Wednesday, November 7, 2007
What Your Auto Insurer Knows About You
10 Tips to Avoid Auto Accidents
1. Avoid drinking and driving.
2. Minimize distractions such as reading newspapers or talking on the cell phone when driving.
3. Properly maintain vehicles. Tune up cars according to maintenance schedule, and especially take note monthly of tire condition.
4. Do not encourage aggressive drivers. Let other aggressive driving behavior roll off your back, or call the police. Losing your temper could worsen the situation.
5. Leave a safe distance between your cars and others. For every 10 miles per hour of speed, leave at least one car length space between your vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
6. Maintain a constant speed. Don't continually slow down or speed up.
7. Adjust mirrors properly and check the side and rear-view mirrors every 15 seconds.
8. Take defensive driving classes to improve your ability to drive and be better prepared for the unpredictable behavior of other motorists.
9. Proceed with great caution through intersections. Intersections are the center of most accidents. When entering an intersection, look left, then right, then left again to ensure the area is clear.
10. Be sufficiently aware of road conditions and be more visible. Keep your lights on at dusk and dawn and during rain, as is the law in most states. Understand basic vehicle dynamics, such as knowing how to recover from a skid.
Car Safety Tips for the Holiday Shopping Season
On your mark, credit cards set and go…to the nearest mall, because it is holiday shopping time. That's right; soon millions of consumers will be flooding the malls in search of the perfect gifts for everyone on their shopping list. But before you hop in your car and drive to the nearest mall, you may want to check out our Holiday Shopping Car Safety Tips - it just might make the difference between a happy holiday season and a disastrous one.
Holiday Mall Parking Lot
Many things can happen to your vehicle in a mall parking lot while you are inside happily holiday shopping away. For instance, your car can get damaged by opening doors, rolling shopping carts or testy drivers trying to fit into tight parking spots. While this may seem like the price your car has to pay for trying to go to the mall during the holidays - it doesn't have to be. There are many things you can do to help keep you and your car safe while at the mall this holiday season.
Popular Shopping Malls
After work and weekends are the most popular times for people to go holiday shopping. With that being said, consider shopping during the day or before noon on weekends. This will not only help you avoid over crowded mall parking lots, it will also help you to get in and out of stores quickly!
In addition, avoid going to popular malls in your area during peak shopping hours. This will help reduce the amount of cars and people you have to dodge and help keep your car safe from potential theft and damage. To help identify the most popular malls in your area, we have listed the Top 10 Largest Shopping Malls in the United States - so you can avoid what could potentially turn into a holiday shopping nightmare.
Largest Shopping Malls in the United States
South Coast Plaza, Orange County, CA
King of Prussia Mall, Philadelphia, PA
Sawgrass Mills, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Del Amo Fashion Cetner, Los Angeles, CA
Mall of America, Minneapolis-St Paul, MN
Grand Canyon Parkway, Las Vegas, NV
The Galleria, Houston, TX
Woodfield Mall, Chicago, IL
Plaza Las Americas, San Juan, PR
Roosevelt Field Mall, New York, NY
Stay Safe During The Holiday Season
No matter when or where you go holiday shopping, safety should always be your first priority - especially when it comes to your car. That's because mall and shopping center parking lots are prime targets for car theft, car vandalism and robberies.
To help prevent this from happening to you, Insurance.com has provided some helpful Holiday Shopping Safety Tips to keep you and your car safe and secure during the holiday season.
Holiday Shopping and Driving Safety Tips
Always park in a spot where there is plenty of light and if possible, park close to your destination.
Avoid parking next to vans, trucks with camper shells, or cars with tinted windows. Close all windows and lock all doors.
Take note of where you parked your car and what store entrance it is closest to.
Shop with a friend or family member - having a friend walk to and from the parking lot with you will help keep you both safe and sound.
Place your packages in your trunk or under your seat where no one can see them.
Condense your packages into one or two bags to create the illusion that you did not purchase so many valuable (and theft-worthy) items.
If you run out to your car to drop off packages while shopping, make sure to move your car to a new location before heading back into the mall. This will help lead anyone that is watching you to believe that you and your packages have headed home for the night.
Leave your most expensive purchases until the end of the day when you can quickly hop in your car and go directly home.
Request for a security guard to escort to your car.
When walking to your car have your head up and your keys ready, the last thing you want to do is appear vulnerable to criminals. In addition, make sure to look under and in front of your car to make sure that no one is waiting to attack you.
Do not approach your car alone if there are suspicious people in the area.
Be aware of your surroundings. Often thieves will disguise themselves as normal shoppers who accidentally bump into you stealing your purse, wallet, packages, car keys or even worse, attacking you.
When entering your car, make sure to check your front seat and back seat for anyone that could potentially be hiding in the car.
Get into the car, lock the doors and exit the area immediately. Criminals prey on shoppers who sit in their cars to make phone calls or review their purchases for the day. Don't leave yourself susceptible to such a risk.
What Your Auto Insurance Coverage Won't Cover
Through the course of a shopping day, many people will take packages to and from their car to lessen the load while they are walking through the mall. Even though this may seem like a great idea at the time, it is not if the gifts are stolen from your car. That's because many auto insurance company will not cover holiday packages stolen from a policy holder's car - even if they were securely stored in your trunk. However, if you paid for your gifts with a credit card you might be in luck! Some credit card companies will cover stolen purchases if they were paid for with their credit card, but if you paid with cash or check, you are out of luck.
Regardless of how you paid for your gifts, you should always file a police report to help alert police of the incident and to potentially prevent this crime from happening to someone else.
Upgrade or change Your Auto Insurance
If your auto insurance policy does not cover stolen property from your vehicle and you would like to find an auto insurance company that does, log on to Insurance.com's auto insurance comparison application. Here, you will be able to evaluate multiple rates from best-in-class insurance providers - helping you find the best auto insurance coverage for you and your holiday shopping needs.
Car Safety: Side Impact Crash Test Results
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Sunday, released results of their Side Impact Crash Test. The results showed that 14 of the 16 cars tested earned a rating of "poor," the lowest of four ratings. Only the Chevrolet Cobalt and Toyota Corolla, when equipped with optional head-protecting side airbags, received ratings of "Acceptable," the second-highest rating on the Institute's four-point scale. See below for a complete list of Side Impact Crash Test results.
The institute's test reproduces a severe auto crash. A barrier designed to simulate the front of a sport-utility vehicle or pick-up truck hits the side of the vehicle at 31 mph. A "poor" rating means a high chance of serious injury in a similar crash.
According to the IIHS, 51 percent of driver deaths in recent model cars during 2000-01 occurred during side impact crashes, up 40 percent since 1980-81. Underscoring the importance of this research, almost 60 percent of the driver deaths in the cars struck on the driver side were hit by SUVs or pickups - up from about 30 percent during 1980-81
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is an independent, nonprofit organization supported by auto insurance companies. The IIHS conducts scientific research and educational programs designed to reduce deaths, injuries, and property damage resulting from crashes on the nation's highways.
Vehicle safety data is a key factor used by insurance companies to determine auto insurance rates. This data, combined with coverage choices and personal factors such as age, gender and driving record, determines what you pay for your auto insurance . Since different insurance companies weigh these factors differently, auto insurance rates can vary significantly from carrier to carrier for the exact same coverage. To make the best decision on auto insurance, consumers are encouraged to shop around and compare side-by-side rates from several companies.
Study Shows Cell Phone Users More Prone to Accidents
You've dialed the wrong number if you think that it's safe to drive while chatting on your cell. A newly released study of Australian motorists found that cell phone users were four times as likely to be involved in a serious crash.
First study of its kind
The study, which ran in the British Medical Journal, is the first of its type to use actual crash data and cell phone records to correlate serious vehicular accident injuries with talking on the telephone. Further, the results show that the same risks are posed whether holding a phone to your ear or talking through a hands-free devise such as a speakerphone.
You'd be hard-pressed to find a similar study in the U.S. because cell phone records aren't considered public information. The new study looked at cell phone records of some 500 drivers who had accidents in Perth, where drivers cannot use hand-held phones. Researchers estimated the time of the crash and examined whether the motorist used a cell phone in the minutes leading up to the accident. They then looked at similar time intervals in the days before the crash to determine the added risk of using the cell phone.
Talking, not holding, is more distracting
The study was conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), a nonprofit research organization in Virginia. IIHS dispatched researchers to three Perth hospitals for interviews of crash victims in years 2002 to 2004. Among other things, accident victims were asked whether they had hands-free phone devices in the vehicle and how frequently that equipment was used. The IIHS research in Australia found that the most distracting cell phone activity is the act of conversing on the phone, not the holding of equipment.
Consistency across groups of drivers
"The main finding of a fourfold increase in injury crash risk was consistent across groups of drivers," says Anne McCartt, IIHS vice president for research and an author of the study. "Male and female drivers experienced about the same increase in risk from using a phone. So did drivers older and younger than 30 and drivers using hand-held and hands-free phones."
McCartt's IIHS colleague Russ Rader contends, "it doesn't matter whether you're using a hand-held phone or hands-free equipment, the danger's ever present. This study clearly shows that drivers should not be using cell phones when driving. The research shows that the risk is significant. If you're on a cell phone when driving, you're putting yourself and your passengers at risk, and you're endangering the lives of other motorists. "
Need to use your cell when driving?
According to Mr. Rader, if you need to use your phone when driving, "Pull off to the side of the road and make your call or wait until you get to your destination." Rader warns motorists to avoid multi-tasking when behind the wheel. "Driving safely requires total concentration. Driving is a complex task. Keeping track of what's going on around you is difficult enough without distractions."
Undoubtedly, numerous drivers use cell phones, a fact of driving life that isn't lost on Rader. "The idea of not using your cell phone may be hard for some people to swallow, because cell phone use is ubiquitous," he added. "However, the research shows that cell phone use is a hazard to highway safety. Motorists have to ask themselves, is making this phone call worth the risk?"
Inattentive driving also is a subject of concern to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in Washington, D.C. Says NHTSA spokesman Eric Bolton: "For years, we've been very concerned about inattentive driving. Cell phone use is one of many such distractions that may be a factor involved in fatal vehicular crashes." Bolton cited other major distractions, namely drivers fiddling with CDs, switching channels on the car radio, talking to passengers, eating food or drinking coffee, and looking back at children in the backseat.
"The primary job of any driver is to safely operate their vehicle without being inattentive, distracted or drowsy -- that's job one," asserted Bolton. In terms of cell phone use, Bolton continued, "we see the benefits of having the device available in an emergency, but it shouldn't be used indiscriminately. It doesn't matter whether it's hands-held or hands free, it's still a distraction that must be used responsibly by drivers."
The American Insurance Association identifies a message from the IIHS study. AIA's Nicole Mahrt pointed out that "drivers need to concentrate on the task at hand. They shouldn't be engaged in other activities such as holding the dog, talking on the cell phone, reading a newspaper or any other activity that distracts a motorist from his or her primary objective of getting to the destination safely. Such distractions tend to slow down driver reaction time to roadway hazards that can come up quickly and unexpectedly. People need to be responsible behind the wheel."
Insuring a Teen Driver in Single-Parent Households
Insuring a teenage driver is an expensive proposition. If your teen is away at college, lives part of the time with an ex-spouse, or spends a significant amount of time away from home for any other reason, are you still required to buy auto insurance for the teen? You might, depending on the circumstances and the practices of your insurance company.
When parents are divorced
When teens split time between divorced parents, which parent should include the teen on his or her auto coverage? Many companies suggest the parent, who has custody of the teen the most, should add the child to his or her policy. In some cases, insurers say it's whichever parent has custody of the teen when the child is attending school.
If the same company insures both parents, the teen will be covered by both parents' policies, regardless of whether the teen is listed as a driver on either policy. That's because some insurance policies define "an insured" as "a person related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption who is a resident of your household."
Not all policies are the same. Check your policy language or contact your insurance company for details.
Honesty is the best policy
If you don't list your teen on your policy, be prepared for the potential consequences. Cancellation, non-renewal, and surcharges are among the unpleasantries you might face.
Some insurance companies will cancel your policy for misrepresentation, if you fail to list your teen driver during the application process, or when the teen gets a driver's license.
Some insurers require all drivers be named on both policies, no matter how much time they spend in a household. If your teen has access to your car and drives it even occasionally, you might be required to list the teen on your auto policy.
The absolute worst case
In a state that allows insurers to void policies for misrepresentation, not listing your teen on your auto policy can be a costly mistake. If your teen has an accident and you file a claim, your insurer could void your policy because you failed to tell them about your teen.
If you're unsure whether your child is adequately covered, contact your agent or insurance company.
Why auto insurers are so concerned about teens
The Insurance Information Institute (III) has released statistics, showing just how much of a risk teenage drivers are to themselves and to others on the road.
In 2001, 3,608 teenage drivers were killed in traffic accidents. Teens accounted for 14 percent of all the drivers involved in motor vehicles fatalities, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The crash rate for teens aged 16 and 17 is three times greater than for 18 and 19 year olds. The cost of auto insurance for teenagers is always higher than for other drivers because as a group, they pose a higher risk of accidents than more experienced drivers. III warns parents adding a teenager to an insurance policy usually means a 50 to100 percent increase in the parent's insurance premium.
A discount offered by most insurance companies can help reduce the cost of insuring teen drivers. "Good student discounts" are available to teens, who have a grade point average of a B or higher.
Tips for First Time Insurance Buyers
When you buy insurance, you're really buying something that you hope you'll never have to use. But if you ever do need to file an insurance claim, you'll understand why having the right amount and right types of coverage is important.
Decide how much insurance you need
You can't stop bad things from happening. But you can protect yourself financially by purchasing insurance. How much insurance you need depends on a lot of factors including how much you owe and own, how much your assets are worth, whether you have dependents, and how much out-of-pocket cost you could afford to bear. You can estimate your coverage needs using calculators or worksheets available on-line, but it's a good idea to sit down with an insurance agent or broker who can thoroughly evaluate your needs.
Comparison shop
No matter what type of insurance you're buying, the process is essentially the same. Once you've decided what type of insurance and how much coverage you need, you can begin contacting insurance companies online, directly by phone, or through an insurance agent or broker to obtain quotes. Get quotes from several different insurers because premium cost can vary widely.
But compare the coverage offered, too. A policy might cost less because it offers fewer, or different, features and benefits. And make sure the company you've settled on is reputable, with good customer service and claims-paying ability. All insurance companies are rated by major rating agencies (e.g. Standard & Poor's, Moody's, A.M. Best) on their ability to pay claims. You can access these ratings online, through public libraries, or through car insurance company literature.
Understand what you're buying
An insurance policy is a legal contract that may be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand. But read it anyway before you sign on the dotted line to find out about the coverage you're buying. For instance, the policy will tell you:
Who or what is covered
What coverage exclusions and limitations apply
When coverage begins and ends
How much coverage is provided
How much you'll pay for coverage (the premium)
How you report a loss or file a claim
It's always a good idea to ask an insurance professional to explain any terms, conditions, or benefits that you don't understand.
Evaluate your insurance needs periodically
As your life changes, your insurance needs change, too. So every once in a while (annually, some experts suggest), review your insurance to see if you need more (or less) coverage or an additional type of coverage. Here are some times in your life when you'll definitely want to re-evaluate your insurance needs:
You're getting married or divorced
You're starting a family
You're renting an apartment
You're buying a house or a car, or making a major purchase
Your child is going off to college
You're starting a new job or becoming self-employed
You're buying or selling a business
Your income increases or decreases substantially
You're taking care of an aging parent
You're retiring
Make your insurance policies work for you by taking the time to periodically review your needs and coverages.