The Rural Voice, 1994-02, Page 46PERTH
John Drummond, President, R.R. 5, Mitchell NOK 1NO 347-2725
PCFA Office 229-6430
• The Rural Voice is provided to farmers
in Perth County by the PCFA.
County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER
Time to check your insurance
Before the rush of spring planting,
it would be wise to review all
insurance policies to determine if you
are adequately covered, what
exclusions to coverage are written in
fine print in your policy, and what
questions you should be asking your
agents. In Perth and Huron Counties,
several farmers have recently been
through a nightmare of red tape, legal
costs, and intimidation because of
insurance claims for legitimate
losses.
One case involved a barn fire
where the insurance company got a
much lower than realistic rebuilding
quote from a builder who was
obviously not going to erect a
comparable structure. The insurance
company wanted the farmer to settle
for less than half the insurance value
of the barn.
The other case involved extensive
herbicide damage to a woodlot. The
liability insurer of the farmer who
sprayed a registered product, has so
far refused to compensate the farmers
who own the woodlot. The directors
of this mutual company hired an
adjuster who would not know the
difference between a poplar and a
sugar maple, and had an equal level
of ignorance of the value of trees.
It would perhaps be a good
exercise to take some hypothetical
questions to your local agent or
directly to the insurer's head office.
Find out what would happen in
various possible situations, whether it
be fire, wind, theft, liability, auto
insurance, etc.. .
If you do encounter serious
problems with insurance claims at a
local level, and you are not getting
any satisfaction from the local board
of directors, there are several avenues
of recourse: The Canadian
Association of Mutual Insurance
Companies is located in Cambridge,
phone 519-653-0366. There is also a
"Superintendent of Insurance", within
the provincial government, phone
416-250-7250. We all hope not to
collect on insurance policies for
obvious reasons, but when problems
do occur, fair settlements should be
reached quickly, professionally, and
with respect. The current practice of
intimidating customers should cost
insurers their business.0
BENEFIT DANCE
for
Matt & Kelli Crowley
Friday, February 25, 1994
Mitchell Community Centre
Perth County Federation of Agriculture
February 24 11:00 a.m.
Guest Speakers
Tom Prout, General Manager, Ausable-Bayfield Conservation Authority
Ross Duncan, General Manager, Maitland Valley Conservation Authority
Don Pearson, General Manager, Upper Thames Conservation Authority
Discussion on two recent documents, "Blueprint For Success", and
"Documenting the Opportunity". This is an opportunity for farmers to
help develop and streamline conservation programs.
1994 committees will also be formed at this meeting * * * Get Involved!
42 THE RURAL VOICE