Your Insurance Matters Archive Page

January 11, 2009

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Collector Car Insurance
(specialized companies/policies)

Having your car appraised properly to get current market value

Insurance In The News

Hospitals, health care company cited in Medicaid scam

The homeless and the hungry both served as targets for a $50 million Medicaid scam operated by seven New York hospitals.
One hospital lured prospective patients by offering beer.

Insurance outrage of the Week:

Insurance Change is on its way:

All drivers in North Carolina now required to purchase uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.

Special Guest:
Kim Ian Madsen
Corvette Restoration AZ.
http://www.corvetterestorationaz.com/
1129 E. Curry Rd. #7 Tempe, AZ. 85281 480-804-1484

The Insurance Term of the Week:
Mutual Insurance Companies
Companies with no capital stock, and owned by policyholders. The earnings of the company-over and above the payments of the losses, operating expenses and reserves--are the property of the policyholders. There are two types of mutual insurance companies. A non-assessable mutual charges a fixed premium and the policyholders cannot be assessed further. Legal reserves and surplus are maintained to provide payment of all claims. Assessable mutual's are companies that charge an initial fixed premium and, if that isn't sufficient, might assess policyholders to meet losses in excess of the premiums that have been charged.
Reference: AM Best
Larry's Tip of the Week:
According to recent data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA), alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes kill someone every 31 minutes and non-fatally injure someone every two minutes. Drugs other than alcohol, such as marijuana and cocaine, are involved in about 18% of motor vehicle driver deaths So what can you do about it? Plenty.

Misconceptions about Alcohol
Coffee does not sober up an intoxicated person, nor does strenuous exercise, cold showers, or fresh air. Food does not soak up alcohol. The only thing that works is time, andit takes an hour to eliminate one drink's worth of alcohol.
A bottle of beer, a glass of wine, or a shot of hard liquor all have the same amount of alcohol, and "light" beer has the same amount of alcohol as regular beer.
Women typically do not process alcohol as well as men, due to lesser weight and more limited production of the breakdown
It takes fewer drinks than most people think to impair driving or to put them at legal risk. Three drinks over a couple of hours is enough to put most people over the legal limit.
The Affect of Alcohol
We all know alcohol can slow reaction time and make you loud, obnoxious, or affectionate. But here's an example of the effects alcohol has on just one of your vital senses, your eyes:

Focus Slows your eyes' ability to focus back and forth from objects near and far.
Muscle control Relaxes the fine muscle control of your eyes, blurring vision.
Coordination Impairs the eye's ability to work together, causing double vision
Distance Judgment Reduces the ability to judge distance accurately.
Peripheral vision Reduces the ability to perceive things from the side
Night vision Limits the eye's ability to see in low light
Colors Impedes the ability to distinguish colors.
Prescription and Over-the-Counter Drugs
In addition to alcohol and illegal drugs, many perfectly legal substances can also affect your driving, including prescriptions and common over-the-counter drugs and medications. Review the labels on any prescription drugs you use for allergies, sinus problems, acne, chronic diseases, and other conditions. Be especially wary about drugs prescribed to alter moods and combat depression.
Over-the-counter drugs such as, cough syrups, and cold medications can cause drowsiness. A label warning about not operating heavy machinery while taking the medication does not just apply to bulldozers and front-end loaders. If you must use an antihistamine make sure it's a non-drowsy formulation.
Designated Drivers
To protect yourself, have a designated driver when you go out for dinner and drinks. Be aware of the most dangerous times and days when drinkers are on the roads (Fridays after 4:00 p.m., weekend evenings after 10:00 p.m. and any day after midnight).
The Consequences of Drug Use and Drinking and driving.
In addition to the safety issues, realize that in the Internet Age, all public records are fair game, and background checks are more common than ever before. DUI or drug violations will affect your ability to obtain jobs, volunteer positions, hold public office, get into schools, or coach your kids team.

Reference: autoinsurancetips.com

Focus	Slows your eyes' ability to focus back and forth from objects near and far.
Muscle control	Relaxes the fine muscle control of your eyes, blurring vision.
Coordination	Impairs the eye's ability to work together, causing double vision
Distance Judgment	Reduces the ability to judge distance accurately.
Peripheral vision	Reduces the ability to perceive things from the side
Night vision	Limits the eye's ability to see in low light
Colors	Impedes the ability to distinguish colors.



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