Bob Deck, owner of Eastern Plains Insurance Agency, spoke at the Eastern Plains Chamber of Commerce October meeting about how the recent natural disasters that hit Colorado will affect homeowner and business insurance rates.The catastrophic wildfires, large hail storms and floods of the past two years will start impacting property insurance rates next year, Deck said. ìThere’s been a lot going on with finishing up with the fires. My office lost 12 homes in Black Forest,î he said. ìCollectively, we’re all tied together in our insurance, businesses and dollars; just like we are with our thoughts, our helping and our prayers.îHomeownersí insurance in Colorado is a shared risk pool, Deck said. Disasters that cause large claims in Loveland or elsewhere will affect rates in the southern Front Range. ìPray that we don’t have anything else happen to this state,î Deck said. ìYou’re not going to be happy with the rates in Colorado going forward.î Business insurance for companies that have storefronts or buildings will likely increase because insurers will assume their risk is higher as well, and those policies are part of the same risk pool that must pay for the statewide disasters.A bit of historyJim Ozburn of Falcon Meadow RV Campground presented the history of small business in Falcon since his family started the Falcon Food Store and campground in 1959. ìThe area has changed, and with it our business has changed. That’s the way we’ve survived,î Ozburn said. ìWhen the oil company came to us and asked if we wanted to put gas pumps in front of the campground, we said sure. And our campground store ended up becoming the community store.î When the PDQ, which later became Diamond Shamrock, opened in 1984, it showed people in the area that business could thrive in Falcon, he said.Elections, etc.Elections for board of director positions will be held at the chamberís November meeting. Positions open are chairman, vice president, treasurer and secretary.The chamber canceled the wine and beer festival because of low reservation numbers from the wineries. Pat Jeffrey, board chairman, reminded members that gift certificates to Falcon Food Store will be given out to those who invite business guests to the monthly meetings.The next chamber meeting is Nov. 6 at 7:30 a.m. at Grace Community Church in Falcon.
