Alliance celebrates two decades of service with donation

The time for celebration at Alliance Insurance Services has arrived as they are celebrating their twentieth anniversary. Owner Christoper Cook said the celebration of two decades of service began with a special gathering and recognition of Alliance’s 37 full-time and five part-time employees.

“We are seven times larger today than we were in 2012,” said Cook. “We’re also five times larger than we were 10 years ago, and we’ve managed to grow more than 18% percent each year.”

The company is expecting 400 percent growth over the next eight years Cook said and that Alliance Insurance Services “values and appreciates the community,” and that giving back is important to them.

Currently Alliance Insurance Services has five offices located throughout the area including Mount Airy, Pilot Mountain, Winston-Salem, Clemmons and Walnut Cove.

Cook said the twenty year mark gave them a great idea for giving back, “Our staff is very philanthropic, in fact in honor of our 20 years, we decided to give more than $20,000 to the United Fund of Surry.”

Down to business

While it is a time for celebration, Cook also spread the word about the dangers from floods that can mean serious costs to homeowners who may not have adequate insurance protection.

He said in conjunction with National Insurance Awareness Day the Federal Emergency Management Agency sought to educate the public about the financial damage that floods can cause to the average family. In fact, he said FEMA estimates that flooding causes $8 billion dollars’ worth of damage each year.

“What most folks don’t realize is that their Homeowners insurance policy does not cover flood damage,” he explained. “That’s why if you live in a flood plain, or near a river or the coast, you should consider purchasing flood insurance for your home.”

“And remember, even if you don’t live in a flood plain, you shouldn’t assume that you’ll never incur flood damage.”

He said fortunately the federal government offers insurance for direct floods and flood related damage through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). This program even covers mudslides and erosion he said, “And it requires that the community in which you live adopt zoning laws which prohibit future building in flood prone areas. Last year alone, NFIP paid out nearly 10 million dollars on 484 flood claims here in North Carolina.”

“All flood insurance coverage requires a 30-day waiting period before the policy goes into effect, and even though there are exceptions, you should get with your insurance agent as soon as possible,” said Cook.