Winter is quickly approaching. I recently wrote an article that gave several tips about how to minimize insurance risks when driving in cold weather. But what can we do if we just want to stay snug in our own homes?

As you might expect, there are several things that can be done to make homes more comfortable and safe during the winter. An added benefit is that by winterizing your house and planning for cold weather, you will also reduce your risk of having to file an insurance claim that may (or may not) be covered by your homeowner insurance.

If we start from the inside of the house and work our way out, here are a few tips to consider. If you believe that your heating bill is too high, have a heating contractor check the amount of insulation in the home’s attic and walls. There are also services that can take an infrared picture of your home to see where heat is escaping.

1. Having a house properly insulated can offer immediate savings on heating bills. An inspection of insulation can also reveal other maintenance issues (such as damage by animals) that are much less expensive to correct if remedied early.
2. Check doors and windows. Trying to raise the temperature outside of your home by using your furnace is not a good idea. If you have cracks around doors or windows that can be sealed by caulking or weatherstripping, then heat from your home is escaping through those cracks.
3. Inspect all water pipes. Take immediate steps to prevent pipes that may be exposed to the cold from freezing. Although water damage caused from a frozen ruptured pipe may be covered by homeowner’s insurance, the inconvenience and cost of repairing a flooded basement when it’s 20 degrees below zero is something all homeowners would like to avoid.
4. Space heaters used in the home have a much higher hazard risk than central heat.
5. Clean and seal air ducts. Furnace air ducts that are coated with dust or have gaps are inefficient and will prevent your furnace from operating at maximum efficiency.
6. Furnace maintenance. Have your furnace checked every few years (or anytime you think that there may be a problem) by a heating professional. If you have an old furnace, consider replacing it with a newer, more efficient model. Replace your furnace filter. Consider replacing an old thermostat with a newer programmable thermostat. The potential savings could easily be more that the cost.
7. Test your smoke alarms to make sure they are working. Many fire deaths in the US are the result of smoke inhalation. Unfortunately, if the smoke alarms don’t go off when they should, there is a high probability that by the time the fire department arrives, it may be too late; not only for the house, but for the occupants.
8. Chimneys and wood stoves. If you use a wood stove, have your chimney swept. Just a small buildup of creosote in your chimney can greatly increase the chances of a chimney fire. Make sure that your chimney is not obstructed and that unwanted pests have not made your chimney their home.
9. Roof and gutters. An ice dam can occur when water freezes on a roof or in gutters. This usually causes shingles to be pushed up. Then water gets under the shingles and eventually finds its way into the house.
10. Reduce your risk by cleaning all gutters to remove leaves that may have accumulated in the fall. Recall past winters. If you have noticed icicles or a buildup of ice on your roof, consider those to be warning signs. Have a qualified contractor assess the situation and/or consider installation of roof ice melt cables
11. Shut off (and if necessary), drain water to outside faucets.
12. Drain, coil, and store all hoses used outside during warm weather.
13. Control ice and snow on walks and steps. As a homeowner, you are responsible for the safety of your family and your guests. Slips and falls are a major risk during the winter. Remove snow as soon as possible and place deicer on areas subject to foot traffic.
14. Vacations. When on vacation, have a family member or someone you trust stop by your home to check on it every so often. Reduce the heat in the home (probably to the mid 50 degree range). Make a list of emergency numbers that can be called in the event of some type of unexpected occurrence. Stop delivery of items to the house that could indicate you are not at home.
15. Remember to winterize all gas home maintenance accessories that you own. Run the accessory (lawn tractor, leaf blower, lawn mower, chain saw, etc.) until it is out of gas or add an appropriate amount of gas stabilizer to the tank. In cold weather, gas can deteriorate and cause issue when you want to use the item next year. Store all flammable materials in approved containers.
16. And finally, these two items. If you need to exit your house quickly for any reason, make sure the family has an evacuation plan. Secondly, if you are totally snowed in and the power goes out, have an emergency kit available.

Proper home maintenance and winter planning can go a long way to making sure that you enjoy the change of seasons and don’t experience additional expenses.

Have a great winter!

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Whenever a vehicle is categorized as an exotic car, it automatically becomes a thing to insure. Surprisingly, at times, the insurance cost becomes equal to the cost of the actual car. We consider a car as an exotic car usually when it has an exotic look with extremely high market value. The reason for high insurance cost is both its super mechanical abilities like super speed, extreme rate of acceleration and the fact that these are produced in small numbers.

Insurance companies demand a high cost of insurance for exotic cars because they feel that the higher the cost of the car, the bigger risk they are taking. That’s how the insurance price of such cars becomes so high. Therefore, you will have to find a car insurance company which is going to give you the best price and value for your insurance. You do not want to take a risk with one of your most prized possessions.

The first problem you will face while trying to insure your exotic car is, finding a company willing to insure your car. The companies ready to insure your car will take it for granted that you do not have much option so they will try to rip you off. You should get all the information you need before you start bargaining for your insurance price such as how much insurance similar cars are getting etc.

You should ask the insurance company why they are claiming such a high rate of premium. These cars are speedy and therefore carry a higher risk of accident. But these accidents occur because of irresponsible and reckless drivers. If you can show them that you have a clean driving record, they should soften up a little and you can persuade them to give you a less expensive insurance.

You can get cheaper premiums if you can show that you are an experiences driver. Other issues like having a second car for regular work will help you. If you use the second car for small things like going to office, dropping the kids off to school etc. and use the car for very special occasions, it will get you a cheaper premium.

Having an exotic car can be really fun and exciting but you have to be aware of your responsibilities. You need to have the proper driving ability and financial resources to maintain the car. Take care of you car and drive safe – things will be fine.

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Homeowner’s insurance calculators help you to estimate the amount of the home insurance quote based on the details of your needs. At the most basic level, homeowners insurance calculators ask you to input your geographical location and the amount of your home’s square footage for estimating your insurance cost roughly. To have more accurate estimation, you will need to include more information other than your ZIP code and the home’s square footage. The more you know your needs, the more accurate the homeowner’s insurance calculator estimation will be. This article will guide you to consider what you will need before deciding to apply for homeowners insurance. Here are four basic coverage’s you need to consider to include in your insurance calculator for more accurate estimation cost.

1. Risks for structural damage

Risks for structural damage can be in the form of vandalism, arson, accidental fire damage, lightning strike, earthquake, flood, hurricane, or other hazards. Besides covering structural damage, insurance policy can cover damage to detached structures too (e.g. a garage blown away by hurricane). Deciding which risks you will want to be covered in the insurance and inputting them in the calculator will help improving the homeowner’s insurance calculator estimation.

2. Liability coverage

Liability coverage will be beneficial if someone accidentally gets injured on your property or when their property is damaged on your premises. Liability coverage also works in reversed situation; it covers the situation when you are injured on somebody else’s property or when you accidentally damage other person’s property. Normally, liability coverage for individuals will cost you only a few thousand dollars. On the other hand, when you choose coverage for your property, the coverage may range around $100,000 to $300,000. In case you are sued for damaging someone’s property or injuring someone on your property, the insurance will cover your legal cost within the limit of the policy.

3. Incidental living expenses

In case you have to temporarily move out of your home during disasters, home repairs, or other unexpected events, you will need to think about short-termed accommodations for you and perhaps your family. Considering this risk will also matters for accurate homeowner’s insurance calculator estimation. When you include this type of policy in your insurance, you will be guaranteed of incidental living expenses such as hotel bills, rents, and meals.

4. Valuable items and personal belongings

Your home can cost you a lot when it comes to repairing. However, you will be surprised to know that for replacing it contents, it will cost you rather great amount as well. Without you realizing it, your home might contain many valuable items such as electronic appliances, furniture, clothing, jewelry, artworks, furs, and other collectibles. These items are the reason why you will need to include coverage against damage and theft in your insurance. In general, insurance companies usually include the risks as a percentage of the whole value of your home. A good measurement for your valuables can be done by making inventory of your belongings. That way, when the unexpected and unwanted things happen, you will have sufficient replacement for your valuable loss.

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In many countries women drivers are now so common that insurance companies are actually tailoring some of their insurance packages just for women. While insurance is always necessary it is quite important for women to acquire car insurance. For one thing since many women have joined the work force and are making good money they are now more independent than before and buying items which previously the man in the family would have bought. This has resulted in women being somewhat “illiterate” when it comes to the more mundane things like car insurance.

Women now buy their own homes and in many cases buy cars. This of course leads to the need to buy car insurance since to be without would be foolhardy. There are a few things for a woman to consider before buying car insurance. First and foremost is do not let the premium, which is the monthly cost for the insurance, be the deciding factor. What is important is that you have adequate coverage for your car. If you have a fairly new model which you plan to keep for some years than you might want to consider buying a full insurance package. This covers practically anything that can happen to the car and covers all the costs even if you cause the accident. Get all the information necessary before choosing a car insurance since the rules vary from one company to the other. Do research on the internet and while it may be boring work it could also save you a lot of money in the end.

Check out what consumer reports say about different insurance companies and how they treat customer claims. Get information from the local authorities about the companies you are interested in and if they are reliable and if they have been around for a long time.

Women and men have different views on what is important when it comes to status symbols and what they would like to show off. For a woman maybe having the latest designer dress and matching shoes with an appropriate hair do is what she would like to show off. For her a car is just a way to get from one place to another in relative comfort. This is reflected in the kind of cars that women buy. No flashy sports car which would incur high premiums but a more sturdy, reliable car which has a reasonable premium.

For a woman it is good to know that insurance companies regard women drivers as assets since they pay premiums on time and follow traffic laws more carefully than male drivers. If a woman is involved in a traffic accident with a man than statistics have proven that the male driver is more likely to be the one at fault. This of course is another reason for a woman to have a good car insurance. Not only the police but even insurance investigators tend to scrutinize the actions of a male driver with more suspicion since they know from experience that men are more reckless and will often try to blame the other part.

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If you own a car or if you are planning on buying one than you need to look at the different kinds of car insurance that are out there. Don’t just go for the cheapest because you think you are going to save money. In the long run it just might turn out to be the opposite. An excellent tool for checking out car insurance is the Internet. Do your research because you just might find insurance that fits your needs without burning a hole in your wallet.

Maybe the first thing to look at is the auto liability insurance that is practically mandatory in most places. This can vary depending upon how much you are willing to pay. Unfortunately many look at how much deductible they have to pay themselves. While it is human nature to want to pay as little as possible having a $500 or $600 deductible and a minimum on the coverage suddenly seems to be utterly useless when faced with a lawsuit which is about a half a million dollars. Try to carry as much of the deductible as you can so that you can afford a higher liability coverage. Shop around since different insurance companies have different packages. Don’t forget that every company wants you as a customer and you can talk to them and put together a deal which suits you. It is unrealistic to think that an eventual accident is going to be limited in cost to something which you can afford. If you factor in medical bills and a possible lawsuit than you more likely to be looking at a $500,000 bill instead of $300,000.

Something else to look at is what exactly does the liability coverage pay out for each person injured in an accident if it comes down to it being your fault. Suppose you have a coverage that totals $300,000 and then get hit with a $200,000 lawsuit you may suddenly find that your coverage does not cover it all. What you need is an insurance that will cover an accident and bodily injury with the same amount.

Check out if your insurance company handles different types of insurance. You can always lower your premium if you have your house and car insured at the same company. Likewise if you have a second car insured by the same company. The technical term is Umbrella policy.

Something that would be good to have in your insurance is the cost of a rental car while your claim is being handled. If your car has to be towed and can be repaired than you are looking at least a week of being without transportation. So many people are used to having a car that being without is incredibly stressful. Another thing to look into is how the insurance company regards having the car fixed and you pay the difference?

Don’t forget the fine print when checking out a policy. Do this before you sign any papers and ask the insurance agent to go through the different steps involved in a claims process. This way you do not get ambushed with bad news in the middle of a lawsuit.

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No matter how careful a driver you are there are no guarantees that you will sail through life without being involved in an accident. To be prepared for the day when it does happen no one should be without an auto liability insurance. This is an insurance that will minimize the economic consequences in case you cause somebody bodily injury or if you should cause property damage. Almost all countries with a well regulated judicial system make it mandatory to have auto liability insurance. This can be acquired separately or as a combination of other insurances which cover e.g. fire, theft etc. If you have a new or fairly new car then it might make sense to get insurance which covers all eventualities but if you have an old car that is soon coming to the end of the road then at the least an auto liability insurance is a must.

The kind of liability insurance that you can get depends on how much you are willing to pay. Higher premiums, the monthly cost for the insurance, means that in the event of an accident the insurance company will pay for a significant portion of the damages. However there are limits as to what they are willing to pay so be sure to read the fine print when you buy an auto liability insurance. It is a balance between what you can afford and just how much protection you want. The sad truth is that sometimes even if you are not in the wrong circumstances might not be so clear to the investigating authorities and the courts just might put the blame on you. In any accident the chain of events are quite often confusing. Witnesses do not always agree and even if there are traffic cameras monitoring the site of the accident they do not show what happened just before the accident. So having a fairly high limit on your auto liability insurance may just be worth it if you do get into an accident.

The cost or premium you will pay depends upon a few factors when getting an auto liability insurance. Most insurance companies regard older drivers as being more careful and you may well get a lower premium due to your age. The same can be said if you are a woman. Women are not driven to prove themselves and show that they are excellent drivers like many men do. Women obey the traffic rules and do not take chances in traffic. If you have a snappy sports car than you can count on higher premiums as opposed to a more sedate and solid family car which also affords more protection in a crash.

The one thing to remember is that the auto liability insurance is there to pay for the other parts costs. If you are in an accident which results in bodily harm to somebody than your insurance pays for that persons medical bills but not yours. The same can be said about property damage. Your insurance will pay for any damage done to the other persons car but nor for your own.

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In spite of the safety features built into modern cars there are still thousands of accidents that occur every day all around the world and unfortunately some of them cause bodily injury and in the worst cases death.

This can result in very expensive settlements and long running court battles. One way to mitigate the economical damage is by having the proper car insurance. The kind of car insurance available differs from country to country. Some countries make it mandatory to have a basic car insurance to cover damage costs both bodily and to property.

In some cases the maximum amount of money payable is fixed by law while in other countries the car owner can choose from certain levels of insurance that pay out different sums of money. The risk here is if someone chooses a low limit and is then involved in an accident which involves a much higher monetary compensation. To meet the rising costs some individuals have had to liquidate many of their assets almost to the point of bankruptcy. The answer is to take out an insurance which comes into play if the costs reach a certain level.

When it comes to insuring a car there are a few factors to take into consideration. If the car is fairly new and is in good condition then it might be wise to get a car insurance that covers most of the things that can happen like fire, theft or collision damage etc. Such insurances also cover the cost of towing and in some cases extra costs, incurred because of the accident, like having to rent a car or putting up at a hotel.

On the other hand if the car is tested and deemed safe to use but has a less than attractive appearance than at least a basic insurance should be bought so as to protect against bodily injury and damage to the other vehicle or to property. To drive an uninsured car is to invite a host of problems which could literally end in the driver spending time in jail.

Most insurance companies do not pay out the entire amount in the event of a claim. A small percentage is paid for by the owner of the vehicle and the rest is covered by the insurance company. The percentage that is a sort of self risk on the part of the car owner can be varied. A higher percentage means a larger premium for the insurance and a low percentage means the opposite that is a lower cost for the insurance. If you are a careful driver and are aware of the risks involved and try to avoid them such as not driving in a heavy storm or other adverse weather conditions then chose a low percentage self risk.

Many insurance companies also offer more attractive levels of insurance with reasonable premiums if you, the driver, take certain extra precautions to safeguard your vehicle. This involves installing anti-theft devices and electronic tracking equipment which greatly facilitates the recovery of the vehicle in the event of a theft.

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The one mistake many people make are look at the size of the deductible. Just how much do you have to pay before the insurance steps in. It seems more attractive to have a low deductible but what they don’t realize is that the cost for the coverage increases with a low deductible. This may make sense if you have a really old car, that is over ten years old, but if you have a fairly new car with a lot of extras than taking on a higher deductible means you save on the cost for the coverage. As for having an older car check to see if you need coverage to cover theft and fire etc. Try and get an estimate on the car’s current value at a dealer or body shop. Then decide how much you want to cover in your insurance.

Look over the different things included in your insurance. Is it necessary to pay extra for towing? It might be better to keep your car in good shape and also have the equipment, like a tow rope, just in case you break down and can get help from someone. Learn to change a wheel and check out the spare in your car so that it is full of air and is in good shape. Knowing a few basic skills in car maintenance will save you money. The same goes for having to rent a car. Check out what a rental car may cost and that you may need it for at least a week while your car is being repaired than check that against the total cost for paying for a rental in your coverage. Also don’t forget that all the extra equipment you put in like an expensive sound system and such like are not going to be completely covered in an insurance unless you specify that when ordering a policy. It might be better to have a great sound system at home and settle for a less attractive one in the car. This cuts down the incentive for anyone to break into your car to steal the stereo system.

Do not rush into choosing an insurance company because of a flashy advertisement or claims that they offer the best for the least. Use the Internet and get quotes from different companies. Try and figure out a limit on what you want to spend on the insurance and then ask to meet with an insurance agent and discuss the different options with the agent. As a potential customer the companies are eager for your business so use that to get a good deal.

If you already have a comprehensive health coverage insurance than you should check to see if you can get by what is regulated by the state you live in as regards your own protection against injury. You do not have to have double payments for the same sort of coverage.

Find out if your insurance company offers discounts if you take steps to safe guard against theft like alarms and other electronic devices which allow the police to track your vehicle if it should get stolen.

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Holiday Home Insurance is a type of insurance where you can either insure a property that you rent out to people on short term deals or that you use as a second home, this is obviously a different type of policy to Landlord Insurance as the holiday home would probably not be let out all the time and most probably for a large portion of time the property will be vacant.

There is however similarities between the two policies as Holiday Home Insurance generally will cover things such as:

• Fire, lightning, explosion or earthquake
• Aircraft and other flying devices
• Storm, flood, weight of snow
• Escape of oil from fixed domestic oil-fired heating installations
• Escape of water from fixed water tanks, apparatus or pipes
• Accidental damage to oil pipes, underground supply pipes, sewers, drains and cables
• Theft or attempted theft
• Collision by any vehicle or animal
• Riots, strikes, violent disorder, civil commotion and malicious damage
• Subsidence or heave of the site or landslip
• Falling trees, lamp-posts or telegraph poles

Due to the fact that this policy is mainly designed for times where the property is rented out you will only get full cover (as above) when the property is considered occupied which by the insurers definitions is when the property have been occupied within the last thirty days. If the property has been unoccupied for 30 days then cover is generally restricted and terms will be added, here is the general term that will be put on to unoccupied holiday home insurance:

While the home is not normally lived in or occupied by a holiday tenant

The buildings and contents section of this insurance does not cover;

a) Loss or damage by escape of water from and frost damage to fixed water tanks, apparatus or pipes UNLESS the water is turned off at the mains and all tanks and pipes are drained, OR the central heating system is in continuous operation to maintain a minimum temperature of 60° Fahrenheit/15° Celsius between the 1st of October and the 1st of April inclusive

b) The standard excess of £50 is replaced to the first £250 of every claim other than fire and subsidence, heave and landslip which are as per the certificate wording

c) Escape of Water and Escape of Oil Excess is increased to £1,000

d) Jewellery, furs, gold, silver, gold and silver plated articles

e) You must arrange for both internal external inspections of the property at least every 30 days and a record log of these visits must be maintained.

However this is still more cover than you would usually be able to get on an unoccupied property and you would only have to let the insurers know when a tenant was next renting the property and you would get the full cover back again. You don’t have to only insure the property as a Holiday Home that is going to be rented out you can insure it as it might be rented out or you might use it yourself as a second home.

So if you have a second property that you either rent out as a holiday home or even a property that you use as your second home then by answering just a few questions you will be able to get a quotation to protect the property from any circumstances that you may use the property for.

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It always seems like the cops are out in force, just when you need to get somewhere as quickly as possible. There you are, driving down the road, so completely focused on your destination and what is scheduled to happen when you get there that you hardly notice the set of lights on top of the white car driving behind you. Before you know it, those light come on: a flashing blue and red. You know you’re in trouble, and you look for the best place to pull over up ahead.

Being pulled over for a speeding ticket is an extremely common occurrence, whether in the city or the country, and almost every driver has experienced that feeling. However, there are very few people who actually like being in that position. Most people will say that they automatically feel stupid, and think about how much their insurance rates will go up. This is normal, because it does happen as a consequence of speeding. However, there are a lot of good reasons why the police officer does what he does, and you may not have as many good reasons for your behavior.

More often than not, though, as the officer leaves his car and approaches your drivers’ window, your brain is racing about what in the world you will say to get out of having to pay the fine that so surely will come. The excuses of some people are off the wall, and hardly worth mentioning because of their ridiculousness. For some, they try to explain that there is a very important meeting at work that they must get to, or they are on their way home to children who are starving.

We can’t say that not giving the officer any good reason for why you were speeding is better than coming up with one that sounds stupid, it’s just kind of funny to reflect on how often the latter happens. Sometimes, though you do have a legitimate reason for doing what you were doing, and in that case, it may be recommended that you explain to the officer. For example, if you are rushing your pregnant wife to the hospital, quickly tell the officer the situation, and things may turn out better for you.

One word of warning, however is this: whatever you say to the police officer, make sure it is the truth. Circumstances will almost always worsen if the officer suspects or discovers that you are lying. If you are as honest as possible, and willing to accept the responsibility of your own behaviors, things may yet be well with you. Not all police officers are out to nab every speeding driver out there, and nail them with an incredible fine. By being honest and humble, you may simply receive a warning-one that you should probably heed.

It is true that receiving a speeding ticket is not the best thing that ever happened to you. However, it is important for you to keep in mind the reasons why it happens. Maintain your respect for the law enforcement in your area, and simply strive harder to follow the rules. That is the best way to avoid dealing with any fines and citations in the future.

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First let me explain a little bit about the Interstate Commerce Commission or ICC.

The ICC was set up by the federal government to enable the trucking industry to haul regulated commodities across state lines. Each authority required an insurance filing to activate it and keep the ICC Truck Permit valid. The filings are made under a commercial auto liability policy. The insurance filing was to act as proof of financial responsibility for the trucker. The basic limit required is $750,000. CSL (combined single limit). The limit required for hazardous commodities can range from $1,000,000. to $5,000,000. CSL depending on the materials being transported.

In the beginning the ICC regulated what kind of manufactured goods (commerce) truckers could carry on which highways. For instance, one trucker may have authority to haul lumber from Las Vegas, NV to Los Angeles, CA along the Interstate 40 corridor. If a different trucker had authority to haul lumber from Phoenix, AZ to Los Angeles, CA on the Interstate 10 and his customer needed lumber moved from Las Vegas to Los Angeles he would need permission from the first because he did not have authority to haul along that route. Therefore the feds regulated what specific routes a trucker would have authority to haul specific manufactured goods. As you can imagine, pieces of authority that were broad in which products granting authority to haul along highly populated routes were quite valuable while unregulated commodities like produce, feed, grain, and cotton could be hauled anywhere by anyone and did not require an ICC permit. This method created many problems for the public, the feds and state governments upon who’s roadways they traveled. Truckers started leasing their authority to other truckers to run favorable routes and soon it was very difficult to tell who was responsible for damages to the public or goods being hauled. A lot of time was spent deciding the responsibility in court. It also led to states requiring permits or filings to travel on their roadways to make sure truckers had insurance to pay for damages to the public.

The current system was developed to solve some of the problems with the original system of regulating commerce and routes and allowing more truckers to haul broader commodities along previously restricted routes. This process was termed deregulation and the federal law developed was called the Motor Carrier Act of 1980.

This law set up 5 basic guidelines of ICC Truck Permits. Each are required to have an insurance filing held by the feds in order for the truckers authority to be valid and useable.

1) Common Carrier

The Common Carrier has authority to haul regulated commodities and is required to file tariffs (rates for hauling goods). The type of authority was more popular in the early of deregulation because tariffs were required before the Motor Carrier Act of 1980.

2) Contract Carrier

Contract Carriers has authority to haul regulated commodities but did not post tariffs. Instead contracts were used to do business with their customers. This authority has become the most popular due to ease of use.

3) Private Carrier

Private carriers have authority to haul their own regulated products.

4) Brokers

Brokers have authority to load regulated commodities on motor carriers that have an ICC Truck permit. Brokers are not required to post a liability filing. They post a $10,000. bond that guarantees payments to regulated truckers for loads hauled.

5) Freight Forwarders

This authority allows for docking freight from one regulated carrier and loading the freight on another carrier. The insurance filing required is generally made under a general liability policy. The authority is not granted to transport the freight only to dock and load on another carrier.

Please remember that this description is only a brief outline. After my twenty-five years in the truck insurance industry, I found out no one knows it all. If you would like to see what I’m up to now, see the info below and visit my blog.

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General Insights

The state of California might have its share of detractors, but one thing is for certain, when it comes to California auto insurance, it is one of the most progressive states in the country.

California not only has low to moderate minimum auto insurance coverage requirements, but it also has a low cost auto insurance program for low income residents. Also, California does not force residents to carry personal injury coverage, placing California as one of the cheapest states in which to maintain auto insurance.

Required Minimum Coverage

The minimum insurance coverage in California is currently:
• $15,000 bodily injury (one person)
• $30,000 bodily injury per accident (two persons or more)
• $5,000 property damage

Compared to other states, which require personal bodily injury coverage or uninsured and under-insured motorists’ coverage, California’s auto insurance laws are fairly lenient.

These minimum coverages indicate the least amount of coverage you can legally buy and carry when driving and insuring an automobile, which means that you can buy more but you cannot buy less. Buying more will of course increase your premiums, but might be a worthwhile investment should you get into a serious accident.

As with most states, you can also choose to carry high or low deductibles for collision and comprehensive coverage (full coverage).

Requirements

California auto insurance laws require that you be 16 years or older to receive a driver’s license, though you can get a temporary learning permit at the age of 15 years and 6 months.

California Laws

California is also an SR-22 state, which means you will need to show proof of coverage if you receive a certain amount of points on your license, or if you wish to drive while or after your license has been suspended.

California also has strict cell phone and texting laws, including severe fines for doing either while driving. This is covered under the distracted driver law, and bans texting and non-hands free cellphone use while driving.

In California, a DUI is considered driving with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. They have increased fines and penalties for those driving over 0.15%.

Differences to Other States

As mentioned before, California sponsors a low cost auto insurance plan for low income earners. This program is sponsored by the Department of Insurance and is as cheap as $400 per month, depending on how much you earn.

This coverage provides the basic limits of:
• $10,000 bodily injury or death coverage (per person)
• $20,000 bodily injury or death (per accident)
• $3,000 property damage (per accident)

They offer a variety of payment plans, and several websites also feature a charts explaining both requirements and coverages.

FAQ

1 What is the income requirement for low cost insurance eligibility?
Between $27,075 (1 person) and $92,525 (8 people).

2 How old do you have to be to get this special coverage?
You must be at least 19 years of age.

3 What type of vehicle is covered?
Vehicles must be valued at $20,000 or less.

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