S.C. Federal Credit Union plans career fair in North Charleston

This is an interesting move given the current economic climate: Next week, South Carolina Federal Credit Union will hold its first career fair to attract fresh talent.

Representatives from the credit union's sales and support teams, including branch staff, marketing and information technology people, will be on hand to answer questions and meet one-on-one with job seekers. Note to self: Attendees are encouraged to bring resumes to the event.

The fair is from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 29 at the Charleston Area Convention Center, 5001 Coliseum Drive in North Charleston. For event details and other information, visit the credit union's special Web site, Scfederal.jobs (I know that looks like a weird address, but I tried it and it works).

South Carolina Federal is based in North Charleston and is one of the 100 largest credit unions in the United States. It has 150,000 members and more than $1 billion in assets.

Go for it. What have you got to lose?

Blowing in the wind

I saw a number of reports last week about the nation's, and the state's, largest insurance company, State Farm, eliminating wind and hail coverage from its coastal South Carolina homeowners policies beginning in March.

The move represents about 2 percent of its policies statewide up for renewal this year.

That part of the coverage for affected State Farm customers will be transferred to the S.C. Wind and Hail Underwriting Association, commonly called the wind pool.

Basically, those customers will end up with two policies: one with the wind pool that covers damage from, you guessed it, wind and hail; and coverage for damage from all other events, such as fire, covered by State Farm.

Unfortunately, though, it means the overall cost is likely to go up. While the wind pool is a state-backed consortium of insurance companies that do business in the state and acts as the insurer of last resort for property owners who live within its territory, it is not sold at discounted rates.

But like it or not, this is how the system is supposed to function. Part of the reason why the wind pool territory was expanded last year, twice, was to allow companies to do exactly what State Farm is doing.

The alternative would be that your insurance company, if it decides coastal coverage has become just too risky, may opt not to insure your home at all. That's what happened last year when the state's largest insurers collectively dropped some 20,000 policies. After the wind pool expansion, that number was reduced significantly.

The bottom line today seems to be that if you can get property coverage through a state-backed or state-regulated company, take it.

Reach Peter Hull at 937-5594 or phull@postandcourier.com.