Transcript Document

EWEB Claims “101”
(Eugene Water & Electric Board)
APPA Business & Financial Conference
September 19th, 2006
Damage Claims & Service Guarantees
By Tammy Den Ouden
Management Assistant
Customer & Financial Services
A Few Eugene Facts
• Population 146,000
• University Town – 22,000
students “revolve” yearly
• 3rd Largest City in Oregon
A Few EWEB Facts
• 472 Full Time Equivalent employees
• Provide electricity to a 238 square
mile area
• 84,000 Electric customers
• 48,000 Water customers
• 100 Steam customers
• EWEB is chartered through the City
of Eugene
Claims in the EWEB
Organization
Board of Directors
GM
Assistant
to
GM
Electric
Services
Water
&
Steam
Customer
&
Financial
Services
Corporate
Services
Claims Falls Under Here
EWEB Definition of
“Damage” Claims
• When EWEB property is
damaged by anyone for any
reason, this is considered a
“Recovery Claim.”
• When EWEB damages any
property for any reason, this is
considered a “Liability Claim.”
EWEB Insurance
• EWEB is Self Insured up to $1mil
EWEB Headquarters
Oregon Revised Statute 30
• EWEB follows the Oregon Tort
claims act by requiring written
notice from anyone who files a
claim for damages
• Cap for damages
Claims Tracking
• Exclusive EWEB Claims Database (See light blue handout)
• Log all information
• All claims information filters to
me
• Document, Document, Document
• Claims Adjuster/Investigator
2004 Claims Statistics
• 244 Liability Claims
• Paid $59,000
• 74 Recovery Claims
• Recovered $142,000
2005 Claims Statistics
• 267 Liability claims
• Paid $47,000
• 103 Recovery claims
• Recovered $172,000
Prize Opportunity!!!
• What is the mascot for the
University of Oregon?
Electric Policy
• Interruptions, Curtailments,
Fluctuations, Shortages, and
Outages (see tan handout).
• This policy is heavily relied upon to
help guide our decision making when
dealing with customers who have
claims against EWEB. It is referred
to in all denial letters.
3 Common Liability Claims
• I experienced a Power Outage and
my TV, VCR, and Computer no longer
work, and my food has spoiled.
• I have had power fluctuations in my
home and now my major appliances
seem to be damaged. Your line
person told me it was a “neutral
problem.”
• EWEB “dug-in” to our service, we
incurred costs and we would like to
be reimbursed.
Power Outage
• In most cases, if we have a customer
that has damaged appliances (TV,
VCR, Computer etc.) or spoiled food
issues as a result of a power outage,
we deny the claim and refer to our
policy (see tan and purple handout)
“Neutral” Issues
• Neutral issues often come with major
appliances being damaged
(stoves,refrigerators etc.) which increases
the amount of the claim (sometimes
substantially). While we still refer to our
policy, we do make exceptions, and
occasionally negotiate with the customer.
EWEB recognizes that a neutral issue is not
something a customer can necessarily
prevent (see green for example).
EWEB “Dig-In”
• In most cases, if EWEB caused the
damage, EWEB will pay for the
damage
• The organization sending the bill
should provide documentation to
EWEB proving that EWEB created the
damage. This is necessary, as we
don’t always have the documentation
with the information or we have not
heard about it
EWEB Release of All
claims
• If EWEB makes any kind of a
payment for a liability claim, an offer
letter with a release is sent.
• No payment will be made until the
Release is signed first.
• See white handout for example of
Release
3 Common Recovery
Claims
• Contractor “Dig-In” to
EWEB Service.
• Car to Pole
• Tree fell on EWEB Service
Contractor “Dig-In”
• Call to Claims Adjuster
• Call to Claims
• Incident and Investigation report
sent to Claims
• Billable sent to Claims
• Claims bills the Person who did the
dig in or Insurance etc.(see lavender
handout)
• Unless obvious “Locate” problem,
contractor can subrogate to Locate
company
Car to Pole
• Call to Claims Adjuster
• Call to Claims
• Incident and Investigation report
sent to Claims
• Billable sent to Claims with police
info, if any
• Claims bill Insurance, if any. If no
insurance, bill customer directly.
Tree Fell on EWEB
Service
• Call to Claims Adjuster
• Call to Claims
• Incident and Investigation report sent to
Claims (see yellow handout)
• Billable sent to Claims with police info,
if any
• Claims bill Person who Fell Tree directly
(if they want be to bill insurance, I will)
• Tree Fell means someone cut down or
trimmed tree and it “fell” into EWEB
Service.
EWEB Billables include
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Labor
Overtime
Operations Overhead
Administrative Overhead
Flagging fees
Materials
Equipment Charges
Misc fees
See red handouts for definitions and
example of billable
Car Accidents (EWEB
Vehicle/Employee involved)
• Biggest Liability
• EWEB Employee fill out Yellow Auto
Accident Report (in every vehicle-see
small yellow handout)
• EWEB Claims Adjuster usually called
for investigation
• Adhere to EWEB’s Driving policy(see
bright pink handout)
• Waiver of Liability (white or pink
handout back of driver policy)
Car Accident Billable
• If it is determined that EWEB is at
fault, we will pay the customer(s)
and proceed according to law
• If it is determined the other party is
at fault, We will send the bill to their
insurance company. If no insurance
exists, we will bill them directly
Important Claims Factors
for EWEB
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Document, Document, Document
Investigate
Proper Documentation
Claims Adjuster’s Reports
Locating Reports
Police Reports
Documented Policies & Procedures
Timely Reporting
Oregon Law
EWEB Employees vs sound judgement
before, during and after incidents
• Get the Facts – Due Diligence!
EWEB Claims Staff
• Management Assistant (1 Full
Time and 1 Part-time) Customer
& Financial Services – Claims
process is part of the “duties” of
this position. Some tasks are
occasionally delegated to other
employees within the division.
Another Prize
Opportunity!!
• EWEB provides 3 different
Utilities to the Eugene area.
Can you name them?
Answer…
• Electric
• Water
• Steam
Questions ?
Call Tammy @ 541-684-5843
[email protected]
www.eweb.org
Mckenzie River – EWEB’s Water source
Thank You!
(South Sister, North Sister, Middle Sister – Oregon Cascade Mountain Range)