In the Event of a Claim
Take action quickly.
When the unexpected happens, report your claim right away to put yourself in the surest positionâand best enable us to help. Itâs not just smart practice; letting us know about a claim is your responsibility as an insured, so donât get in the way of your recovery by skipping this important step.
Note:Â In most cases, Heather Cox is your first point of contact when you have a claim. But for an emergency, please call Cindy Stellhorn.
In the event of a claim:
Heather Cox
317-805-7598
heather.cox@mjsorority.com
Complete this form if you prefer to submit your claim online.
In an emergency:
Cindy Stellhorn
317-374-5039
cindy.stellhorn@mjsorority.com
Getting in touch with us wonât be the beginning and end of your response. Hereâs a list of actions to take for various kinds of claims.
- Property: First, do whatever is necessary to prevent further damage from occurring. Then call Heather with the date and description of your loss, and estimates for repair or replacement of your damaged items.
- Injuries to Employees: Within five days of the injury, fill out an Employerâs First Report of Injury Form and e-mail it to Heather.
- Injuries to Members or to the Public: Make no statements accepting blame, treat any potential or actual claim or lawsuit as a high priority item, and immediately notify your organization headquarters and MJ; contact Heather with names, date of loss, and details of incident.
- Embezzlement or Forgery: When you have reason to suspect financial foul play, your first step is to remove all financial responsibilities from the person in question. After youâve done that, give us a call to discuss moving forward with a claim.
For Sorority Chapter Houses
Nearly every chapter facility is subject to severe winter weather. This is true not only of facilities located in Canada and the central and northern portions of the United States, but winter weather damage has occurred in areas as far south as Florida and Texas. Indeed, claim history indicates the areas that are most vulnerable to damage are the southern portions of the country because they are not accustomed to long periods of prolonged cold. For these reasons, it is important that every facility prepare in advance for the possibility of severe winter weather. The following checklist provides a starting point in developing a comprehensive plan to prevent unnecessary losses that can result from winter weather conditions.
| SPRINKLER SYSTEMS | YES | NO |
| Unattended areas inspected hourly or temperature monitored by central station? | ||
| Concealed spaces containing piping provided with adequate heat? | ||
| Building heat maintained at or above 55ËF for areas protected by wet pipe sprinklers? | ||
| Should pipes freeze, is a plan in place to prepare for thawing and pipe leakage? | ||
| In southern locations: are pipes insulated or is heat maintained in preparation for cold weather? | ||
| BUILDING FEATURES | YES | NO |
| Building heating systems repairs or annual maintenance scheduled before cold weather? | ||
| Heating equipment, combustion controls, and safety devices tested for proper operation? | ||
| Windows and doors in good repair and properly weather-sealed? | ||
| Gutters, downspouts, and roof drains are clear? | ||
| Roofs visually inspected for water ponding, structural deficiencies, etc.? | ||
| Areas subject to freezing provided with non-freeze type fire extinguishers? | ||
| Designated individuals authorized to initiate a winter weather alert? | ||
| List of equipment containing water that is to be drained before cold weather? | ||
| List of suppliers for portable boilers and/or heating units developed? | ||
| Designated individual/s to check that temperatures are maintained in the facility when it is closed or un-occupied? | ||
| Designated individual/s to leave faucets slightly open to let water flow to decrease possibility of the pipes freezing? | ||
| Procedure established for monitoring snow depth on roofs and snow removal action plan? | ||
| Are water-filled pipes located in exterior walls or unheated spaces properly insulated? | ||
| Have any pipes that are not required during the winter months been drained? (e.g. exterior hose lines) | ||
| Has any standing water in exterior valves been removed? | ||
| Are hydrants kept free of snow, ice, and other debris for easy access by the local fire department? | ||
| Are trees inspected to remove broken or dead branches? | ||
| BOILER EQUIPMENT | YES | NO |
| Is water flow maintained through process cooling lines and cooling towers to help prevent freeze-up and possible damage? | ||
| Have any pipes, valves, and pumps that are not required during the winter months been drained? | ||
| LIST OTHER FEATURES UNIQUE TO YOUR FACILITY | YES | NO |
*Any box checked ânoâ indicates a need for correction action.
Essential measures to minimize the risk of a freeze or water damage loss
- Keep furnace on and thermostat set at or above 68 degrees
- Make sure all hoses are removed from exterior water spigots/faucets
- Drain water lines in lawn sprinkler system where appropriate
- Inspect windows and repair all broken glass
- Place additional insulation on exterior walls and windows
- Insulate exterior doors appropriately, and assure all close and latch completely
- Attach and secure downspouts with extension from foundation, not draining onto the driveway, sidewalks, or patios and fully displace water from walking areas
During periods of extreme colder temperatures
- Open the indoor faucets slightly to allow water to trickle as moving water does not freeze as easily
- Leave the doors to cabinets that contain water lines open, this will allow heat to enter the area and help prevent freeze
- If the power goes out, note the time of the outage and have a plan to keep perishable food cold. Potentially hazardous foods, including meat, dairy, eggs, and cooked vegetables need to be stored at or below 41 degrees Fahrenheit.
- e a plan in place if you are without power and heat for extended amount of time
Additional safety measures during colder months
- Clear all necessary snow and ice from sidewalks, fire escapes, and walkways which may result in a slip and fall hazard
- Use fireplace, wood stoves, or other combustion heaters only if they are properly vented to the outside. Exercise caution when heating with these devices, as well as propane appliances, and older wall or floor gas furnaces.
- Never use a charcoal or gas grill indoorsâthe fumes are deadly.
- Check that you have a working carbon monoxide detector.
- Keep as much heat as possible inside your property. Check the temperature in your home often during severely cold weather.
It is increasingly common for other organizations and/or people (third parties) to request some evidence that the fraternity/sorority or chapter has insurance coverage in place. The form that confirms that coverage is, in fact, in place is called a Certificate of Insurance, and it shows your limits and coverages.
We will need the following information from you in order to provide you with a Certificate of Liability Insurance:
- Fraternity/Sorority and Greek Chapter Name
- Date of the event
- Type of event (i.e. Philanthropic, Social, Chapter-Oriented, etc.)
- Whether or not alcohol is being served (if alcohol is being served, who is serving the alcohol?)
- Name and address of the venue and/or individual requesting the Certificate of Insurance
- The contact information and preferred contact method (i.e. e-mail, fax, etc.) for the individual to whom the Certificate should be sent
- If the venue is requesting Additional Insured status, please forward the contract immediately to us for review.
Please provide all of the above information and any questions you may have by completing the Certificate/Event Request Form.
In addition, it is also very common for you to receive a request from a lendor requesting that you provide evidence that you carry property insurance. Banks often require you to list them as a Mortgagee or Loss Payee on your policy for property for which they provide a loan. Companies from whom you lease equipment, such as a copy machine vendor, also often request proof that you are carrying insurance to cover any damage to their equipment. This document is referred to as the Property Certificate of Insurance.
In order to process your Property Certificate request, please provide us with the following information by completing the Non-Event Specific Certificate of Insurance Form:
- Name and address of the entity/individual requesting the Property Certificate
- Any written documentation, such as a contract, that stipulates your obligation to provide the entity/individual with proof of insurance
- Loan number, if applicable
- E-mail address of the entity/individual requesting the Property Certificate
Engaging in a building or renovation project is an exciting, albeit stressful, endeavor. In addition to the hundreds of decisions regarding design, budget, decorating, and other items, there are insurance and risk management concerns to consider in order to protect the House Corporation and the organization from loss.
In an effort to simplify at least the insurance portion of the building process, we have developed a glossary of sorts to help you familiarize yourself with the associated terminology, as well as our recommended limits when applicable.
General Liability
General liability covers physical and bodily damage for which the general contractor and its employees would be held liable as a result of completed operations or product liability. We recommend that any independent contractors carry a minimum of $1M per occurrence in general liability limits.
Workersâ Compensation
Workersâ compensation is insurance paid by companies to provide benefits to employees who become ill or injured on the job. We recommend that independent contractors carry a minimum of $500,000 per accident.
Automobile Liability
Automobile liability insurance protects the insured against financial loss because of legal liability for automobile-related injuries to others or damage to othersâ property by an auto. We recommend that independent contractors carry a minimum of $1M per occurrence in automobile liability limits.
Buildersâ Risk
A buildersâ risk policy is a property insurance policy that is designed to cover property in the course of construction. Coverage typically applies not only to property at the construction site, but also to property in transit or at off-site storage locations. We use the estimated completed value of the project as the buildersâ risk limit.
We recommend that you have an MJ Client Executive review contracts associated with any building projects prior to signing them. We also recommend that the Fraternity/Sorority, House Corporation, Chapter, etc. be indemnified in the contract language from any loss or damage caused by the independent contractor/s. Because of the complexity of these types of issues, we recommend that you engage the services of a local attorney familiar with your local laws and statutes in the contract negotiations.