Pay less now or pay more later. Flood insurance rates to increase as of Sept. 11 when new maps go into effect

Five Towns residents only have three weeks to take advantage of cheaper, grandfathered in rates on flood insurance which will only be available before the new flood map take effect on Sept. 11, said a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official.

“Flood elevation is up by four feet,” said Richard Einhorn, of both FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. “If you have a mortgage, the bank will require you to get flood insurance. Buy flood insurance before the new maps go in. If you wait too long, there's a possibility your bank will call you, and you'll be out of luck for grandfathering.”

Some 27,000 homes in Nassau County are being added to the flood plan when the new map goes into effect. Einhorn encouraged all residents to look up their flood risk online at www.floodsmart.gov, as well as check the new flood map to see whether their area is affected by the changes. He added that the Web site will give you the names of the closest flood insurance agents to your home.

“It's the difference between paying wholesale and resale,” said Monte Rosenzweig, an insurance agent with Gold Standard Agency Inc. in Woodmere. “If you purchase insurance now, you're going to save thousands of dollars.” He added that flood insurance is transferrable to a future owner of a property, so investing in insurance now can save someone money for years.

Residents should check whether the new flood map affects them, Rosenzweig said. “If the zone of your home changes, you're making a tremendous mistake by not buying flood insurance right now.”

Some manufactured home owners get bad news from State Farm

Jack Spikes loves the view from the back porch of his manufactured home on the bank of the Chattahoochee River near Columbia.

The flow of the lazy river is peaceful, calm. He remembers seeing alligators in the river and coyotes near the home, as well as other wildlife. It’s why he made his vacation getaway a permanent residence several years ago.

“This was once the best kept secret in the Wiregrass,” Spikes said.

But Spikes can take a walk off his back porch and point to the watermark that still exists on a nearby structure almost 20 years after the Chattahoochee left its banks and flooded the area. He can point to another place where the water rose in 1995.

Spikes said he remembers filing insurance claims on the flood, included as a part of his regular homeowner’s policy.

“And they paid, right away,” he said.

Last month, however, Spikes received a letter from State Farm which said changes were being made to all manufactured home policies in the state. Flood insurance would no longer be included in the regular homeowner’s policy. Spikes said he was offered a separate flood insurance policy for $2,500 a year.

“That’s more than I can pay,” Spikes said.

Local State Farm agent Don Thompson said the changes were a simple matter of profit and loss. He said State Farm was one of the few agencies that had continued to offer the flood coverage at no extra cost, and could not afford to include it any longer.

“We had been paying thousands of flood claims without collecting the proper premiums,” Thompson said. “Just couldn’t give it away anymore.”

Thompson said the changes affected several of his clients around the Chattahoochee and Lake Eufaula.

“Most of them understood,” Thompson said.

But $2,500 is too steep for Spikes. He said he plans to take his chances.

“The Corps of Engineers has done a real good job of controlling the flow. It hasn’t flooded in a long time,” he said.

“But you never know.”

The insurance co-op is already in your neighborhood

It's like a good neighbor -- and State Farm Insurance is probably American's most successful and best-known member-owned cooperative.

Whether the government could replicate its success by creating health care co-ops is far from certain -- and highly unlikely.

"When the Senate says we are going to have a co-op, what they are really saying is we are going to have a government-run program that will remain so until the government decides to turn it over to members," said Michael Cannon, a health care policy expert at the Cato Institute. "There is a lot of reason to doubt."

Barry Manilow reportedly wrote the schmaltzy jingle the insurance giant uses to this day. The company was founded in 1922 by a retired farmer and insurance salesman who started his own company with a couple of friends. Some modern advocates of creating a co-op system for health care have cited the State Farm example as a workable model. The company says it serves more than 75 million policies in North America, according to its Web site. At the end of each year, the company turns profits over to policy holders -- more than $1 billion in 2007.

Barry Manilow reportedly wrote the schmaltzy jingle the insurance giant uses to this day. The company was founded in 1922 by a retired farmer and insurance salesman who started his own company with a couple of friends. Some modern advocates of creating a co-op system for health care have cited the State Farm example as a workable model. The company says it serves more than 75 million policies in North America, according to its Web site. At the end of each year, the company turns profits over to policy holders -- more than $1 billion in 2007.

But the practical realities of creating a cooperative of any size are staggering and do not easily translate to the current health care debate.

A group health cooperative, as loosely envisioned by advocates in Congress and elsewhere, would comprise stakeholder members enrolling voluntarily who would pick policies, managers and more.

Shifting a group into a newly created health cooperative would take time, money, organization, assistance and significant government oversight. It's not even clear how long it would take for co-ops to get up and running, or if members would experience a gap in coverage in the meantime.

Lawmakers have said health co-ops could be eligible for a portion of about $6 billion that could be set aside as startup funds -- another significant departure from the private insurance company model.

Cannon said there would be significant disincentives for the government to cut ties with health co-ops and turn them over entirely to members.

"It would mean the politicians could keep handing out the goodies to constituents like doctors and other providers, and could wield more influence," Cannon said.

State Farm to raise homeowners insurance rates as much as 14 percent in Dallas area

AUSTIN – State Farm Insurance filed notice with the state Wednesday that it will raise its homeowner policies as much as 14.4 percent in the Dallas area, becoming the third and largest insurer to hike rates in the past month.

State Farm officials blamed the boost on a slew of spring storms unleashing hail damage in North Texas, as well as the rising price of building materials. Statewide, the rate increase averages about 8.5 percent, with the new rates hitting existing customers when they renew policies after Oct. 1. New customers will pay the higher rates starting Sept. 1.

The spike in premium costs also follows the devastation wreaked by Hurricanes Dolly and Ike last year.

Mark Hanna of the Insurance Council of Texas, an industry group, said Ike in particular was devastating, causing $10 billion in insurance losses.

"It was the costliest storm in state history," Hanna said. Rates had been stable for about six years, he said, but "then Ike kicked us over the edge."

Consumer groups said the jumps follow years of fat profits for insurance companies in Texas.

"The reality is that the rates homeowners have been paying have already been deemed to be too high and the coverage has been significantly less. So in truth, homeowners are paying more for their insurance and getting less," said Alex Winslow, executive director of Texas Watch.

He said he wasn't surprised by State Farm's decision after seeing Farmers Insurance recently announce an average statewide hike in its rates of 10 percent to 12.6 percent, followed by Allstate's 6.2 percent increase last week. They are the state's three largest insurers; State Farm alone has 1.2 million homeowners and rental insurance companies.

"I was waiting to see State Farm fill out the trifecta," Winslow said.

He said he believes insurance companies were "emboldened" after the Legislature adjourned this year without tackling insurance regulations.

Insurers can file their rate increases with the Texas Department of Insurance and immediately apply them to policies. The department then studies the rates to ensure they can be justified by actuarial data. If not, the agency can order refunds and rate rollbacks.

But State Farm has been legally challenging a rebate ordered six years ago, saying its rates always have been fair and competitive and they do not owe consumers a rebate. The case, which is awaiting a ruling from Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin, could cost the company as much as $1 billion. And it's one of the reasons lawmakers debated changing the system to require prior state approval of insurance rates.

The spate of premium increases is spilling into the political arena, especially in the Republican governor's race.

Landlord rules 101: Get the right insurance policy

If you are having trouble selling your home, maybe it's time to think landlord.

A growing number of homeowners who need to relocate for a job or other reason are renting out their homes instead of selling them so they can wait until the market improves. At the same time, investors are taking advantage of low prices to buy rental properties.

Allstate has seen a 27 percent increase in the number of homeowners who switched their insurance policies to landlord policies, compared with year-ago figures. Travelers also said they're seeing a similar increase. So is State Farm Insurance, but less so.

"When you become a landlord, your property goes from a residence to a place of business," says Julie Parsons, vice president of consumer household at Allstate.

That requires a landlord insurance policy, which covers the property and your exposure if anyone gets hurt in it.

These typically cover the building in case it's damaged or destroyed by fire, lightning, wind, hail, cars or collapse from ice, snow or sleet. It also covers the landlord's personal property used by the tenant or used to maintain the house. This could include appliances and landscaping machinery like snow blowers and lawnmowers.

Landlord policies don't include any protection against flooding or offer compensation for damage to renter property. And depending on the how extensive the coverage is, it might also exclude damage from sewer backup, earthquake, vandalism and theft.

Allstate's average annual premium for a basic landlord policy package is $650, but costs can vary widely depending on the state, the amount of insurance and the deductible. Insurance companies also take into account building costs, neighborhood crime, square footage, as well as features like pools and fireplaces, and credit history.

To get a discounted price, some insurers offer an umbrella policy that combines other insurance, like car and homeowner's insurance, with the landlord policy.

More important, the coverage helps protect you from liability if someone gets hurt on your property. Some policies also pay for some or all of your legal expenses. It also will pay for some or all the medical expenses for people injured on the property if the landlord is found responsible.

Unlike a homeowner's policy, the landlord policy also will compensate for lost rent if the building is uninhabitable because of damage that is covered by the insurance. This is a big deal for a landlord who relies solely on that income, especially if a building is under repairs for a long time.

"What if you need to rebuild the building? What about that income?" says Ed Charlebois, vice president of personal lines at Travelers.

Landlords can add on other options, for a price, to either increase how much money an insurance company will pay out or to expand coverage to certain events.

For example, a landlord may want protection from burglary or vandalism. Or, he may want to insure against building code violations and fire department charges. Some companies allow you to insure specific property like satellite dishes.

Like homeowner's insurance, landlord policies don't include any protection against flooding. That coverage is available through the National Flood Insurance Program. It includes building coverage with personal property coverage as an option.

While flood coverage can be expensive in high flood zones, it could help offset a huge hit to your finances if your property is flooded. The average flood claim totaled more than $33,000 over the past 10 years, according to the government, and just a few inches of water can cause damage costing thousands of dollars. And most mortgage lenders require flood protection if you live in a high flood zone.

Renters also can get their own flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program to protect their personal belongings. Landlords may want to recommend tenants to buy that and their own renter's insurance since landlord policies don't cover a renter's property. Some of the large national apartment owners require their tenants to buy renter's insurance.

To head off any disputes with your insurance company if you need to file a claim, have dated photos of your property, both inside and out, to show its condition before any damage.

Also, make your property safer by regularly inspecting it for any hazards like cracked or uneven sidewalks, broken handrails and burned out light bulbs, State Farm recommends. Make repairs quickly and make sure your renters have the numbers for repair and service companies to address any maintenance problems if you're not around. If you're an out-of-town landlord, you may want to hire a property manager to deal with these problems promptly.

Farm insurance may help poor confront climate risk

OSLO(Reuters) - A new form of insurance that covers risks such as droughts or floods could help small farmers in developing countries cope with worsening impacts of global warming, a U.N. backed report said on Wednesday.

Under "index insurance", payouts are linked to a yardstick such as a shortfall of rains in the maize growing season in Malawi or the height of the Mekong River near rice paddies in Vietnam that risk flooding.

In theory, such a system is simpler and so cheaper than normal farm insurance, which pays compensation for crop failures only after insurance companies document losses at each farm.

"Index insurance offers new opportunities for managing climate risk in developing countries," according to the report by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University in New York.

Greenhouse gases, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are stoking global warming that will disrupt food and water supplies with heatwaves, floods, desertification and rising sea levels, the U.N. Climate Panel says.

Up to 250 million people in Africa alone could face greater stress on water supplies by 2050.

"If farms are small it's often not possible to get insurance," said Daniel Osgood of Columbia University who was among editors of the report also backed by U.N. agencies, reinsurer Swiss Re and aid group Oxfam.

"The challenge is to get the formula connected to the loss. if a lack of March rainfall causes the problem then it doesn't help to insure against April rains," he said.

Other problems were ensuring that rain gauges were accurate and tamperproof for instance, and close enough to farms to be relevant.

"Index insurance is a very new tool; it's exploding in popularity," said Mirey Atallah of the U.N. Development Programme and an editor of the report. "There are a lot of challenges but also a lot of opportunities."

Storm Insurance Claims

Homeowners are also trying to get back to normal in Dickinson, but it`s going to take some time for residents in the south part of the city.

High winds damaged numerous homes and businesses, tearing off roofs, and knocking down walls.

Upturned trees also landed on a few homes, causing even more damage.

While it`s too early for insurance agents to put a number on how much damage last night`s storm caused, they say claims have already been pouring in.

And while adjusters are getting out as fast as they can, agents say, homeowners should start doing what they can now.

"You know you`re going to need a contractor if your roof is off, so start lining up contractors," says Scott Karsky, a State Farm Insurance agent. "Make the calls, get them lined up. They`re going to be very busy. Water damage, tear up your carpet, get somebody over to extract the water if possible. Get a hold of the local water removal."

He says homeowners who start making temporary repairs should save all of their receipts, because those repair costs are reimbursable.

And he says not to take any chances with safety.

If your home or garage looks unstable, don`t go inside to try to get something out.

Overturn Governor's Veto of Bill Against State Farm Insurance

I, for one, hope we can get the governor's HB 1171 veto overturned. I have had State Farm Insurance since we moved to Lakeland in 1974. Whenever I had to file a claim, it was right there making sure either our house was repaired or our cars were done correctly.

Sandra Grier Bennett has been our agent since Quince Cannon retired. She has always been there for us. Never made me feel she was too busy.

When the hurricanes came through four years ago, we had three of our neighbor's trees come through our roof. She took care of us right away, and made sure I understood everything that needed to be done on our side and hers.

We can't afford to lose her or State Farm - let's fight for it.

Since when do we need a governor who can tell us what we can afford and can't? We are able to make that decision on our own.

Hopefully our state legislators can get this overturned and let the people decide.

SANDRA FREEMAN

Home insurance to cover business equipment

Insurance provider Aviva is extending its home contents policy to cover business equipment as standard.

The company made the decision following the release of statistics from the Future Foundation, which showed that a quarter of the working population will be based at home by 2020.

Contents insurance will provide cover for loss or damage to office equipment and furniture up to the value of £5,000.

Julie Fromant, home lifestyle manager at Aviva UK, said: "We recognise the growing trend in home working and that for many, working from home requires additional investments that need to be protected.

"We felt it was right that this should be covered as standard, as part of the home contents policy, and hope this provides extra security for home workers in the UK."

The cover is available to all new and existing customers when they renew their home insurance policy.

Figures released by the Trades Union Congress in May of this year showed that 3.5 million people in the UK work from home.

Subsidence home insurance claims 'to rise'

Homeowners have been warned that subsidence may be more of a problem this summer than in the past few years.

Subsidence, the gradual sinking of an area of land, is expected to increase because of the hot summer forecast this year, Halifax Home Insurance explained.

Incidences of subsidence increase in dry, sunny weather, as vegetation in the garden grows more quickly and requires more moisture.

In the past four years, the problem has cost the insurance industry £823m, spread across 144,000 claims.

"Signs that a property might be suffering from subsidence include cracks in walls, particularly if they start from the corners of windows or doors which themselves may become difficult to open or close," advised Neil Curling, Halifax Home Insurance senior structural claims manager.

"The good news is there are... several measures homeowners can take if they are worried, which can go a long way towards avoiding a problem."

Tall trees located close to the property should be removed as they use up more water from the soil, while a drainage survey can help identify any potential problems, Halifax explained.

Excess Flood Insurance: Do we need it?

We live between two rivers, in a coastal area that annually is threatened with hurricanes. So having basic flood insurance is a no brainer. After all, if your house is flooded, your homeowner’s policy isn’t worth a lick. Your homeowner’s policy is terrific if there’s damage
Severe weather, including this water spout that developed in the Charleston harbor on Saturday (Daniel Island is in the backround), as well as thunderstorms, like the one that hit this palm tree on Daniel Island, are not uncommon for Daniel Island. Add to that the threat of hurricanes and one wonders, “Should we seriously consider purchasing excess flood insurance?”
from wind, or destruction by fire. But flooding? That’s where FEMA-backed flood insurance policies kick in, and that’s why mortgage companies require area residents to take out separate flood insurance policies.

But FEMA’s flood policies max out at $250,000 for structures and $100,000 for contents (legislative sidenote: bills are pending in Congress to raise those limits). So what happens if a flood takes out the entire house? Do we, as residents, need to seriously explore "excess" flood insurance?



Now I’m not into fear mongering, and I’d heartily recommend that you don’t run off and immediately purchase excess flood insurance. After all, what are the chances that:

1. They’ll be a flood that overtakes Daniel Island and surrounding areas; and

2. That the flooding will be the central cause of the damage; and

3. That the damage will exceed the FEMA limits?

After all, wind-induced damage (which IS covered in your basic homeowner’s policy) is often the chief culprit in major storms. But the topic bears study. So we began an exploration, first asking five insurance agents, plus the folks at FEMA, one simple question: what are the chances that flood damage will exceed FEMA’s $250,000 limit?

Surprisingly, no one has been able to deliver the definitive analysis (we promise to keep asking). It’s safe to assume that insurance companies which offer "excess flood" (among them, Lloyds of London, Lexington, Bankers Trust and PURE) are relying on some form of data. After all, how would they set their rates from year to year? So we’ll keep searching for the holy cost/benefit grail.

In the meantime, we thought it instructive to pose a second question: how many residents typically take out policies for excess flood insurance? You’ll be shocked by the answers.

Few Seek Bids, Even Fewer Take Policies


Rick Iriart, with State Farm, whose company doesn’t even offer excess flood insurance, said that of the roughly 1,500 homeowners policies that he’s written, only 1 percent (or about 15) even requested a quote for excess flood, and of that group, Iriart recalled, roughly three decided to take it. Two other agents – Hill Shaw of Atlantic Shield Insurance Group and Danny Haberman of Palmetto Insurance, agreed that Iriart’s anecdotal numbers matched their experience. Few homeowners request a bid on excess flood, and only a fraction of those take the policy. Why?

From all appearances, it’s strictly about money. Excess flood is expensive, and quite volatile, year to year. Shaw said that, recently, he bound an excess flood policy for $1,450,000. The price tag? $4,000/year (equivalent to $2.76/1000). Another report found an excess flood insurance policy for $190,000 at a cost of $380/year (or $2/1000). So rates vary, and the factors are too numerous to name, but include: the type of flood zone that the house is located in, type of structure, type of foundation, current elevation and age of construction.

What to do?

Certainly, it’s worth a call to your insurance agent, to at least price out "excess flood." In that way, you’ll know the options. And if you have an extra moment, it’s probably worth a second, or third, quote, to compare. (On a personal note, for our underlying homeowner’s policy, we were quoted two different rates by the same company; so rates do vary). And keep in mind that you can’t simply buy excess flood when a hurricane approaches – there’s a 30-day waiting period (naturally).

Atlantic Shield’s Shaw said that if your home is worth $650,000 or less, "you’re probably not an excess flood customer." And Allstate’s Iriart points out that he knows of no cases in the Charleston area, in recent years, where excess flood has kicked in. Said Iriart, "Obviously homes right on the water, where they potentially get completely washed off their pilings in a storm, would certainly need the excess, assuming $250,000 would not rebuild it."

He added, "I am sure there were numerous incidents . . . during Katrina, since a number of homes were washed away from the slab, and I’m sure some were more than $250,000 to rebuild – although a major issue down there was that many didn’t even have the basic flood coverage. There was one case that was relatively famous there, where Sen. Trent Lott’s home was damaged by flood, and only had the $250,000, but needed upwards of $1M."

So, it’s worth considering. And here are some questions to ask:

1. Contents loss – does your basic flood insurance policy cover contents? And if you do have contents coverage through FEMA, up to $100,000, will an excess flood policy cover additional content damage?

2. Loss of use/living expenses – which of your existing policies, if any, cover loss of use and living expenses? (in other words, if there’s damage to the house, and you have to move out for a period of time, does one of your policies pick up those costs?);

3. Garage – which of your existing policies, if any, cover flood damage to the garage?

4. Insurance carrier – is your insurance carrier "admitted or non-admitted"? ("Admitted" means that the State of South Carolina will guarantee the policy if your insurance carrier goes belly-up); and

5. Waiting period – what’s the waiting period for excess policy insurance?

Consumers urged to check home insurance cover

Consumers should check that their home insurance includes protection for lost or stolen personal belongings, one financial services provider has urged.

According to Cheshire Building Society, it is important for people to check the details of their home insurance cover before they go on holiday this summer.

Many Britons automatically assume that their items are protected when they take a policy out but this is not always the case.

The building society's home insurance product offers consumers the option of cover for personal belongings in the event of accidental loss or damage, at an extra cost.

Karen Torson, product manager at Cheshire Building Society, said: "While personal belongings cover away from the home is an additional cost to your home insurance policy, the upside is that you don't need baggage cover when taking out travel insurance, giving you that little bit extra to spend while you're away."

Previously, the insurer advised people to take out cover for items which are left outside overnight including garden tools and furniture.

Sunflower growers get insurance against low prices

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The federal government is expanding an insurance program for sunflower farmers — two years after almost killing it — in a move that could help protect growers against fluctuating prices and low crop yields.

The protection could be especially important this year as sunflower seed prices continue to fall, and some farmers contemplate planting fewer flowers. The U.S. Department of Agriculture projects an 18 percent decrease in the number of sunflower acres planted nationwide.

A small sunflower crop could mean higher prices at the grocery store for cooking oil, snacks and other items made with sunflower seeds.

The program, which guarantees farmers a minimum price for their crop, could encourage some farmers to plant more sunflowers, said John Sandbakken, international marketing director for the Bismarck-based National Sunflower Association.

"Having something like that helps you sleep at night," Sandbakken said.

Sunflower seed prices, like those for other crops, have dropped during the recession. Farmers have lobbied for years to get protection from low prices as well as low yields. This year, the federal Risk Management Agency is expanding a program known as "revenue assurance" to most areas where sunflowers are grown in significant quantities.

U.S. farmers grew about 2.4 million acres of sunflowers worth just under $670 million last year, most in North Dakota, the nation's largest sunflower producer.

While traditional crop insurance protects farmers from production problems, revenue assurance policies also provide coverage for price drops, although profits still vary with production costs.

Revenue assurance allows farmers to lock in the springtime market price and pay extra on their premium to have the option of taking the harvest price if it's higher. If the harvest price is lower, they still get the spring price.

Mike Clemens, 52, who farms near Wimbledon in southeastern North Dakota, participated in the program last year, when sunflower prices in North Dakota dropped about 17 percent from the spring to fall. Since then, prices have dropped another 32 percent to $16 per hundred pounds.

"For our crop to be competitive, we need to have an RA formula that works," Clemens said. "I carry RA on my farm on all my crops. The important thing is you're protecting revenue — not only yield loss but also the price component."

The federal government offers revenue assurance for eight major crops, including corn and soybeans. Clemens testified before Congress in 2006 to persuade the government to keep and improve the sunflower program instead of eliminating it.

Because there is no sunflower oil futures market, the revenue assurance policies for sunflowers were based on the Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures market. But both the National Sunflower Association and the federal Risk Management Agency said that formula was not in line with what the sunflower crop was actually worth.

The agency was going to eliminate what it said was a dysfunctional program, but sunflower growers persuaded it to change the formula instead. That's when Clemens signed up.

Be prepared for next bushfire

Being ready is the key to coping with the threat of future bushfires, writes KEVIN BUTLER.

This article explores strategies to prepare for the next inferno. The strategies are ranked in priority order.

1 Reduce the fuel load. When I was as high as my Dad's knees, I remember sheep grazing out paddocks around the shearing shed and house, especially on the north side. I remember Dad creating fire breaks in the late spring by cutting the grass on the roadside and burning it once it had dried off a week later.
The lessons I learned when I was young led me to have 20ha of nil fuel load over three paddocks for my sheep to safely go to each summer over the past several years, in case of fire.
Creating these bare areas of impossible combustion status is a yearly insurance. You may prepare them each year for a whole lifetime, but a fire will incinerate you the year you don't.
Similarly, many farmers had large dams, which cattle simply walked into while the fire roared around them.

2 Install galvanised-pipe sprinkler systems around, and even inside, your home and sheds before the 2010 fire season.
Install a bore and a new dam to store two megalitres of water, to fight a fire for up to two days. It is wise to have up to four sources of water supply, with pumps: bore; dams; water tanks collecting from the roof, and mains water.
This is where my preparation could have been better - I should have had a saturation system for all garden beds and roofing installed beforehand. Properties which did this and were in the path of the fireball, or a lesser-intensity grass fire, survived.
When trying to save your home and sheds with a fire bearing down all around you, with all its embers as well, you will not have the time to be everywhere at once.
So automatic saturation, all around and over the buildings, is a splendid strategy.
All poly pipes and fittings from dams and bores should be buried a minimum of 300 mm underground or else they will simply melt from the heat, as many did on Black Saturday.
As I write, the tractor and grader blade are deep-burying the 50mm poly pipe from my bore and dam complex to the farmhouse and shearing shed.
Also, I should have taught my wife and daughters how to start the diesel-powered bore well before the fire season started, rather than teaching them on my mobile phone while I was fighting to save a neighbour's home.
Preparation is the key.

3 Move farm animals to safe places by 9am on a day of total fire ban.
This strategy proved to be an absolute winner, as on Black Saturday I had moved my 1200 ewes to safe ground an hour before the fire broke out.
The fire leapt up to 11km in one minute, meaning if you had not moved stock before the fire had started, and they were in the fire's path, you faced horrible losses.

4 Beware of falling into a false sense of security just because you have paid your insurance premium.
Your insurance will never recompense you for the loss and suffering resulting from a mega fire. Can you find insurance to adequately replace beautiful 150-year-old oaks? It is far better to insure well and have the contract checked by your legal advisor annually, and then lock it away in an off-the-property safe and pretend you have no insurance at all. This will cause you to be far more fire vigilant during summer.

5 Be outside your home watching for smoke signals between 10am and 8pm on a day of total fire ban.
The act of closing blinds, switching the air conditioner on and watching TV on a day of total fire ban proved to be a disastrous one for many people.
Furthermore, I am of the firm resolve that the Kilmore East fire started at 11.18am on that day - 29 minutes before the first call to 000 and 45 minutes before the first of the two Kilmore tankers arrived on the scene. Had a vigilant neighbour spotted the fire earlier, before it moved out of heavily grazed paddocks into the forest, there is a great possibility the tankers would have been there on time to stop the inferno developing.

6 Only grow trees around your home which will not explode into a wall of flame.
Cut down all gum trees and replace with oak trees or fire-resistant natives. These trees will not make the fire worse. A gum tree, cypress or pine is similar to the fire itself - a great friend in one season but a terrifying foe in another.

7 Switch your radio to the ABC emergency channel all day and have battery back-up.
Consistently monitor the CFA website - every minute. We all have a communal responsibility to not only take care of others, but not to be a burden on our welfare system as a result of not taking due vigilance on a day of total fire ban.

8 In heavily forested country, have the car well fuelled up and be prepared to leave your home at the first instance of fire.
In fact, if your only experience of a fire is of blowing candles out on your birthday, you are best to leave. You cannot prepare thoroughly enough beforehand, survive, or help others and property survive in a fire unless you have had several experiences beforehand that have frightened the life out of you.
The fact that I have fought several fires during my life, including one I accidentally started on a tractor, has been a great teacher to me.
Be of the mindset that in mega fires you are on your own and that the fire front will move far more quickly than the official updates that come to you.
It was painful and pitiful for me to watch the impotent CFA first response to the Kilmore East outbreak at noon on Black Saturday. It was even more painful watching and realising in the next 90 minutes that the communities of Wandong and beyond, which were in the path of the fire, had no warning from the media or from any authority until I phoned and spoke to 774 ABC radio at 1.35pm.
And finally, the Black Saturday fire-recovery program has been a bigger disaster than the fire itself. We could not stop the fire, but we could have started and completed the rebuilding well before the cold weather and wet months.
Nothing lifts bushfire survivors' spirits faster than a quick clean-up of the ruins, followed by overwhelming and prolonged community support until the job is done to their satisfaction.

After four months, many thousands of kilometres of fencing, gardens and hundreds of homes and buildings still lie in ruins. Furthermore, the names of thousands of people who have offered volunteer rebuilding work have been lost in government databases, with few practical conduits to tap into volunteers' time and energy.
History will judge the preparation before the Black Saturday fires and recovery after the fire as being largely uninformed, disorganised and reactive - from property owners to all levels of government and their authorities.
Since Ash Wednesday we have, indeed, reaped what we have sown.

State Farm sets up shop

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) - Insurance companies are already handing out money for damaged caused by Tuesday's hail storm. State Farm Thursday set up mobile claims centers in the Home Depot Parking lot near 96th Street and I-69.

Nearly 50 cars got checked out then the car owners got their checks.

"We inspect them, we figure out how much damage is done and then we write them a check. Then they leave here and they can go to a body shop and get their car fixed," said State Farm Spokesperson Missy Lundberg. "We've seen everything from pings, where there's just little dents in the car, to I've seen whole back windows smashed out. So we're seeing a huge range of damages."

State Farm plans to be at the site for at least a week.

There are stations for both car and home damage.

Lender lost

LONGMONT — The collapse of New Frontier Bank in April has added to the woes of area farmers and ranchers already hammered by recession and falling commodity prices.

Greeley-based New Frontier, which had a branch in Longmont and was one of the largest ag lenders in the state, became the second Colorado bank this year to fail after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. shut it down for “unsound banking practices and violations of laws and regulations.”

That left New Frontier clients scrambling to find a new bank at a time of year when getting an operating loan is critical for many farmers and ranchers.

Jim Docheff Jr., a dairy farmer near Mead, decided last year to start processing and selling his milk under his own Diamond D brand and move away from selling raw milk in bulk to a co-op, which he’d been doing since starting his farm in 1987.

That was his plan, and New Frontier was his bank.

Docheff said he got wind of the bank’s troubles long before the FDIC stepped in. He started shopping for a new bank months ago.

“We probably talked to nine banks, and five of them just said up front they weren’t making any new loans no matter what,” Docheff said.

He finally found a bank sympathetic to the cyclical nature of agriculture, and he will transfer his account there once the FDIC allows him to.

Many banks are hesitant to take on the risks inherent to farming and ranching, Docheff said. In his case, for example, his books don’t look good right now because of the price of milk.

And a ripple effect would spread beyond the agricultural community, said Mike Flesher, senior vice president of Mountain Plains Farm Credit, a government-sponsored entity that operates much like a credit union.


A large number of farms shutting down would hurt everyone from equipment suppliers to car dealerships, Flesher said. And other businesses that had accounts with New Frontier also are being affected, he said.


“It’s not just about agricultural loans,” Flesher said. “It’s about all those other small businesses out there in northern Colorado who are trying to find a new lender.”

Tips for getting catastrophe insurance

The 10 most expensive natural disasters in U.S. history all have occurred in the last decade. These catastrophes have resulted in insurance companies having to cover losses averaging $10 billion each year since 1989, compared with just $2 billion yearly from 1980 to 1988.

With the potential catastrophe payouts insurers face far exceeding their reserves, it's no surprise that major companies, including Allstate and State Farm, are raising catastrophe-policy premiums and deductibles.

"The insurance industry is saying to the homeowner, If you choose to live here, that's great, but you have to take on more of the risk," says Jayna Neagle, of the Washington, D.C.-based Insurance Information Institute. "It's all about sharing the risk."

If you live where tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes are a regular occurrence, catastrophe insurance is an important consideration. Ask these questions to avoid paying too much or choosing a company that a disaster could drive out of business:

Do you have proper coverage?

Amazingly, most people don't. For instance, only 20 percent of homeowners in floodplain areas carry flood insurance, even though their flood risk is 26 times their fire risk.

Similar figures hold in many earthquake- and storm-prone areas. Find out if you need catastrophe coverage by calling your agent or state insurance board.

Obtain information on flood, storm or quake risks in your region and compare it to risks posed by the "normal" hazards your homeowner's policy covers; if catastrophe risk exceeds normal risk, buy expanded coverage. This Old House: Beef up your insurance

Is the insurer financially stable?

A huge catastrophe can shake the stability of weaker insurance companies, putting them at risk of a default that could leave policyholders uncovered. A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's now rate insurance companies to reflect their ability to withstand such catastrophes.

Check an insurer's rating with A.M. Best, S&P, or Consumer Reports magazine. Look for an A rating or better (such as AAA or A++). Avoid lower-rated companies (those with a B or lower rating).

Are the premiums and deductibles reasonable?

Double-digit increases in catastrophe premiums are common in high-risk storm and earthquake areas. These increases vary widely by company and region, so if your premium jumps up, shop around for an insurer that's not as exposed to catastrophe-related payouts. This Old House: Insure yourself against storms

Also be aware of the change to "percentage deductibles" that require homeowners to cover a percentage of the damages rather than a set figure. For example, if the deductible is 5 percent and losses are $100,000, the policyholder covers the first $5,000.

According to J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Foundation of America, homeowners are not always clearly notified of the change. "A lot of people have been misled," Hunter says. "The disclosure is really vague, buried in a lot of fine print." This Old House: Do you have enough insurance?

When you're ready to buy, try these shopping tips:

1. Purchase all your insurance (homeowner's, auto, life) from an insurer that offers a multiple-policy discount. Also check if your insurer gives a "loyalty" discount for staying with them for three to five or more years.

2. Go with a high deductible; this can save up to 20 percent in premiums if you have savings to do it.

3. Install smoke detectors, a burglar alarm, storm shutters, dead bolts, and a fire-sprinkler system to reduce the premium on your homeowner's policy. The same goes for using storm- or earthquake-resistant construction methods or materials.

Evergreen air museum plans lodge, water park

Plans are in motion for an 80- to 90-room resort lodge and separate indoor water park at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum near McMinnville.

Brian Bauer, a museum board member and president of Evergreen International Aviation, said the lodge and 50,000-square-foot water park will follow the museum's aviation theme, which already attracts 425,000 visitors annually.

A Boeing 747 jetliner mounted on the water park's roof could become a significant landmark. "Visitors will be able to slide out of a real 747 aircraft into the pool," Bauer said. "Other than that, it will be similar to other large water parks across the country."

Located just east of McMinnville on Oregon 18, the museum campus already includes twin 120,000-square-foot display facilities and a mirror-image 55,000-square-foot IMAX® Theater.

Negotiations with local land-conservation groups has cleared the way for a 30-acre land swap that would allow the site to be brought into McMinnville's urban growth boundary, while removing other Evergreen property from development. Voters still have to approve the swap in a May election.

Nestled amid Yamhill County's signature vineyards -- producers of Evergreen's own Spruce Goose label -- the museum's modified A-frame structures are airy confections of glass, concrete and stone aggregate. Bauer said the planned lodge and water park will differ in design because of functional differences, but will feature the same quality construction.

Because the museum is a destination location, the lodge will offer higher-end accommodations, Bauer said. The interior will feature a rustic lobby with a lodge-type feel. Compared to most overnight offerings in the area, rates will be higher priced, but specific rates haven't been calculated, he said.

One exception will be the nearly completed 85-room Allison Inn & Spa, being built about 15 miles to the east near Newberg and also conceived as a destination resort. The Allison, however, will cater specifically to wine-country tourists. Rooms there will start at $295 a night.

"A place to stay is one of the top requests we get from visitors," Bauer said. "The lodge will fill a niche. The museum isn't the only attraction that makes Yamhill County a destination location.

"Vineyards, wineries and local events are also a draw. The water park will add to that appeal. Local tourism in general will benefit from this expansion," Bauer said.

Even during the current economic recession, Yamhill County continues to become better known as a destination location, said McMinnville Mayor Rick Olson. The proposed lodge would provide higher-end accommodations, he said. something the city currently lacks.

"Lodges bring a different perception," Olson said. "When I think of lodges, I think of wood beams, stone fireplaces, overstuffed furniture and an exterior that esthetically fits the area.

"When you factor in visitors to Linfield College, sometimes it's very difficult to book a room in McMinnville," he said. "We don't have enough hotel rooms to support what we have to offer."

Lifestyle Habits - Start Small!

By June M. Lay, M.S. - Lifestyle Columnist - HealthNewsDigest.com

(HealthNewsDigest.com) - Yes, let's start small with small changes in our lifestyle habits, that is! Success starts with small changes and perhaps we can think of them as small steps. This is true whether we want to accomplish something new, or change something old. I like to compare our taking small steps to an infant learning to walk. An infant starts with small steps, takes a few falls and eventually he or she becomes stronger and the running toddler we can hardly catch.

I think that we like infants, can accomplish what we set out to do, because it's never too late to start by taking a few small steps. I'd also like to share two great websites, www.smallstep.gov and www.50millionpounds.com:80/ , both about helping us to take small steps toward a healthy weight and a healthy lifestyle (there's a separate link for our children too, at small step.gov). Both sites offer free, credible information, along with activity trackers. The 50 Million Pound Challenge, an initiative started by Dr. Ian Smith and State Farm Insurance, offers an online community, so vital for support during any change process. It has other tools too, such as journal keeping, and weight tracking. Let's reach out to take the steps, and now with credible websites we can start in our own home.

Okay, here is my philosophy about the change process, and why starting small can help us,

"Small Changes Lead to large Successes" is particularly true for making lifestyle changes. Whether we are looking to improve our fitness level, eat healthier, lose weight, or reduce our stress, " Start small". In fact, we can apply this to any project that seems overwhelming and to those we have been putting off. Why just last week, I suggested this very concept to a client about how to increase the amount of sleep he gets.

Let's consider,

We are creatures of habit. In fact, our brain has a center called the Limbic Center, which is the center for our emotions, reinforcements and habits. Have a bad habit? Well, the brain doesn't want us to change it, even if it is a negative behavior and even if it hurts us. How can we start? Start small!

Habits are hard to change. Whatever habit we are trying to make, change or stop, it is hard work. When we start with a small change, one which we know we can do, we set ourselves up for success. And most of us know that one success usually leads to another. When we break down a project into its simple components and start with one component at a time, we usually feel less overwhelmed and this can lead to more motivation and inspiration. I told my client to increase his sleep by starting with only an extra 1/2 hour. Start small.

Motivation grows! As we achieve each small success, we feel empowered to continue. Finally, success is not perfection. Experience a slip, mistake or setback? Let's stop and ask ourselves, what can we learn from it and change? Want to become motivated? Start small and succeed!

Think Positive. Research shows that when we believe in ourselves, when we believe we can do something, we are more likely to do it. When we don't think something is possible, research shows that even when it is, we are much less likely to achieve success. Make it small to achieve a positive outcome!

So, is there something we would like to achieve? Is there one small step we can take to get started which we know we can accomplish? An example of something small would be something concrete such as, "I will replace the butter on my bagel with fresh fruit jam". Notice, I'm not giving up the bagel too at the same time!

So, let's not wait another day to get one small change going at a time. Here's to thinking about what we can do, rather than what we haven't done or should!

June M Lay M.S.
www.junefit.com
One place to start on the weight loss healthy trail, is to find your BMI http://www.bmc.org/medicine/medicine/nutrition/images/BMI-Chart.png and go then go here to read more about the significance of BMI on our health risk http://www.consumer.gov/weightloss/bmi.htm

Also read more about losing fat weight safely here at http://www.junefit.com/tips_weightlosshp.htm

Click here to Google "Fitness Tips" , and find that Junefit ranks in the top ten at Google's search out of million results!

Junefit is included in Google's top ranked women's health resources, scroll midway; http://directory.google.com/Top/Health/Women's_Health/Resources/

June is Lifestyle Columnist at www.healthnewsdigest.com/

copyright 2009, junefit. All rights reserved.

www.HealthNewsDigest.com

Organic farm on tourism map

By: WALAILAK KEERATIPIPATPONG
Published: 21/02/2009 at 12:00 AM

Newspaper section: BusinessThe 60-rai Rai Pluk Rak organic farm has become a new eco-tourism destination in Ratchaburi province and a learning centre for organic producers. Owners Anotai Gongvatana and her husband Kaan Ritkhachorn aim to use the farm to help visitors gain experience in running a farm, and to appreciate its value in helping the environment.

The farm has attracted visitors in the past but now the Tourism Authority of Thailand has put the site on its list of day trips to the province, alongside other must-visit places such as the world-famous Damnoen Saduak floating market and the outlet store of Pasaya, a producer of high-quality textiles.

Mrs Anotai said that Rai Pluk Rak since late 2007 had arranged a total of 40 day trips for staff and customers of Bankok Insurance under the insurer's energy-conservation programme.

Participants, especially families with children, have enjoyed learning about organic farming and activities such as making salted eggs, salad dressing, and ice-cream from organic ingredients.

She said the same activities would be offered for any interested visitors who might come in groups or as individuals.

''Due to our limited capacity, we could accept a maximum of 80 people per day and it has to be on weekends, and only from December to March,'' she said.

The farm charges 650 baht for adults, 350 baht for children under 12, and free admission for those under 3.

''It's a fun time for children to start learning about the nature around them, about helpful and harmful insects. They can even pick eggs from the hatchery and salt them,'' Mrs Anotai said.

Rai Pluk Rak farm has been growing more than 30 types of vegetables for nearly 10 years with accreditation from the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). It supplies its produce to about 60 leading supermarkets in Bangkok.

Mr Kaan said that the farm used many herbal plants to reduce insects, as well as bat manure to promote the growth of vegetables. ''We also feed ducks and fish on the farm in an organic way. Ducks are very useful for getting rid of vegetables when we want to prepare the plot for the next crop,'' he said.

Organic producers, he said, could not only preserve the environment and promote good health, but in the long run they can enjoy more sustainable growth and lower costs, especially since they don't have to buy chemical fertilisers and insecticides.

He’s done what he enjoys for 30 years

Insurance agent is also local sportscaster

By Tony Kindelspire
Longmont Times-Call

LONGMONT — Jeff Pfeiffer is in a good mood most of the time. And why not? Both professionally and on his own time, he’s a man who spends much of his time getting to do what he enjoys.


After college, the Illinois native started down a career path in law enforcement, first with the FBI and then the Boulder County Sheriff’s Office. But after a few years, he completely switched gears.


“I wanted to be more in control of my own life, and I started looking into the insurance business,” said Pfeiffer, 59. “My State Farm agent turned me on to this company.”


Pfeiffer hired a secretary and started his own State Farm agency in 1979, and on Feb. 1 he entered his 31st year in the business.


“It was just the two of us,” he said. “I had one file when I started, and it was mine.”


It was five years before he made a profit, he said, and along the way he borrowed money and cashed out his savings and his retirement fund. But he kept at it, and now he has four employees.


“I was a detective under the sheriff’s department, so I was used to talking to people,” he said of his career transition.


Pfeiffer may be a familiar face even for those who aren’t his clients. A few years ago, he became a sportscaster.


He approached Channel 3, Longmont’s public access station, received training, and soon was a sideline reporter for local prep football and basketball games. It didn’t take long before he was the color commentator for the games.


He’s been doing that regularly for seven years now, and he also has hosted a non-sports talk show on Channel 3 called “Up Front,” for which won a national cable award, he said.


Pfeiffer also serves on the Longmont Council for the Arts, has served on the OUR Center board and has held fundraisers for the Foundation Fighting Blindness.


An avid golfer, Pfeiffer said he loves how Longmont has retained its small-town feel from the days when he first hung his shingle out.


He said he has no plans to retire anytime soon, and he hopes to keep selling insurance and calling games for many years to come.


“Both of them are harder than I ever thought they would be,” Pfeiffer said. “I just like the challenge of it all.”


Tony Kindelspire can be reached at 303-684-5291 or tkindelspire@times-call.com.

Farm Service Agency welcomes proposed funds for IT upgrade

By Gautham Nagesh 01/23/2009

The $245 million the House set aside for maintenance and modernization of the Farm Service Agency's information technology systems in its version of the economic stimulus bill is long overdue, agency officials said on Thursday.

"The technologies we're running are built on 1980s vintage technology," said Dennis Taitano, chief financial officer and acting associate administrator for operations and management at FSA. "That's the problem we're having."

The funds -- only a small chunk of the $45 billion in IT spending outlined in the House stimulus bill -- will not cover the full cost of upgrading the agency's systems, but will go a long way toward doing so, Taitano said.

The Farm Service Agency administers myriad programs, including initiatives to help farmers determine what to plant, subsidies to grow (or not grow) specific crops and loans to help with upfront costs. The agency operates more than 2,300 county offices that certify farmers for programs and pay-out subsidies.

The agency's computer network has been unable to keep up with its payment processing needs. In January 2007, FSA experienced network outages, resulting in a 30-day period when payments were sent out late or not at all.

"FSA is helping farmers by advising them on what the current commodity prices are, helping with crop insurance, loan and subsidy programs," said Ray Bjorklund, chief knowledge officer and senior vice president of the McLean, Va., market analysis firm FedSources. "There is so much timing sensitivity and complexity...[farmers] need information to the nearest day so they can make a good business decision about whether to sell your product or farm a commodity for the next year."

Taitano said funding constraints have prevented FSA from upgrading its IT infrastructure. He noted that Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., chairman of the House Agriculture Committee, has been a strong advocate for IT modernization funding.

The Senate still is piecing together its version of the stimulus package.

According to FSA Chief Information Officer Jim Guinn, the agency relies on dated IBM mainframe servers that use the COBOL programming language. Peterson recently said it was time for the agency to abandon COBOL.

"The problem is well-recognized and [is] getting the proper level of attention," Guinn said. "We are running the oldest technology in the U.S. Department of Agriculture."

The outdated green screen technology at FSA makes it difficult to leverage innovations such as remote sensing and satellite imaging, which can be used to track what crops are being grown and where, according to Bjorklund.

Guinn is aiming to streamline FSA's architecture to allow it to build on newer, faster and more secure technologies. Applications for farm loans and subsidies involve numerous forms, which are processed as paper and then manually added to the electronic system.

"Everything is so form-driven and paper heavy out in our county offices," Taitano said. "The vision is that we would provide a self-service [Web] portal so a farmer doesn't have to come into the county office."

Patrick Hanley, project manager for the program to modernize the farm benefits system, said the agency is working closely with the Office of Management and Budget to make sure the new systems would comply with the federal enterprise architecture, to ensure FSA's systems can share information with other federal agencies. Hanley said the $245 million in the House stimulus bill would allow FSA to stabilize the current infrastructure and initiate modernization efforts. The money would satisfy estimates for the first two years of implementation, Taitano said.

Agency officials also are looking into commercial off-the-shelf software solutions that could help with payment processing, according to Hanley. But the initial focus will be on infrastructure and making sure the back-end servers and network are capable of handling the volume of transactions at FSA, he said.

He added that improving customer service for farmers and ranchers will remain a "major goal."

US client cancels contract with fraud-hit Satyam

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Fraud-hit Satyam Computer Services Ltd (SATY.BO) said on Monday a U.S.-based client had canceled its contract, dealing a blow to the embattled Indian outsourcer caught in the country's biggest corporate scandal.

State Farm Insurance Co has terminated its contract, a Satyam spokeswoman said, confirming a report in India's Mint newspaper on Monday, but she declined to give details of the contract.

"While we are disappointed in State Farm's decision to discontinue services, our executives are reaching out to clients around the world, and at this point, well over 90 percent of our clients have committed to continuing with Satyam," she said.

The Mint newspaper said State Farm Insurance was among Satyam's biggest clients.

Satyam, India's No. 4 software services exporter, was plunged into crisis after Ramalinga Raju resigned as chairman earlier this month, revealing profits had been falsified for years and $1 billion of cash on the books did not exist.

A government bailout is seen as key to ensuring the company has enough cash in the short term and to restore flagging investor confidence, analysts said.

Some of Satyam's clients might cancel orders, wary of business risks in the fraud-hit company, analysts said.

"Any customer dealing with Satyam at this point in time will be concerned with what is happening at the company now," said R.K. Gupta, managing director at Taurus Asset Management in New Delhi.

A government-appointed board at Satyam said on Saturday it was looking for a new chief executive and chief financial officer for the outsourcing firm at the center of a scandal dubbed as "India's Enron".

The board, which also discussed scheduling of vendor payments, said it had received expressions of support from clients including Nestle (NESN.VX) and General Electric (GE.N).

Shares in Satyam, which have tumbled about 85 percent since the scandal broke, were up 5.7 percent at 25.85 rupees by 0605 GMT in a weak broader market.

The Economic Times newspaper said on Monday Satyam's new board was looking to appoint up to three investment banks to explore the possibility of finding a buyer for the outsourcer.

On Sunday, a metropolitan court ordered the former chairman, managing director and chief financial officer of Satyam to be taken into police custody for four days from Sunday, after spending nearly a week in jail.

Under police custody, accused are held in a police lock-up to help the investigators in interrogation.

(Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Ranjit Gangadharan and Anshuman Daga)