Thanks to Ruthie for the Safety Program last month.  We enjoyed having Doug
Lawrence and his wife, Karen, join us as representatives of Fernwood VFD.
They were presented with a plaque as our Volunteer Fire Department of the year.

I know we’re all looking forward to State Meeting in Tupelo.  Time is drawing near.
I hope we have good weather for that long drive.

The battle between the Texas Insurance Department and Farmers Insurance Exchange has taken a new turn.  A Texas judge is supposed to rule by October 25, 2002, on whether data on Farmers Group’s homeowners insurance business in that state can be made public- something that state regulators want, but that Farmers claims would give away sensitive trade secrets.

Insurers are expected to pay $675 million for insured-property losses from six catastrophic events in the third quarter, bringing the years total to $3.7 billion so far.

St. Paul companies is facing a shareholder lawsuit over its recent $1 billion asbestos settlement.

2-3rd     Louisiana Renaissance Fair – Hammond, LA

5th         Election Day

8-10th     MS State Meeting in Tupelo

11th         Veterans Day

21st         IW of SW MS Monthly Business Meeting

22nd         Last Day to Vote for the possible NAIW Name Change

28th          Thanksgiving Day

28–29th     NAIW National Closed

13th         Deadline for Regional Awards

14th         Dawn Jone’s Wedding

21st         First Day of Winter

25th         Christmas

25-26th    NAIW National Closed

31st         New Year’s Eve
 
 

By:  Ruth E. Phillips
      Education Chairman
 
 

The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) was established by the National Flood Insurance Act of 1968.  In 1979, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was established as a single point of contact within the federal government for emergency preparedness activities.  The Federal Insurance Administration (FIA), which directly administered the NFIP, became a direct part of FEMA, having been originally a part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development from 1968 to 1979.  In 2000, FIA and FEMA’s Mitigation Directorate were consolidated into the Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration (FIMA.)

The NFIP is a program in which communities formally agree, as evidenced by their adoption of codes and ordinances, to regulate the use of their flood prone lands.  In return, FIMA makes flood insurance coverage available on buildings and their contents through out the community.  FIMA has traditionally identified these flood hazard areas on maps.  The maps are used by insurance producers to determine rates and by lenders to determine purchase requirements.

The Write Your Own (WYO) Program, begun in 1983, operates within the context of the NFIP and is subject to its rules and regulations.  WYO allows participating P&C insurance companies to write and service federal flood insurance in their own names.  The companies receive an expense allowance for polices written and claims processed while the federal government retains responsibility for underwriting losses.

In brief, the insurance producer has the following options:
1- Place all business with one or more WYO Companies
2- Place business with both the NFIP directly and with one or more WYO Companies
3- Continue to place all flood insurance directly with the NFIP

The goals of the program are to increase the policy base, improve services, and involve the insurance companies.

For an in depth look at the National Flood Program and to take a tutorial check out FEMA’s website – www.fema.gov/nfip.
 

Keri Morrell recently purchased archery equipment.  She has spent all the free time she can find in the woods, trying to kill a deer with her new bow.  So far she has been unsuccessful.  Hopefully, next month we will be able to report that she killed her first deer with a bow.

Deborah Ledford enjoyed a visit from her former exchange student Nic.  They have been exploring the sights of Louisiana including Cajun restaurants and New Orleans.  They are planning on seeing the Nattoway and Oak Alley Plantations.

Virginia Zeigler is looking forward to cooking a big Thanksgiving dinner for her family.  Her son and his wife are in the process of buying a house, so sometime soon she will be helping them move.

Ruthie Phillips has spent her free time taking sewing lessons from Keri Morrell.  Keri has been helping Ruthie with her costume for the State Meeting.

Mary Jones is staying busy with wedding plans.  She just attended a bridal shower at her church.  Mary also made a trip to the Wesson Flea Market.

Franklin County has changed Bea Jones’ address.  They have updated their system to the new 911-locator system.  If you need to mail her something at home, make sure you are sending it to the right place.

It’s that time of year again when the streets are full of election signs and the radio and TV stations are full of spots for the candidates.  Newspapers are filled up with ads for the elections.

Leaders demonstrate qualities that their followers want to emulate.  One of those qualities should be responsibility.  It is the responsibility of every citizen in a democracy to vote in the election.  Some people only vote in the “big” elections.  But every election is a “big” election.  It doesn’t matter if you are voting for a local supervisor or a president, your vote counts.

Make sure that you take the time this Election Day to exercise your responsibility to vote.  The old saying is “If you don’t vote, then you can’t complain.”  This is truer today then ever.  With the seriousness of the legal environment in Mississippi, every elected position is important.  From our judges to our representatives, everyone can have an affect on the insurance industry.

It is your responsibility as a leader in your community to vote in every election and to encourage the people that serve under you to vote.  Allow your employees time off to vote and offer a ride to the voting booth if you know of someone who needs one.  When you vote, you serve your nation.  When you fail to vote, you make the statement that you don’t care what happens to your government and your way of life.  Go out and vote on Election Day!