Gurgle gurgle… watch your step, I’ve been known to soggy up a sock or two.

The name’s Willy Water Damage, but don’t confuse me with that other swill water Risk, Felix Flood—he’s too big for his flippers these days, where as I’m still a humble Risk who does his damage with tact. Well, some tact, anyway. You may not think so once I’m soaking through your walls and bursting through your pipes, but not everyone can appreciate my intricacies.

My specialties are leaky old pipes that I can easily erupt from, but I also enjoy overflowing from hot water heaters and air conditioning, and I especially love bubbling out of dishwashers, backed up toilets and appliance supply lines.

I take particular interest in vintage home décor: If you’ve got a home that’s 30 years old or older, I’m three times as likely to show up through a plumbing supply or drain problem.

I’m the most common homeowners insurance claim, though people incorrectly seem to think that when Felix Flood comes around they’ll be protected from him under homeowners insurance as well. Felix steals my thunder more than Sigmund Storm, and that’s saying something.

Oh, would you look at the time. Wish I could stay and splash around, but you know what they say, “Another day another drip.” Gurgle gurgle…

Get in touch and let Bankers protect you from Willy Water Damage’s bubbly persona.

Have you run into Willy Water Damage? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

See what Willy and his risky friends have been up to lately and follow their precarious pins on Pinterest!

All data collected from meettherisks.com.

Insurance policies can seem pretty cloudy sometimes, so it’s important to know your policy thoroughly so The Risks don’t catch you unprepared.

One policy issue that can cause headaches is the difference between water damage coverage and flood coverage.

Water Damage Coverage is a part of your Homeowners Insurance, meant to protect you when pipes burst, your hot water heater or air conditioner overflows or the dishwasher backs up, and the next thing you know there’s an inch of water on the kitchen floor.

Flood Insurance is a separate policy, distinct from your Homeowners plan. Flood Insurance comes from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)* or a company like Bankers that participates in the NFIP. It covers damage from rising water, storm surges and mudslides.

The NFIP has very precise definitions and guidelines. For example, Agent Virginia Kendall tells of a Pennsylvania homeowner in a high-risk flood zone whose lender required him to have Flood coverage, but whose flood damage year after year wasn’t covered. Turns out, because his home sits on the side of a large hill, he had to install drains to accommodate annual raising waters. The lesson here is to talk to your agent in depth about your specific situation.

So, to recap: Although it’s easy to confuse flooding and water damage, damage from flooding will not be covered under Homeowners Insurance. Flooding occurs with 90% of national disasters, and a quarter of all flood claims come from low to moderate risk areas.  You don’t have to be in a high-risk zone to be at risk.

Get in touch today and let Bankers protect you from water damage and flooding, and help you negotiate the tricky waters around insurance definitions and exclusions.

* fema.gov/nfip

No one wants to be caught off guard when disaster strikes, but it can be hard to know where to begin when setting up your own preparation plan.

To help you get started, Dominion meteorologist Keri Carro walks through some tips for an emergency supply kit for your home and car.

Check out the video and share your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

#riskymonday, brought to you by Bankers Insurance Group, covers one important video highlighting the risks we face each week. Watch the video and join the discussion in the See Through Insurance blog comments, on the Bankers Insurance Group Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

In Shreveport, LA, Sigmund Storm is proving he doesn’t need a tempest to do his dirty work.

While sitting on her couch yesterday afternoon, a tree crashed through the roof over Lula Ellis’s head, missing the Shreveport resident by inches. Winds have been gusting up to 40 mph in the area, and combined with a drought-rain cycle over the past few years, Shreveport has seen many large trees falling down and causing headaches for homeowners.

Have you seen Sigmund Storm around lately? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

See what other trouble Sigmund and the rest of The Risks have gotten into lately and follow their precarious pins on Pinterest!

Willy Water Damage is a sneaky Risk, but once he arrives, there’s no doubt about his soggy presence.

Frozen pipes can be a serious problem in the winter and Willy is quick to take advantage of the situation, as this video shows:

Don’t let Willy Water Damage catch you off guard! Let Bankers Insurance protect you from these risky situations.

Have your own story about Willy? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

See what other trouble Willy and the rest of the Risks have gotten into lately and follow their precarious pins on Pinterest!

Blazes, is it getting hot in here or… nope, that’s just me.

I’m Flint Fire. I’m sure you’ve seen me around now and then. I’m elemental, after all. I’m the least common Risk you’re likely to encounter, but I tend to make a sizzling first impression. On average, I’m responsible for over $20,000 in damage when I show up at your door—a small price to pay for my company, really.

I’m pretty well known as a hothead, but people often let my reputation distract them from my subtler attributes. I fill up a room with my smile, of course—and also smoke and toxic gases from anything I happen to touch.

In residences, I usually get started with a little cooking. Call me old-fashioned, but I think the kitchen is an incendiary room to get to know someone. After a nice, charred meal, I’ll spread out and relax, burning from room to room. Unfortunately one of my adversaries usually shows up when I’m really starting to enjoy myself—firefighters are always party poopers, I tell ya, and I swear they’re in cahoots with those loud-mouth smoke alarms.

You may not expect it with my bright personality, but I really hit my stride in the winter. I peak in residences in January, actually—I like to really ignite the year from the start.

Uh oh, I think I hear that arrogant Felix Flood sloshing by, better keep moving. We don’t get along too well… he tends to dampen my mood.

Get in touch and let Bankers protect you from Flint Fire’s scorching advances.

See what Flint and his risky friends have been up to lately and follow their precarious pins on Pinterest!

Have you run into Flint Fire? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

All data collected from U.S. Fire Administration at usfa.fema.gov.

At Bankers Insurance Group, we know that the insurance industry can make confusion seem like the status quo. That’s why we’re here to help at every step of the process. In Testimonial Tuesdays, we speak with real clients about how Bankers has helped them understand their options and make informed decisions about insurance.

This week, we spoke with William “Bill” Marisco of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. Bill grew up in the Mission District of San Francisco and spent over 60 years living and working in Baltimore, Md. before retiring as CEO of Fairfax Savings Bank. Bill lives in Florida with his wife, Sandra, and has two daughters. He enjoys playing golf at Palm Beach Gardens’ PGA National and advocates “waking up each morning with a smiling heart.”

Bill switched to Bankers for his homeowners and flood insurance two years ago after his previous insurance company of 36 years failed to meet expectations following a particularly bad Florida storm. Bill was impressed by the level of personal attention he was given after talking to several people at Bankers, including Deborah Brcka, VP Sales and Marketing. “Insurance is personal—you want to buy the people, not the policy,” Bill says.

His favorite part about working with Bankers is his experience with his agent, Janice Meder. “She’s engaging and knowledgeable, and walked me through every process an inch at a time. The integrity of this company is outstanding,” Bill says. Bill is particularly happy with how clear Bankers makes everything. “They give you clear steps. They tell you what you need, who to talk to, and what number to call, and you talk to real, human people. Most places you get a recording and some good music to listen to while you wait.”

We’d like to thank Bill for speaking with us and being such a great client, as well as congratulate him—Bill will be 82 years young this June.

Have you had a noteworthy experience with insurance? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter, and check out our Pinterest page to see what the Risks have been up to lately.

Winter is a time when Flint Fire is often a welcome guest, for a change—as long as he stays in the fireplace.

Today, RISMedia’s Anthony Shank walks us through some important fireplace safety tips to make sure Flint’s visit to your home is a friendly one.

Check out the video and share your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

#riskymonday, brought to you by Bankers Insurance Group, covers one important video highlighting the risks we face each week. Watch the video and join the discussion in the See Through Insurance blog comments, on the Bankers Insurance Group Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday, and stop by Pinterest to see what the Risks have been up to lately.

Flint Fire had some help in starting what became a 1000-acre brush fire in Clermont, Fla. Officials say arson is the cause of the fire, which started Thursday night and thankfully isn’t threatening any homes due to a canal separating the homes from the blaze. The fire did cause portions of highways to be shut down due to poor visibility, giving Friday commuters headaches.

Find out how Bankers can make sure the Risks never catch you unprotected!

Have you run into Flint Fire? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook, and check out our Pinterest page to see what all the Risks have been up to lately.

Apparently even the Risks need a vacation now and then, and it looks like Sigmund Storm has been brushing up on his scuba skills during his time in the Caribbean.

Watch Sigmund craft an underwater tornado spout off the coast of Aruba at the site of the Antilla shipwreck in this video:

Have you seen the Risks around lately? Tell us about your experience in the comments or connect with us on Twitter.