Risk Management & Insurance

1. Risk Management & Insurance Renew Systems Waste and Trauma Scene Management

2. The Truth About Hoarding • What is hoarding? • Collections of Collections • Trouble getting rid of items • Mental Illness • Organization difficulty

3. Origins of Hoarding • Dante’s Divine Comedy (1308 AD) • Charles Dickens’Bleak House (1862) • 1842 the novel, Dead Souls- Plyushkin displays all the characteristics of hoarding • Erich Fromm (20th Century) suggested that acquisition was one way for people to relate to the world around them and was core to one’s character • Recognized in 1920 as a disorder

4. Famous Hoarders • Ida Mayfield Wood • Hoarded $1 Million in cash – Hidden in pots & pans. • Inside a Cracker Jack box was a diamond necklace • $10,000 in cash sealed around her waist • Alexander Kennedy Miller • $1 Million of Gold Bullion • $60,000 in Silver Bullion • $1 Million in promissory notes, stocks and shares. • The Collyers • After they passed away, authorities removed over 140 TONS of debris from their home.

6. Risks of Hoarding Hoarding can cause: • Unsanitary conditions • Increased risk of falls • An inability to perform daily tasks • Poor work performance • Family conflicts • Loneliness and social isolation • A fire hazard • Loss of important items

8. Costs of Hoarding • In a month, an average of 1500 evictions in San Francisco due to hoarding. • SF task force says hoarding ≈ $6 million per year. • Average clean up costs: $8K-16K • 12,000-15,000 residents in San Francisco struggle with this condition

9. Why is it an Insurance Risk? • Fire hazards • Higher chance of injury • Liability • Blocked exits • Poor home Maintenance: • Collapsing Attics • Bursting Pipes • Structural Damage

10. Possible Solutions? • Exposure Evaluation • Professionals analyze in person to reduce risk • Program Development • reviewing alternatives, we carefully weigh costs and benefits, presenting you with clear, detailed recommendations • Communication • It's important to fully understand your coverage, what is and isn’t covered by the insured’s policy

11. Insurance Now • The insurer decides whether and how to act. • Coverage may be cancelled depending on the severity • If the debris was there when the policy was written, the law may require the insurer to send a warning. • The hope: proper documentation exists to prove hoarding occurred after the issuance of coverage.

12. Points of DevelopmentCurrent Status • Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) aims to change: • Misdiagnosis • Real impact in terms of the diagnosis & treatment. • OCD vs. Hoarding • Reclassification • Results in better treatment plans, aimed at asking the right questions

13. Bottom Line for Insurance • Everyone's insurance differs, so coverage differs. • Reclassification could mean better reimbursement. • Avoid bad claims

14. Prevention/Education • Referrals to Mental Health Professionals • Marin Hoarding Alliance • Institute on Compulsive Hoarding and Clutter • NAPO: Professional organizers • Children of Hoarders • Open and Honest Communication • Respect • Have Sympathy • Encourage • Teamwork • Reflect • ASK

15. RENEW SYSTEMS – WASTE AND TRUAMA MANAGEMENT CONTACT INFORMATION 24 hour 7 days per week EMERGENCY RESPONSE 855-836-7368 info@renewsystems4you.com www.renewsystems4you.com