community insurance group

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Fall/Winter Edition 2012

COMMUNITY INSURANCE GROUP

PREPARING FOR WINTER

SIDNEY OFFICE2621 West Michigan St.

Sidney, OH 45365(937) 492-0823

MINSTER OFFICE68 West Fourth St., P.O. Box 111,

Minster, OH 45865(419) 628-2114

BOTKINS OFFICE105 Roth St., P.O. Box 240,

Botkins, OH 45306(937) 693-2911

FT. LORAMIE OFFICE408 South Main St.

Ft. Loramie, OH 45845(937) 295-2422

www.communityinsurancegroup.com

PG3

PG4 ACCOUNT REVIEW FORM

COMMERCIAL CORNER

The short answer: weather and shared risk.

When a wave of major storms strikes Ohio, or anywhere in the United States for that matter, your carrier uses insurance premiums to pay claims to help customers, like you recover. If they expect more storms, your rates increase. Ohio has been rocked with several devastating storms this past year, from hail storms to tornadoes.

Simply stated, a greater frequency and severity of storms create higher premiums, regardless of whether or not you have had a claim.

• An increase in severe weather events: The effects of La Niña, which causes a collision of cooler and warmer air over the United States, has agitated rougher weather this year.

• The growing population: More people means more buildings and structures lying in potential paths of destruction.

Why ARE My hOMEOWNERs INsURANCE PREMIUMs INCREAsING?

Community Insurance Group is proud to announce the addition of Jamie Mescher to their operation. Mescher has over 14 years experience in Commercial Operations and specializes in risk management for trucking, contracting, manufacturing, and energy dealers. Jeff Sargeant, President of Community Insurance Group commented: “Jamie has been working in Ohio and neighboring states in these markets with much success, helping customers understand risk mitigation, and coverage options that pertain to their exact industries. We are excited about the expertise Jamie brings our agency force!” Along with the addition of Mescher, Community Insurance Group has added new carriers that specialize in these types of industries, allowing a broader array of options for customers. Mescher lives in Minster with his wife Beth and their four children – Evan, Ella, Lydia and Landon.

Earlier this year, Community Insurance Group added Doris Ward, a licensed

property and casualty insurance agent in Sidney since 1995. Doris joins Community Insurance Group from many years in working with the local offices of Nationwide Insurance and American Family Insurance. Sargeant states “Doris is a welcome addition to our growing family. Her expertise in personal home and auto is very helpful to our existing clientele as well as our growing list of new clients.” Ward will be working in the Personal Lines division of Community Insurance Group handling auto, home, umbrella, recreational vehicles, and flood policies through many insurance carriers. Doris and her husband Terry live in Sidney; they have two children Amber and Jeff.

Community Insurance Group is an independently operated insurance agency based out of Sidney, Ohio since 1995 specializing in Auto, Home, Farm, and all Commercial operations. Other office locations include Minster, Botkins, and Fort Loramie.

Community insuranCe Group announCes two new additions

- Jamie Mescher

- Doris Ward

Experts identified causes for the increase, but the two major reasons are:

2 FALL/ WINTER CHRONICLES

PREPARING FOR WINTER

IN YOUR CAR. It is not enough to throw a safety kit, including emergency equipment such as blankets, candles, a shovel and traction aid into the trunk of your car and think that you are ready for operating your vehicle in inclement weather. The single most important thing we can do while driving in severe winter conditions is to slow down. A safe speed for conditions might be well under the posted speed limit. Triple the normal driving distance between you and the car in front of you. If your vehicle begins to slip, immediately take your foot off the accelerator and steer gently in the direction you want the car to go. If your car gets stuck, clear the snow in front of and behind your tires and spread sand, kitty litter or traction mats in the front and back of your tires. Gently accelerate until you feel the tires begin to spin. Put the car in reverse and back up slowly until stopped by the snow. Rock forward again using a low, steady speed.

AT HOME. Have your heating system inspected to make sure it is working properly. If you have an alternative heating source, it should be UL approved and inspected before using.

Good insulation will also help if power is lost. Check for possible air leaks around doors and windows. Seal electrical outlets ans switches on outside walls. Stock up on easy to prepare food, first aid supplies, batteries, flashlights and a battery-operated radio.

If you do get snowed in at home and the situation isn’t dire, just relax and preserve heat by hanging blankets over windows and doors. If you use a supplemental heating device, make sure it is UL approved, in good operating condition and maintaining safe distance from flammable items.

OUTSIDE. Make sure to remove garden hoses from outside faucets. Hopefully, you remembered to clean your gutters of leaves, and debris. Better yet, install gutter guards. These can help keep snow and ice from building up, which can form ice damns and damage your house. Outside heating appliances like heat pumps must be clear of snow and debris to work efficiently .

If you have to go outside, wear tight and layered clothing and sturdy watertight shoes. Make sure to cover exposed parts of the body by wearing hats, gloves and scarves. Failure to protect skin and prolonged exposure to the cold can result in frostbite. The nose, cheeks, ears, fingers and toes (your extremities) are most commonly affected.

Winter time and winter weather can be tremendous fun, but cold and snow can also pose danger. Slippery roads, downed power lines and limbs, and freezing cold temperatures all bring an added measure of suspense to our daily activities. There are simple steps you can take that will take the chill off your wintertime experience.

snowpLow, Custom paint JoB:

are tHey CoVered?

Welcome to our semi –annual Newsletter the Chronicle! In this release we are proud to introduce our two new associates, Jamie and Doris, on the front cover. To be able to expand upon our personnel and expertise during these

difficult economic times is a testament to our hard working team of insurance professionals as well as our ever growing loyal customer base. Our challenge is to become a better service organization, and with this in mind we are adding on additional insurance carriers such as Acuity, EMC, and Utica that enhance our commercial lines offerings in trucking, contracting, manufacturing, and retail. Our agribusiness expertise allows us to handle many different types of farming operations and help manage the diversity of risks involved – by far our largest growing new customer segment. And our personal auto and home customers continue to benefit from our large array of insurance providers with options not seen in captive offices such as Nationwide, State Farm, AllState, etc. Only Independent Agencies like us can provide you, the consumer choices.

We are also reworking our website to enhance our customer’s experience with our 24/7 access to payment options, vehicle ID cards, claims reporting, and other customer service enhancements. Please check us out over the next several weeks at www.communityinsurancegroup.com to monitor our progress. As always, please feel free to contact me directly with any service suggestions – we want to make your experience with Community Insurance Group the best it can be. ([email protected], or 937-492-0823).

To all of our insurance customers, we thank you for allowing us to earn your business – we truly appreciate the opportunity! Embracing what it means to be Community!

Sincerely,

Jeff Sargeant, President, Community Insurance Group Have you recently added any permanently attached equipment

to your vehicle like a snowplow, ladder rack, or cleaning equipment? Or did you recently get a custom paint job vehicle wrap to advertise your business?

If you have answered “yes” or have any other permanently attached equipment or vehicle enhancements, other than those originally installed by manufacturer, it is important to contact us. We will evaluate your insurance needs and assure that your vehicle is insured adequately.

In addition, we recommend you maintain a record of the permanently attached equipment or vehicle enhancements by

taking photos and saving your receipts. In the event of a loss, these may help to assist settling a claim.

Keep in mind that unless we have adjusted the value of your vehicle for these enhancements, they will not be covered in the event of a loss.

We know that these enhancements can be costly, so before it is too late be sure to contact our office. We are always happy to discuss your individual insurance needs.

FALL/WINTER CHRONICLES 3

CommerCiaL Corner

In consideration of the upcoming Christmas holiday, Community Insurance Group would like to thank you for your loyal patronage and the trust you have placed in us to help protect your most valued assets. The word “Community” means more to us than just a business name, it means caring for all those in need. To recognize you, our loyal customer this Christmas season, we are making donations to several nonprofit organizations in lieu of sending customer appreciation gifts. Our charitable list this year includes:

Local Hospice Care, Food Pantries, and Women Crisis Centers found in the communities in which we operate.

What better way to support our own Community, than to connect our associates, our customers, and those charities in need, during this time of celebration! Best wishes to all, and have a great holiday season!

“Embracing what it means to be Community”

VISIT OURWEBSITE


✓

24/7 ACCEss TO REPORT AND TRACK yOUR CLAIM

24/7 ACCEss TO MAKE ON-LINE PAYMENTS, CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS, ChANGE yOUR BILLING PLAN

PRINT VEhICLE ID CARDs

✓

✓

WINTER

DRIVINGWinter is a difficult time for every motorist, and it’s especially tough for truck driver. But there’s much you can do to survive the season without serious grief.

Winterize Your RigBe thinking about winter long before the first snow hits. Be sure your truck is winterized, and so are you, by the time you make your first cold weather run.

Put on new tires if treads aren’t deep enough to give you the traction you need on snow and ice. Start carrying tire chains. Change your oil to 15W-40, if you’re not using it all year round. Replace wiper blades and be sure your cab heater and defroster are in good working order.

Clean battery connections and starter cables. Install heating devices for the batteries, fuel tanks, cooling systems, and oil. Chance are the same heater will do double duty for oil and coolant.

Cold StartingWhen cold nights come, start parking your truck on the south side of buildings, to block the north wind. Zip up the winterfront to keep the heat inside. Check your engine heater the first time you use it to make sure it’s working.

Leave the glow plug on longer as the temperature drops. You only need to operate it for a minute at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), but it needs to be on for three minutes at 10 below.

You may want to carry a spray can of ether to assist in starting. But go easy. Too much ether and you’ll race the engine and have flames shooting out your stacks. Don’t use it all if you have the

glow plug or manifold heater going. The ether could catch fire or explode.

It is safer to install an automatic starting fluid assembly. This is a small device which injects a measured dose of ether each time you start the engine.

Easy Does ItGo easy on snow and ice. Too much power to the drive wheels can cause you to lose traction and go into a side skid. On glare ice, it doesn’t take much to spin your wheels. Test carefully to see how much throttle will gain you some traction without spinning your wheel.

Separate your tractor and trailer often in winter and apply light-weight chassis lube to the fifth wheel. If it gets stiff, turning is difficult and you’re likely to lose control.

Winterize YourselfCarry survival supplies in case you’re stranded in a blizzard. Carry a set of heavy protective clothing as well as a shovel, an extra blanket, a supply of water, some emergency rations, and a first-aid kit.

If you’re properly equipped, you may be able to leave a stranded truck and go for help. But if you have no clear idea of where you’re going, you’re better off staying put. Remain calm, stay dry, and keep warm. Conserve fuel by running the engine intermittently. Use you CB radio to stay in touch with the outside world.

Make Sure You SurvivePrepare yourself for winter when it’s still warm. Master the techniques of proper winter driving and you’ll make it through the harshest weather with your safety record still intact.

FALL/WINTER CHRONICLES 3

CommerCiaL Corner

In consideration of the upcoming Christmas holiday, Community Insurance Group would like to thank you for your loyal patronage and the trust you have placed in us to help protect your most valued assets. The word “Community” means more to us than just a business name, it means caring for all those in need. To recognize you, our loyal customer this Christmas season, we are making donations to several nonprofit organizations in lieu of sending customer appreciation gifts. Our charitable list this year includes:

Local Hospice Care, Food Pantries, and Women Crisis Centers found in the communities in which we operate.

What better way to support our own Community, than to connect our associates, our customers, and those charities in need, during this time of celebration! Best wishes to all, and have a great holiday season!


VISIT OURWEBSITE


✓

24/7 ACCEss TO REPORT AND TRACK yOUR CLAIM

24/7 ACCEss TO MAKE ON-LINE PAYMENTS, CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS, ChANGE yOUR BILLING PLAN

PRINT VEhICLE ID CARDs

✓

✓

WINTER DRIVINGWinter is a difficult time for every motorist, and it’s especially tough for truck driver. But there’s much you can do to survive the season without serious grief.

Winterize Your RigBe thinking about winter long before the first snow hits. Be sure your truck is winterized, and so are you, by the time you make your first cold weather run.

Put on new tires if treads aren’t deep enough to give you the traction you need on snow and ice. Start carrying tire chains. Change your oil to 15W-40, if you’re not using it all year round. Replace wiper blades and be sure your cab heater and defroster are in good working order.

Clean battery connections and starter cables. Install heating devices for the batteries, fuel tanks, cooling systems, and oil. Chance are the same heater will do double duty for oil and coolant.

Cold StartingWhen cold nights come, start parking your truck on the south side of buildings, to block the north wind. Zip up the winterfront to keep the heat inside. Check your engine heater the first time you use it to make sure it’s working.

Leave the glow plug on longer as the temperature drops. You only need to operate it for a minute at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), but it needs to be on for three minutes at 10 below.

You may want to carry a spray can of ether to assist in starting. But go easy. Too much ether and you’ll race the engine and have flames shooting out your stacks. Don’t use it all if you have the glow plug or manifold heater going. The ether could catch fire or explode.

It is safer to install an automatic starting fluid assembly. This is a small device which injects a measured dose of ether each time you start the engine.

Easy Does ItGo easy on snow and ice. Too much power to the drive wheels can cause you to lose traction and go into a side skid. On glare ice, it doesn’t take much to spin your wheels. Test carefully to see how much throttle will gain you some traction without spinning your wheel.

Separate your tractor and trailer often in winter and apply light-weight chassis lube to the fifth wheel. If it gets stiff, turning is difficult and you’re likely to lose control.

Winterize YourselfCarry survival supplies in case you’re stranded in a blizzard. Carry a set of heavy protective clothing as well as a shovel, an extra blanket, a supply of water, some emergency rations, and a first-aid kit.

If you’re properly equipped, you may be able to leave a stranded truck and go for help. But if you have no clear idea of where you’re going, you’re better off staying put. Remain calm, stay dry, and keep warm. Conserve fuel by running the engine intermittently. Use you CB radio to stay in touch with the outside world.

Make Sure You SurvivePrepare yourself for winter when it’s still warm. Master the techniques of proper winter driving and you’ll make it through the harshest weather with your safety record still intact.

2012 PERSONAL HOME & AUTO ACCOUNT REVIEW

Once again, please let us know by indicating above if you would like an appointment to review your account. Keep in mind, no coverage is bound until speaking with an agent directly.

Thank you for taking the time to complete your annual review. As always, we appreciate your continued business.

If no changes are needed, simply sign this form and return to our office at your convenience.

PLEASE SIGN_______________________________________________________DATE___________(Signature )

2621 West Michigan St.Sidney, OH 45365


PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSIDNEY, OH

PERMIT NO.48

Would you like to schedule an appointment to review your policy(s) and recommendations we may have for you? yEs NO

Please update your address and telephone information if necessary:

Name:______________________________________ Address:________________________________________________

Phone:_____________________ Alternate #:_____________________ E-mail:____________________________________

Coverage for the following items may not extend from your home or auto policy if it is not endorsed.

Please check which items you may be concerned about, and we will contact you.

Towing, rental car, uninsured motorists coverage

Any additional drivers

Water backup of sewers/drains

Flood insurance

Earthquake

Personal Umbrella policy and/or increasing liability limits for auto and home

Identity Theft

Rental dwellings/Secondary homes

Vacant home

PLEASE COMPLETE THE FORM PROVIDED, DETACH AND MAIL TO YOUR COMMUNITY INSURANCE GROUP AGENT.

Life Insurance, IRA’s, Annuities, Health or Disability

Increasing your deductibles for possible savings

Scheduling items (jewelry, fine arts, guns, collectibles, computers)

Recreational Vehicles (mopeds, ATV’s, golf carts)

Room addition/remodel

Home based business (child care, Mary Kay, Avon, etc.)

Other concerns:__________________________________

____________________________________________

Please check if no changes

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