IN THIS ISSUE Presidential Matters 2 Underwriting Matters 3 Claims Matters 4 Fire Safety Winners 5 Risk Management Matters 6 Safety Matters 9 Fun Facts 10 Christmas Crafts/Recipe 11 Telcom Matters 11 Volume 24 Fourth Quarter 2011 6301 Ivy Lane, Suite 506 Greenbelt, MD 20770 Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, e flying cloud, the frosty light; e year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: e year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more, Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring out a slowly dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws. Ring out the want, the care the sin, e faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and blood, e civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good. Ring out old shapes of foul disease, Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valiant man and free, e larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be. --Alfred, Lord Tennyson Ring Out, Wild Bells
Transcript
In thIs IssuePresidential Matters 2
Underwriting Matters 3
Claims Matters 4
Fire Safety Winners 5
Risk Management Matters 6
Safety Matters 9
Fun Facts 10
Christmas Crafts/Recipe 11
Telcom Matters 11
Volume 24Fourth Quarter 2011
6301 Ivy Lane, Suite 506Greenbelt, MD 20770
Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light; The year is dying in the night; Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go; Ring out the false, ring in the true. Ring out the grief that saps the mind, For those that here we see no more, Ring out the feud of rich and poor, Ring in redress to all mankind. Ring out a slowly dying cause, And ancient forms of party strife; Ring in the nobler modes of life, With sweeter manners, purer laws.
Ring out the want, the care the sin, The faithless coldness of the times; Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes, But ring the fuller minstrel in. Ring out false pride in place and blood, The civic slander and the spite; Ring in the love of truth and right, Ring in the common love of good. Ring out old shapes of foul disease, Ring out the narrowing lust of gold; Ring out the thousand wars of old, Ring in the thousand years of peace. Ring in the valiant man and free, The larger heart, the kindlier hand; Ring out the darkness of the land, Ring in the Christ that is to be.
Happy Holidays to you, your staff, and your family! I sincerely hope you enjoy our traditional Holiday Issue of Risk
Management Matters. Many find that this time of year is magical. It may be that minds are generally filled with more positive thoughts and they have a better attitude about things. Even if everyday can’t be filled with joy and you face challenges that just can’t be ignored, I hope that this year your holidays and your time spent with friends and family brings you magical moments and much happiness.
As I reflect on 2011, I am very positive about what your Telcom Insurance Group has accomplished and where we are headed. There was magic in what we did. During the year we enhanced coverage and limits in our property and casualty program. Our risk management and loss prevention services were unbundled and can now be purchased by non-policyholders. The Stay Connected Handset Replacement program changed to a more responsive repair vendor. All of these things were improvements to existing products and programs but there were new endeavors as well. We launched a personal lines insurance program in partnership with MetLife that offers discounted rates to members of the association. We launched an independent contractors program to manage the risk and insure the needs of the businesses that you are hiring. And we also worked with Wireless Alliance to create an Internet based cell phone recycling program that will buy the phones from your customers which should build goodwill between you and them.
It has been a busy year but all that has been done was done with you in mind. We were looking to offer you something better or something more. The staff at Telcom has the ability to shape your insurance experience. Our relationship with you, transcends the typical business affiliation most insurance providers have with their customers. Our business is built on a belief that we should earn your trust to be chosen to protect your business and that trust will allow us to provide other programs and services that support the core property and casualty insurance that we began with. We do all of this by making it a priority to do the right
thing regardless of the cost. We determine what the “right thing” is by focusing on treating people the way we would want to be treated if we were in their position. Our judgment is never clouded by the financial impact to the bottom-line. Partnerships, friendships, and families don’t focus on only the financial impact of decisions, and we don’t when it comes to how we treat you.
Our role is to be the protectors of the people and the assets of the NTCA Membership; our Company was created by and for rural telecommunications companies. We feel a responsibility to do more than operate an insurance business procedurally. Don’t get me wrong, we are a “best business practices” company, but there is so much more to building relationships than that. Processes and procedures are important, but there are times when they might miss the importance of the positive impact a company can have on a human being. Insurance partnerships between insured and insurer are based upon trust and fulfillment of promises. Yes, there is a policy, which is a contract, to govern that promises are kept. But, is that what you want to rely on? The staff and I believe that insuring NTCA members, is more than a contractual agreement or processing transactions and that our work revolves around protecting people who can be injured physically and emotionally by the stress of an accident. We recognize that when there is a loss, that the damage to assets are not always of the greatest concern to our family of insureds, and the thing that matters most is carefully managing the human emotions that are generated by the accident. You have responded to our approach and given credibility to our beliefs, and in 2011 we enjoyed a remarkable retention of 96.3% of prior year policyholders. And there was an additional group of 15 NTCA members who joined as new customers. The more than 330 NTCA members that are part of our insurance program have affirmed our belief that an operational model, built on earning the trust of people by focusing on the human element and doing the right thing, could succeed in an industry where the decision of what insurer to place coverage with is too often driven by cost only.
I hope that this year your holidays and your time spent with friends and family brings you magical moments and
much happiness.
Presidential Matters 2011By Peter J. Elliott, CPCU
The rapid advancement in technology has had a major impact on the
exposures in today’s business environment.
Errors and Omissions & Professional Liability Coverage… Do I need it?
Underwriting MattersBy Todd N. Travis, AU
If you are running a business in today’s world, the answer for just about everyone is “yes”. We are all aware that it is important,
if not required, to have some sort of General Liability coverage in order to run a business. The standard General Liability policy, howev-er, is designed to cover property damage and bodily injury where as Professional Liability and/or Errors and Omissions liability protects your business from financial loss from lawsuits filed against you. The way we conduct busi-ness, and even just communicate with each other in society today, is much different than it was 10 to 15 years ago. Gone are the days when you could hang out a shingle, get a ba-sic liability policy and get to work. The rapid advancement in technology has had a major impact on the exposures in today’s business en-vironment and it is important to realize those exposures and put proper protections in place. In this article, we will review some of these exposures and possible solutions for them. Is there a business out there that doesn’t have a website or conduct some form of business by way of email, or internet? If there are, there certainly are not many? Cyber exposure has be-come the fastest and soon to be the most costly exposure in today’s business environment. Al-most every day there is news of a virus, hack, or a breach and it appears that almost no one is immune. From the smallest companies to the largest governments, the so called cyber ban-dits seem to stay one step ahead. Anyone who conducts business in this environment has an exposure and needs to take steps to protect themselves and most importantly their cus-tomers. The standard General Liability will not provide coverage for this exposure, for it is de-signed to cover property damage of bodily inju-ry. A cyber attack is an attempt to wreak havoc or to obtain data and cause financial damage. There is also the possibility of an error if you are engaged in software programming, website design, or posting. A cyber event can have a devastating impact on a business ranging form costly expenses to restore hardware and data
to laws suites from affected clients to fines and penalties from regulatory action. A Cyber Er-rors & Omissions policy or a Network Security Data Liability (NSDL) policy can provide you with the coverage for damage caused by Virus, Malicious Code, Unauthorized Access, Hacks, Accidental release of data, Theft of media and even events form rouge employees. Also when a “cyber event” occurs there are certain regu-latory and privacy issues that will need to be addressed such as Breach notification laws, HIPPA and Federal Trade Commission en-forcement actions. A Cyber E&O and NSDL policy can provide the coverage and relief that could make the difference from staying solvent or going out of business. There are varous pol-icy options on the market today that will pack-age both the Cyber E&O and Network Security Data Liability together. In any form, we feel that it is a coverage that should not be overlooked. There are some companies that also use or participate in broadcasting and media activi-ties in their business operations. The use of Broadcasting creates an exposure that could fall outside of the parameters of the standard General Liability coverage. An error in broad-casting would most likely create a financial loss rather than property damage or bodily injury. A media or broadcasting liability policy can protect your business from claims such as defamation of person or product, libel and slander, invasion of privacy, unwanted public disclosure and unlawful use of a name or like-ness for gain. In some cases, a lawsuit may be brought if a client is not happy with the broad-cast result and may file a claim to gain a dif-ferent result or keep from paying for the ser-vice even though there was no defined error. A media policy will in most cases pay for the cost of defending this type of claim. If your company is involved in the creation or even the rebroadcasting of the material of others this is an exposure that should be looked into as the costs for such coverage are reasonable.
Slips, trips, and fall accidents are one of the most common types of accidents. A simple slip can cause very serious injuries such
as back injuries, paralysis, broken bones and head injuries. Many slips and trips happen in the workplace and are even more likely to take place as cold weather brings ice and snow. A number of large claims, both General Liability and Workers’ Compensation involving Telcom insureds, fall into the category of slips, trips and falls. In a 5-year average of the frequency of Workers’ Compensation (WC) claims in our program, 33% are the direct result of slips, trips and falls, which result in 40% of the total dollars paid for WC claims.
The two major types of claims from slips, trips and falls are: 1) General Liability losses-claims involving your customers/visitors to your premises and, 2) Workers’ Compensations injuries. In either situation, you have a vested interest, in that you want to protect your customers while they are on your premises, as well as your employees while they are working. Your General Liability policy affords your business protection for those accidents involving third parties (like your customers or vendors) and your Workers’ Compensation protects your employees, when an accident occurs.
Protect your Customers:You can protect your customers, your employees, and your business by taking pro-active measures to avert accidents in the winter, or anytime, with good housekeeping and grounds maintenance procedures for entrance ways, sidewalks, and parking lots, including having the proper equipment and supplies on hand for clean-up use.
Protect your Employees:By ensuring that all employees keep their work areas clean and free from spills, cords, wires, boxes and any other items that could cause a slip and trip hazard, you are protecting them.
The following examples are of real-life claims from telecommunication companies:
General Liability claims: • An elderly customer fell at an Annual
Meeting which was sponsored by the telecommunications company. The claim settled and paid: $47,016.
• The employees had spread ice-melt on the sidewalk 6 hours prior to the customer’s fall, but the manufacturer’s instructions recommended every 4 hours. Therefore, the telco was liabile.
• A customer missed a step in a building owned by the telephone company; the fall resulted in a fractured hip and cost about $100,000.
• An employee of a contractor was completing work that was part of a building expansion project of the insured. He stepped into a hole in the floor. The claim settled for: $50,000.
Worker’s Compensation claims:• Employee slipped and fell on ice during a
storm and injured the shoulder tendon. The claim is reserved at $101,826.
• Employee slipped and fell down 6 stairs which resulted head and neck injuries. The claim is reserved at $47,145.
• Employee stepped on a rock, and slipped and injured his knee: The claim paid $25,800.
• Employee was walking across the floor and tripped on a piece of carpet that had created a tiny ripple. She badly injured her back. Three surgeries later, the claim is reserved for lifetime permanent disability $1.3m.
Remember: Timely reporting of an incident, like a slip, trip, or fall, whether it is your customer or your employee will satisfy your insurance carrier’s reporting requirements and provide a safety net for your company.
Telcom is concerned about any claims matter, including slips and falls, and stands ready to assist you with information to guard your company, your customers, and your employees. Go on-line to our website at www.TelcomInsGrp.com to the Education and Risk Management tab find specific examples for slips, trips and falls. For all claims matter, just give us a call or send and email to: Cheri Condee, 800-222-464x1082, [email protected], and Marilyn Blake: 800-222-4664x1085 or [email protected].
October 2011Thanks to all of the participants in Telcom’s Fall Fire Safety Art Contest. We had hundreds of submissions from kids ranging from 5 years old to 14 years old. They were all very nicely done, and we wish we could use them all. However as a staff, we chose the following winners by age category. All winning pictures are printed in our 4th quarter Risk Management Matters Newsletter going out in November and will be posted on our website - www.TelcomInsGrp.com.
Congratulations to the following:
1st PlaceRosa Pund
[Perry-Spencer Rural Telephone Cooperative]
2nd Place-TIERyan Bradley
[Rock Port Telephone Company]
2nd Place-TIEShayla Smith
[Wilson Communications]
3rd Place Emily Jane Swaringen[Cap Rock Telephone
Cooperative]
1st PlaceMattie Flanagan
[KanOkla Telephone Association]
2nd PlaceAlyssa Pesina
[Cap Rock Telephone Cooperative]
3rd PlaceAbraham Rodriguez
[Community Telephone Company]
1st PlaceChandra Adar Raven Alford
[KanOkla Telephone Association]
2nd PlaceShianne Nicole Plowell
[KanOkla Telephone Association]
3rd Place-TIEOakleigh Nickel
[KanOkla Telephone Association]
3rd Place-TIEEthan Dlabal
[Wilson Communications]
Under 8
8-10 years old
11-14 years old
(Prizes: 1st place $100; 2nd place $75; and 3rd place $50 by age category)
On January 30, 2012, the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will
begin requiring a current medical
examiner’s certificate
Certifications and Record checks:When an individual applies for a CDL, or attempts to renew or update his or her CDL, the State must perform a check of its own database, the Commercial Driver’s License Information System (CDLIS), and the National Driver Register (NDR), to ensure the driver is not disqualified and does not possess a license from more than one jurisdiction. If the driver possesses a license from another jurisdiction, the State must require the driver applicant to surrender his/her driver’s license issued by that State before issuing a new license.
The State must request the complete driving record of the applicant from all jurisdictions where the driver was previously licensed in the past 10 years.
Beginning January 30, 2012, for each operator of a commercial motor vehicle required to have a commercial driver’s license, the current licensing States must:
• Require drivers to certify the type of operation the driver expects to conduct and post the driver’s self-certification to the driver history record;
• Retain the original or a copy of the medical certificate of any driver required to provide documentation of physical qualification for three years beyond the date the certificate was issued; and
• Post the information from the medical examiner’s certificate within 10 business days to the CDLIS driver record.
• Within 10 calendar days of receiving information from FMCSA regarding issuance or renewal of a medical variance for a driver, the State must update the CDLIS driver record to include the medical variance information provided by FMCSA.
• Within 10 calendar days of the driver’s medical certification status expiring or a medical variance expiring or being rescinded, the State must:
• Update the medical certification status of that driver as “not-certified.”
• Notify the CDL holder of his or her CDL “not-certified” medical certification status and that the CDL privilege will be removed from the driver license unless the driver submits a current medical certificate and/or medical variance, or changes his or her self-certification to driving only in excepted or intrastate commerce (if permitted by the State).
• Initiate established State procedures for downgrading the license. The CDL downgrade must be completed and recorded within 60 days of the driver’s medical certification status becoming “not-certified” to operate a CMV.
On January 30, 2012, the Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) will begin requiring a current medical examiner’s certificate before issuing an original, renewal or duplicate commercial driver’s license (CDL). This requirement comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The only exception to this rule is for government employees who only operate government vehicles.
As required by DOT, DMV must cancel the commercial driving privileges of any CDL holder who fails to provide a copy of their current medical examiner’s certificate by January 30, 2014.
If your record is not up to date on or before January 30, 2014, DMV will notify you that your CDL will be cancelled.
Some of you have questions on the medical card itself. The medical certification process begins by making an appointment with a licensed medical examiner, such as a medical doctor, physician assistant, chiropractor, or advanced practice nurse who will examine you. For the most part, all commercial drivers involved
Risk Management MattersBy Marilyn A. Blake, AU, CRM
FMCSA Standards for CDL Licensing— Changing January 30, 2012
with interstate commerce in the United States must pass this medical test in order to obtain a CDL.
If you pass the test, you will be issued a medical card or certificate indicating this. In most cases, the card is valid for two years, and you will need to pass the test again at that point to keep driving a commercial vehicle. However, if you have certain medical conditions, the examiner may issue a certificate for less than 24 months.
Should your medical certificate become damaged or lost, you can request a replacement through your medical examiner’s office, or ask for a duplicate from your motor carrier. Depending upon the individual situation, you may need to complete a request form.
All CDL drivers should receive a notice from your state giving them this information. Please contact your State or the Federal Department of Transportation if you want more specific information.
Another area of professional liability coverage that is seeing an increasing need for is from Alarm Installation and the Monitoring liability. Although with this exposure, there is a possible loss of property damage and bodily injury. General Liability policies vary as to whether there is coverage, and would not respond if the loss is determined to be caused by an error or omission. A main reason for this is the pos-sible design aspect of this exposure. Design and engineering a system would tend to be considered a professional service and would most likely be excluded from standard General Li-ability policies. If your business is engaging or contemplating entering into these services it is a good idea to do a review of your policy to assure that there are no gaps in coverage and purchase an E&O policy specifically designed for this expo-sure as losses tend to be significant from Alarm exposures.
Other kinds of exposure that would raise a concern would include any and all professional services that are performed by members of your business. Lawyers and Architects and Engineers are exposures that would require a separate er-rors and omission coverage policy as these types of activities would drive claims of a financial nature which a standard General Liability policy is not designed to cover.
Our best advice is if you have a question regarding weather an exposure or service is covered is to consult contact your agent/Telcom Insurance Group. We are always here and happy to help you obtain the best solutions to keep your business protected.
We believe that trust needs to be earned and often it takes a long period of time to accomplish this. The legacy that we have developed, which has developed out of operations for 29 years, is based on consistency. One major factor that allows for this consistency is the same ownership, NTCA Members and the Association, since our inception in 1982. There are 39 member telecommunications companies of the NTCA that own this company. Another influence has been maintaining an all encompassing approach of insuring all lines of business in all states and giving up to seven insurance outlets to offer our insureds multiple options not just one when they desire to shop their insurance. Many of our competitors have come and gone since 1982. They have entered and exited states and
product lines. There will be more that will do the same in the future, but we believe that when it is a matter of trust, the Telcom Insurance Group will always prove to be most trustworthy because of our significantly different business model.
As we enter the Holiday Season, once again I thank you for your support and wish you all much happiness and good health. With personal visits not always being possible, this newsletter is our best opportunity to wish all of you happy, healthy, and prosperous season from our family to yours, we wish you the best!
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Clear2there is an innovative, full-service provider of Machine-to-Machine (M2M)solutions, video surveillance equipment and a variety of devices, sensors and
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Safety MattersBy Tina M. Wynter
Shoveling Snow
Those cold snow and ice filled winter nights are just around the corner. Sledding in this weather may be a fun-filled activity
that your whole family partakes in, but this is not always the case when it comes to shoveling your driveway and walkways.
The Good News15 minutes of snow shoveling counts as moderate physical activity, according to the Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health. We should all aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity of some kind on most days of the week. For Example: a 170-pound person shoveling for 30 minutes will burn about 250 calories.
The Bad NewsResearchers have reported an increase in the number of fatal heart attacks among snow shovelers after heavy snowfalls. This rise may be due to the sudden demand that shoveling places on an individual’s heart. Snow shoveling may cause a quick increase in heart rate and blood pressure. One study determined that after only two minutes of shoveling, the heart rates of sedentary men rose to levels higher than those normally recommended during aerobic exercise.
The weather can make shoveling more difficult. Cold air makes working and breathing hard, which adds some extra strain on the body. Shovelers also are at risk for hypothermia, a decrease in body temperature, if they are not dressed correctly for the weather conditions.
Who Should Think Twice About Shoveling Snow? • Anyone who has already had a heart attack• Individuals with a history of heart disease• Those with high blood pressure or high
cholesterol levels• Smokers• Individuals leading a sedentary lifestyle
A Pile Of Snow Shoveling Tips• If you are inactive and have a history of heart
trouble, talk to your doctor before you take on
the task of shoveling snow.• Avoid caffeine or nicotine before beginning.
These are stimulants, which may increase your heart rate and cause your blood vessels to constrict. This places extra stress on the heart.
• Drink plenty of water. Dehydration is just as big an issue in cold winter months as it is in the summer.
• Dress in several layers so you can remove a layer as needed. Synthetic fibers help with perspiration better than natural fibers.
• Warm your muscles before shoveling by walking for a few minutes or marching in place. Stretch the muscles in your arms and legs because warm muscles will work more efficiently and be less likely to be injured.
• Pick the right shovel for you. A smaller blade will require you to lift less snow, putting less strain on your body. One with a bend in it will be better on your lower back.
• Shovel soon after it snows, the snow will be lighter and not as packed.
• Begin shoveling slowly to avoid placing a sudden demand on your heart. Pace yourself and take breaks as needed.
• Protect your back from injury by lifting correctly. Stand with your feet about hip width for balance and keep the shovel close to your body. Bend from the knees (not the back) and tighten your stomach muscles as you lift the snow. Avoid twisting movements. If you need to move the snow to one side, reposition your feet to face the direction the snow will be going.
• Most importantly, listen to your body. Stop if you feel pain.
We’re Here To HelpTelcom is here to help. Although we’d love to come by help you clear your driveways and walkways, you’ll have to settle for help via safety videos and written materials. J If you’re a policyholder and are interested in having Shoveling Safety as your next safety meeting topic, please contact Tina M. Wynter at [email protected] or 301.220.3206 and she’d be happy to send more info your way.
www.santaclausmuseum.org/letters-to-santa (Every letter mailed to Santa Claus before December 21st, will receive a letter back from Santa Claus himself! The earlier you can send in your letter the better.)www.noradsanta.org (track Santa)www.northpole.com (Santa’s secret village of kids activities)www.claus.com (check out your naughty and nice rating)www.santaclaus.com (email Santa)www.merry-christmas.com (various kids activities)
New Year’s Traditions
January 1 Become’s New Year’s Day
• In many countries, New Year’s celebrations begin on the evening of December 31—New Year’s Eve—and continue into the early hours of January 1. Revelers often eat specific foods that are believed to bring good luck for the coming year; for example, grapes in Spain, round fruits in the Philippines, suckling pig in Austria, soba noodles in Japan, rice pudding in Norway and black-eyed peas in the southern United States. Other customs that are common worldwide include making resolutions—a practice that began with the Babylonians—and watching fireworks displays.
• In the United States, the most iconic New Year’s tradition is the dropping of a giant ball in New York City’s Times Square at the stroke of midnight. Millions of people around the world watch the event, which has taken place almost every year since 1906. Over time, the ball itself has ballooned from a 400-pound iron-and-wood orb to a brightly patterned sphere 12 feet in diameter and weighing in at nearly 12,000 pounds.
Hanukkah, the “Festival of Lights,” starts on the 25th day of the Jewish calendar month of Kislev and lasts for eight days and nights. In 2011, it begins at sundown on December 20th with blessings, games, and festive foods, Hanukkah celebrates the triumphs--both religious and military--of ancient Jewish heroes.
The Festival of Lights
The early Roman calendar consisted of 10 months and 304 days, with each new year beginning at the vernal equinox; according to tradition, it was created by Romulus, the founder of Rome, in the eighth century B.C. A later king, Numa Pompilius, is credited with adding the months of Januarius and Februarius. Over the centuries, the calendar fell out of sync with the sun, and in 46 B.C. the emperor Julius Caesar decided to solve the problem by consulting with the most prominent astronomers and mathematicians of his time. He introduced the Julian calendar, which closely resembles the more modern Gregorian calendar that most countries around the world use today.
As part of his reform, Caesar instituted January 1 as the first day of the year, partly to honor the month’s namesake: Janus, the Roman god of beginnings, whose two faces allowed him to look back into the past and forward into the future. Romans celebrated by offering sacrifices to Janus, exchanging gifts with one another, decorating their homes with laurel branches and attending raucous parties. In medieval Europe, Christian leaders temporarily replaced January 1 as the first of the year with days carrying more religious significance, such as December 25 (the anniversary of Jesus’ birth) and March 25 (the Feast of the Annunciation); Pope Gregory XIII reestablished January 1 as New Year’s Day in 1582.
Popcorn Wreath
1. Cut the center out of a paper plate.2. Cut a 3-foot length of waxed dental floss; tie one end to plate.3. Thread other end through needle, and string popcorn.4. Wrap strand around plate; tie off.5. Add strands until wreath is covered (layer to fill gaps).6. Loop ribbon and hang; glue on a bow.
Topping:1/2 cup nuts (of your choice or none at all)1/3 cup brown sugar (packed)1/4 cup flour1/2 tsp of cinnamon1 Tbsp of butter (softened)Mix the topping ingredients until crumbly. Set aside.
Cake:2 cups all purpose flour1 cup sugar1 cup milk1/3 cup butter (softened)1-egg1-Tbsp baking powder1-tsp salt1 ½ cups of blueberries (washed & any stems removed)
Glaze:1-cup of powdered sugar2-Tbsp of milk1/4 tsp vanillaMix ingredient until blended, drizzle over the cake
• We would like to welcome the following new members to our Telcom P&C family: Mutual Telephone Co. (KS) and Carolina Virginias Telephone Membership Corp. (NC).
• Upcoming Holidays: Our offices will be closed on Thursday and Friday, November 24-25 for the Thanksgiving Day holiday. We will be closed on Monday, December 26 for the Christmas holiday and Monday, January 2, 2012 for the New Years holiday. Please report all claims directly to the carrier. If you need claims reporting phone/fax numbers, please dial our main line at 301-220-3200 for a complete listing.
We offer our Congratulations to the following Telcom family members:• Our longtime pal, Sheridan Wangler, aka
Mr. NTCA, retired at the end of October. We hope he enjoys all of the golf balls he has collected over the year now that he is in FL.
• Dave and Jana Blacker of Yeoman Telephone (IN) are proud parents-in-law with the September wedding of their son Jonathan to Brittany.
• Kim Olson is soon to be Kim Powell. Kim and Ward are marrying on December 10, 2011. Her new name will be Kim Powell and her email address will be [email protected].
• Congratulations to Dick Veach, Pioneer Communications (KS) on his end-of-the-year retirement. Enjoy!
• Welcome Catherine Moyer as the new General Manager at Pioneer Communications (KS) effective Jan. 1, 2012—we look forward to working with you.
We offer condolences to the following Telcom family members:
• Craig Rapp of Utilicom Safety in TX on the passing of his father in October. Your family is in our prayers. Richard Rapp must have been an incredible man judging by his son.
Telcom Matters
Holiday Recipies
Upside-down Blueberry Breakfast Cake
Hot Cider for the Holidays Makes 4 servings
6 whole cloves2 slices of lemon (about 1/8 inch thick)1qt apple cider1/4 cup of molasses2- inch cinnamon stick1 or 2 Tbsp of fresh lemon juice• Inserttheclovesinthelemonslices.
Using a medium saucepan, bring all ingredients (except the lemon juice) to a gentle boil; reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
One of the best things about the Holidays…is the smell of something baking. This coffee cake is quick and easy and the kids can help mix and stir!
Grease a 13” x 9”pan. Mix, in a large bowl, on the mixer’s low speed, all ingredients together, except the blueberries, (for about 30 seconds); when blended, mix on medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour half of the batter into the prepared pan and spread blueberries over the top, then spread the remaining batter on top of the blueberries. Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter
Bake at 350 degrees, for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Invert the cake on a baking sheet or serving platter and drizzle with the glaze. Enjoy!
Telcom Insurance Group Teams with Wireless Alliance to Form a Consumer Cellphone Buyback Program
In an effort to make the world even more green, The Wireless Alliance has partnered with the Telcom Insurance Group to bring a massive cell
phone recycling program to more than 500 locations throughout the United States.
The Wireless Alliance will provide point-of-sale mobile phone buybacks for any Telcos’ members, meaning consumers can trade in old cell phones for credit from Wireless Alliance. This alliance has the potential to lead to the recycling of thousands of used mobile phones.
“This will allow hundreds of telcos in our network to give costumers an environmental way to recycle their old cell phones, and put some money back in their pockets, too,” said Peter Elliot, Telcom Insurance Group. “Talk about a win, win.”
The Wireless Alliance is a Boulder, CO based mobile phone and electronics recycling company that works with a variety of organizations to set up mobile phone recycling programs in an attempt to significantly reduce the amount of eWaste nationwide. Just eliminating one phone from a landfill can save 40,000 gallons of ground water from contamination.
Telcom Insurance Group, a nationwide insurance agency, was seeking to build a network-wide electronics recycling program. The Wireless Alliance’s point-of-sale software that allows the customer to get instant credit for a used phone made it a perfect partner.
About The Wireless Alliance
The Wireless Alliance is a cell phone recycling company that works with wireless retail stores, e-waste recyclers, schools, universities, state and local government, large corporations, and non-profit organizations to collect and recycle cellular equipment. Since 2001, it has saved more than 500 tons of electronic equipment from landfills. The Wireless Alliance repurposes all mobile equipment it receives in a zero waste, environmentally-conscious manner. Any materials that are not reused are sent to an ISO 14001 certified facility for reclamation.
Want more info on what your old cellphones are worth? Simply go to this special website for Telcom Insurance Group’s contacts.
