Downey Insurance Group Blog | Great Insurance People

You may pre-order your one of 10,000 license plates for $25, for shipment on 2/1/2012. More license plates may be created if there is a strong demand, but pre-ordering will get you on the list for the first edition.

The idea for the plates arose the of the “I Am Vermont Strong” movement that was started by Lyz Tomsuden and Eric Mallete of Rutland, VT.  Originally “I am Vermont Strong” started as a Facebook photo that went viral. Vermonters loved the message so much that they started  requesting t-shirts by the hundreds.  So far they have sold over 4,500 t-shirts to Vermonters and Vermont supporters.

“I am Vermont Strong” will be donating $18 to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund, and $2 to the Vermont Food bank for every license plate sold.  Irene cause so much damage to the state of Vermont and donations are starting to decline, new sources of revenue for the relief funds can only help our cause.  The resiliency and resourcefulness of our people never cease to amaze me as we travel on this journey to recovery.

To Pre-Order Your “I am Vermont Strong” plate you may do so through Vermont Life, and to read more about the “I am Vermont Strong” movement check out their website http://vtstrong.vermont.gov/ or Facebook Page.

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After 3 months at our temporary location at 57 Elliot Street  Brattleboro, VT we are finally back in our 80 Flat Street Location that was flooded out by hurricane Irene.  What a crazy ride it has been, but what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger.  Overall Downey Insurance Group is lucky, all we lost were material possessions.  Thanks to technology and the ability to work “in the cloud” we did not lose any of our policy data and we were able to help clients with their own claims during and after the disaster.  We could work from the top of Mt. Wantastiquet if we wanted to, but there is nothing like you own familiar surroundings to make you feel at home.  With the addition of new office furniture and carpet we think our office is looking pretty snazzy.  Thank you to Conte Office Interiors for helping us with our new office furniture!

Looking around Flat Street it is hard to envision what it looked like during the flood.  We found this video on You Tube, we don’t know this guy but I would like to thank him for this crazy footage of Flat Street during the flood.  Check out this video of our office building being ravaged by the flood waters…

To get the whole story read our first Flood Blog post.

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There is something magical that happens when you turn a pumpkin into a Jack O’ Lantern or other carved masterpiece.  It is something of a tradition in our family, and every year our creations tend to get more and more elaborate.  This year’s pumpkins are pretty mild compared to some we have done in the past.  It is something our whole family looks forward to in the fall, for us it marks the beginning of the change in seasons we experience here in New England.  Nothing says “fall” to us more than cool crisp air, changing leaves, and a freshly carved pumpkin.  We have come up with some great tips over the years that make for a fun and rewarding pumpkin carving experience. I am happy to share them with our fellow pumpkin carving enthusiasts.

1.) Pick the perfect pumpkin.  It should have a good surface for carving.  Make sure there are no deep ridges or bumps that will make carving difficult.  Keep in mind the size of the carving you are considering.  You want to make sure you have enough height to fit your design.

2.) Choose a design to carve.  There are many kits available that come with pumpkin carving stencils and utensils.  I highly recommend these kits for a professional look that can be created by almost anyone.  They come with many stencil designs that vary from easy to difficult, so there are many different options and degrees of difficulty to choose from.  You also can make your own stencil, or draw freehand on the pumpkin with a Sharpie or other permanent marker.

3.) Prepare your pumpkin for carving.  Cut an access hole in your pumpkin at the top around the stem.  Make sure you do not cut too far down the carving surface of the pumpkin.  Cutting about 2 inches from the stem all the way around usually work well, make sure to angle your cut slightly inward so your top will not fall in when replaced.  Then scoop out the insides of the pumpkin.  If you save the seeds they are great for roasting for a tasty snack (wash the seeds thoroughly, salt lightly, and then bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes).  After you have scooped out the inside of the pumpkin, choose which surface of the pumpkin you will carve.  If your pumpkin is really thick, it is a good idea to scrape down the inside of the pumpkin where you will carve it.  This makes carving difficult designs a little easier.

4.) Transfer your design.  If you are drawing your own design, then go for it.  Just make sure you do not draw where you will not be cutting.  For example, if you are cutting a smile with teeth do not draw the smile first then add the teeth because you will have a black line across your tooth!  If you are using a paper design, tape your stencil onto your pumpkin.  Sometimes you have to fold the paper around the edges to make it fit to the round surface of your pumpkin.   Pumpkin carving kits come with a tool to transfer your design by poking small holes along the cutting lines.  You could also use a toothpick.

5.) Carve your pumpkin.  Using your knife (serrated works best) or pumpkin carving tool, connect the dots of your stencil to cut out your design.  Working in small sections works best.  If you have a large piece to cut out, sometimes it is a good idea to do it in smaller sections, especially if it  is an intricate design.  Don’t be afraid to go back and scrape down the wall of the pumpkin where you are carving, this can make the process much easier if you are struggling!  Another great tip is to let the tool do the work, just like cutting a loaf of bread, let the serration of the tool cut through the pumpkin.  It will be much easier to control your tool if you are not putting a lot of pressure on it.

6.) Light and enjoy.  Tea lights work best because they are encased in metal and they will not burn or melt wax into your pumpkin.  Lastly, light up your pumpkin and display it so it can be enjoyed for the work of art that it is!

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Downey Insurance Group is fully functional even as our Brattleboro, VT office is currently under water with the many other businesses near Main Street in Brattleboro, Vermont.  The area is experiencing devastation from flooding conditions that have not been seen in nearly a century.   Many of the residents in Vermont were not expecting this magnitude of flooding from hurricane Irene. Rivers and streams flooded quickly forcing people to evacuate without much notice and without many options.   Many of these flooded homes and businesses are without flood insurance which will make recovery difficult for many.   FEMA will be assessing the damage and should be accepting request for Disaster Assistance shortly.

Unlike some of the businesses in the area, it is crucial for Downey Insurance Group to maintain complete functionally during this crisis due to the nature of our business. We are responsible for filing claims for our clients during this difficult time.  We are simultaneously working on our own claim for Downey’s Brattleboro office that is currently still unreachable due to flooding conditions.  We have re-routed our phone lines to our only fully operational location in Keene, NH where we currently have power, internet, and phone.   Our Marlborough, MA office is semi-functional  with power and phone, but no internet.  Thankfully as part of our Emergency Management Plan we have the capacity to handle this type of  situation with lists of phone and fax numbers for our insurance companies and paper claims forms.

Charlie Downey sprang into action this morning by driving up to Brattleboro, VT through the devastation zone to reach out to the community to find a temporary office space to house our Brattleboro, VT during the cleanup.  The rest of our team at Downey Insurance is working feverishly to file claims for our clients and to help the people during their time of need.  The teamwork and quick action of the Downey Insurance Group family have made this all possible.

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During a recent trip to San Diego, CA Charlie Downey President and CEO of Downey Insurance of Marlborough, MA, Keene, NH and Brattleboro, VT sat down with Adam DeGraide from Astonish Results to discuss what it takes to build a world class sales structure.   The purpose of this trip was to gather the thought leaders of the insurance industry for candid discussions regarding thier current sales strategy.   They found that most of the insurance professionals were on similar paths.  Building a world class sales structre was on the top of the list every time.   This video was featured on the Insurance Journal TV E-Marketing Minute.

Charlie Downey says “This is how you grow your business, every call is an opportunity to help our clients.  Every client wants to feel like they are taken care of, sometimes it is as simple as asking for their business.”  This mindset is part of the reason Downey Insurance is doing so well.  In fact they are growing, 6 years ago they expanded from their Marlborough, MA office by adding two new locations in Brattleboro, Vt and Keene, NH.   

 In addition to a focus on sales culture this meeting of the minds in San Diego, CA focused on the importance of being on the crest of the digital marketing and social media marketing wave. Downey Insurance fits this description as well. They are doing everything they can to make sure they are visible and responsive on the web.

Charlie Downey feels humbled an honored to be feachured in Insurance Journal’s E-Marketing Munite.  He says “It just confirms that we are on the right track, and that our strategy is not only working for us but we can be the bench-mark for other agencies.”

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As we watch the tragic news footage it is hard to imagine what the Japanese people are going through.  At Downey Insurance we are feeling such sadness, and our hearts go out to all to the people who are injured, grieving and displaced in Japan.   Also to our friends and client The Boston Japanese Christian Church in Somerville, MA who may have lost friends and family in the disaster.  With the new threat of Nuclear Meltdown imminent, Japan is going to need our help now and most likely for years to come. After the U. S. experienced the most expensive hurricane “Hurricane Katrina” the Japanese people opened their hearts and wallets to help the United States when we were in need.

From a Washington Press Release in 2005-”Washington — If the saying “a friend in need is a friend indeed” is true, Japan is one of the best friends the United States ever could have to provide support while so many Americans are suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Japanese private citizens and the government alike have sent a virtual tsunami of assistance to the victims of Katrina, which devastated 90,000 square miles along the U.S. Gulf Coast in August. Hundreds of thousands of people lost their homes and hundreds lost their lives.

Japan has pledged more than $1.5 million in private donations. The government of Japan has donated $200,000 in cash to the American Red Cross and some $800,000 in relief supplies — from blankets to generators — already are arriving to aid the most needy. Japanese firms with operations in the United States have donated some $12 million in total, including Honda Motor Corporation ($5 million), Hitachi ($1 million) and Nissan (more than $750,000).”

I think it is unclear at this time how high the cost of rebuilding Japan will be.   At the moment it is on track to be the largest earthquake loss on record.

From NPR.org – “It’s hard to fathom the extent of the earthquake and tsunami damage in Japan, and losses continue to mount. While most of the property damage won’t be covered by insurance because many people and companies didn’t have earthquake coverage, the insurance industry’s exposure is still huge.

Claims stemming from the earthquake in northern Japan and its aftermath are likely to make this one of the costliest natural disasters ever for the insurance industry.

One widely used estimate puts the insured losses at $15 billion to $35 billion — and that doesn’t include losses stemming from the crippled reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant.

“Thirty-five billion would make this earthquake by far the most expensive in global history,” says Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute.

Historic Payouts

The current insurance payout record for an earthquake was set in the 1994 Northridge earthquake in California, which produced $22.5 billion in insured losses in 2010 dollars, he says. Hurricane Katrina was the costliest disaster, with total insurance payouts of $41.1 billion, the institute says.

Most of the insurance losses stemming from last week’s earthquake will be paid by Japanese companies.

At least 10,000 people are confirmed dead or missing, so there will also be life insurance payouts”

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MHS Cheerleaders Win Nationals!

Charlie Downey of Downey Insurance holds a special spot for Marlborough High School in his heart, seeing as it is where he attended high school. Over the years, Marlborough High School has evolved and expanded into a bigger and better place. Sports are a huge part of the every day life at Marlborough High, and with fall sports season quickly approaching, everyone is in high spirits. Especially the Marlborough High School cheerleaders! Two years ago, under the coaching of Michael DoValle, the Marlborough High School cheeleaders won first place at nationals in Ocean City, Maryland! Hoping to continue on in that direction is an eager new and young team. With thoughts of nationals in their mind, the cheerleaders are already starting to fundraise. The first step is to raise money for choreography for their routine, and what better way how to do that than have a car wash? With the summer coming to an end, the cheerleaders have organized a car wash to take place September 12th at Embroidery Unlimited Inc. in Marlborough, MA. Downey Insurance has supported the cheerleaders by purchasing tickets to the car wash. And you can help too. Let’s make this a community project to help better the Marlborough High School sports teams and show support for them all. Stop by Embroidery Unlimited Inc. on September 12th  between 10am and 3pm and get your car washed!

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