FIRE LOSSES
•
•
Risks of Underinsurance - The key
here is to make sure that your policy
provides you with enough coverage.
Do you have adequate limits to
rebuild (including upgrades) and
replace your contents? Do you have
adequate coverage for additional
living expenses? Do you have
enough coverage to cover the AOAO
deductible? be wet and may have been affected by
smoke. Each fire incident will differ, but
it is a safe practice to call a restoration
company immediately to begin assessment
of the damages and start the water/smoke
mitigation process.
Perform a Home Inventory - Create
an inventory list and keep video
evidence or photographs of your
personal property. • Check for damages and take photos of
the damages.
• Promptly report damage to your
insurance company and broker/agent.
• For personal HO6 condo unit policies,
review for Loss of Use Provisions for
Additional Living Expenses or Fair
Rental Value coverages.
When fires happen, it is imperative to
know the details of the covering insurance
policy. It is highly recommended that your
insurance agent or broker review coverage
and go over any changes at regular yearly
intervals. Prevention is important but
having a comprehensive insurance plan is
always a great countermeasure.
ACTION: WHEN DAMAGE OCCURS
In the unfortunate event of a fire, here
are some tips to start the claims and
restoration process. Once the fire is
extinguished, it is time to take action. The
structure and contents will most likely
In the event of a fire and potential
insurance claim, John Mullen & Company
and the DCCA Hawaii Insurance Division
recommends the following tips:
• Work with your insurance adjuster
and contractor to estimate the cost
and when to start permanent repairs.
• While you may receive your claim
check, always keep your insurance
adjuster informed of any new
information. There may be
supplemental payments issued by
the insurance company if additional
damage is discovered in the course
of repairs and as you replace your
damaged items.
•
Be careful of scams. Do not sign
your entire claims check over to a
contractor.
Fires are unpredictable and can happen
to anyone, therefore it is imperative to be
aware of potential fire hazards, be proactive
with fire prevention measures, and have
comprehensive insurance protection
for your home and assets. If you would
like additional information—including
resources from the panel discussion that
was held by our AOAO team—please
contact [email protected]. +
Elaine Gascon is an Account Executive
at Atlas Insurance Agency in the AOAO
Unit that specializes in insurance
for Condominium, Community, and
Homeowner Associations. She holds the
Certified Insurance Services Representative
and Associate in General Insurance
professional designations. She earned
her bachelor’s degree from University of
Hawaii and later completed her MBA from
Western Governor’s University.
NEW HEADQUARTERS
W
e are happy to announce
we have moved our
headquarters to 201
Merchant Street and
officially opened for
business at our new location on June
24th. Over 80 employees now occupy two
full floors of the City Financial Tower in
downtown Honolulu.
28
“Our strategic move to a newly renovated,
state-of-the-art office with innovative
technology positions Atlas to achieve our
vision for the future,” said Atlas Insurance
Agency President Chason Ishii. “It will
allow us to continue serving our clients
and the Hawaii community to the best of
our abilities. The design of our new office
focuses on welcoming the next generation
of leaders to the insurance industry and
building upon our success as a ‘Best Places
to Work’ for 11 years in row.”
The new space features eight conference
rooms, a computer training room, and
eight collaboration areas for Atlas team
meetings, emphasizing group workspaces
and the One Atlas approach. The office
design is a reflection of our plan for future
growth, and it embraces the working
styles of younger generations entering the
workforce. Sit/stand desks with adjustable
monitors are the norm in every cubicle,
office, and workstation. We also created
hoteling workstations for future new hires
and remote staff when they need to report
to the office.
In addition to workplace wellness and
productivity, we are passionate about
giving back to the community. Instead of
throwing away the old office furniture, we
donated file cabinets, desks, and tables
to various nonprofit organizations and
covered the cost of breakdown, delivery,
and setup of the heavy furniture.
At Atlas, doing the right thing matters,
whether it is for our staff or the community.
Hawaii is not just a place we do business. It
is our home. +