Archive | Auto Insurance

We all know that car alarms are at best annoying and at worst, useless. Who pays attention anymore?

But which car you own may make the difference between it being stolen or safe, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, or the NICB. They released their annual Hot Wheels report, which is not about those little cars you step on in the night when your son leaves them on the floor, but identifies the most stolen vehicles in the United States based on vehicle theft data acquired from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC). Continue Reading →

Here in Southern California, we know how just one car crash, even a fender bender, can make our freeways a total mess, rush hour or not. And if it is, sadly, a crash with multiple cars and injuries, the time it takes to obtain evidence and clear it becomes exponentially longer.

But what if a drone, like the one your annoying neighbor keeps playing with, could help? A growing number of police agencies throughout the country are starting to rely on drones to take aerial photographs that will help investigators with the crash, and allow them to clear the scene more quickly. The sheriff’s office in Tazewell County, Illinios used this drone technology to help them investigate a multi-vehicle crash that killed an elderly woman in July. Continue Reading →

If you think teaching your teen to drive is a harrowing experience, wait until you hand them the keys for their first solo drive. Then their first night out. Has your blood pressure gone up yet?

First of all, you’re not alone. Most parents go through this anxiety, and rightfully so. Sadly, a study by the National Institutes of Health shows that teenage drivers who have had their license for three months or less are eight times more likely to be involved in a collision or near miss. Strangely enough, that stat is compared to the three previous months with the learner’s permit—it must be the supervision in the car that makes them less likely to take risks. Continue Reading →

Photo by Marlon Lara on Unsplash

A recent study published in the Journal of Pediatrics found that about 50 percent of parents hold conversations on their cellphones while driving with their children between the ages of 4 and 10 are in the car. The study, written by a team of researchers from the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, found that one in three parents are reading text messages, and one in seven are using social media while in the same situation as described above. Continue Reading →

Every time you buckle your child properly into their carseat, you are ensuring their safety. In 2016, 723 children died in car accidents. Of these, 15% were unrestrained. These stats show that there is no question: a car seat or booster seat is a must. And in case, you don’t believe us, it’s also the law.

Each year, safety recommendations change, and the age and height of your child must also be taken into account. Continue Reading →

Making the change to an electric or hybrid vehicle comes with pleasantly low or nonexistent gas costs, and a reduced carbon footprint: the perfect response to sky-high gas prices and the shift to green living. What does an electrical vehicle mean for your insurance rate? Continue Reading →

Just how do insurers determine your vehicle policy rate? To an extent it is based on a computer dictating via its algorithms who is a statistical risk and who is not. It also depends upon logical factors such as driving and ticketing history, car model, and how far you drive every year.  Surprisingly, that’s not all:

Factors including gender, neighborhood, relationship status, and credit scores can also bump up or lower your rate. Studies by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and experts from various agencies have shown that sometimes you pay more for factors out of your control. Continue Reading →

We don’t like to think we could be the victim of a hit and run accident; but if so, it’s best to be prepared. Hit and run accidents are a big (and growing) problem in California, specifically in Los Angeles, where 20,000 incidents are reported annually. So, if you become one of those 20,000 victims of a hit and run, keep these rules in mind: it will help you stay safe, and to more accurately report the incident to your insurance company. Continue Reading →