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May 2016

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Dog Bites Accounted For More Than One-Third Of All Homeowners Liability Payouts Last YearArticle provided by Insurance Information Institute.

medical costs as well as the size of settlements, judgments and jury awards given to plaintiffs, which are still on the upswing,” said Loretta Worters, a vice president with the I.I.I.

The study noted that California continued to have the largest number of claims in the U.S. at 1,684 in 2015, a decrease from 1,867 in 2014. Illinois had the second highest number of claims at 931. While Arizona had only the ninth largest number of claims at 393, it registered the highest average cost per claim of the 10 states with the most claims: a staggering $56,654.

The trend in higher costs per claim is attributable not simply to dog bites but also to dogs knocking down children, cyclists, the elderly, etc., all of which can result in fractures and other blunt force trauma injuries that impact the potential severity of the losses. Another factor

Dog bites (and other dog-related injuries) accounted for more than one-third of all homeowners insurance liability claim dollars paid out in 2015, costing in excess of $570 million, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) and State Farm®, the largest writer of homeowners insurance in the United States.

An analysis of homeowners insurance data by the I.I.I. found that while the number of dog bite claims nationwide decreased 7.2 percent in 2015, the average cost per claim for the year was up 16 percent. The average cost paid out for dog bite claims nationwide was $37,214 in 2015, compared with $32,072 in 2014 and $27,862 in 2013.

“The average cost per claim nationally has risen more than 94 percent from 2003 to 2015, due to increased

might be the surge in U.S. Post Office worker attacks, many of which take place at the customer’s door.

Be A Responsible Dog Owner

Even normally docile dogs may bite when they are frightened or when defending their puppies, owners or food. However, the best way to protect yourself is to prevent your dog from biting anyone in the first place. The most dangerous dogs are those that fall victim to human shortcomings such as poor training, irresponsible ownership and breeding practices that foster viciousness.

“The majority of dog bites come from dogs we already know, and the largest groups are children and the elderly,” said Dr. Bonnie Beaver, a veterinary professor at Texas A&M University, and executive director of the American College of Veterinary Behaviorists.

“Dogs not raised with good social skills can become dogs that bite,” said Beaver, who is internationally recognized for her work in the normal and abnormal behaviors of animals. “It is important to socialize your dog; see how the dog interacts with people,” she added. “Owners need to be able to read their dogs’ body language. Don’t assume that a dog won’t bite.” She noted that children and dogs should never ever be left together unsupervised. Not only can the child get hurt, but so does the dog because they are the ones that get put down.”

National Dog Bite Prevention Week® (May 15–21, 2016), is an annual event designed to provide consumers with information on how to be responsible pet owners while increasing awareness of a serious public health issue.

Taking the following steps can reduce the chances of your dog biting someone:

• Consult with a professional (e.g., veterinarian, animal behaviorist or responsible breeder) to learn about suitable breeds of dogs for your household and neighborhood.

• Spend time with a dog before buying or adopting it. Use caution when bringing a dog into a home with an infant or toddler. A dog with a history of aggression is inappropriate in a household with children.

• Keep the family dog secured if a stranger comes to your door.

• Be sensitive to cues that a child is fearful of or apprehensive about a dog and, if so, delay acquiring a dog. Never leave infants or young children alone with any dog.

• Socialize your dog so it knows how to act with other animals and people.

• Discourage children from disturbing a dog that is eating or sleeping.

• Be cautious when exposing your dog to new situations in which you are unsure of its response.

• Never approach a strange dog and always avoid eye contact with a dog that appears threatening.

• Immediately seek professional advice from veterinarians, animal behaviorists or responsible breeders if your dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors.

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ESTIMATED NUMBER AND COST OF DOG BITE CLAIMS, 2015 STATE RESULTS

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Farmers, Farm Policy Gets Thumbs Up from Public Despite AttacksArticle provided by National Crop Insurance Services.

The 2014 Farm Bill was nearly four years and more than 40 public hearings in the making.

It was a long process that tested farmers’ patience and gave professional critics on both sides of the aisle ample opportunity to unfairly characterize the men and women who put food on our tables and clothes on our backs.

In the months and years since, crop insurance has proven its worth to the rural economy and new Farm Bill policies have kicked in to help growers cope with falling commodity prices. Yet agriculture’s political opponents have been unrelenting in their misguided attacks on Capitol Hill and in the press.

Luckily for farmers, it looks like they have a pretty powerful ally in their corner: The American public.

A new public opinion poll conducted in April showed that 86 percent of voters have a favorable view of farmers. What’s more, those high marks cut across party lines.

The bipartisan support continued when it came to farm policy, too. Ninety-two percent of respondents said they supported federal spending on farmers, which is not surprising since 81 percent agreed that,

“a strong and thriving American farming industry is critical to American national security.”

Views of farm policy remained favorable even after survey participants were told that critics argue that big farms and agribusinesses can afford to protect themselves without government help.

Moreover, Americans said that farm policy should be a shared investment among farmers and taxpayers. Nearly three-quarters believe that

“farmers should help fund farm policies so that taxpayers are not paying the full cost.”

That is exactly what crop insurance does, which may explain why nearly 80 percent of those polled supported farmers receiving discounts on crop insurance premiums. And when Americans found out how much of the crop insurance tab farmers paid, they were pleased.

Nearly seven in 10 voters either said that farmers were being asked to pay too much or were paying the right amount of their premiums. Similarly, eight in 10 felt that the loss deductibles farmers shoulder before receiving aid is about right or even too high.

The national survey, which was conducted by North Star Opinion Research and commissioned by the National Crop Insurance Services, also shed valuable light on who America thinks should deliver crop insurance. By more than a 20-point margin, respondents say that farmers and American taxpayers are better served by insurance delivered by private companies instead of the government.

Bottom line: America’s appreciation of farmers and farm policy continues, and it is as strong as ever thanks to the smart, commonsense choices that Congress has made.

That’s fortunate, since agriculture’s opponents are already gearing up for their next big opportunity to unfairly criticize rural America and weaken America’s successful farm safety net.

Thomas P. Zacharias, Ph.D., is president of National Crop Insurance Services. The phone survey of 1,000 registered voters was conducted April 3-7 and has a margin of error of 3.1 percent.  It can be accessed at http://www.cropinsuranceinamerica.org/wp-content/uploads/Crop-Insurance-Public-Opinion-Poll.pdf

Where is Zika virus disease found?It was detected in Brazil in May 2015 and now is in many other countries and territories in the Americas, including Puerto Rico. It was previously in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands.

Why is Zika a health concern?It’s been shown to cause microcephaly (or unusually small heads), a severe birth defect that results from abnormal brain development. The CDC cautions pregnant women who are traveling to areas known to have Zika virus. Also Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare disorder causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis, has also been reported in Zika patients.

Is there a threat it will come to the U.S.?There have not been any reports of people getting Zika from mosquito bites in the continental US. There are some people in the US who have tested positive for Zika, but in each of those cases, they had just returned from an area where the virus is found. However, there have been cases in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and American Somoa, where people seem to have gotten it from a mosquito. You can keep up to speed on travel advice, and areas where there seems to be a lot of Zika virus — just go to CDC Travelers’ Health site.

What is the treatment for Zika?There’s no specific treatment and no vaccine for prevention. But only about 1 in 5 people infected by it become ill. It’s usually mild and resolves on its own within a few days to a week. You can get medical care to treat symptoms.

Crop Insurance Faces More Cuts

• Under the proposed budget from President Obama released in Feb. the Federal Crop Insurance Program would face a cut of $18 Billion over the next 10 years including a cut of $1.26 Billion in 2017.

• The premium subsidy would be reduced by 10%.

• The Prevented Planting program would see elimination of +5 and +10 optional coverage.

• Senate Ag Committee Chair Pat Roberts – the proposed cuts will be “dead on arrival”. “This is an attack on the American producer’s ability to manage risk.”

Ihry Insurance will keep you informed about continuing & future threats to your crop insurance program.

Special Weather UpdateWinter temperatures correlate very well to temperatures in the following summer, and the winter of 2015-2016 was record warm. In fact nearly all of the contiguous US was in the 90th percentile for warmth in the December

– February time period. A hot summer is clearly evident, and most forecasts for the upcoming summer are confirming this. With the transition to La Nina also creating uncertainty, the need for weather hedges this year is especially strong. Possible applications are:

• Grain facilities for storage & drying revenues, and carry & basis

• Farmers to protect yield during corn pollination and soybean pod setting, sugar beets

• Livestock producers for livestock heat stress & pastures from drought

• Rates are increasing as a result of warm & dry forecasts for the summer, but cost effective coverages are still available.

Contact your Ihry agent for a quote!

Article provided by Curtis Kaufman, Agency ManagerIhry Insurance

Ihry Insights

A Closer Look At Questions About ZikaArticle provided by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield.