PLRB Web Services For PLRB Affiliate Members Maximize

PLRB Web Services For PLRB Affiliate Members: Maximize Your PLRB Membership

The PLRB Web site… • . . . is located at http: //www. plrb. org • . . . requires a PLRB User name and Password.

The PLRB Affiliate Web site

Using the PLRB Web Site At the PLRB Web site you can: - Do Coverage and Educational Research - Read current articles about recent case law, database highlights, mold, and industry news - Research Weather/Catastrophe claims - Sign-up for PLRB meetings and seminars

Using the PLRB Web Site - Review handouts from past meetings and seminars (including the Claims Conference) - Explore distance learning modules using the Claim. Star distance learning modules (coming soon) and Claims. Guru - Find a service provider for a particular claim using our Locate Providers tool - Plus much more…

Getting Started • The PLRB Web site requires Microsoft Internet Explorer 5. 5 or above. Internet Explorer comes packaged in the Windows Operating System. A current copy of Microsoft Internet Explorer can be downloaded at no cost from the Microsoft Web site located at http: //www. microsoft. com/ie

Getting Started • The PLRB Web site also requires that you have a user name and password in order to view our materials. • PLRB user names and passwords are available at no charge for PLRB Affiliate Member Company employees.

Obtaining a Password • To get a password (or retrieve a lost password), go to the PLRB Web site at http: //www. plrb. org and click on ‘Passwords’ in the top bar.

Obtaining a Password Select “PLRB Affiliate Member Sign Up”

Obtaining a Password • If you are signing up for a new username and password you will be asked for a company e-mail address. You cannot use a personal e-mail address. Our system uses the host address. • After putting in your company e-mail address, click ‘Submit’ and you will be prompted to fill in more information. Fill out the required fields and click ‘Submit’ again. Your username and password will be e-mailed to you shortly after.

Obtaining a Password • Lost Password If you have lost your user name and password, you can retrieve it from our system by simply clicking ‘Lost Password’. You will be prompted for your e-mail address and our system will e-mail your username and password to you shortly after.

PLRB Home Page Description

PLRB Front Lines • On a weekly basis, the PLRB staff works diligently to prepare new articles for our Web site. • The articles are located on the main page section of the PLRB home page. • Weekly articles include: Property Legal Updates, Weather/EQ – Catastrophe, PLRB Publications, President’s Corner, and Meetings & Seminars. • We also prepare semimonthly “Test Your Claims Knowledge” articles.

PLRB Front Lines • All these articles are incorporated into an e-mail publication list that we call “PLRB Front Lines. ” • When you sign-up for a username and password, you are automatically signed up to receive this epublication. • If you are not on our e-mail publication list, you can get on it by calling us at (800)956 -PLRB (7572) or by clicking “My Profile” in the top bar.

Using the Left-Navigation Bar • The bulk of PLRB tools are located within the leftnavigation bar (shown in the PLRB Home Page Description). • The left-navigation bar works hierarchically allowing you to “drill down” to the tool you would like to use. • You begin this process by clicking on the major heading in the left-navigation bar and it will expand.

Using the Left-Navigation Bar • You then “drill down” further or choose a tool. You can tell if you have the ability to drill down further through the hierarchy by the symbol. If it is a then you can drill down further. If you see an icon that looks like , that is the tool itself.

Weather/Cats Information • You can research Weather/Catastrophe information for a particular day by clicking on Weather/Cats on the left navigation bar. • You will options to: view the main page; read the daily report; quick search the catastrophe database; do an advanced search of the catastrophe database; and search the lightning probability database.

New Weather/Cats Main Page • Note: We are in the process of changing the Main Page under the Weather/Cats section of the left-navigation bar. Currently, you are able to access all of the different information by clicking on the heading at the top of the page. When this page is updated, we will incorporate a help page that will explain how the new system works.

Current Weather/Cats Main Page

Weather/Cats Information • Basic information from the Weather/Cats Main Page are the current lightning strike chart, current U. S. radar, and any new threats or severe weather announcements.

Weather/Cats Information • Daily Report The Daily Report feature under Weather/Cats gives a current list of any occurrences for the past 24 hours.

Weather/Cats Information • Quick Search The Quick Search function allows the user to view the Daily Report for a particular day or for a range of dates.

Weather/Cats Information • Quick Search TIP: If you are looking for just a particular date, type in the date For both the Beginning Date and End Date. Remember to use MM/DD/YY format, like the example (right).

Weather/Cats Information • Advanced Search Gives more options when searching for a particular date or date range in the Weather/Cats database. Other information that can be accessed includes: desired peril; desired state; desired city; desired ZIP code; and occurrence number.

Weather/Cats Information

Weather/Cats Information • Lightning Search Allows searching a date or date range for hourly images of lightning probability for the continental United States. Remember to use the MM/DD/YY format for your query.

Weather/Cats Information • Lightning Probability Forecast Under Weather/Cats you may also choose to view Lightning Probability Forecast and receive more detail about exact locations where lightning will probably strike within the next few hours.

Education Materials • The PLRB Web site users can access our Education Materials by clicking on Education in the left-navigation bar.

Education Materials Options include: • reviewing upcoming seminars • viewing the Education database • reviewing Seminar Handouts • taking Distance Learning courses

Distance Learning PLRB has been creating Distance Learning modules for use by our members. Two services we are currently offering are the Claims. Guru modules and the Claim. Star modules (coming soon).

Distance Learning Claims. Guru • Claims. Guru modules, located on the leftnavigation bar under Education > Distance Learning, give an in-depth discussion of a particular topic. • Currently, there are 24 modules located in Claims. Guru. We plan to incorporate more modules in the future with a testing feature.

Distance Learning • You are able to maneuver through the Claims. Guru module by using

Claim. Star PLRB Affiliates also have access to the Claim. Star Technical Reference information. Claim. Star is one of the buttons in the leftnavigation bar.

Claim. Star

Claim. Star Once in Claim. Star, you can pick the section and page you wish to viewby clicking on the next to the title.

Locate Providers To locate a particular type of claims service provider in a particular geographic area, use the Locate Providers button on the leftnavigation bar.

Locate Providers • Under Locate Providers, users are allowed two choices – “Search” and “Alphabetical list” Using “Search” will search the PLRB Affiliate members and Claimspages directory of service providers. The “Alphabetical list” will list PLRB Affiliate members only.

Locate Providers Using “Search” from Claimspages allows you to “dig down” through options to refine your search and find the provider needed.

Locate Providers • First choose the state where the provider is needed.

Locate Providers • Next select a city or county. • Note the breadcrumb path at the top of the Search page.

Locate Providers • Finally, select a category for the service needed.

Locate Providers • Once you receive results, you will be able to find a host of information. • The level represents the particular company’s affiliation with PLRB and Claimspages • Telephone number, longer description, Web site, e-mail, and map are also available in most instances.

Legal Updates Property Legal Update Get Summaries & Full Text of the Latest First-Party Insurance Cases

Test Your Claims Knowledge C. Test Your Claims Knowledge • a weekly quiz featuring brief claims-related questions • followed by a brief analysis with links to documents in PLRB’s database containing more in-depth analysis

PLRB Search Training for the Internet

Contents of Search Educational Materials • • • adjuster training materials Claims Conference handouts other claims handling information

Searching What is Search? searches for documents that have the same search term(s) in both text and subject fields

Searching How to Search • In the white box directly below “Search” type in term(s), then hit “Enter” key on keyboard • “vermin” and “raccoon*” are search terms used here • the * added at the end of “raccoon” is a wild card expander

Viewing Search Results Click: • “Prev Match” to see prior term in doc • “Next Match” to see next term in doc

Viewing Search Results There are 2 Options to view Search results: 1. Split-Screen -shows portion of document & list of search results (see previous slide) 2. Full-Screen -shows 1 document only, w/o list of search results (depicted here)

Copying & Pasting To paste some or all of a Search document into another document: 1. left click and drag mouse over portion of document you want copied to highlight it 2. click “Edit, ”and then click “Copy” in drop down box 3. open or switch to word processing document, place curser in location of document where text is desired, click “Edit, ” then click “Paste”

What to do if you have a problem or suggestion? The PLRB Web site was built with feedback from its users. This feedback is always encouraged. You will notice on the top bar a button labeled “Feedback” that goes directly to the PLRB Webmaster. If at any time you find something isn’t working properly or have a suggestion of ways to make the PLRB/LIRB Web site more efficient, do not hesitate to let us know.

Contact Information • Phone: (888) 711 -7572 • http: //www. plrb. org