The 2019 Windstorm Conference held at the Walt Disney Dolphin Resort hotel was a new milestone on several fronts. This year was the 20^th anniversary of an organization that was founded based on the realization that claims professionals from all different professional disciplines can meet, exchange and debate ideas, and help to formulate best practices to help insured policyholders struggling to recover from catastrophic events. 

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Following this year's historic hurricane season, it has been great seeing and catching up with some of the best of the best in the property insurance claims industry! The Windstorm Insurance Network (WIND) is a professional association founded in 1999 and the organization offers elite education, industry insight and unique networking opportunities with representatives from all facets of the property insurance claims industry. This year, I served on an expert panel, "Where Wind Meets Fire" speaking about windstorms and how they exacerbate loss and damages resulting from fire, smoke, soot and ash in many different States like Gatlinburg, Tennessee, many parts of California and even on I-4 driving over from Tampa to Orlando.

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After each Wind Conference I am always amazed at the attendance level, value and depth of knowledge brought by the professionals drawn to this annual event. This year was no exception. There is an old saying that 90% of success is just showing up. That old saying certainty applies to the 18^th Annual Windstorm Insurance Network Conference.

The last attendance number I heard was that over 1,065 professionals from all over the United States traveled to Orlando, Florida to learn, network, and yes, do a little partying after hours. Make no mistake about it; the folks who taught and those who attended the various workshops are the movers and shakers in the property insurance claims industry. These are folks who for the most part control the claim process and ultimately the money that will be paid out to policyholders when a covered Wind Cat wind loss occurs.

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The 2016 Windstorm Insurance Conference is in the history books.  A final count determined over 1,050 claims professionals were in attendance in Orlando, Florida.  Registrations exceeded a lot of folk’s expectations this year given the lack of a major Cat event in the southeast. But this year’s success goes to show that the Windstorm Insurance Network, Inc. has evolved into much more than a regional conference. Super Storm Sandy is a reminder that there are shared experiences with other parts of the country and as the old saying goes, “knowledge and information is power.” The WIND Conference is in my opinion the place to go to enable professionals to enhance their skills and knowledge about property insurance matters. 

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Congratulation to Rick Tutwiler, who was presented the 7th Annual WIND Presidential Recognition Award at the Windstorm Insurance Network Conference in Orlando, Fl.  The award was established to recognize annually a member who has contributed significant knowledge, service and leadership to better the Windstorm Insurance Network (WIND). Rick was also elected as the 2016 Secretary of the WIND Board of Directors. It is wonderful to see Rick recognized for all of his extracurricular work to better the industry. All of us at Tutwiler & Associates Public Adjusters are proud of you.
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Hard to believe that 16 years has passed since a group of eclectic insurance professionals got together to start the Windstorm Insurance Network, an educational association dedicated to educating all the various parties involved in insurance loss adjusting issues. Prior to that first meeting, I would never have predicted that given the nature of all the opposing interests regarding not only high-dollar losses but also egos, complex insurance contract terms, as well as a host of fact issues of a loss from wind and other perils, that this endeavor would have been so successful. 

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Public Adjuster Rick Tutwiler will be part of an expert panel that discusses Wind vs. Wave Action at the upcoming Windstorm Insurance Conference from February 1-4. This highly interactive presentation will provide insurance professionals with practical information to help separate damage to structures due to storm wind from damage caused by storm surge. The presentation begins with education regarding wind loads and how buildings respond to wind force. Storm surge and how structures respond to rising water and wave action will also be highlighted...
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For those of you who are insurance professionals, this may be best answered by an example of a chance meeting I had last year at the Windstorm Insurance Network Conference. But before I tell you why WIND is worth it, I want to give you some background on The Windstorm Insurance Network Inc. and then share with you two recent success stories involving commercial losses that in large part were influenced by this chance meeting at last year’s conference in New Orleans.

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As often happens in the adjusting business, you think you have seen or know most of the issues. But then a surprise comes along and you realize there is always something new in the business of property insurance adjusting.  To put it another way, you don’t know what you don’t know.  So here is what I didn’t know that I needed to know. This new revelation came this week when meeting with my client in his gulf front estate in Siesta Key, Florida.
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Just wanted to give the readers of our blog a heads-up that if you have not already done so, register now for the 2015 Windstorm Conference.  We are back in New Orleans again for Windstorms 16^th Annual Conference and as I recall from our last conference in New Orleans (pre Hurricane Katrina) New Orleans was a great venue with lots to do and there is always a lot to learn from the faculty who will be traveling from all over the country for this premier property insurance claim education event.

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