In addition, past issues will be archived on our news page.

If you're not already receiving a copy of the newsletter by email, please request to be added to our mailing list.  Simply provide your name and email address in the lower left corner of Timmco.com and hit "submit".

1.  Arrange for a neighbor to pick up your newspaper.  An accumulation of newspapers in the driveway is a sure sign that the owner is away.  Yes, you can call in a vacation stop but the fewer people that know you are gone the better (coming from a truly paranoid insurance agent :-)).

2.  Put some interior lights on timers and have daylight sensors for your exterior lights so they always come on at night.

3.  Don't advertise the fact that you are gone on your Facebook or LinkedIn account.  You trust your friends but not necessarily your friends' friends and so on.

Let us know if you have any other good ideas.  We'd love to hear them!

All customers who earned entries in last month's drawing will now be entered in the year end drawing for one of two exciting prizes:  $500 cash or one night's lodging at the McMenamins hotel of your choice.  

Our April winner is RON PETRO, whose name was drawn May 3 by customer Abbey Stamp.  Congratulations, Ron, and thanks for the kind referral too!

All customers who earned entries in last month's drawing will now be entered in the year end drawing for one of two exciting prizes: $500 cash or one night's lodging at the McMenamins hotel of your choice. 

1.  If you are having work done on or near your water lines, check your water meter after the workers leave your property.  Shut off all taps, etc. before you check.  If the large red dial is moving you may have a big leak; if it is the small red dial, you may have a small leak.

2.  Make sure there are no blockages in your storm drain.

3.  Check your street storm drains to see if they are free of debris.  If this is clogged the water may find its way onto your property instead.

4.  It's time to clean your gutters if water is running off of the sides of your gutters when it is raining.

5.  Water stains on your ceiling or walls likely indicate a water leak at some point (either current or in the past).

6.  Feel the ground in your yard to make sure there isn't a sprinkler leak.  If it is saturated, there may be a leak or the area could be over-watered.

7.  If there is a dry spot which should be getting water from your sprinkler system, find out where that water is going instead.

Generally speaking, damage from a sudden water leak in your home will be covered by home insurance (the resulting damage, that is, and not the leaky item itself).  Damage from gradual water leaks are generally excluded.  Surface water damage will need a separate flood insurance policy for coverage to apply.  Please contact your Timmco/Peninsula agent for more information.

Park in a warm garage...just kidding!

Timmco is now servicing Beaverton insurance needs and other areas in the greater Portland metro.

THINK ABOUT SECURITY for you and your stuff.

Timmco is an Oregon insurance agency, get an insurance quote today!

 Note: Tickets and/or accidents can sometimes disqualify the student for this discount.  Drive safely!

Timmco is an Oregon insurance agency.

Here are the details of the program:

1. Your vehicle must be less than 25 years old on the trade-in date.
2. Only purchase or lease of new vehicles qualify.
3. Generally, traded-in vehicles must get 18mpg or less (some very large pick-up trucks and cargo vans have different requirements).
4. Trade-in vehicles must be registered and insured continuously for the full year preceding the trade-in.
5. You don’t need a voucher, dealers will apply a credit at purchase.
6. Currently the program runs through Nov 1, 2009 or when the funds are exhausted, whichever comes first.
7. The program requires the scrapping of your eligible trade-in vehicle, and that the dealer disclose to you an estimate of the scrap value of your trade-in.  The scrap value, however minimal, will be in addition to the rebate and not in place of the rebate.

Contact your Timmco Insurance agent if you can’t locate your insurance documents showing continuous coverage for the past year, we’re here to help.

We have access to over 20 insurance companies, and monthly premiums can be as low as:

        $500,000                Monthly

        Age     35      $       24.00

        Age     40      $       34.00

        Age     45      $       54.00

        Age     50      $       83.00          

Call or email your Timmco agent today      

Here are some tips:

1.  Do not leave ANYTHING visible inside of your vehicle while you are away.  Thieves don't know that bag is full of recycling until they break the window and look inside the bag.

2.  If you must leave something inside your vehicle (laptop, handbag, ipod, etc.), transfer it to your trunk before departing for your destination.  You don't want someone to see you putting it in your trunk after you've arrived.

3.  Make sure to lock your doors at all times.  Many crimes are those of opportunity...thieves will go to the next car with the unlocked door instead of taking the time to break into yours.

Please contact us to review your current auto, home, or renters insurance policies.  We are here to help!

“6. Any insured using any vehicle while

employed in any business of delivery to

the extent that the limits of liability for this

coverage exceed the minimum limits as

required by the Oregon Financial

Responsibility Law.

Delivery includes but is not limited to the

delivery of newspapers or magazines, food

or any other products for the purpose of

compensation.

This exclusion does not apply to delivery

that is incidental to an insured’s business.”

Call us for a review of whether your policy

will exclude delivery.

If you have a separate policy on your boat, then it is covered for up to the value shown, and for the liability limit selected.

If you do not have separate coverage on the boat or other watercraft, you MAY have limited protection under the home policy, subject to a deductible. 

Liability for your boating activities may be covered by the home policy only when the horsepower of the motor for the boat is 50hp or less or you have endorsed a higher horsepower limit to you policy.

Sound a little confusing? Check with us to review or propose coverage.  Insurance on watercraft is very affordable!

1.  Rear Facing Seats in the back seat from birth to 1 year old and at least 20   lbs. 

2. Forward-Facing Toddler Seats from age 1 and 20 lbs to about age 4 and 40 lbs.

3. Booster Seats in the back seats from about age 4 to at least age 8, unless 4'9" tall.  

4.  Safety Belts at age 8 and older or taller than 4'9".  All children age 12 and under should ride in the back seat and not in a seat with a front air bag.

Many local fire departments are ready and qualified to inspect your child safety seat to be sure it is properly installed and being used correctly.  Call your Timmco agent and we'd be happy to locate a fire station near you for this valuable service.

Newly licensed vehicles carrying both Comprehensive and Collision coverage can qualify for "Gap Coverage" which would protect a customer if they ever find themselves in the position of owing more money that a vehicle is worth at the time of a total loss.  Typically this coverage can be purchased at the time the auto is added to a policy and is very reasonably priced.  Ask your Timmco agent if this coverage is right for you.

Words to live by for condo owners:  Talk is Cheap! – read the contract.  Most condominium owners rely on what their realtor, condominium association board member tells them as respects their insurance needs.

Read the bylaws yourself, and pass the bylaws along to us for review.  The bylaws state exactly what portion of your unit must be insured by you, and what portion is covered by the association bylaws. 

Do not merely accept as gospel what a board member says is your responsibility to insure.  Board members come and go.  Some take their responsibility to represent you very seriously, but very few are expert regarding interpretation of what is a most important legal document.

Please do email your Timmco Insurance agent the bylaws for our review.  We’re here to help!

Is the contractor insured?  If they cause an injury on your property, you will want their insurance to pay, not yours.

Are they bonded?  If the completed work is unacceptable, but the contractor is not responsive, file against their bond to have the work completed or finished properly.

Have they lapsed their insurance coverage or bond?  Has the State filed a disciplinary action against the contractor?  How much liability insurance do they carry? 

Go to http://www.oregon.gov/CCB/index.shtml , enter the contractor name, and check them out.  If the contractor has been careless about meeting the State of Oregon insurance and bonding requirements, you may be best served going elsewhere for service!

As the State of Oregon says, ask for references of the last three or four clients and call them.

Know your contractor.  Ask questions.  Be informed.

If you rent your residence and haven't considered a renters policy, don't hesitate to contact us for a quote today!

1.  Know your policy and understand what the policy says.
2.  File claims as soon as possible as time frames may apply.
3.  Provide complete & correct information to avoid delays in processing your claim.
4.  Keep copies of all correspondence, including a record of your time and expenses.
5.  Ask questions regarding the language in the policy that applies to your claim. 6.  Don't rush into a settlement.
7.  Make temporary repairs to auto or property if needed to avoid further damage; remember to take photos first.

good faith disagreement between an insurance agency and consumer about a claim;

decision by the insurance company to decline your insurance application, or not renew your coverage.

If you have a dispute over a claim, here are a few suggestions:

Read your insurance policy to make sure you know exactly what you're entitled to.

Write a carefully worder letter to the president of the insurance company, stating the facts of the dispute.

If you don't get any satisfaction from the insurance company, contact your state insurance department.

If you do not find your state insurance department helpful, contact your state legislators.  Most insurance departments provide useful assistance to consumers but some are not given adequate resources to do their jobs well.  Your state elected representatives can help to correct that.

You can also get information on filing a complaint against an insurance company online.

As we heard or read today, another neighborhood in the Portland area was victim of a landslide.  This follows by a couple of months the slide at Burlingame Place in Portland, which destroyed two homes, and caused others to be termed uninhabitable.

Landslide, along with flood and earthquake are perils excluded from a standard homeowners insurance policy, but which may be insured against on a separate  policy through a limited number of insurance carriers.  If there has been slide or erosion activity in the your area, coverage may not be available.

Cost for a “Difference in Conditions” policy, sometimes referred to as Natural Disaster Insurance, is approximately $1000/yr. per $300,000 of insured value.  There are many factors which influence the cost of coverage or availability, including the degree of slope of your property.

Please contact us for a landslide insurance quote or call us today to discuss this important matter.

Should you buy EARTHQUAKE coverage?  Generally, yes.  Keep in mind it is more expensive for older homes where the structure is not bolted to the foundation.

Is it advisable to schedule all of your JEWELRY?  Your policy has a coverage maximum on the theft of jewelry. Some of your jewelry, regardless of value, may not be important to you. Perhaps you inherited and never wore the jewelry or it  has only sentimental value.  So why insure it?

UNINSURED & UNDERINSURED MOTORIST BODILY INJURY coverage is now available for your Personal Umbrella policy.  All attorneys seem to purchase and recommend the coverage, but not all agents at Timmco Insurance purchase the coverage. Why Not?

Your HOME may be underinsured, but your PERSONAL PROPERTY overinsured. What do we mean by that?  

CALL US TO REVIEW YOUR COVERAGE. IT’S WHAT WE DO!

The first freeze of winter sometimes takes people by surprise.  Our unusual weather this week resulted in a neighbor's water pipe breaking and an urgent call to the busy plumber.  Here are some quick ways to protect your home's pipes and possibly save you time and trouble:

1. Find your main water shut-off valve & mark it with a tag or paint it red for easy identification.
2. Test the valve by shutting it off.
3. If the valve doesn't work, have it repaired or have your plumber install one.
4. Be sure garden hoses are disconnected and cover exterior faucets & pipes with insulation.
5. In severe cold, drip warm water from the indoor faucet.
6. If a pipe does freeze, your best choice is to call a plumber.
7. One DIY option that sometimes works is to wrap a frozen pipe or faucet with rags and pour hot water over the rags until water is flowing again.  Be sure to remove the wet rags and re-wrap the pipes with dry insulation.
8. Keep pipes on exterior walls warmer by leaving cabinet doors open.

Even though it isn't required, you still may need it.  Call your Timmco Portland insurance agent for more information.  We can work up an insurance quote in a day or so.  If your mortgage company isn't requiring it, there will be a 30-day wait for the coverage so don't delay!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008
11:30 am to 1:00 pm
Multnomah Athletic Club
1849 SW Salmon Street
Portland, OR 97205
FREE PARKING!

Please inquire for room information at the front desk. 

Seats are limited for this free offer, so register now to reserve your space. 

Call Ramona Taylor - 503-288-8818