Berrier Insurance Staff Update

Hi all! We are back!!! Its been crazy busy here at Berrier Insurance with a lot of changes going on and even more to come!  Business is good and most importantly our truckers and contractors are happy! 

One of the biggest changes in the office, some of you have already heard, our beloved Linda is no longer a part of our team.  She has moved on to other endeavors and we wish her the best of luck! We will miss her but will always consider one of the Berrier Insurance Divas!

Now we welcome Kelly Frame into the family as a new CSR in training!  Yes this means we now have TWO Kellys' in the office, I know confusing, so we are trying out a few different nick names for the two of them.  KellyF, KFrame, K, Kell...yeah we are still working on that. Kristi has been trying to get Kelly R to answer to "Keller", because she is so awesome and "kills" it no matter what she is working on, but she's not having that lol.

A lot of redistribution of who handles what has been going on so we understand that it may be a little confusing as to who you need to talk to when calling in with questions or requests so here is a quick reference that may help out:

• Policy Changes/Billing Questions:

             Kelly Roberts- Kelly@BerrierInsurance.com

• Policy Changes/Payments/Claims:

            Sammy Thompson- Sam@BerrierInsurance.com

• Certificates of Insurance:

            Kelly Frame- KellyF@BerrierInsurance.com

• Quotes:

            Kristi McLellan- Kristi@BerrierInsurance.com

• Quotes:

            Bradd Hoberman- Bradd@BerrierInsurance.com

As always we are her for YOU guys, our commercial truckers and contractors. So please let us know what we can do to make things easier! Give us a call and let us know what you think, introduce your self to our newest member, or go online to Google Review and rate us.

Deadliest Days of Summer-Commercial Truck Insurance

Be aware commercial truckers, you may find that you really did need that extra coverage on your commercial truck insurance policy!  With the longer days of summer fun also comes the darkest statistics – the summer months are the most deadly time of year for drivers and passengers. According to a 2010 AAA analysis of crash data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, seven of the top ten deadliest driving days of the year occur between Memorial Day and Labor Day.  With  July 2, 3 and 4 being the most dangerous days in America to drive with more fatalities in this 72-hour period than any other three-day block all year. Professional drivers, please use extra caution with so many travelers joining you on the roads this week. Thank you for driving safely 24/7!  To find out how well you are covered, give Berrier Insurance a call! 888-472-4915

Commercial Truck Leaves Family Suspended on Bridge: The Amazing Rescue

Berrier Insurance, commercial truck insurance specialists, would like to thank the amazing Fire Fighters Police Officers and especially the Navy Seabees for their bravery and quick action. We would like to share their story of bravery with you.


A mother and her two daughters were rescued from their car left teetering on a California freeway bridge after a gravel truck had hit them in the northbound lanes of U.S. Route 101. The rescue was a joint effort of the fire department and a team of Navy Seabees from Naval Mobile Construction Battalion.

The truck rear-ended the car then plunged into a creek bursting into flames, killing the California trucker, while the BMW struck the bridge’s railing and sat suspended on the edge of a 100-foot drop into the creek with Kelli Groves and two daughters, ages 10 and 10 months, trapped inside.

The Navy Seabees happened to be passing by the scene in transport of a forklift from Fort Hunter Liggett where NMCB 3 had finished a pre-deployment certification exercise in mid-December. Equipment Operator 1st Class (SCW) Frankie Cruz, Construction Mechanic 2nd Class (SCW) Michael McCracken, and Equipment Operator Construction man Clinton Roberts of NMCB 3 along with Construction Mechanic 2nd Class (SCW) Shawn Legg, Construction Mechanic 2nd Class (SCW) Benjamin Mead, and Construction Mechanic 3rd Class (SCW) James Winters from the 31SRG.

"As the fire department was cutting the car to get the family out, it kept on slipping over the bridge and faced a 100 foot fall," said McCracken, the forklift operator. "I talked to the fire captain in charge and he was excited to hear that we had an extendable-boom forklift just 200 to 300 feet behind the wreck and he said to go get it." The Seabees off-loaded the forklift to stabilize the car so rescue crews could use the Jaws of Life to extract the mother and her two young children.

An hour later family was pulled out of their demolished car and hospitalized. "The mom and two children are all alive, and we had a hand in it," said McCracken. "That is the biggest thing that I got out of it." "We were just in the right place at the right time,"

Once again thank you to every one who had a part to play in this rescue from Berrier Insurance. To read more on this story visit: SFGate Article

Don't Let Endorsements "Subtract" Coverage You Need

Most people don’t think about endorsements in their truck insurance policy. If they do, they’re not certain what that word means. People know that lawyers write them, which makes the words hard to understand. Do you feel this way? Let’s discover the loophole that will help us avoid this "sin".

Endorsements remind me of yellow post it notes. You know, the little notes you stick on top of stuff. Endorsements are like that. They get stuck (attached) to the policy. They are legal contracts. They either add or subtract coverage from the policy.

All policies have endorsements. They are listed by form number on the declarations page. The declarations page is in the first part of the policy. Read it carefully. Does anything there look like it could cause you a problem? Call your broker if you are worried. Don’t wait until there is a claim.

How do you know if your policy is complete? That’s easy! Each form has a number. Match up the form numbers on the front page with the attached forms. If you are missing one, your policy is not complete. You need to call your broker. Let them know someone made a mistake. People make mistakes, but you need a complete policy. Plus, you will impress your broker!

Insurance policies are not all equal! The basic policy is standard. However, endorsements change your protection. When you shop for the best deal, be careful. Sometimes lower prices subtract protection. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Listen to what the broker says. Does the broker give you a clear and direct answer? Or is the answer vague and rambling? Your broker should make you feel confident.

Here are some insider tips. Understanding these forms will help you avoid problems:

- Non-Reported Driver – What may happen? The company might deny a collision claim. The collision deductible might be doubled, and the policy might be cancelled or non-renewed.
- Radius Restriction – What may happen? The company may deny a physical damage loss if it occurs out of radius.
- Cargo Commodity – What may happen? There is a cargo loss. The type of cargo lost is not listed on the policy. Your claim is denied. For example. Your policy states you haul groceries. You have a loss and your load is steel. The load of steel may not covered.
- Bodily Injury & Property Damage Deductible – What may happen? You have an accident. The other party is hurt and so is their property. You pay this deductible to the other party. This payment is on top of your own collision deductible.
- Property Damage Only Deductible – What may happen? You damage another’s property. You pay this deductible to the other party. Again, this is on top of your own collision deductible.
- Newly-Acquired Vehicle Limitation – What may happen? You buy a new vehicle and drive it home. You do not add it to your policy. The next day it is in an accident. Your claim is denied. Many dealers think you have 30 days of automatic coverage.
- Cargo Theft Limitation – Limited coverage on cargo target commodities. Target commodities consist of liquor (except beer and wine). Tobacco products including cigars and cigarettes. Seafood unless it’s canned. Cameras or film; wearing apparel; computer equipment or components and software. Other items include fax machines, photocopiers, DVD players, stereos, and televisions.
- Unattended Covered Vehicle – What may happen? This form excludes cargo loss by theft, unless at the time of loss the covered vehicle is garaged in a building or parked in a fully enclosed or fenced yard.

Before you hit the panic button, read your policy. If you have a problem with it, perhaps, one of three things happened.

• You didn’t tell your broker enough about your business.
• You did tell your broker and he/she wasn’t listening.
• Your broker doesn’t have enough knowledge about truck insurance.
  

In any case, call your broker and explain the problem. Get it solved before a claim occurs. If your broker can’t help, find another broker. By the way, we’re available TOLL FREE (888) 472-4915 or online anytime.

Protect Your Business in 3 Steps

A business is only as safe as the tools it uses. One of the best tools a business can use to protect its assets is commercial auto insurance.
Understanding insurance can be tricky. One of the first steps toward making an informed decision is to understand coverage and service options. Here are three easy steps to help figure out your commercial auto insurance needs:

1. Choose an insurer with the right combination of price and service. Insurance isn’t just about price. It’s about service, too. How are claims handled? How long will it take to get your vehicle back on the road? Can you get questions answered outside of business hours or online? Know the answers to these questions. Your time is money.


2. Research your policy options. Having the right coverage is important. A standard commercial auto policy generally includes coverage for:
   •injuries or damage that you cause;
   •your driver’s injuries;
   •injuries and damages caused by uninsured or underinsured drivers; and
   •damage to or theft of your vehicle(s).
   When it comes to damage that you cause, you may be required to purchase certain limits based on who you work for. For instance, if you work for certain home builders, you may be required to carry $1 million in liability limits. Consider how much you are willing to pay out of pocket if your liability in an accident is more than your policy limits.


3. Know how the policy is priced. You can control your insurance costs. To get the best rates, run motor vehicle reports on potential drivers. If you let your insurance lapse, you’ll probably pay more for your next policy. Ask about discounts, including paid-in-full and renewal discounts.
   


4. Just like your customers rely on your professional skills, call a professional independent insurance agent who will be in your corner, researching and recommending the best options.
   "Commercial auto insurance is complicated, but it is vital to protecting your livelihood," says Bill Kampf with The Progressive Group of Insurance Companies, one of the largest commercial auto insurers in the country.

Berrier Insurance is an experienced broker who offers many choices in commercial auto insurance. Reach us online at BerrierInsurance.com or call us at 888-472-4915.