Company News


Hastings Mutual Partners with Identity Theft 911 to Provide Identity Fraud Advocacy Services!

Identity Resolution and Life Stages Services Free to All Homeowners, Farmowners and Manufactured Homeowners Policyholders!

Hastings Mutual Insurance Company has teamed up with Identity Theft 911, a leading provider of identity management solutions, to provide its policyholders with proactive identity theft services and on-demand access to fraud specialists. Hastings Mutual is offering these services free of charge to all Homeowners, Farmowners, and Manufactured Homeowners policyholders (excluding partnerships and corporations).

The Federal Trade commission (FTC) says that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, topping the FTC's list of consumer complaints for seven consecutive years. Victims don't just suffer a loss of time and money from the crime, according to the FTC's latest Identity Theft Survey Report, victims have also reported getting harassed by debt collectors, having to make repeated credit corrections, being rejected for loans, and having banking and insurance problems.

"When the opportunity arose to provide our policyholders with a valuable service, the Identity Protection Program, we did not hesitate to move forward," stated Charles Johnson, vice President of Marketing for Hastings Mutual. "We are thrilled to partner with Identity Theft 911 is this endeavor, and have complete confidence that we're providing our customers with the best, setting Hastings Mutual apart from our many competitors."

"Many victims are overwhelmed after being hit by identity theft," said Matt Cullina, CEO of Identity Theft 911. "Hastings Mutual recognized the critical need for one-on-one victim advocacy, and we're happy to provide their policyholders with our Life Stages services."

Identity Theft 911 Life Stages
The Life Stages program addresses the particular vulnerabilities to one's identity when they relocate, travel, want to protect a minor's identity, are deployed in the military, lose a loved one, or experience a disaster. In particular with Identity Travel Services, a traveler's personal advocate works with family and friends to send emergency funds through secure channels, while working with the victim to protect financial, credit and identity data-- securing access to bank, credit union, brokerage, and credit card accounts and credit files and obtaining any needed documentation.

Identity Theft 911 Resolution Services
If a policyholder becomes a victim of identity theft, an advocate will guide them through the entire process of restoring their identity. Identity Theft 911's Resolution Service includes:

   [] Unlimited one-on-one access to an expert personal advocate
   [] Fraud alerts placed with all three credit bureaus and a review of credit reports
   [] Assistance in preparing the Fraud Victim Affidavit and documents
   [] Assistance in notifying all relevant businesses, agencies, and institutions
   [] Assistance in replacing checks, credit cards and debit cards
   [] A full year of credit monitoring, fraud monitoring and follow-up after resolution
   [] All services apply to immediate family members

In addition to identity theft resoulution services, Hastings Mutual Insurance policyholders will have access to Identity Theft 911's educational material through a dedicated website:
http://hastingsmutual-idtheft.com

About Hastings Mutual Insurance Company
Hastings Mutual is a regional Property Casualty insurance company operating in five Midwestern states. The company, based in Hastings, Michigan, has been writing commercial, farm , and personal lines businsess through independent agents since 1885.

About Identity Theft 911
Identity Theft 911 is an idustry leader in identity management, providing innovative, enterprise-level fraud solutions and consumer education to Fortune 500 companines, many of America's larest insurance companies and corporate benefit providers, and a wide specturm of financial institutuions, colleges, and universities. More than 12 million households are enrolled in Idenitity Theft 911's comprehensive identity management programs. For more information, call 480-355-8500 or visit www.identitytheft911.com.


Multi Protection Guard Endorsement Expanded for Personal Auto Policy!

New Pet Injury Coverage Added!

Hastings Mutual has added free Pet Injury Coverage to the free, money-saving Multi Protection Guard (MPG) endorsement! Pet Injury Coverage allows for up to a $200 to cover veterinary costs should your cat or dog be injured in an accident while riding with you in your covered auto.

This new coverage is on top of a great MPG endorsement that is automatically included free of charge on every Hastings Mutual Personal Auto Policy.

What else does the MPG endorsement include?

-  Travel Interruption - Away from home more than 100 miles? If your travel is interrupted due to a  covered loss, there is some relief for the possibly substantial expenses that you may incur!

-  New Vehicle Replacement Cost - this is a "must have" replacement cost coverage for new vehicles owned less than one year. Definitely check out the MPG endorsement if you own a new car.

Auto Loan/Lease Coverage - This is a great coverage for autos with outstanding loans or autos that are leased. If there is a total loss to your covered auto, the financial penalty to you should be reduced considerably.

Questions? Please contact your Hastings Mutual agent for assistance.



Ward's 50 Benchmark

Hastings Mutual has been selected for inclusion in the 2003 edition of Ward's 50 Benchmark Group. Companies are "...selected for achieving outstanding financial results in the areas of safety, consistency, and performance over a five-year period..."

Hastings Mutual has been included in this group for at least three years in a row. A feature story concerning Ward's 50 Benchmark Group will appear in the August 25, 2003, edition of Business Week.


Terrorism Insurance

The Terrorism Risk Insurance Act of 2002 requires insurance carriers to send notification to all existing commercial policyholders of the availability of terrorism coverage in the insurance policy and the current charge for this coverage. Recently, as is required by this law, we notified our policyholders of the existence of the Federal Terrorism Insurance Backstop that is administered by the U. S. Department of Treasury.

Commercial umbrella policies is the first line of business where Hastings Mutual will provide coverage for certified acts of terrorism for an additional premium charge. Here is how the process works:

  1. All new and renewal policies (including quotes) will have the coverage added for a charge of 1.2% of the policy premium (1.5% in Cook County Illinois).
  2. A Notice to Policyholder, Form No. PD 01 51 03 03, will be included with the insured's policy declaration pages. This form provides information regarding the act and the amount of the premium charge. This notice also serves as a coverage rejection form.
  3. If our policyholder rejects the coverage, they may either return the form to your agency or to our office. If the insured rejects the coverage, the coverage and corresponding premium charge will be deleted from the policy. The rejection of coverage will exclude both certified and non-certified acts of terrorism.
  4. If the insured accepts coverage, certified acts of terrorism will be covered under the policy. Non-certified acts of terrorism will still be excluded.

This above process is currently in progress in all of our states of operation.


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