This is why we do what we do…

August 25, 2011

The individual mentioned in this letter Kevin Evans is one of our contractors! We are so proud to have him on our team! Here is that letter.

Glenn,

I have a rather unique experience with a “Maury Moment” I wanted to share with you. My parents are insured with Safeco and were victims of the tornado that hit the St. Louis area on Good Friday this year. To date, they are still trying to put their house back together. It’s been a struggle for them because my mother has emphysema and is on oxygen, and my father is in very poor health as well. Mentally, they are much older than their physical ages of 68 and 69 years.

Obviously, being a casualty manager myself, I have very little experience with property claims, so I continued to refer them to their adjuster for questions on the claim. I deliberately would not get involved for the obvious reasons, and to my knowledge, their adjuster was not even aware that he was handling a claim for the parents of a Safeco CTM. However, my parents had kept me up to date on the status of their claim over the past few months. They’ve shared some of their questions, their frustrations with contractors, but through it all, they’ve said the various adjusters have been pleasant and helpful. However, their current examiner, Kevin Evans, has truly created loyalty in the heart of my parents, which is why I’m writing to you today.

In the midst of all of the upheaval related to getting their home back in order, my father became ill and was diagnosed with lung cancer last Friday. I spent the day with them on Monday trying to help them sort through the business of a terminal illness and all of the related unpleasantness that entails. When we got to the status of their home repairs, my mother started talking about Kevin Evans. She said that she and Kevin talk frequently, and that he knew about my father’s diagnostic test that was scheduled on Thursday. He wished them luck and told them he would say a prayer for them. Then, on Friday, Kevin called them to ask them how it went with his test the day before. When my mother shared the bad news, Kevin told her he was so sorry, and that when he went to church on Sunday, he was going to light a candle for my father and pray for them both. Then, he told them not to worry about a thing where their claim was concerned, that he would take care of everything for them. My mother thinks Kevin is one of the kindest people she’s ever dealt with, and smiles when she tells me that “he’s kind of a southern guy and calls me “darlin’, he’s from Texas you know”.

Glenn, when my mother told me this story, I was very touched by Kevin’s kindness to my parents, and I immediately thought of your “Maury Moment” story. I realized that Kevin had created that without even being a part of our meeting that day in St. Louis. I don’t know if he’s heard the story, but I do know that I am very grateful for his kindness and consideration in dealing with my parents. He didn’t have to follow up with them on my father’s test results, but he did. It had nothing to do with adjusting their claim, and everything to do with creating a personal relationship with them out of the kindness of his heart. Kevin has truly exemplified nearly every one of our guiding principles of service, has become my parents’ hero, and as a result, mine as well. This experience is yet another reason why I am very proud to work for Safeco. Thank you, Kevin.

Cory Johnson