How does Insurance Centers think green?

At Insurance Centers, we believe that companies and individuals should take steps to protect and to preserve our environment.

While insurance agencies tend not to have a large carbon footprint, there are still ways that Insurance Centers can contribute to reduce its impact on the environment. If each one of us contributes a little bit, the overall benefits can be tremendous.

Here are a few commitments that we have made at Insurance Centers to be a "greener" agency:

1. Reduce the use of paper. Insurance agencies and companies tend to be paper intensive. Applications, forms, policies, letters, etc. all create mounds of paper. Not to mention envelopes, post-it notes, memos and the like. We are utilizing technology to electronically manage and move documents from location to location and from company to agency. We have already asked companies to stop sending us paper documents and to instead send these documents electronically. Where possible, we are attempting to reduce the sea of paper.

2. Purchase computers, printers and equipment that are Energy Star compliant. Insurance agencies use personal computers, monitors, printers, copiers, scanners, fax machines, and other similar types of office equipment. Each of these devices requires electricity to operate. When Insurance Centers purchases this type of equipment, we try to purchase equipment that has been certified by Energy Star. Some key benefits of purchasing Energy Star compliant equipment include:

• These products use 25% to 50% less energy
• They reduce energy costs without compromising performance
• The reduce air pollution because fewer fossil fuels are burned
• The product life can be extended, resulting in fewer materials in landfills.

3. Purchase paper products that contain recycled materials. As mentioned above, insurance agencies use a number of paper based products in the course of its daily operations. We make copies, mail envelopes, use post-it notes, create memos, etc. Insurance Centers uses its best efforts to purchase paper products that contain post-consumer recycled content. While it is not always possible, we do so when it is possible.

4. Use technology as a paper substitute. We have implemented desktop faxing where documents are faxed directly from a computer rather than printing a paper copy then sending that paper through a fax machine. Agents are also required to photograph homes and businesses for certain types of insurance coverages. The agency previously used instant type photography (Polaroid) it now uses digital cameras, eliminating the need for paper or for chemically based photo development.

5. Mail fewer documents. While it is impossible to eliminate the mailing of many documents due to legal requirements, we are implementing systems to reduce mailings where possible. Our main effort in this regard is to collect email addresses of our clients and use email to provide information electronically instead of by regular postal mail. Not only will clients receive information faster, but it will reduce the resources needed by the U.S. Postal Service in their delivery efforts.

>>> Please take time a moment to send your email address to Insurance Centers to help us in our green effort. Doing so will help us to reduce mailings and paper use."








6. Encourage electronic premium payments. Most insurance companies allow customers to pay their insurance bill by electronic bank draft. This service, while not only convenient, saves on paper by eliminating the writing of checks. Again, electronically processing transaction saves paper, transportation, and disposal resources. We encourage customers to consider the automatic payment of their insurance premiums through electronic debit.