The Wrath of Sandy and How to Deal With Her Aftermath
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This article was contributed by Roz Binday, President of Advocate Brokerage in Scarsdale: We all know how badly Sandy battered the Scarsdale area, but there is a bright side. It was mostly a wind event…not a flood event. Even worse, it could have been both. Windstorms, hurricanes and Nor’Easters all have the potential to cause different kinds of damage over short distances due to many localized effects.
Understanding Your Deductibles: An important question that has now been answered is what was Sandy, a hurricane or a Nor’Easter? Those residents insured by carriers that mandate punishing hurricane deductibles would have been adversely affected if Sandy had been classified as a hurricane. It is common for carriers like Allstate and State Farm to have windstorm deductibles in the vicinity of 5% of the dwelling limit. For example, a house insured at $1,000,000 might have a $50,000 out of pocket windstorm deductible. Consequently, windstorm deductibles would have had a particularly devastating financial impact. Fortunately, Super Storm Sandy did not sustain hurricane winds, so it did not trigger the “special” windstorm deductible. People with “special” windstorm deductibles dodged the bullet this time.
This is a moot point for those insured with carriers like Chubb, Fireman’s Fund, PURE, ACE and Travelers, as they do not implement a special hurricane deductible in our territory. Damage from Sandy would always have been subject to only one base policy deductible.
Report Your Loss ASAP: When catastrophe strikes, those who have sustained damage or are in need of assistance should promptly report this to their insurer. In the interest of speed, insurance carriers promote and encourage direct claims reporting, which is why they have 24-7 800 numbers. These numbers are listed on the policy, call your agent, or find it on line. In the event of emergencies, insurance agencies like Advocate Brokerage provide a voice mail system which announces the telephone numbers of the various insurers. Start getting estimates for the repairs to determine if they are over the deductible.
Documentation: In the case of Sandy, the massive volume of claims, power outages and devastation has caused inordinate delays with the claim process. Adjusters are straining to keep up with the losses. If your damage is severe and emergency repairs are required to prevent further damage from ensuing, the insurance carriers anticipate and expect that emergency repairs will be made. It is strongly suggested that photographs be taken of the damages to be presented to the appointed adjuster. One picture can be worth a thousand words…and can avert a big headache!
Tree Removal and Loss of Refrigerated Goods: Coverage is usually subject to your base deductible and the limits afforded can vary dramatically from carrier to carrier. Check your policy or call your agent.
In summary: Just as all men are not created equal, so all policies are not created equal. Your insurance policy is a contract, and all coverage is determined by the terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions as set forth in the policy.
If a tree falls on my house, am I covered?
This is a question asked of us every time there is a major windstorm. It is also one of the most frequent questions the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) receives from consumers each year. Consequently, we are attaching their generalized responses below in italics, as they are self-explanatory.
“The answer is quite straightforward,” said Jeanne M. Salvatore, senior vice president and consumer spokesperson for the I.I.I. “If a tree hits a home or other insured structure such as a detached garage, standard homeowners insurance policies provide coverage for the damage the tree does to the structure and the contents within it. This includes trees felled by a windstorm, hail, weight of ice, snow or sleet.”
Furthermore, it does not matter whether or not a tree was actually growing on your property; if it lands on your home, you should file a claim with your insurance company. After a hurricane or windstorm trees, shrubs and branches can become projectiles capable of traveling significant distances. Insurance companies do not waste time trying to locate exactly where the tree originally lived.
“In some situations where the felled tree was located on a neighbor’s property, the policyholder’s insurance company may try to collect from a neighbor’s insurance company in a process called subrogation. This sometimes occurs if the tree was in poor health or not properly maintained. If the insurer is successful, you may be reimbursed for the deductible,” says Salvatore.
If a tree hits an insured structure, there is also coverage for the cost of removing the tree, generally up to about $500 to $1,000, depending on the insurer and the type of policy purchased. If the fallen tree did not hit an insured structure, there is generally no coverage for tree debris removal; however, some insurance companies may pay for the cost of removing it if the felled tree blocks a driveway or a ramp designed to assist the handicapped.
Cars damaged or destroyed by falling trees are covered under the comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy.
Roz Binday is president of Advocate Brokerage Corp. 820 Scarsdale Avenue, Scarsdale, 914-723-7100, rozbinday@advbc.com
Results of the Scarsdale10583 Presidential Election Poll
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The results of the Scarsdale10583 Presidential Poll are in – and among the 153 who participated, Obama lead 53.5% to 43.7% for Mitt Romney. We also asked users to rank the issues in order of importance to them and here is how they stacked up. It is interesting to note that two issues that barely figured in the national debate are of primary concern to Scarsdale voters:
Here are the issues in order of importance:
1) Gun Control
2) The Environment
3) Healthcare/Women’s Rights (tied)
4) Foreign Policy/Tax Policy (tied)
5) The National Debt
6) Jobs and the Economy
Here are a few of the many comments we received on the survey:
-I hope people listen closely to what the candidate really say and understand whether they are not truthful rather than listening to the media reword things. There are a lot of smart people in Scarsdale and I hope they will think before they vote!!!!
-As my 18-year-old voter son said, "I am a social liberal and a fiscal conservative, and right now the economic issues are just way more important". Gotta love that Scarsdale Schools' critical thinking in action!
-Romney cannot possibly do worse than Obama on any of the issues I highlight as important. Especially after seeing him define himself during the debates, I am convinced Mitt is the better man.
-I don't know how anyone can vote for Romney...Republican or Democrat....he only says what he believes will win him votes...no one really knows what he believes or will do...he has taken all sides of all issues
Whatever your views, go out and vote tomorrow Tuesday November 6, 2012. Con Edison, the Village Manager’s Office the Board of Elections and Scarsdale Village Clerk Donna Conkling have gone to extraordinary efforts to make our polling places available to you so exercise your right to vote.
What's New at the Westchester
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- Written by Joanne Wallenstein
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Restoration Hardware vacated their large space at the bottom of the escalator last year – and in its place is now a spacious culinary retailer, Sur La Table. All I can say is, look out Williams Sonoma. The store has everything you need for the kitchen – plus hundreds of gadgets and cooking utensils that you didn’t know you needed. In addition to all cookware and hardware, the store sells food – salsas, spices, oils and more.
What I found most impressive was their massive test kitchen that they are using to host a full schedule of cooking classes. The schedule this week includes a tapas party on Friday night, Halloween baking and Italian gnocchi on Saturday and the quintessential croissant on Sunday. There is a fee for the classes and the kitchen can also be used for private parties. Check out the class schedule here:
Moving from cookware to software, I found that Apple now has some competition at the mall. The Microsoft store in the Westchester is one of just 32 retail stores opening around the country. The store features a selection of Windows PCs, phones, and tablets as well as the Xbox and third-party apps and hardware. The opening is timely as Microsoft just released the Windows 8 operating systems (which many are reporting is difficult to navigate) as well as a new Surface RT tablet to rival the iPad. Whether or not either of these new releases will pose a real challenge to Apple is yet to be seen – but visit this lively new store and let us know what you think.
Last – you don’t usually go to the mall to buy a car, but now the Westchester has added its first auto dealer to the mix. Electric carmaker Tesla is now displaying their models in a location on the ground floor near the entrance to Nordstrom. The sleekly designed cars run on rechargeable batteries and range in price from $57,000 to $98,0000. The battery on the lower priced model will last for 160 miles while the larger battery can go 300 miles. Made in one plant in Fremont, CA there is a serious waiting list for the cars. The dealer reports that these eco-friendly cars are now in big demand, with 13,000 people on the waiting list. But don’t let that stop you from driving one. The dealer in the Westchester stocks demos in the mall’s parking lot and you can stop by and try one.
Presidential Election Poll
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With the election just days away, we decided to post a short survey to find out who Scarsdale voters support in the upcoming race. Make your voice count by completing the survey on Scarsdale10583. Rest assured - all responses are anonymous. We cannot see your email address or any identifying information about you!
To respond, click here: http://survey.constantcontact.com/survey/a07e6kji1x8h8vr3fzk/start
ERs, Urgent Care/Walk-in Clinics and 24-Hour Pharmacies: Where to Go When It Can’t Wait Until Morning
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I try to avoid doctors and hospitals at all costs, many times choosing a Band-Aid, Neosporin and a prayer versus visiting a medical facility. However, there are times when you have a medical problem that a Band-Aid just can’t right. In such cases, if your doctor’s office is closed, short of ringing your neighbor’s bell who happens to be an M.D., you basically have three options and 9-1-1. First, CVS has pioneered MinuteClinics. Staffed by nurse practioners (N.P.), the clinics can handle minor medical problems that just can’t wait. One step up from that are the urgent care facilities. Usually staffed by M.D.s or P.A.s, they offer care for conditions not necessating an ER, but more than MinuteClinic can tackle. Finally, there are ERs for severe life-threatening conditions. Depending on your location and situation, you can either drive to an ER or dial 9-1-1. I’ve included also information on where to take children after hours, as well as a listing of 24-hour pharmacies in the area. Don’t forget to check your health insurance coverage to learn about co-pays and deductibles now so you won’t have to stop and think about this when you are heading out the door.
Emergency Rooms (ER)
White Plains Hospital
41 East Post Road
White Plains, NY 10601
914-681-0600
http://www.wphospital.org/
White Plains Hospital unveiled its “Emergency Room of the Future” in January 2010, called the Flanzer Center for Emergencies and Critical Care. The center provides state-of-the-art emergency and critical care for more than 48,000 patients per year, making it the most active hospital emergency room in Westchester County. The ER department has a 30-Minute ER Promise (patients can be seen by a healthcare professional within 30 minutes of arrival).
Lawrence Hospital Center
55 Palmer Avenue,
Bronxville, NY 10708
(914) 787-1000
www.lawrencehealth.org
Just off the Bronx River Parkway, Lawrence has board-certified emergency medicine physicians who work solely in the emergency department and all of its ER physicians are trained in pediatric emergency care. The hospital offers a pediatrician onsite in the emergency department during the busiest times of the day and on weekends. In 2006, the hospital qualified as a NY State Department of Health designated stroke center. Last, the hospital’s emergency department was recently expanded and renovated. It now features three triage rooms, a prompt care facility, an admissions unit, and a new waiting and reception area.
Urgent Care and Walk-in Clinics
Doctors Express
Address: 359 North Central Avenue Hartsdale, NY 10530
Phone: 914-448-2273
Hours: Monday - Friday: 8 am- 8 pm
Saturday, Sunday: 8 am- 5 pm
http://www.doctorsexpress.com/
Doctors Express is part of a national network. The center provides our area with a state-of-the-art urgent care center that bridges the gap between primary care physicians and the emergency room, handling non life-threatening medical conditions. All patients are seen by an experienced doctor with an average wait time of approximately 15-25 minutes.
PM Pediatrics and Mount Sinai Pediatric Subspecialty Practice
620 East Boston Post Road
Mamaroneck, NY
Phone (914) 777-KIDS (5437)
Hours: Monday-Friday 5 pm-midnight weekends and holidays noon to midnight
Mount Sinai Pediatric Subspecialty Practice
Open Wednesdays, 8 am-1 pm
(914) 885-2525
PM Pediatrics offers a full spectrum of care, and the doctors and nurse practioners have the ability to diagnose and treat all but the most critical medical issues. Wait times average about 20 minutes. PM Pediatrics shares space with Mount Sinai Pediatric Subspecialty Practice on Wednesdays. The practice includes pediatric cardiology, pediatric gastroenterology, pediatric orthopaedics, and pediatric endocrinology
MinuteClinic
CVS Pharmacy #2432
375 White Plains Rd
Eastchester, NY, 10709-2826
Hours: Monday – Friday 9 am to 8 pm; Saturday 9 am to 5:30 pm; Sunday 10 am to 5:30 pm
Practitioners take a daily required lunch break from approximately 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm Monday – Friday and 1:00 pm to 1:30 pm Saturdays–Sundays.
MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants who provide treatment for common family illnesses and injuries, administer vaccinations, conduct physicals and wellness screenings, and offer monitoring for chronic conditions. Practitioners can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for strep throat, bladder infections, pink eye and ear, nose and throat infections. Services also provided include sports and camp physicals, smoking cessation and TB testing.
White Plains Urgent Care
10 Chester Avenue
White Plains, NY 10601
(914) 448-1000
Hours: M-F 9 am-7 pm
Saturday/Sunday 9 am-3 pm
http://www.whiteplainsurgentcare.com/
White Plains Urgent Care is located just blocks away from White Plains Hospital and provides immediate medical care for illnesses that are not life threatening. The center provides many services including prescription and medication refills for travelers and patients unable to reach their primary care physicians. The clinic is staffed by board certified physicians in internal medicine and accepts appointments.
24-Hour Pharmacies
CVS Pharmacy452 Mamaroneck AveWhite Plains, NY 10605(914) 686-0226http://www.cvs.co`m
CVS Pharmacy
1310 Boston Post Road
Larchmont, NY 10538
(914) 833-3001
http://www.cvs.com
Walgreens
1230 Nepperhan Avenue
Yonkers, NY 10703
914-969-7944
http://www.walgreens.com