Health.

The summit’s agenda will feature discussions on progress since the last summit from various perspectives, including federal, state, and local governments; research; housing industry; and pest management industry. The agenda also includes identifying knowledge gaps and barriers to effective community-wide bed bug control, proposals for next steps in addressing knowledge gaps and eliminating barriers, and developing a framework for addressing the highest priority needs.

As a reminder, there are steps people can take to prevent bed bugs:

· Remove clutter where bed bugs can hide
· Seal cracks and crevices
· Vacuum rugs and upholstered furniture thoroughly and frequently, as well as vacuuming under beds (take the vacuum bag outside immediately and dispose in a sealed trash bag)
· Wash and dry clothing and bed sheets at high temperatures (heat can kill bed bugs)
· Be alert and monitor for bed bugs so they can be treated before a major infestation occurs
· Before using any pesticide product, READ THE LABEL FIRST, then follow the directions
· Check the product label to make sure it is identified for use on bed bugs. If bed bugs are not listed on the label, the pesticide has not been tested for bed bugs and it may not be effective

Before the summit, the federal workgroup will meet with researchers to evaluate and develop a research agenda related to bed bugs. The summit will be held at the Georgetown University Hotel and Conference Center at 3800 Reservoir Road, N.W., Washington, D.C. The agenda and information on attending the meeting via webinar will be available on EPA’s website.

It is better to be prepared and to be proactive rather than to be caught by surprise, as uncomfortable of a prospect this may be. Remember these 3 rules when staying in a hotel.

  1. Inspect the mattress. If you see brown or red spots you should request another room.
  2. Hang clothes and place luggage on rack and NOT on the floor or near the bed.
  3. Wash all clothes after your trip in very hot water.

 

From all of us at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services we wish you a Merry Christmas and a bug free New Year.

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