We often over estimate risks we face. For example what is more dangerous a home pool or a gun? Stats show pools kill more children then gun accidents, but most will assume guns. How about the greatest risk to teen drivers? Drinking, Drugs, not wearing a seat belt? All are dangerous, but the most dangerous is teenagers driving at night!

The following is an article from Insurance Headlines on the study conducted for teenage drivers.

Driving after dark is the single most-dangerous risk a teenage driver can take and is more likely to result in death than drinking, speeding or disregarding a seat belt, according to a national 10-year study of highway fatalities released Thursday.

The report, conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute, used federal traffic fatality data from 1999 to 2008, a period in which the number of traffic deaths declined nationwide.

Safer cars, safer highways, seat-belt laws and drunken-driving enforcement have been linked to the drop in fatalities — all factors in darkness and daylight alike.

The Texas research indicates that nighttime driving was the No. 1 risk for fatalities among teenage drivers, followed by speed, distractions, failure to wear a seat belt and alcohol use.
Maryland, Virginia and the District have graduated licensing laws that limit driving privileges until teenagers gain experience, as do most states. The laws restrict hours for nighttime driving and the number of passengers that a teen can have in the car.

“If you add one kid in a car [driven by a teenager], you double the risk of crash,” Fette said. “With two kids, you triple it, and with three kids, it goes up by a factor of six.”

End of article.

As you can see night time driving presents many risk to come into play like  fatigue, driving in groups of teens, cell calls, texting, underage drinking, and  inexperience behind the wheel. Its perfect storm of risk that can happen in the night hours.

If you had a burglary or fire in your home or apartment tomorrow, you wouldn’t want to rely on just your memory when filing a claim. The items you use everyday might come to mind quickly — but what about that set of silverware used on on special occasions?

An inventory of your household goods, in both words and pictures, is essential to getting all the benefits that are due you.

Here some tips on how to do this:

 1) Photographs and videotape: You don’t have to be a professional photographer or cameraperson to do an inventory. Just take pictures or video of every room, wall to wall, floor to ceiling. Then take close ups of valuable items. Don’t forget the closets! When you are finished we are happy to keep electronic versions of clients records or you can keep then with a trusted friend or family member. Review the above every 2-3 years.

2) Sales receipts and appraisals: Keeping records such as these for high value or major purchases will insure you get the proper amount for these items. NOTE: jewelry, fine arts, firearms, and collectables have limited values unless the policy is endorsed.

3) Get organized: You could use a spreadsheet with serial numbers, purchase date, cost and item details, or if you are ready to take control of your inventory, Insurance Information Institute offers a free home inventory software that is wonderful.  It walks you through the whole process, keeps it organized and backs it up. You can get it here .

4) Avoid the claim: One way to avoid a theft claim is to mark your items with an engraving pen with an identifying number or drivers license number. This is great for high theft items such as electronics, power tools, appliances, computers, etc. We can mail a pen to you for free and it will allow you engrave your items on hard surfaces permanently and quickly. It’s as easy to use as a pen! Burglars will not want marked items, and we provide stickers so they are aware its marked.

 Taking these steps can make filing a claim mush less stressful and can speed up the time it takes to get paid on your claim.

The below is an article published by Farmers. This is a good example of how Farmers responds in a catastrophe. Every event from Hurricane Ike (Farmers Ike Video) to wild fires in California were handled the same way. Farmers has the size and willingness to help customers 2 days to 2 weeks before other companies can even start. The desire combined with creating relationships by providing large donations of diesel or other needs to city services. Here is a link to hurricane Ike respo

As rescuers begin combing through the wreckage after tornadoes tore across Oklahoma on Monday, Farmers employees, agents and district managers are already meeting with affected customers in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.

“Oklahoma City and the surrounding areas have been hit hard by these tornadoes and we are making contact with our customers as quickly as we can,” says John Lucido, state executive director – Oklahoma.

District manager Pepper Williams and members of Oklahoma’s Agency Catastrophe Team have been touring damaged neighborhoods and talking to customers in the harder hit areas since sunrise.

“We have unbelievable access to damaged areas as a result of the disaster relations we’ve created with local authorities and the insurance commissioner,” says Williams. “As a result Farmers is the first insurance carrier on the scene. Our Agency Catastrophe Team has been meeting customers to fill the gap between the 24 to 48 hours until the Farmers team of catastrophe adjusters arrives.”

Williams and the catastrophe team have been making sure customers and non-Farmers customers are OK and letting them know what general Homeowners policies state can and can’t be done to fix a damaged home.

“The customers are so impressed with Farmers being here to help right away,” Williams said. “But the greatest reaction we are getting is from those who aren’t Farmers customers. Their carriers aren’t here yet, and the 800-number customers I’ve talked with said their phone calls haven’t been returned yet.”

In addition, Oklahoma’s Customer Care Vehicle (CCV) is being deployed to help customers. It’s located in the Wal-Mart parking lot at 501 SW 19th Street in Moore, Okla. And one of the Mobile Claims Center (MCC) buses is stationed at 7105 S Anderson Rd., in Oklahoma City. At the CCV and MCC, Farmers customers and non-Farmers customers can use the free internet service, make calls on satellite phones, find information about emergency medical services or simply enjoy a cup of coffee.

Customers can also follow Farmers’ response to the tornado and the MCC’s whereabouts on Twitter at twitter.com/FARMERSRESPONSE and twitter.com/FARMERSMCC9.

Nashville Flood 2010

   Flood insurance is one area of insurance where most people don’t think about it until its close to home. One reason is most feel they can predict their flood risk, based on prior events. If you think about it this is partially true, depending how close you are to a river, ocean, or body of water.

   However, take it one step further and its easy to see that weather patterns have been changing, development of land changes the nature of water runoff, and floods are measured in chances in 100 years (longer than most of us live). So more now than ever prior short term indications are poor predictors of the future. This is one reason the national government provides insurance and not the private industry.

 A few keys to understanding on flood insurance works:
   1) There is a 30 day waiting period to issue a flood policy, unless its lender forced. Meaning if you see the water around you rising, it’s too late to buy a policy.
   2) A flood is defined as A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one of which is your property). Bad drainage just on your property is not a flood.
   3) The highest coverage available from FEMA is 250K for a home, 100K for personal property. You can buy excess from private companies in most cases.
   4) Each structure even if on the same property must carry its own policy. 

Determine your Flood Risk at FloodSmart.gov 

 Is your property in a high risk or moderate to low risk area? Knowing your flood profile will help you understand your risk of financial loss. 

 Find out your relative flood risk right now — online at FloodSmart.gov’s “Assess Your Risk”. Simply enter your property address to see your relative risk, find links to flood maps, and other flood insurance community resources. 

 Flood maps determine your level of risk. You can also view current flood maps at FEMA’s Map Store located at www.store.msc.fema.gov. FEMA is also undertaking a nationwide effort to produce new digitized flood maps for hundreds of communities over the next five years. These new maps will reflect changes in floodplains caused by new development and natural forces. 

 News for Low-Risk Properties 

Expanded, Lower-cost Coverage 

If a single family home or business is located in a low- to moderate-risk area, the owners may be eligible for the Preferred Risk Policy (PRP). For homeowners, this policy covers the home and contents and starts at $112 a year. PRP policies are available for businesses as well, saving about 30 percent off standard premiums. Contents-only PRP policies are available for renters, and business owners that lease their buildings. Ask an insurance agent for details.

What about your car? If you carry comprehensive coverage (Other Than Collision) on your auto policy, then your car is covered for flood damage.