Christmas Eve at the office...

We had a good size turn out for the Christmas eve at the office with Santa. Next year we would like to see more customers if they can make it. We enjoyed visiting with those that could make it. I have added some pictures of the office and of Santa's visit.

We hope you have a happy and safe New Year!

Myron and Michelle

Santa enjoying his morning...

Santa waving to all the cars outside our office.

Santa and Myron's daughter and son in law doing the robot.

Santa's visit...

More office decorations...

Here is some more of the office decorations. Here is the extra office with the Christmas village set up and then Santa in the hotair balloon that spun around the room. The snowflakes were our favorite this year. They were hung up from the ceiling in every room you walked into.

The spinning Santa Hot Air Balloon...

Our Chrismtas tree....

The reindeer we have hanging from the ceiling as well...

Our office decorated for Christmas....

Office decorated....

Here are the little figurines that we have going up the stairs. There are a total of 14 of them going up the stairs.

Here is our Christmas cards we received from different friends and family as well as customers!

Our tree at work...

We have our tree...

I walked into work today to find a 9 foot Christmas tree waiting to be decorated. It is absolutely beautiful. Myron could not have picked out a more perfect one for our office. We spent the morning decorating it with the new ornaments and it looks amazing! Here is our tree (minus the angel that goes on top... I will add a new picture once we get that put up there) and some of our decorations...

Our awesome tree...

The nativity set...

Santa walking down the ladder.

Santa walking up the ladder...

My little tree on my desk.

Drivers Safety: The Y.E.S. Program

If you have a teen driver, you’re concerned about their safety, so is Farmers. That's why we developed the Y.E.S. (You're Essential to Safety® Program. This informative driver education program may can help improve your teen’s driving and may increase your peace of mind.

You’re probably also worried about increasing auto insurance costs with an inexperienced driver in your household. In many states, young drivers who complete the Y.E.S. program receive a discount* on their Car insurance. Additionally, your teen may qualify as a Good Student and save you even more on your car insurance.

In order to qualify for available discounts, your teenager will need to watch the Y.E.S. video and complete an online follow-up questionnaire designed to check for their understanding of driver safety. As teenagers complete the questionnaire, they'll see facts, read stories, and meet a few young people who have already learned about driving safety the hard way. They'll be asked to think about how they feel, and question what they may know. In the end, they'll be better prepared to decide what kind of driver they want to be. This information may help them to see what it means to make good and bad decisions on the road.

Safe drivers cost less to insure. Educating young adults about the realities of the road is an important way to manage the cost of insurance - for Farmers and for you.

Once your teenager has watched the video and completed the safety course, give us a call. We will send you a form for you to sign as well as your teenager. This form will let us add the discount onto the policy.

If you have any questions, please feel free to give our office a call.

Washington State Discounts

Farmers offers a number of different discounts to our insureds. The different discounts are listed below. Please feel free to give us a call if you would like more information regarding these discounts.

Auto Discounts:

• Alternative Fuel Discount - First-ever discount for those who drive hybrids and other alternative fuel vehicles. You save on all major coverages.
• Farmers Next Generation Homeowners - The policy offers coverages you'll want for your home, flexibility in choosing coverage options, and discounts to stretch your insurance dollar.
• Multiple Lines Discount - If you have auto, home and life insurance with Farmers, you may qualify for additional savings on your auto or home policy.
• Affinity - This discount is available for insureds who are members of an eligible business or professional group and meets other specified criteria.
• Alternative Fuel - This discount applies to drivers of gas/electric hybrid vehicles and other alternative fuel vehicles.
• Anti-Lock Brakes - To qualify, the automobile must be equipped with a factory-installed Anti-lock break system on all 4 wheels.
• Auto/Mobilehome - This discount will be applied if the person named on the auto policy, or their spouse, is also the person named on a Foremost Mobile Homeowners Policy.
• Auto/Home or Auto/Renters - A discount on your Auto Policy may be applied if the person named on the auto policy, or their spouse, is also the person named on a Homeowners or Renters Policy.
• Auto/Life - This discount applies to the Auto Policy, provided a member of the household is also the owner of a Term, Whole, Universal, or Variable Universal Life insurance policy with a face amount of $50,000 or greater issued by Farmers NewWorld Life Insurance Company.
• Electronic Funds Transfer - This discount is available to all customers who enroll in Farmers automatic checking withdrawal billing system. (Please note: This is a discount you get if we set this up at our office. This discount does not count if you have it automatically taken out using Farmers.com online bill pay.)
• Good Student - This discount is available to single drivers under the age of 25 with specific academic achievements in their current educational environment.
• Passive Restraint - The discount is available on medical coverage. To qualify, the automobile must be equipped with a factory installed air bag or other passive restraint system that meets Federal Safety Standards.
• Prior Insurance - Insured in Mid-Century who have been continuously insured by any insurance carrier over the prior six months qualify.
• Senior Defense Driver - This discount is available to all insureds who are 55 years of age and over. In order to receive this discount you must complete an educational course that is an approved. (This information will be posted in another blog post.)
• Multiple Car - This shall be applied to two or more private passenger automobiles which are kept at the same location and owned by the named insured or same registered owner.
• New Household Credit - We'll credit your first payment if you create a new auto and homeowners policy at the same time.
• Advanced Purchase Credit - This discount is available for new Auto customers that purchase an auto policy 7 or more days in advance of the effective date of the policy.

Homeowner Discounts:

• Age 50 Plus - This discount applies if the oldest named insured is age 50 or older.
• Auto/Home - Available to homeowners, condominiums or renters policy if the person named on the policy or their spouse is also named on the policy.
• New Home - Applies to homes constructed during the current calendar year and within the last 14 calendar years.
• Home/Life - Available to homeowners, condominiums or renters policy if a related member of the household has an eligible Life policy.
• Home Renovation - Homes in which the major systems have been recently renovated are eligible for the discount for the systems renovated - the heating and electrical systems or the plumbing system or both.
• Protective Devices - Discounts are available for insured homes equipped with qualifying burglar and fire protection devices such as central station alarms and interior automatic fire sprinkler systems.

Senior Defense Driving Discount

In order to get this discount you must take an approved educational driver safety class. There are 2 different ways you can take these classes.

You can take the class online by clicking here. The class online cost $15.95 if you are an AARP member. If you are not the class is $19.95. Upon completion, you will receive your certificate mailed directly to your home.

You can take the class at a location near you by clicking here. You will need to enter your zip code and it will bring up a list of classes near you. If you chose this route, the cost is $10.00. Most classes are taught in two, four-hour sessions spanning two days. They give you the certificate at the end of the 2nd class.

If you have any questions about this discount or would like to see what kind of savings you would get please give our office a call.

What do you do for a living?

Did you know that Farmers offers an Affinity discount for insureds who are members of an eligible business or professional group?

This discount applies to all coverages and varies by qualifying groups. The percentage of the discount is between 5-10%. Farmers offers this discount to the following eligible business or professional groups:

1. Elementary or Secondary Educators (K-12)
2. College Professors/Instructors
3. Engineers
4. Firefighters
5. Physicians/Surgeons
6. Police Officers/Law Enforcement Officers
7. Registered Nurses
8. Scientists

If you are one of the above, please give us a call so we can go through and see if you meet the specified criteria for that profession.

Santa Claus is coming to town...

Santa Claus will be making a special visit to our office on December 24th from 10:00 am until 11:30 am.

Come visit Santa...

You can bring the kids in and let them tell Santa what they want for Christmas and get their picture taken with him as well. Snacks will be provided.

Please call our office if you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you and enjoy the holidays!

Are you ready for flood season and the Howard Hanson Dam?

With summer no longer here, it is time to prepare for the winter months. With all the rain that falls this time of year, there is a greater chance of flooding due to the rivers rising. By preparing now, you can help your family and property stay safe when the rain begins.

This year we have a higher risk of flooding due to the problem at the Howard Hanson Dam. The higher risk is due to water seeping more rapidly through an earthen bank next to the dam after record high water last year. Until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) can make repairs, it must limit the amount of flood water it stores behind the dam.

If heavy and prolonged rain occurs this flood season (anywhere between October through March), many homes and businesses in the valley that don't typically see flood water--including parts of Auburn, Kent, Renton, South Seattle and Tukwila--could be flooded.

There could possibly be evacuations in some communities. Transportation routes and transit service could be disrupted, and power outages and sewage back-ups are possible even outside the immediate flood zone. Due to the power outages that could happen during this flood season, it is a good time to start looking for generators.

Does your homeowners policy cover damage caused by flood?

The answer to this question is no. Your homeowners policy does NOT cover damages caused by flooding. Your homeowners policy also does not cover sewer back-ups that happen because of flooding. You would need a flood insurance policy to cover those occurances. We would be happy to do a flood quote for you in order to see what kind of coverage you would need in case of a flood.

Here is a good website to look at for additional information about flooding:

King County Flooding Services

This website has all kinds of good links to look at to get prepared for flooding. They even have a link to take you to the site that will let you set up automated alerts. They can send you alerts by email or by phone (voice or text messages).

If you have any questions about flooding, please give our office a call!

How to prepare for a flood...

1. Make an emergency plan and assemble an emergency kit.
2. Buy flood insurance now; it takes 30 days for a policy to take effect. Review your current policy; a standard insurance policy will not cover flood damage. Contact your insurance agent.
3. Purchase an inexpensive AM radio or NOAA weather radio with batteries in case of power outages for urgent news day and night.
4. Monitor area news media for information if severe weather is predicted.
5. Listen for alerts about evacuation routes or visit the king county website for the latest evacuation route information.
6. Monitor local road conditions and obey closure signs.
7. Take medications and supplies with you, for those with medical needs.
8. Be ready to relocate animals and livestock out of harm's way.
9. Minimize flood damage:

• Store valuables and electronics higher on the ground floor, on the second story or in your attic.
• Store chemicals above possible flood levels; recycle them or dispose of them at the King County Wastemobile.
• Ensure underground storage tanks are sealed and secure.
• Learn how to use sandbags and locate where you can buy them or get them ahead of time if needed for flood fighting. Some cities are giving out sand bags to residents. You can look on your cities webpage to see if that applies to you.
• Move vehicles and equipment to high ground before flood waters rise.
• Keep storm drains free of leaves and other debris.
• Know who to call and how to protect yourself if flooding leads to sewage overflows into homes and businesses.

About Myron

Myron was born and raised in the Pacific Northwest. He was born in Seattle and lived there until he moved to the Des Moines area. He became an agent with Farmers in 1984 and has been helping his insureds ever since. He is very dedicated in his work and he thrives to make sure his insureds are happy and stay that way!

Myron has 3 beautiful kids and 3 wonderful grandkids. His son Jesse and granddaughter Natalie, age 2, lives in Hawaii. His oldest daughter Brittany lives in Puyallup with her husband Austin, who is in the Army. They have 2 daughters Brook age 3 and Cadence age 1. His other daughter Christina lives in Puyallup and is going to Pierce College. Myron enjoys skiing with his children. He has played raquetball for over 10 years now and his newest hobby is learning to golf.

About Michelle

Michelle was born and raised in southwest Louisiana. She moved to Washington on September 11th, 1999. She started working for the Myron R. Johnson Agency in September of 2000. She worked very hard to get her agents license which she successfully got in 2003.

She enjoys working in the insurance industry and she loves helping our insureds on a daily basis. She strives to answer any questions that she is asked and if she doesn't have the answer she will find someone that does.

Other than work, she became a mother in 2008 to a beautiful daughter named Cadence. She enjoys being a mother and is looking foward to raising her every step of the way!

Why choose a Farmers Agent?

Experience

Farmers is about people. And in an age of impersonal business transactions and fleeting loyalties, Farmers is proud of its commitment to personal service: a commitment we've honored for more than 80 years.

Farmers agents undergo a rigorous training program before they are able to sell their first policy. Our agents put their professional experience to work for their customers, helping to make sure you receive the coverage you want that is suited to your needs. And they review your policies with you annually in a Farmers Friendly Review.

Additionally, Farmers is the third-largest insurer of homes and automobiles in the United States. It's a strong position to be in, and it enables us to provide the widest available range of insurance products and services for everyone.

Community Involvement

Farmers Agents are proud to serve the neighborhoods in which they live. And as a company, Farmers has a longstanding tradition of community outreach and support. From scholarship programs to educational resources to supporting the arts, Farmers' community involvement is truly as diverse as its customers and agents.

Planning is your best protection...

...against the unexpected.

Farmers is in the business of helping our customers get back to where they belong when the unexpected happens. Emergency planning can help you prepare for life's setbacks and to help restore your world to order when the unexpected happens.

Undergoing a life change? Events like getting married or retiring require a change in life planning. How will you handle the high cost of college tuition, the hassle of buying a new car, the worries of buying a new home or moving?

No insurance company offers more discounts than we do, and our industry-leading HelpPoint® claims service means you can count on us to be there when you need us. Anytime, day or night, just one call to (800) 435-7764 will help you restore your world to order - fast! Give me a call and I'll give you more information on all the many products and discounts my Farmers agency offers, whether it's auto insurance, homeowners insurance, life insurance or something more specialized.

Our Agency Promise

Personal service from a friendly, knowledgeable staff.

You are our customer. Meeting and caring for your needs and minimizing the risk of loss and its impact on you is our main concern. We will return every call by the end of the business day if you we’re involved with another client when you call. More important, you will have access to my private cell line 24 hours a day.

Fast, fair, friendly claims service.

In the event of a loss, we offer claims service with a 24 hour emergency claims hot line. Our motto is “Farmers. Gets you back where you belong.” We review every claim and will keep in contact with you until the claim is settled.

Expertise and coverage recommendations.

Insurance requires choices, and choices require guidance. As your agent we will explain the options and provide assistance in selecting and securing coverage, and we’ll review your needs every year in order to make sure you are getting the best rates and all the discounts available.

Annual reviews to keep your coverage current.

Insurance needs change over the years. We will do an annual review of your household to make sure your coverage is adequate and current. As your needs change we’ll offer coverage options, changes to limits, different deductibles and a re-evaluation of values for your review.

Insurance that is easy to understand.

Our products are designed to provide the coverage you need in a format that is also easy to understand. The coverage enhancements are specific to your business.

Easy payment options.

It is our goal to make doing business with us easy. We offer a variety of EasyPay options to make the payment of premiums match your needs.

One agency to handle all your insurance needs.

We are a full-service multiple lines agency. We offer auto and home insurance, life insurance, umbrella insurance, commercial insurance, and flood insurance. We also have insurance for mobile homes, off-road vehicles, motorcycles, snowmobiles, and motor homes.