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Dear Tipworks Members:

I hope all of you and your families are safe and doing well. Grace & I were evacuated early Tuesday morning or late Monday night depending on how you look at it!!! We have now returned to our home and I’m happy to report that everything was OK. So far I’ve had three customers loss their homes, so I’ll be very busy helping them out. I look forward to seeing you all next Thursday on November 1st.

The following article about Farmer’s response explains the reason I’m proud to work for Farmers rather than some other company. Take care.

Regards,

Gregg

Latest news

The Southern California wildfires, now in their fourth day, have destroyed more than 1,500 homes and caused at least a half-million people to flee – the largest evacuation in state history. And as numerous fires burn throughout Southern California, Farmers agents and employees continue to mobilize to serve our customers. Leading those efforts from the front has been CEO Paul Hopkins — a visible presence talking to customers and the press at both the Santa Clarita fire relief station and the evacuation site at San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium.

In all these contacts, Hopkins has stressed some critical points — points you may also want to share with your staff:

We were first to respond, while others were considering what to do this is Farmers territory, we’re not leaving and there won’t be rate increases or cancellations because of the fires. We’ve extended billing deadlines for those affected by the fires brush abatement will be a key strategy to prevent future fires.

The presence of the CEO on the front line has attracted a lot of favorable media attention. The Los Angeles Times noted that Farmers was first to the scene at Qualcomm. “We want people to see that their insurance company is out here,” the newspaper quoted Hopkins. The article also noted that Farmers was committed to doing the right thing. “Southern California is Farmers’ home and its territory,” Hopkins added. “I hope other carriers don’t look at this as a time to try to take on horrendous rate increases or try to leave the state.”

Hopkins was also interviewed by all the San Diego network TV affiliates, as well as Dow Jones News Service, The San Diego Tribune, CNN Money.com, The San Diego Business Journal, the Annenberg Television Network, Fox Business news, ABC radio, AM Best Weekly, Insurance Journal, KFI radio, KUSI television and a few more.

Other media reports have focused on the fact that the Farmers Mobile Claims Center (MCC) was the first and only insurer response vehicle at the stadium in San Diego — and many noted Farmers’ generosity in feeding more than 1,000 customers and non-customers, and our willingness to make Additional Living Expense (ALE) payments to evacuees at the MCC.

Leading our media relations efforts is VP of State Legislative Affairs and Media Relations Mark Toohey and his team: Media Relations Director Jerry Davies and Media Relations Manager Michelle Levy.