| Mission Statement |
~ Our Mission ~ The J. D. Howard Story ~ Career Experience ~ References ~
| Mission Statement |
Our Mission
I-Can has been created to be a National Support Network of Respect for the Insurance Consumer that will:
- Provide consumers with information that will help them . . .
- Determine what kind of Auto/Homeowner insurance best fits their needs
- Identify which insurance companies offer the best premium rates in their state for their specific underwriting situation
- Identify which insurance companies consumers may wish to avoid based upon their State's Department of Insurance complaints and/or other documented patterns of consumer mis-treatment
- Understand an overview of their rights and options when involved in an auto damage, homeowner damage or personal injury insurance claim
- Find local advocates that may be relied upon to help consumers resolve ANY challenges that could arise in their dealings with Auto and/or HomeOwner insurance companies
- Be a centralized information "clearing house" that will disseminate general information on a two-way basis that will . . .
- Make insurance/claims professionals aware of consumer experiences
- Make consumers aware of insurance industry trends and activities
- Encourage consumer contact with their respective State Legislature and/or Department of Insurance when insurance industry trends, activities or local pending legislation may impact the best interest of the consumer
- Increase consumers' awareness of, and encourage consumers' involvement in, any effort which will defend or enhance the rights of consumers as may apply to insurance related matters
- Provide an effective Web presence for those insurance/claims professionals (agents, adjusters/appraisers, attorneys, body shops, contractors, health care providers, etc.) that will be . . .
- Low Cost
- Easily found
- Highly effective
The J. D. Howard StoryIncorporated into this section is a recap of "Insurance Career Experience", a partial list of insurance companies and government agencies whom J. D. Howard represented in the 1980's and a partial list of Attorneys with whom he has worked in his consumer advocacy practice.
J. D. Howard started his insurance career with Allstate Insurance in 1965. He was a licensed independent adjuster [az # 0055079], in Arizona, from 1974 - 2002.
View J. D. Howard's full BIO • CV.
On Diminished Value:
Back in the 1960's, J. D. Howard appraised, negotiated and settled Diminished Value Claims, involving both 1st party Policyholders and 3rd party Claimants, on behalf of Allstate Insurance Company.While an independent adjuster, his Diminished Value opinions were sought and honored by virtually all of his insurance industry clients. Over the past 35 [+] years, J.D.Howard’s Diminished Value opinions have been accepted by Insurance Companies, Courts and the IRS.
In 1986, when the insurance industry was sponsoring a ballot proposition that would have compromised the rights of the insurance consumer, J. D. Howard campaigned against and helped defeat that proposition. Following that campaign, he took his independent practice in the direction of assisting consumers involved in Auto and/or HomeOwner's Insurance claims.In 1991, J. D. Howard was diagnosed as "severely and permanently disabled", due to a condition known as Post-Polio Syndrome. However, that was not the end of the J. D. Howard story. For three more years he continued to run his consumer advocacy practice from a wheelchair. In 1994 he had to defer to his declining physical abilities and retire. But that was still not the end of the story. J. D. Howard created I-Can to continue his Consumer Advocacy efforts via the interNet.
J. D. Howard is my husband and my very best friend. I hope you will enjoy your visit to the I-Can Web site. More than that, I hope you will be able to use what you have learned here to your own benefit. You are invited to use the Contact Us feature to reach J. D. Howard with any questions, comments or suggestions you may have.
Respectfully yours,
Susan Howard
Insurance Career Experience
Writer / Lecturer / Litigation Consultant / Author of Policyholders’ Bill of Rights (1994 - Present)
Written numerous insurance related articles published in trade publications - Lectured at trade and Continuing Legal Education seminars - Provided litigation consulting and/or expert witness testimony on insurance related matters - Authored the Policyholders’ Bill of Rights in an effort to address the inequities and/or abuses that exist in the relationship between Consumers and the Property and Casualty Insurance industry - Founded the Insurance Consumer Advocate Network.Executive Director / the Coalition for Collision Repair Excellence (1999 - 2000)
Provided and coordinated administrative efforts for the CCRE during a period of unprecedented growth and necessary restructuring. The CCRE is a National Network of Independent Collision Repair Facilities whose members are pro-consumer and have a history of challenging any effort to compromise consumers' rights. CCRE members regularly testify on consumer related insurance issues.
Radio Talk Show Host / K.U.K.Q. (1994)
Conducted open forum discussions involving guests and listeners, covering all facets of insurance. Notable guests included Ina DeLong, Wm Shernoff, Bob Isham, Jim Roush and Zig Ziglar.
Independent Adjuster / Consumer Advocate (1989-1994)
Self-employed (dba J.D.Howard and Associates) to investigate, evaluate and pursue the rights of the policyholder involved in a claim against their own insurance company, including Arbitration and Appraisal Clause representation.
Independent Adjuster / Carrier Rep. (1980-1989)
Self-Employed (dba Realistic Adjustment / Appraisal Service) to perform any and all duties defined under "Staff Claims Adjuster" (above) on a fee-per-file basis for more than twenty (20) foreign and domestic insurance companies, as well as the City of Phoenix and the State of Arizona.
Insurance Sales Agent (1975-1980)
Develop, counsel and assist individual consumers, groups and corporations in acquiring appropriate insurance coverage to meet specific needs; provide general policyholder services; assist in processing claims (Farmers, Prudential).
Staff Claims Adjuster (1968-1975)
Inspect & appraise damage; interpret & apply policy coverage; evaluate liability; negotiate claim settlement values with policyholders or third party claimants (and/or their representatives); select and supervise Defense Counsel (Allstate, TransAmerica, Farmers).
Policyholder Services (1965-1967)
Handle all forms of policyholder requests for service (non-claims); review, recommend and process coverage endorsements; Audit premium charges; respond to State Insurance Department inquiries and initiate corrective measures as warranted (Allstate Insurance Company).
Former Commercial Clients of J. D. Howard
Allstate ~ American Family ~ American States ~ Ansvar America ~ City of Phoenix ~ Canadian Indemnity ~ Colonial Penn ~ Employers Mutual ~ Farmers ~ Federated American ~ Fireman's Fund ~ ITT Hartford ~ J. C. Penney Casualty ~ Kemper ~ Metropolitan ~ St Paul ~ State of Arizona ~ State Farm ~ TransAmerica ~ USF & G ~ Western Casualty
