Why I always ask...

There is one thing that always comes to mind when I am helping out a new client or a new client's family and is that do they have life insurance.  Most people are probably just thinking,"He is probably looking for something else to make money off of us."  That happens to be the farthest thing from the truth.  Would I like to place you with life insurance, of course, but I mainly just want you to have it.  This blog will talk about 3 major reasons why I always ask if you have life insurance.

Who in your life would you need to protect.

The first reason is simple.  It is because it is the most important policy that my agency sells.  It is also the most versatile in that it protects so many.  It protects your family from debt collectors, final expenses, life style changes and many more things.  When I place a life policy I know that everyone that comes into contact with you is better off.  That is how versatile this policy is.  There is not another policy we or any other insurance company offers that is more important.

Debt adds enough stress to life, but do you wish that on your family?

The second reason is that I have seen it work for families who needed it.  I have also seen how damaging it is for the families who haven't had it.  I've seen young families lose a head of household tragically without life insurance.  They couldn't afford any kind of expenses for the funeral little alone the next few years.  They were put in positions where they had to call family members to ask for money, take collections in memory of them and down grade ceremonies.  I have seen them give up their houses, take on second jobs and not be able to afford their children's educations.  It is a terrible thing to watch.  It all could have been prevented with correct planning and placement of life insurance.  In the cases that did have it they were able to mourn the passing of the loved one as it should be.

Who would you leave behind?

The final reason could be considered a little selfish but it is more a standard that I hold myself to.  As an insurance consultant, I do my best to make sure you are prepared for life's worse.  If I don't ask, there is a chance you could have nothing in place or realize how important it is.  Maybe you just think it won't happen but without asking we will never know.  I don't want to be the one to tell your significant other that I didn't do my job and that is why they don't have protection.  It is my job to ask the hard questions.

Life is terrible unpredictable.  I can honestly say that placing life policies to me is more than a job.  It is my duty to the people around me.  I don't want to watch your family struggle or have them struggle because I didn't do you the justice of asking.  Life insurance is not for you, it is for the ones you love.  We believe in the policy so much we will review any policy for free any time you would like.  All I ask is that you use someone, like me, to write your policy the correct with the appropriate amount of coverage.

Happiest Time of The Year... And Most Critical

This time of year is very magical.  In the state of Missouri and Kansas it may not be the prettiest but it does have it's moments.  People are giving a hand up to those that are in need and giving more than they are receiving.  This blog is not about that though.  This blog is about what you need to do to be ready for next year since it is only a couple weeks away.

The first thing that should be done is look at how things in your life have changed.  Do you still have the same job?  Is there a new addition to the family?  Did you move to a new home?  Did you buy a new piece of property?  These are all questions that need to be addressed in your insurance protection.  You may have increased your self worth and didn't protect it.  You may have had a new son or daughter and haven't figured them into your will or life insurance policy.  Without staying on top of these things you could have severer gaps in your protection.

The next thing you should do is set up a time with your insurance adviser or someone licensed that you trust, like me.  It would only take 20-30 minutes for a quick review.  That would guarantee you knew what you were covered for as well as what could be at stake.  Many of us have the goal of always trying to better the situation of our lives and our family but if we don't protect it then it could all be for not.

The final thing you should do is ask about the new products that your adviser has to offer.  Most advisers like myself always have new products that can help our clients but there may be something you want we haven't thought about offering to you.  Are you looking for different endorsements on your home, ways to save for college or preparing for retirement. Advisers like myself can help you in all of those areas.

At the University of Farmers

To spend the short period of time needed with an adviser to get your complete these three tasks would be extremely beneficial to you and your family.  If these steps are taken you won't regret it.  You may spend some money, you may not.  As a hard working individual, you owe this to yourself and your family to make sure the money you are spending in protection is doing what you think is right.

What the Crawford Agency is Thankful For

It is the time of year when many reflect on what they truly value and what they are thankful for.  I would like to use this post to let everyone know what my agency is most thankful for.  It is a very long list but I will try and keep it short.

The first thing we are thankful for is our clients.  We truly appreciate each and everyone of them trusting us with their business.  Insurance may not be the shiniest thing but it is as important as anything.  We have enjoyed helping as well as getting to know each and everyone of you.  We know how valuable your time is.

The next thing we are thankful for is Farmers Insurance Group of Companies.  They have given us such a great opportunity and support.  My District Manager has been huge help in my business decision making.  Our underwriters, customer support and internal teams make it all possible to give the very best service.  I'd also like to thank the corporate people who take care of the legal information that make our industry run.  Without any of them we wouldn't be able to provide the service that they do.  They have all provided me an opportunity second to none to do something that I had only dreamed of.  That dream was to own a business and to build my own success.

Finally I must thank my family. They have truly supported every decision that has been made.  Like they say, nothing is possible for a man without the strength and support of their spouse which is true in my case.  Thank you to my wife who is always supporting me and my agency, putting up with me and driving me to be the best I can.

There are so many that I would like to thank but I could see myself going on and on.  I don't think you all would want to read something that just rambles on.  If there was anyone that I missed I apologize but don't think we aren't thankful for you all.  From all of us at the Crawford Agency

, Happy Holidays to you all and remember we just want to help and appreciate any opportunity.

It Has Been a While

Hey everyone,

It has been a while since my last post, so I'm going to do things different.  Instead of writing something completely about insurance or a circumstance, I'm going to tell you what has been going on in my agency.  It has been extremely busy but I won't overwhelm you with everything.  After this blog I will try to be more regular with my postings.

The biggest thing that happened since the last blog was that my agency, The Crawford Agency of Farmers Insurance, got to go to the Topper Club conference.  It was held in beautify Anaheim, California.  Like usual the plan ride was spent with my wife's finger nails in my arm on take off and landing.  She did great though even if this wasn't her first time flying.  I got to meet with agents from across the nation and attend some amazing workshops to learn better ways to serve you all.  We even got the luxury of spending some time in Disneyland's California Adventure.  That is a memory that will never be forgot.  What I got most out of the trip is the realization  is that I am apart of the Farmers Family.  Just like you all, my clients, are.  The way that Farmers comes together in time of need and support just astonishes me and makes me extremely proud.

On the agency front we have been continuing or mission of giving people the appropriate information so that they can make proper decisions for their family.  We are continuing to give people better coverage while saving them money.  It is always a great bonus to save someone money but our main priority to put in place proper coverage.

The agency has also added another to our staff.  We have added Mr. Brandon Trotter as an Associate Adviser.  His expertise are in commercial insurance but is licensed in all lines of business and is able to answer any questions that you may have.

Farmers has been adding some great things to better provide for our communities.  They have recently expanded our affinity discount to include: CPAs, lawyers, architects and pilots to go along with all the other discounts we already have.  Farmers has also added a 24 hour number to call of 1-800-Farmers.  They have also lowered the premium on our simple term products.  What does that mean?  It means you can now get better term life insurance without medical tests for a lot less!  There are so many great things going on that you are missing out if you don't give us a shout.

Our blog may have been neglected a bit but we are still keeping up with our other social media outlets, so make sure to check them out.  We are still available at all times of day.  I promise it won't be so long until our next blog but until then give us a shout because we would like to catch up.



The Crawford Agency

The Life of an Insurance Consultant

Insurance agents make all the money, don't work much and have the easiest job... WRONG.  This blog will talk about the what it is like for me to be an insurance consultant.  It is one the hardest, most challenging, stressful, as well as most rewarding things I have ever done.  There are days when life is grand and others where I feel as if I beat my head against the wall for a living.

One of the hardest things about what I do is I fight the bad reputation that has been set by a few who didn't provide the service which I do.  The most important thing to me is that I better your situation.  Which doesn't always mean save you money.  It could mean that I designed a proper package that protects you and your family.  It is more important to me that I educate you on your insurance which gives you the ability to make the decision of what is best for you.  Ultimately if my knowledge, care and service makes you happy that makes me happy.  I'm not in the business to write a bunch of policies that will cancel soon.  I want clients that will be with me for many years to come.

Many people say that an insurance agent never works.  I am telling you that it is clearly not that way.  A typical day for me is I wake up at 7 am.  I let my dogs out as my coffee is brewing.  As soon as I get in I fix a cup while watching the news and checking emails.  After that I get ready for the day.  As soon as I hit the car I start calling and receiving phone calls.  The rest of my day is filled with service work, quoting and building proposals.  Once it hits 4 pm I start calling again.  This goes until about 7:30 pm.  That is pretty much the same every day Monday-Thursday.  The biggest change is on Friday I get to go home at 4 pm.  I carry my cell with me at all times and answer it always.  I receive calls at all hours of the day, every day.  It is hard to say I am going to work because my work never leaves me.  The true way to describe it is that it is not a job because it is clearly a life style.

My biggest pet peeve is the statement that insurance agents make tons of money.  Yes there is potential to make a good living like there is in any job in sales.  A mass majority of our worth is tied into our business because we are business owners.  For me personally over 80% of my income is invested back into my business.  As everyone knows this is a business of renewals and it takes many years to build a stable about of renewals.  What most people don't understand is most business owners set a conservative take home salary for themselves which is the last expense paid.  If they don't make enough revenue to cover then the business owner takes it out of his salary.  Don't get me wrong, there are many people who make a very good living in this business but I guarantee it didn't start out that way.

As I previously stated being an insurance consultant is not a job but a life style.  Our whole goal is to make sure when the worst happens to you and your family that it will not ruin your life.  The rate at which it costs to do such is completely out of hands in a thing called, "Law of large numbers."  All we can do is make sure you understand what you have purchased.  This life comes with many days of stress and joy.  If I could save everyone money I definitely would but to me it is more important that if you lose your home, you won't be on the street; if you lose your bread winner in the family, you will not starve; and finally if you cause a major wreck, it will not ruin your life financially.  As an insurance consultant with Farmers Insurance we are the smartest in the field.  In stating that we may not always be the perfect fit but we can always guarantee that you will not regret having your insurance reviewed with a consultant like myself.

Why Review Your Insurance?

In our lives we are constantly striving for free time.  Sometimes it seems as if you will never have any.  The bigger question is why you should spend any of it on a boring subject like reviewing your insurance.  This blog will talk about how important it is to review you insurance on a yearly basis.

The most important reason to review your insurance is, "How often do you go a day little alone a year without something changing?"  How many years go by that one of the following doesn't happen: buy a new car, have a baby, get a raise from work?  Not very many if any.  Even at that consideration level your spending habits change, your driving habits change and your living habits change.  Our lives are constantly changing.

The next reason is the world around us is constantly changing.  Inflation is a big thing to take into consideration.  A perfect example is to just look at the price of cars.  They keep seeming to go up and up.  There are also constant changes in the world of insurance.  Coverage with a company is constantly changing.  It can be as small a change of wording to what is allowed to be covered.  It is very important to be aware of what is going on and how it effects your insurance.

The final reason that you should review your insurance is to take advantage of all of the discounts.  Companies are constantly changing discounts.  Other than the changing of the discounts you could now be eligible for a discount that were not eligible for before.  The only way to do this is go over what has changed and what hasn't with your insurance consultant.

My agency is very aware of how fast things change.  That is why we constantly offer FFR's (Farmers Friendly Review) to all of our clients and even people who are not our clients.  The biggest pet-peeve of mine is when someone is paying thousands of dollars a year and have no idea what they are paying for.  These are the main reasons why insurance consultants like myself are so important to have.  As Professor Burke says,"We make you smarter about insurance."

My Personal Auto Claim

Recently, I personally, went through the Farmers claims process.  As an insurance consultant for Farmers I was very interested in the steps that my clients would go through.  This blog will talk about how easy the process was and what steps that I went through.

To start the blog I will tell you about my experience.  I had just left the bank in Gladstone, MO and was getting back on to US 169 highway headed north.  I got onto the highway with no issues but then all of a sudden traffic came to a stop.  I was struck from behind by a whit truck.  Everything in the car flew and even my CD player almost entirely slid out of the slot.  I was shook up and had some whiplash in my neck but I was okay.  I could still drive my car so I follow the MODOT (Missouri Department of Transportation) rule of thumb, "If you can steer it then clear it."  I did just that.  As I pulled over the car that hit me took off and left me as a "Hit and Run."  I was able to get his license plate.  I called the police to report the incident.  The police asked if I was okay and if I could drive to police station.  I told them yes, gave them all the information, then headed to the police station.  At the police station I filed the police report so that I would have it for insurance.

After all of those steps I headed home.  I was able to skip the step of calling my agent because of course I am the agent.  On my way home I called a body shop repairman to come give me a quote so that I could determine what my next course of action was.  The body shop was able to get me the quote by noon the next day.  The was about $4800 in damage to my little Ford Focus.  That was more than I could repair on my own so I called to file my claim.  Farmers was able to retrieve all the information and pictures from the body shop.  Since the value of my car was only about $4000 they sent a field adjuster out for a second opinion.  The field adjuster also applied all the necessary information to get the car value.  One thing that I did that is not a must is to find comparable cars online to get a price point.  I was looking for cars with same body styles, mileage and features.  This was to protect me so that I could see what a fair settlement would be.  Obviously the car was going to be a total loss.  Normally when the damage reaches over 80% of the car value is when they talk about totaling out the car.

The damage to my car

A couple days went by and Farmers apologized because things were backed up at this time on the claims department.  We reached a fair claim for both parties using the comparable cars they found and I found of around $4000.  After my deductible of $1000 the amount to be paid was $3000.  Since this was a hit and run which the other party didn't have insurance it was going to be a, "not at fault," collision claim.  It was unfortunate because I was legally stopped but that is the only way to cover that situation.  If Farmers can catch the other party I will receive my deductible back.

The final steps were extremely easy.  Farmers sent me an overnight shipping label to send in my signed title.  Once that was received they set up a date to pick up my car.  I had to go to the office so I set up a place where they could pick up the keys and they picked the car up from my home driveway.  The money was then directly deposited into my account and the claim was over.  Farmers was also able to send me a voucher for the sales tax of my car based on the $4000 value.

The guy that ran off.

This was not completely normal because of the circumstances of it being a, "hit and run," but that is just one of the curve balls that life throws us some times.  My claim was delayed but it was started and closed in 10 business days.  With the number of people that were involved and the set backs I was perfectly happy with how the claim turned out.  I just hope that Farmers can retrieve my money from the other party since I was not at fault.  If they are able to it would remove my claim, that since is not my fault doesn't hurt me, and get my deductible back to me.  Wish me luck.  I hope this blog simplifies how easy the claims process with Farmers is if you are a client.