Adjuster TV sat down with Curley Adjustment president Frank Marx to discuss pit falls rookie adjusters can avoid when starting out in the field.
View the interview in the video below.
Category Archives: News Release
Understanding and Preventing Identity Theft
The Invisible Threat
In our increasingly digital world, identity theft has become a pervasive threat that affects millions of people each year. The consequences of identity theft can be devastating, leading to financial loss, damage to credit scores, and emotional distress. Understanding what identity theft is and how to prevent it is crucial in safeguarding your personal information and maintaining your financial well-being.
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft occurs when someone illegally obtains and uses your personal information, such as your social security number, credit card details, or bank account information, without your permission. This can lead to fraudulent activities such as opening new accounts, making unauthorized purchases, or even committing crimes in your name.
Common Methods of Identity Theft
- Phishing Scams: Cybercriminals often use phishing emails or messages to trick individuals into providing personal information. These emails may appear to be from legitimate sources, such as banks or government agencies, but they contain malicious links or attachments.
- Data Breaches: Large-scale data breaches at companies and organizations can expose sensitive information of millions of individuals. Hackers can exploit security vulnerabilities to steal data, which is then sold on the dark web.
- Skimming: Identity thieves use skimming devices to capture credit card information from ATMs, gas station pumps, or point-of-sale terminals. These devices are often difficult to detect, making it easy for thieves to steal your information without your knowledge.
- Mail Theft: Physical mail can also be a target for identity thieves. They may steal mail containing sensitive information, such as credit card statements, tax documents, or pre-approved credit offers, to gain access to your personal information.
How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
While identity theft can be a daunting threat, there are several proactive steps you can take to protect yourself:
- Secure Your Personal Information: Be cautious about sharing personal information online and ensure that your social media profiles are set to private. Shred documents containing sensitive information before disposing of them.
- Use Strong Passwords: Create complex passwords for your online accounts and avoid using the same password across multiple sites. Consider using a password manager to keep track of your passwords.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your online accounts by enabling two-factor authentication (2FA). This requires you to enter a code sent to your phone or email in addition to your password.
- Monitor Your Financial Accounts: Regularly review your bank and credit card statements for any suspicious activities. Set up transaction alerts to receive notifications of any unauthorized transactions.
- Be Wary of Phishing Scams: Be skeptical of emails or messages asking for personal information. Look for signs of phishing, such as misspellings, generic greetings, or unexpected attachments, and avoid clicking on suspicious links.
- Protect Your Devices: Install and update antivirus software on your devices to protect against malware. Keep your operating system and applications up to date with the latest security patches.
- Freeze Your Credit: Consider freezing your credit to prevent unauthorized access to your credit reports. This makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name.
What to Do If You Become a Victim
If you suspect that you have become a victim of identity theft, take immediate action to minimize the damage:
- Report the Theft: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and file a report at IdentityTheft.gov. Notify your banks, credit card companies, and any other affected institutions.
- Place a Fraud Alert: Place a fraud alert on your credit reports with the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). This alerts creditors to take extra precautions when verifying your identity.
- Close Compromised Accounts: Close any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Notify the companies where the accounts were opened and provide them with a copy of your FTC report.
- Monitor Your Credit: Regularly check your credit reports for any new or suspicious activities. You can request free credit reports annually from each of the major credit bureaus.
To Wrap Up
Identity theft is a serious issue that can have long-lasting effects on your financial health and peace of mind. By understanding the methods used by identity thieves and taking proactive steps to protect your personal information, you can reduce the risk of falling victim to this pervasive crime. Stay vigilant, stay informed, and take control of your identity to safeguard your future.
Stay safe and take action today to protect yourself from identity theft. Your identity is invaluable—treat it with the care it deserves.
Happy Holidays from Curley Adjustment
As we celebrate the magic of the Season, let’s embrace the opportunity to create new memories, cherish loved ones, and look forward to an incredible New Year. Everyone at Curley enjoys working with you, and we all wish you a joyful holiday season. We wish you and your loved ones a holiday season filled with peace, joy, and prosperity. We appreciate your business, and we look forward to working with you next year!
Happy Thanksgiving from Curley Adjustment
On this Thanksgiving, we want to share our genuine appreciation for you.
We wouldn’t be where we are today without you!
We hope your day is filled with love, laughter, and gratitude. Happy Thanksgiving.
Frank Marx, President
Curley Adjustment COVID-19 response
Dear Trusted Clients and Friends:
First & foremost we hope you are all doing well and taking care of yourselves, your families and your friends.
We would like to take a moment to let you know that we are doing everything possible to remain fully operational; ready willing and able, as always, to handle any and all of your claims needs. We have initiated our Business Continuity Plan. In order to ensure service to our clients, we have put in place the following changes effective immediately.
- Business Continuity Plan: Curley Adjustment Bureau maintains a comprehensive Business Continuity Plan in place to ensure all services to our clients. These plans were developed to cover any contingency that might interrupt day-to-day business and have been updated to account for new challenges caused by COVID-19.
- Remote Workforce: Our employees are equipped to work remotely and have been encouraged to do so as a precautions. Effective today, in an effort to avoid crowds and practice social distancing to prevent the further spread of the virus, Curley is allowing our home office employees to work remotely.
All of our adjusters are working strictly from their home offices. In addition, our outside adjusters have been provided with all of the most up to date information from the CDC and local authorities along with personal protective devices, gloves and sanitizer. Adjusters have been instructed to do everything possible to protect the health of everyone they come into contact with as well as themselves.
- Customer Needs and Expectations: We are continuously updating our Business Continuity Plan according to our clients’ need and expectations. We are meeting the expectations to minimize business interruption but also protect the health and safety of our employees and your insureds.
We also have an extensive roster of CAT adjusters who can be called upon if needed. Our claims management system is web based with various redundant back-ups. We will all be working through this crisis safely and securely.
Our responsibility to you has not changed, we will continue to provide you with uninterrupted service during this difficult time. Our phones, emails and systems have been realigned to continue to service your needs as you have come to expect from us. Thank you for being a valuable client and partner of our Company.
If you have any concerns, please call or email us.
Kind regards,
Everyone at Curley Adjustment Bureau, Inc.
888-557-3717
CURLEY ADDS TO ALREADY STRONG TEAM OF ADJUSTERS
Curley Adjustment Bureau is proud to announce the addition of two new adjusters to our Claims Staff. Chelsey McMahon (Pittsburgh) and Jennifer Moore (Williamsport) have already proven to be valuable assets to our firm. We pride ourselves on hiring only top quality Claims Adjusters and are always looking to add to our already impressive staff – Chelsey & Jen are no exception! Some of you may have already had the pleasure of working with Chelsey or Jennifer, but if not we’d like to provide a brief introduction.
First we’d like to introduce Chelsey McMahon who started at Curley this past summer as a multi-lines adjuster in the Pittsburgh area. She has been in the business 10+ years and worked for both Travelers and Liberty Mutual Insurance. Chelsey’s degree is from Penn State University (Erie) where she majored in Business Economics. You can reach Chelsey on extension 2040 by dialing our 888-557-3717 number. Her email is chelseym@curleyadjustment.com.
Another big “welcome aboard” to Jennifer Moore. Jennifer is a more recent hire and has enthusiastically taken on new challenges and a broad service area right off the bat. Jennifer is an experienced multi-line adjuster that comes to us after over 20 years at State Farm. Previously, Jennifer earned a Bachelors in Business Administration at Strayer University. She is based in Williamsport, PA but will also be handling claims for our Altoona, Erie, Harrisburg, Reading and Scranton offices. Jennifer can be reached at 888-557-3717 extension 2030. Her email is jenniferm@curleyadjustment.com.
We are extremely fortunate both Jennifer and Chelsey chose to bring their talents to Curley! Now our good fortune can also be yours!! If you have any questions at all or would like additional information on any of our adjusters, please feel free to contact us at your convenience!
Frank Marx – President & CEO 215-627-5900 ext. 2007 frankm@curleyadjustment.com
Pete Kulaski – VP Operations 215-627-5900 ext. 2012 petek@curleyadjustment.com
Jeff Stauts – Claims Manager 215-627-5900 ext. 2016 jeffs@curleyadjustment.com
Our Home Office Has Moved
CURLEY ADJUSTMENT BUREAU CELEBRATES ITS 85TH ANNIVERSARY
Curley Adjustment Bureau wishes to announce its 85th Anniversary as a leading Independent Insurance Adjusting firm and Third Party Administrator.
Curley Adjustment Bureau, Inc. is an independent adjusting organization and Third Party Administrator founded in 1933 by the late James N. Curley and it is one of the oldest adjusting firms in the country, operating under the same family management.
Frank Marx, Grandson of the founder, and president of Curley said, “As we celebrate our 85th year in business we are grateful to our clients for allowing us to be of service and to our dedicated staff that made this anniversary possible”. He went on to say “We are proud of the work of our current employees, but we also acknowledge that our longevity is a credit to all of those that helped the company thrive for the past 85 years.”
The company’s founding principle was to provide courteous, prompt, and effective professional claim service on behalf of the insurance industry. Three family
generations and eighty-five years later, Curley Adjustment Bureau still relies on this very same mission statement to foster continued growth and success for itself and its insurance and other business partners, within the ever-changing insurance industry.
The best practices supported by Curley Adjustment Bureau stress the importance of treating all parties with great care and respect. To that end we consistently make every effort to go above and beyond in our claims handling. Claims Manager, Jeff Stauts adds “We will always strive to provide an exceptionally high degree of service to make sure that each party comes away with an overwhelming positive attitude toward our clients”
Here at Curley Adjustment Bureau, we are proud to be experts at claims handling and administration. We employ, train and promote an elite group of claims professionals. Our adjusters average twenty years of experience – Let Our Experience Work for You.
Be sure to view our website for detailed information on our company and to submit a claim. Yes, Take Me There!
Our Claims Administration is headquartered in our Philadelphia Home Office. Our seventeen branch offices are strategically located throughout the States of Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. We are able to provide claims service in the New York metropolitan area and the eastern shore & northern Maryland. As well as the eastern side of Ohio.
| SUBMIT A LOSS |
| contact@curleyadjustment.com |
| Toll Free: 888.557.3717 |
| Phone: 215.627.5900 |
| Fax: 888.557.3717 |
| President | Vice President | ||
| Frank Marx | Pete Kulaski | ||
| frankm@curleyadjustmetn.com | petek@curleyadjustment.com | ||
| 215.627.5900 x2007 | 215.627.5900 x2012 | ||
| Claims Manager | I.T. Director | ||
| Jeff Stauts | Joe Rourke | ||
| jeffs@curleyadjustment.com | joer@curleyadjustment.com | ||
| 215.627.5900 x2016 | 215.627.5900 x2011 | ||
Need an Appraiser? Appraisals and Umpires
Curley Adjustment Bureau has a team of experienced property adjusters that are qualified to act as an appraiser on your behalf. Our adjusters average have an average of 20 years in assessing and determining damages.
Put our highly trained, professional adjusters to work for you. Our firm has been a respected member of this industry for over 80 years with the founding principle to provide courteous, prompt and effective service for our clients. You will find our employees highly trained and dedicated to act in an ethical manner with high moral standards.
Curley Adjustment Bureau is the choice if you find yourself in a dispute over damages. Almost all property insurance policies contain a provision specifying “appraisal” as a means of resolving disputes over the amount of loss associated with a covered claim. Appraisal provides an efficient method for an insured and insurance company to resolve a dispute over the amount of a covered loss when both parties agreed about the existence of coverage.
Curley Adjustment Bureau, Inc. – Hurricane Matthew
Curley Adjustment Bureau, Inc.
Hurricane Matthew is on track to hit the U.S. early next week. We wanted to take this time to let you know that Curley Adjustment Bureau has a proactive plan to be ready for your needs for any possible loss.
Like you, we wish for all to be safe during and after this storm, but it is prudent to be prepared.
We would like to use this time to distribute our new and updated Coverage Maps for Liability and Property.
Please send losses to contact@curleyadjustment.com
This is the most efficient address to use and we will assign to the nearest office and the appropriate adjuster.
