Get ready to pay more for auto insurance. A combination of factors is pushing car insurance premiums up across the country. The reasons are varied, but they all combine to result in higher premiums for car owners from coast to coast. Here's what's behind the coming rate hikes - and some tips on how you can minimize the pain.
More accidents
First, the number of fatal traffic incidents has spiked recently. According to information from the National Traffic and Safety Administration, fatal accidents increased nationally last year by 10 percent. That far outpaces inflation and population growth, and reflects the biggest year-over-year increase in traffic fatalities since the 1960s.

More distractions
The likely culprit: Texting and driving. Distracted driving incidents are up by 9 percent  2015, says the NHTSA, and has resulted in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people in 2014 alone, according to reporting from the Chicago Tribune. State Farm estimates that as many as 36 percent of drivers text while driving. 29 percent admit to browsing the Internet while driving. More than 80 percent of teenage drivers report that they use their smartphones while driving.

Texting is not the only reason drivers are distracted on the road - an exponentially increasing number of cell phone apps and electronic technology installed in today's automobiles is constantly competing for drivers' attention. And as the economy recovers, more and more commuters are on the road, eating and doing their makeup on increasingly congested roads.

Lower returns on float
Insurance company revenues have been hit by low interest rates in recent years, which affects the rate of return that they can get on their reserve funds. Income from invested general funds, called "float" in the industry, has been low for years - forcing many carriers to increase premiums to cover their obligations. 

How to keep your rate down?

• First and most importantly, drive safely. The more moving violations you have on your record, or at-fault incidents (depending on your state), the more you can expect to pay in premiums.
• You will also have to pay more if you have DUI conviction - and you'll have far fewer choices in selecting a carrier willing to cover you.
• Shop around. Competition is fierce in the auto insurance world. Contact your car insurance professional and ask him or to get bids from several different carriers. You may be surprised how much you can save, while still enjoying coverage from a reputable carrier.
• Put the cell phone down when you're driving.
• Keep several coverages with one carrier. Insurance companies often offer discounts for 'bundling' multiple policies, such as car and homeowners' insurance.
• Employers should consider banning employees from using cell phones while driving.
• Have teenage drivers maintain good grades. Most carriers will discount premiums for young drivers who make the honor roll at school.
• Increase your deductible. The higher your deductible, the lower your premium, all else being equal.
• Take a defensive driving course.
• Minimize the mileage you drive.
• Install an anti-theft device.
• Purchase cars with safety features such as anti-lock brakes, daytime running lamps, and air bags. Most carriers discount premiums for safety features.
• Switch early. Many carriers will grant premium discounts to those who start shopping a few weeks or months before the old policy expires.
• If you're in the Armed Forces, tell them. Most carriers offer discounts for members of the military.
• Insure more than one car with the same company.

For more cost saving tips on your auto insurance, download my eBook by clicking here, or better yet give us a call for a quick auto insurance quote at 214-275-8372

If you have an extraordinary car, it makes sense to take extraordinary measures to protect it - both by deterring thieves and by actively foiling their attempts at stealing the automobile. That said, most classic and restoration car owners also want to balance deterrence against being discreet and preserving the original condition of the car.

Aside from the obvious precautions like keeping your car locked and stored discreetly, here are some of the most effective devices and concepts that can help you protect your high-end custom, classic or hot rod automobile.

Steering wheel, brake pedal and wheel locks. These are quality, visible deterrents to theft that will thwart all but the most determined and prepared car thieves. They are inexpensive, and they are removable for car shows and competitions. You don't need to drill any holes in the dash, and they don't need stickers on the windows to provide a significant deterrent. In addition, you can try some basic mechanical tricks:

• Disconnect the battery cable
• Pulling a critical fuse, such as the fuel pump fuse 

Note that basic mechanical tricks like this won't usually defeat a determined, professional car thief. The pros know all the basic tricks. All they have to do is show up with a tow truck and any of these measures can be easily defeated until they get the car back to their shop - where they usually just want the parts, anyway.

Electronic immobilizers 
These are electronic devices that send a signal to key components to lock up or shut down unless you the car owner, flip a 'kill switch' or use a special key. In recent years, RFID technology has enabled advanced kill switches that detect when your RFID or Bluetooth-enabled key fob or wallet is inside or within a few feet of the vehicle. If someone tries to start your vehicle without your external device, the car won't start.

Ravelco 
If you want a state-of-the-art car ignition system and you're willing to make a semi-permanent installation in your car, then the Ravelco anti-theft device might be for you.  The Ravelco relies on two 16-digit connectors unique to that car to complete the ignition circuit. One is installed in your vehicle, and the other goes with you in your pocket when you leave the car. Each set of connectors is unique. With over 100,000 different possible 'combinations,' the Ravelco is nearly impossible for most thieves to hack. It doesn't require batteries, and there are no master plugs in existence - so professional thieves can't acquire one to facilitate their crimes. The Ravelco comes with a hidden armored steel cable into the engine compartment, and all connections are camouflaged and hidden from thieves. Different installations can disable different circuits - the fuel pump, starter circuit, or even the computer can be disabled, unless the driver connector is present and properly connected. Installation on exotic cars runs from $499.95 and up. And thus far, we're not aware of a Ravelco car that's been successfully stolen yet.

Tire and wheel locks 
Many thieves aren't interested in the whole car: They're going after custom rims and high-end tires. And with a bit of practice, they can roll up with a rolling jack, a star wrench and a little elbow grease, and can have your wheels in the back of their van and on the way to their chop shop in minutes.
You can defeat these thieves in two ways:

• A locking lug nut, which you can install for as little as $10 (though the $50 to $70 ones are a lot tougher).
• A wheel lock, or "boot."

If you're defending some high-end custom rims and maintaining authenticity of a classic car is not a consideration, you might consider something like "The System," from Gorilla Auto. It costs some money, but every single wheel lug is a wheel lock - which should be enough to confound and frustrate most professional thieves, who would much rather be on their way within a few minutes.

Tracking and recovery systems
It's one thing to prevent a theft. But when the thief is able to defeat your front-end systems, or circumvents them by simply towing your classic car back to the chop shop, chances are you'll want a GPS tracking device to alert you to the theft, alert law enforcement, and lead them directly to the location of your car.
LoJack has been providing GPS tracking systems for cars and computers for years, and has recently developed a system designed for classic, custom and collectible cars.
The latest version of LoJack for Classic Cars has the following features and benefits: 

• Self-powered. The newer LoJacks won't drain your battery, and render themselves ineffective when they've been parked for a long time.
• Installation is discreet, with no drilling required.
• LoJack will send you a text or email if your car is moved without an Early Warning Key, which you should store away from your car.
• Thus far, LoJack has the only system that's directly integrated with state and local police (though not in every market). Police cars and helicopters in these areas are often equipped with trackers that enable them to follow your car's unique signal.
• Radio frequency technology - works in areas that don't have GPS or cell service.
• 90 percent of LoJack-equipped cars, trucks and SUVs are successfully recovered.
• No ongoing monthly fees.

Other vendors, like Fleetminder and Tracknstop, have created Web-enabled devices and apps that enable you to remotely disable your vehicle's engine from your cell phone within seconds of discovering a theft.

For the best protection, combine systems and approaches
Most law enforcement experts recommend a multi-layered anti-theft strategy. Start with vehicle location: Don't park in poorly lit areas, behind buildings or other places thieves can find concealment and darkness to do their work. Also combine different countermeasures to defeat against a variety of threats, from crooks who try to 'hot wire' vehicles to rim and wheel thieves to tow-truck operators. So you may want to use a combination of mechanical and electronic countermeasures, along with a solid tracking system to help recover your vehicle when other measures fail. 

     Chances are, you are like the majority of individuals who have reached middle age. The primary concerns in your life are paying your monthly bills, making sure your children receive a good education, as well as the all-important goal of saving some money every month for retirement. At this point, it seems a long way off, but do not be deceived; it will be here sooner than you think. You may have heard about long-term care insurance, but you probably dismissed it with questions such as "What is it?" or "Who needs it?".

     The answer is that you do, and so does everyone else. You may reply that you already have health insurance. If you do, congratulations; it is hard to get in today's political climate. The problem with most health insurance is that it does not cover what are known as custodial expenses. These expenses arise from custodial care, which is defined as the care needed as a result of the inability to carry out tasks relating to the following daily activities: bathing, dressing, eating, continence, toileting and transferring.

     As people age, many of them find these basic tasks harder and harder to do without some form of help. The need for this type of care necessitates having long-term care insurance, which can provide the monies necessary in order to hire and maintain the proper care needed. This is made even more necessary by the fact that people are living much longer, sometimes twenty or thirty years longer past retirement. Oddly, the fondest wish of these people is to remain independent. Fortunately, they can do so if they obtain long-term care insurance.

     The best time to do this is when someone is in their mid-forties, because that time of life is when insurance companies offer the lowest rates and premiums for their policies. Children can also purchase it for their aging parents. If they do not, there are two options left if something goes wrong, both of which are very unattractive. They either have to pay for the cost of their own income, or their parents have to pay for it out of their assets.

     When you take into consideration the fact that this care routinely costs $75,000 and up annually, this is a tremendous burden to take on for either the children or the parents. Statistical research reveals that the average retired couple exhausts their savings in a matter of months when paying for care themselves. Even wealthy retirees find their money severely shrunk, which lives little for their children or grandchildren.

     Long-term care insurance from a reputable and trustworthy insurance company can help retirees receive the care they need at a price they can afford both now and twenty or thirty years from now. Buyers must exercise the virtue of prudence when choosing a policy; each one comes with a set of circumstances and options to consider. After taking care of these, they are then free to enjoy the peace of mind that results from an effective long-term care policy.

Recent research shows that length of employment is one of the most important variables in determining workers' compensation claims. It ranks higher than age as a contributing factor. When there is an influx of new workers or when older workers return, there may be a greater loss-time frequency. This difference is especially significant as the economy continues recovering from the recession of the late 2000s. For workers who were spending their first month on the job, injury rates were as much as six times higher than average during that time period.

According to research, employees who were at a job for less than a year posed the biggest risk of loss, and the highest frequency of claims was among this group. This factor was not affected by age. Workers who were inexperienced had as much as four times the loss cost relativity. For those who had been working for two or more years at a job, the loss costs were significantly lower. Also, the number of claims was much smaller. However, claim severity was higher among older workers whether they were new or had been with the company for many years.

The best way to navigate these risks and offset the impact of improper experience is to develop a strong plan for recruiting, hiring and training workers. These are a few helpful controls to implement for pre-employment procedures:

• Thorough background checks that look at everything from financial records to criminal records.
• Verification of prior employment, education or other credentials.
• A mandatory drug test after offering employment.
• A comprehensive behavioral evaluation that looks at cognitive abilities, culture fit, job skills, abstract reasoning and critical thinking.

Random drug tests in the workplace can help discourage drug use by new or experienced workers. Also, it is a good way to reduce the risk of claims and losses during a new employee's first and riskiest year. Developing a comprehensive safety and health plan will help address major issues. Understanding the links between employee selection, safety training and placement with claims will help HR managers and executives lower the severity and frequency of claims.

Also, keep in mind that risk management should never be abandoned after hiring. Safety and health can only be maintained in the workplace with persistence and perpetual training. While thorough safety training should be rigorous for new hires, it should be refreshed regularly for all workers. To learn more about this topic, discuss with Rod Hanks 214-275-8372