Arizona: Insurance Industry to Host ‘Wildfire Risk’ Educational Presentation

The Arizona Insurance Council, which NAMIC is a member, will be hosting an educational program April 14 on wildfire risk and prevention.

The presentation, “The Growing Wildfire Risk in Arizona,” is being facilitated by Kirk Rowdabaugh, Arizona State forester. The event will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel. Registration begins at 9:30 am. Reservations are being taken by Nicole Farr, (602) 996-7009.

“NAMIC is pleased to see insurance educational programs like this one being offered in advance of the annual wildfire season because consumers need to be regularly reminded about the danger wildfires pose to their life and personal property,” said Christian J. Rataj, NAMIC’s Western state affairs manager. “Focusing consumer’s attention on risk prevention, including securing appropriate insurance coverages, and risk mitigation is an important community service endeavor, which the insurance industry has been active in for many years. The AIC presentation is being offered at a perfect time to compliment Governor Janet Napolitano’s formal declaration of Wildfire Awareness Week, which is scheduled for April 21-27.”

According to Ron Williams, executive director of the Arizona Insurance Council, AIC forums are a vehicle for the property/casualty industry in Arizona to engage in the issues that impact the industry. “Subjects, like the upcoming risks of wildfires, offer us an opportunity to hear from the experts and extend our partnerships with groups on the front lines of safety and loss mitigation,” he said.

In a recent AIC press release, Williams provided a list of key points consumers should go over with their agent and/or insurance company when selecting or renewing their homeowner’s insurance policy:

Does the policy cover the current costs of rebuilding your house? The increases in cost for lumber, steel, concrete, and copper have significantly outpaced other products. Those price increases affect what insurers pay to repair and rebuild homes and the costs of satisfying those claims is shared by all homeowner insurance consumers.
Does your policy provide coverage for additional living expenses, such as hotel bills and restaurant meals, for the time you are evacuated from your home and/or while your home is being rebuilt?
Is your insurance company or agent aware of any improvements you have made on your home or business? Updating a kitchen, new carpeting, or installing a swimming pool adds to the value of your home. The same applies to business improvements.
Have you upgraded your home’s electrical system or plumbing system, or installed anti-theft alarms or fire sprinklers? These improvements could help reduce your insurance premium, depending on your insurance company’s business practices.

AIC, formerly known as the Arizona Insurance Information Association, changed its name to AIC earlier this month to reflect its expanded educational consumer outreach objective. Along with its new name, AIC introduced a new website for consumers. The website provides easier access to all aspects of property/casualty insurance and offers valuable information on topics related to auto and homeowner’s insurance, including tips on saving money, checklists for homeowners, access to home inventory software, auto safety statistics, up-to-date industry trends, and many other features.

Direct questions to NAMIC State Affairs Manager Christian J. Rataj.

Posted: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 12:00:00 AM. Modified: Tuesday, April 08, 2008 3:36:59 PM.

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We are 1,400 property/casualty insurance companies serving more than 135 million auto, home and business policyholders, with more than $196 billion in premiums accounting for 50 percent of the automobile/homeowners market and 31 percent of the business insurance market. We are the largest and most diverse property/casualty trade association in the country, with regional and local mutual insurance companies on main streets across America joining many of the country’s largest national insurers who also call NAMIC their home. More than 200,000 people are employed by NAMIC members.