Man, I just love my insurance person Cathy Shaeffer from Integris. She is really spending her time thinking creatively regarding finding me an insurance provider.
I am asking for a few unusual things. Insuring a building that is in a remote town. The building is not occupied the whole year. It has a residence and a gallery. The gallery is only open seasonally.
For part of the year it will hold my equipment, my work, consigned work and things like cards, books etc. The inventory isn't large and the work isn't expensive. The public will be coming in the gallery from May 24th weekend to the end of October.
I have gone above and beyond providing security and building maintenance. The site has no debris or trees that can fall on it. The shed is secure. The building has new systems internally. It is spotless and in good order. I don't smoke and neither will anyone else in my sweet little building. The fire hall is 1 block away. I even have my own gold miner/biker named Grizz next door who will knock the block of anyone doing damage to my property. (Grizz also makes tea and gives hugs)
Wells is a little different than most towns security wise. There is very little crime there. One road goes into town and the same road goes out. People there are used to keeping track. The joke in town is that a kid ever went missing or something big was stolen the poor perp would be met by the time they left Jack of Clubs Lake. Then they would be easy to find in the lake!
The trees have eyes in Wells. Prospectors, loggers, road crews and ranchers are connected to the town by a radio and phone system. Almost everyone in town is involved in the Volunteer Fire Department. There is a tiny RCMP Detachment and the BC Ambulance Service. It is a very safe town.
What is the problem? I thought I could insure it for half the year as a residence and seasonal business.
It is really worth having some kind of business plan when you are an artist. Who'd a thunk it?
So far I have been able to list my inventory of work. my library and my equipment. I am able to tell them the approx value of consigned work. I am even able to give them an approximation of the number of expected guests. I kept track last time.
If they want I can tell them what my most populars items are, where most of my customers come from, and what they had for lunch the day they visited. I keep track.
Insurance is a small problem that will be solved. It reminds me of the importance of statistics even when on such a small scale. Kathy and I will beat this little challenge!
2 comments:
Insurance companys want ZERO risk these days. If the worst ever happens, they still find ways to wiggle out of paying.I lost a house once, years ago, due to fire and it was a right off. They still wanted me to list everything in the house down to the last teaspoon , and this was after they said I was under insured.
In todays world I reckon insurance is a rip-off but you cant get anwhere without it.
Get everything in fine print AND in plain english.Insurance companys are great wrigglers ;)
No kidding Phillipa. One company has just offered me a policy for nearly $2700. I am choked!
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