Personal Auto

What happens when somebody totals their RV?

What happens when somebody totals their RVWhen you’re using an RV as a residence, you need the right mix of coverages to protect the RV as both a vehicle and a home. We have contracted with the carrier that has designed an RV insurance to specifically address the needs of RV owners.

Whether you have an old pop-up or a new motor-home, if the RV is totaled, our carrier has you covered. Because types of RVs and their styles vary so much, we know that different customers need different coverage options.

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How to Prepare Your Home Before Your Vacation

Vacation is a time to escape for a little rest and relaxation, but it’s also the time thieves increasingly break into empty homes. According to recent claims data from insurance company Travelers, theft increases during the summer months largely because more people are away. But it’s not only criminals you have to worry about while you are kicking back, you also have to be concerned about…
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How to Choose Insurance for Every Life Stage

In this article, insurance experts, including Travelers Personal Insurance Vice President Elaine Baisden, recommend reviewing your policies annually and whenever you experience a life event, such as attending college, making a major purchase like a car or new home, getting married, having a child, changing jobs, renovating a home, or caring for an elderly parent. Download this article

Expired insurance = no coverage

An insurance company does not have to cover a Rapid City woman for a crash because her policy expired 12 hours before she hit four boys on their bicycles, the South Dakota Supreme Court ruled.

Tamara Bradford pleaded guilty to two counts of vehicular battery for the September 2007 crash and was sentenced to eight years in prison. Authorities said her blood-alcohol level was three times the legal limit for driving when she hit and injured the boys, who were riding their bicycles or standing along the road.

After a lawsuit was filed on behalf of the boys, Alpha Property and Casualty Insurance Co. declined to cover Bradford for the crash. The Supreme Court said Bradford’s insurance policy had expired just after midnight on Sept. 23, 2007, about 12 hours before the crash, because she had failed to pay a premium due the day before the accident.

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No-Fault Auto Insurance Reform

According to a recent statewide poll commissioned by the Coalition for Auto Insurance Reform (CAIR), an overwhelming number of Michigan voters believe their auto insurance premiums are too high and support no-fault reform legislation that would lower their auto insurance costs. The poll revealed that voters are concerned about the high cost auto insurance – 70 percent said their auto… Read More »No-Fault Auto Insurance Reform

100-Car Naturalistic Driving

A 100-car “naturalistic” driving study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) says that fatigue is a cause of 20% of car crashes, rather than the 2%-3% previously estimated based on surveys, simulator studies and test tracks. Plus, the study found, 18- to 20-year-olds account for significantly more fatigue-related crashes than any other age group. Adolescents’ sleep patterns shift… Read More »100-Car Naturalistic Driving

NC: Agreement Reached on Homeowners Insurance Rates

On March 5, Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin signed a settlement agreement with homeowners insurance companies allowing an overall statewide average rate increase of 7 percent, varying by territory and form, beginning July 1. The insurance companies, represented by the North Carolina Rate Bureau, had requested an overall statewide average rate increase of 17.7 percent on Oct. 1, 2012. The difference… Read More »NC: Agreement Reached on Homeowners Insurance Rates

Identity Theft Risks After an Auto Accident

Each year, millions of Americans become victims of a car crash that causes mess on their day (and often their body and vehicle.) Auto accidents are stressful situations that can lead us to reveal more of our personal information to strangers than necessary. Even small fender benders can cause long-term pain if a friendly exchange of info leads to a… Read More »Identity Theft Risks After an Auto Accident

Booster Seats Safety Improved in 2012

Fifteen of 17 booster seats introduced in 2012 earn the top rating of BEST BET from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, evidence that more than ever, manufacturers are designing seats to provide good safety belt fit for booster-age children.

The improvements mean that BEST BET boosters now outnumber seats in any of the three other categories for the first time since the Institute released its inaugural booster ratings in 2008. Boosters are supposed to improve how adult lap and shoulder belts fit children so the belts can properly restrain them in crashes. BEST BET boosters correctly position belts on a typical 4-to-8-year-old child in almost any car, minivan or SUV.

“Booster manufacturers have risen to the Institute’s challenge to improve seat design, giving parents more choices than ever when shopping for a booster that will provide a good, safe fit for their children,” says Anne McCartt, Institute senior vice president for research.Read More »Booster Seats Safety Improved in 2012

The Danger of Distracted Walking

Okay, we have said enough about the distracted driving. The cell phone use laws being adopted by the U.S. states are describing how and when the mobile phones can be used while driving. But what about pedestrians distracted with their smartphones? Can we blame them for major increase of fatal accidents involving pedestrians? Apparently yes. According to a recent report from the U.S. Department… Read More »The Danger of Distracted Walking