Buz Livingston is a certified financial planner who works to enrich the quality of his clients’ lives by improving their financial awareness and increasing their financial knowledge by providing his clients with professional, unbiased, and objective financial planning and investment management.
Based out of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, Buz Livingston is all too familiar with the devastation and trauma that can be caused by catastrophic losses. Many of his clients had devastating losses after Hurricane Ivan. As a financial planner, Livingston helps his clients manage their assets and wealth, and that includes assisting clients with financial decisions concerning insurance.
Livingstone explains that the finances of a policyholder can be substantially impacted after a loss. Often, a policyholder uses his or her own funds for at least some portion of the claim. Livingston also explained how important it is for his clients to buy the proper insurance that will meet their needs. Livingston works to educate his clients that a bargain premium is not a way to save money if the policy does not provide the needed or desired coverage. He urges policyholders to be proactive and take more time to learn about the coverage they buy for their homes and businesses.
In a recent article, BUZ LIVINGSTON: Trying to Reason With Hurricane Season, Livingston provides some practical information based on his experiences with clients who have suffered losses. Livingston recognizes the shift insurance companies have made in connection with how business is done. He explained that insurance companies are in business to make money, so following through on the promises of coverage often takes a back seat to profits.
When it comes to hiring a public adjuster, Livingston justifies the expense for his clients. When dealing with a claim adjustment or payout, Livingston points out “Any loss is subject to a great deal of subjectivity. There is a maximum legitimate loss, a minimum legitimate loss and the difference can be dramatic. ”
Livingston provides other financial perspectives on insurance issues.
- Expect the cost of actual construction to increase greatly over the amount of the insurance company’s adjuster’s estimate.
- Instead of paying the claim—a claim is resolved with an insurer through the art of negotiation. Public adjusters in Florida can negotiate property damage claims and bring claims’ adjustment experience into the negotiations.
- Huge disasters overwhelm the system. Insurance companies don’t have enough experienced adjusters on staff so new and inexperienced ones are thrown in the breach.
- Adjusters are more generous with folks they like. Avoid settling a claim on a Monday, Friday or any rainy day (they always get you down).
- Just like buying a car, settle a claim during the last few days of the month.
Buz Livingston publishes weekly articles on financial issues for The Walton Sun. His pertinent choice of topics and great story telling style make financial issues interesting.