Newsletter

"Having had such a positive experience with our business insurance, I also entrust all of my personal insurance needs with EHL and continuously recommend that my peers do so as well."

Brian Edgren President EHL Insurance
Welcome to edition #11 of our client newsletter. Thank you for the very positive response to this communication piece. It is our privilege to bring you actionable, risk related pieces; as well as human interest features about people doing wonderful things in our community. As always, thank you for your referrals. We continue to mail out dozens of $10 gas cards as a thank you for each referral; and then from that list draw one winner of a $100 gift card in conjunction with each newsletter. See the bottom of the page for notification of this issue’s winner! Brian Edgren, President EHL Insurance
By Jeff Ogard
Most rental car contracts contain so many signatures and places to initial, that it makes people feel like they must be incurring significant exposure. The vast majority of EHL personal insurance clients have their auto insurance with a preferred market (i.e. Allied, Encompass, Fireman’s Fund, Mutual of Enumclaw or Safeco). Companies like these extend your liability, personal injury protection and uninsured/underinsured limits, automatically to a short term rental car when you are traveling for business or pleasure. In addition, if you have comprehensive and collision coverage on at least one vehicle, those coverages (subject to the deductible you have chosen) will also extend. The vast majority of companies limit their coverage territory for all vehicles (owned, borrowed and rented) to the US, Canada and US territories. (The exception is Fireman’s Fund, whose territory is pretty much worldwide. Call us for details at 800-929-1669 if applicable.) When you rent a vehicle, and reject the rental car company’s insurance, their contract makes you responsible for all damage to the vehicle as well as for injuries to yourself and other people. The above coverage extensions take care of most of the claims one would normally expect. As a result, many EHL clients reject the rental agency’s insurance. What is your potential out of pocket expense if you do reject their coverage?   your deductible   the rental car agency’s loss of use (if it takes them 30 days to get their car back from the body shop, you could be liable for 30 days worth of lost rental income. At $30 per day, this is an additional $900.)   premium increases from having a chargeable accident on your record   the hassle of dealing with an out of town rental car agency including delays in returning the car the rental car company’s contract could make you responsible for any loss of value in their rental car caused simply by the fact that it has been in an accident In summary, there are pros and cons to purchasing or rejecting the rental agency’s insurance. Personally, if I’m renting in a congested, unfamiliar urban center, and the price for the rental car plus insurance is reasonable, I will buy their coverage. On the other hand, if I’m visiting a relaxed resort type community (i.e. Hawaii) where prices are high and driving is not scary, I will tend to let my personal auto policy extend to the rental vehicle.  People, who own no personal vehicles and therefore have no personal auto insurance, should always buy the rental agency’s insurance. If your only vehicle is insured on a business auto policy, make sure you have personal coverage for non-owned vehicles prior to rejecting their coverage. If you are travelling for business on behalf of your employer, and are therefore expensing the cost of the rental, it might be wise to purchase the rental agency’s insurance. Your employer otherwise would likely incur some liability for the accident, making a third party involved in the claim. This can be an embarrassing situation for you as an employee. However, do ask your supervisor before traveling. You’ll want to ensure this is an approved expense; and some employers intentionally self insure this exposure, or otherwise cover it through their business insurance. Good communication with your employer in advance of the trip is key.   Is there an additional charge for extending my personal policy to a rental car? No, and there should not be. The vehicles we own that are sitting parked the entire time we are traveling still generate a premium for our insurance company, but are generating very little exposure to loss.
Kristal Sagdahl	By Jeff Ogard
“Thank you for calling EHL. How may I direct your call?” The pleasant voice you hear when calling our office is Kristal Sagdahl. She has been our communications coordinator for over three years. She is a graduate of North Kitsap High School in Poulsbo. Kristal lives in Indianola with her husband Ray and twin sons Mason and Mitchell. Her oldest son Maxwell is attending Eastern Washington University. An active member of our community, Kristal volunteered at Gordon Elementary for ten years. She has also donated her time at the Sharenet Food bank, NK Little League, Babe Ruth, and the Alive Shelter for women. Kristal's "Command Center" Phone System As you can imagine, Kristal’s position is critical to EHL’s ability to serve you well.  At times, she must feel like an air traffic controller; yet she has learned to navigate skillfully.  Whether people are calling with a billing question, a need to change their policy, a coverage question, or a quote for a new line of business, Kristal’s desire is to help link those calling our agency with the person best able to help them, and in a timely manner. For routine policy changes and billing questions, the fastest, most specialized resource is often a service center employee at the insurance company (a service for which EHL pays a fee on your behalf). Where counsel is needed, or if you want a quote on a new policy, these are usually best handled by a member of our staff. In either case, Kristal’s goal is to align you with the person best able to assist you.
The Netza Project	By Jeff Ogard
The Netza Project is a US-501-C3 charitable corporation that has been operating since 2005 to advance international understanding, literacy, respect for indigenous languages and culture, and to help provide access to education for all children, regardless of their gender, economic or social standing within North America. For over a decade through dynamic multi-level local and international partnerships, our on-the ground community work has focused in the region of Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa, Mexico and in several State of Guerrero mountain villages, including a remote orphanage. These projects serve many Aztec, migrant and other at-risk youth, as well as women. These young people and their families are greatly in need of encouragement to achieve their goals in education, and to preserve their languages and cultures. Their aim is to attain a better quality of life, free from poverty and its related health problems and social barriers, and to be lifted from disempowerment. Education – especially for girls – gives voice and choice, and it provides a proven avenue toward these vital objectives. The Netza Project’s namesake and best known project site has been the Escuela Netzahualcoyotl, or “Netza” School, in south coastal Pacific Zihuatanejo; a very unique six-language public federal school. It was founded under a tree fifteen years ago for migrant street children by educator and school director Marina Sanchez Hernandez. She is a remarkable Nahuatl indigenous woman and highly experienced school principal and teacher whose life’s work has been to advance education and opportunity for Mexico’s native and neediest children and families. Today, the Netzahualcoyotl School is a state-certified public school still working hard to maintain it’s special charter to educate and welcome the urban migrant indigenous and multi-lingual children, and to invite any child into public school education that may wish to attend. For some, Spanish is not their first language: and thus may be at risk of not attending other local Spanish-only schools. The Netza School provides a vital educational  option for hundreds of youth and families, many of whom are headed by single mothers, who may also not be sufficiently literate or economically empowered to enroll their children in other schools. The school buildings were built in partnership with the federal and state government and in some cases aided by resources from several Zihuatanejo-Ixtapa city mayors, over the course of 15 years. The parents maintain the school, and the land it is on was permanently deeded for the federal purpose of education. Many visitors and volunteers have helped landscape and improve the site. The Netza Project, a US charitable corporation, does not manage or operate the school; however, they have been a valued local and international partner in helping create awareness of need, and to aid in partnership funding and careful custodianship of funds and resources. Dozens of US and Canada Rotary Clubs, several Rotary International grants, and hundreds of schools and private donors – from England to Alaska - have all contributed to the success of this school, which today serves several hundred children in primary school education. EHL is pleased to represent Lisa Martin, Netza Founder, as she lives out a life committed to making a difference for children and women who might not otherwise have a voice. To make a contribution or to receive more information, please see www.netzaproject.org.
Thank you for recommending EHL to your friends and family! For each person or family you refer to us, we will send you $10 in gasoline gift cards, and enter you in our bimonthly drawing for $100 and our annual drawing for $500. We are pleased to announce this issue’s winner. Scott Brase’s name was drawn from all clients and other friends who referred someone to us, and will receive a $100 gift card. And, The Netza Project is also receiving a $50 contribution from EHL on behalf of our clients for the great work they are doing.