Flushing Auto Insurance

 Picture this scenario: A woman leaves her car securely locked and safely parked on a quiet side street. But the unexpected happens. When she returns, her car is severely damaged.

This scenario has a happy ending. After the initial shock, she calls her insurance agent. The agent guides the woman through the claim process and explains that her car policy’s collision coverage will pay the cost, after the deductible is met, to repair her car.

Why insurance?

State laws require owners and drivers of motor vehicles to be financially responsible for damages they cause in a car accident. Insurance satisfies this requirement. In addition, optional coverages are available that can further reduce your risk of significant financial loss from a car crash, even if it is not your fault. Types of coverage available

There are various types of coverage available when purchasing an Auto insurance policy.

 Liability: Pays damages for bodily injury to others and damage to property that result from a wreck that is caused by an insured under your policy. Also pays for other costs including legal defense and court fees in the event an insured is sued because of a car wreck.

 Collision: Pays for damage, after a deductible is met, to your insured car when it strikes, or is struck by, another vehicle or object.

 Comprehensive: Pays for damage to your insured car that was not caused by a collision. Some examples include damage caused fire, wind, hail, flood, vandalism, theft, or impact with an animal. There may or may not be a deductible for this coverage.

 Medical Payments Coverage: Pays the reasonable and necessary medical expenses for an insured that is injured in a car crash, regardless of who is at fault for the wreck.

 Uninsured Motorist Coverage: Pays damages to an insured that is injured in a car crash caused by a driver who does not have liability insurance.

 Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Pays damages to an insured that is injured in a car crash when the person(s) responsible for the wreck accident has insufficient liability insurance to fully compensate the insured for the injury.

 Car Rental Expense: Pays eligible rental car expenses if your car is not drivable because of a loss which would be payable under Collision Coverage or Comprehensive Coverage.

 Emergency Road Service: Pays for items such as towing expenses, the cost to deliver gasoline, and specified labor charges to unlock your car if the key is locked inside the car.

 

When shopping for insurance, it’s important to look at more than the total cost. Become familiar with the amount and type of coverage that is being offered. Also, note what isn’t being covered, who is covered while driving your vehicle and the quality of customer service in the event of an accident. And always remember to make sure the company you’re insured by is financially strong.

The bottom line is that you should understand your policy and buy the amount of insurance you think you need.

 

By: Brian Downes State Farm® agent

NYC Car Insurance

 Whether you’re a first time buyer of auto insurance or already have it but are looking for a better deal, you should be asking several questions.

 First, is the person from whom you’re buying (your agent) a visible, established member of your community – someone you know and trust?

 Second, is the company from whom you’re buying well known? What is its reputation? What about price? Because there are hundreds of companies competing for your business, prices vary – sometimes a lot. It may pay you to shop. Be sure the premiums you’re quoted are for equal amounts of coverage.

 How about service? Price is important but saving money won’t mean much unless you get the service you need – when you need it. If possible, ask other clients of your prospective agent how they’ve been treated, especially when they’ve had a claim. Find out how the company handles claims. Is the method convenient for you, no matter where you have an accident?

 How about solvency? Is the company you’re considering still going to be in business when you file your claim? Your state department of insurance has financial rating information on all of the companies that do business in its state.

Once you’ve decided on a company and an agent, there are more questions to ask.

 How much coverage do you need? The required minimum amounts of liability coverage may not be enough for you.

 Consider your needs in light of your assets and income. How much can you afford to pay if there’s a big judgment against you because of an accident? What about deductibles? Deductibles lower your premiums – most commonly for collision and comprehensive coverages – but increase the amount of loss that comes out of your pocket.

 How much additional risk are you willing to take in order to save? Should you carry collision and comprehensive coverage? As your car’s value decreases, you might consider dropping these coverages and pocketing the savings on premiums. But consider if the savings are enough to offset the risk of footing the entire cost of repairing or replacing your car.

 Auto insurance is not a generic commodity. It is a product that should be tailored to each individual. Your agent can help you answer these questions and help you tailor your auto insurance to your specific and unique needs.

 By Brian Downes State Farm® agent

New York Renters Insurance

For most people, rental dwelling ownership means a big investment with special risks. Buying a rental dwelling is a big undertaking and as an owner you need to make sure that you are adequately protecting your investment.

You’ll want to make sure you have coverage for your property, your liability and loss of rents. The main components of rental dwelling insurance policy include: the dwelling, personal property, business liability and loss of rents.

Dwelling

Provides coverage for accidental loss to the building and other structures attached to it like a porch, garage or fence. If there are detached structures on the property, make sure to clearly define their use. If the structures are used for commercial, manufacturing, farming, or if your tenant decides to use them for any of these purposes or other business purposes, a standard rental dwelling policy may not cover losses arising from these activities.

Personal Property

Keep in mind, personal property includes items such as appliances, maintenance, and service equipment owned by you. If your rental dwelling policy does not include this type of coverage, you might be exposed.

Business Liability

This important coverage insures you against bodily injury, personal injury, or property damage resulting from the ownership, use or maintenance of the property. These types of claims are the ones that could affect you and your family for a lifetime if you are not properly insured. Business liability may also include coverage for the cost of legal defense.

Do you know the coverage limits on your current rental dwelling policy? If you don’t know the answer, I’d suggest you start your research today.

Loss of Rents

This coverage reimburses the fair rental value of the dwelling for up to 12 months if your rental dwelling is left unfit for occupancy due to a covered loss. Does your current policy cover you for the loss of rents due to unforeseen circumstances like a fire? It’s an answer you should know.

There are additional coverages included in a rental dwelling policy. You can call me to discuss these options. Please check your policy for a complete description of coverage and loss or damage not insured.

Many investors have questions when taking their first steps to own a rental property. As a State Farm Agent, I’m here to help you through this exciting experience.

By: Brian Downes State Farm® Agent

 

 

New York Motorcycle Insurance

You’ve bought that shiny new motorcycle, taken a safety course and are ready to hit the open New York road. But what else can you do to help protect yourself? Wear the right gear – an approved helmet, face or eye protection and protective clothing.

Helmet

Accidents can happen to anyone. According to the Motorcycle Safety Foundation (MSF-USA), one our every five motorcycle accidents results in head or neck injuries. These injuries can be reduced by wearing an approved helmet.

There are two primary types of helmets – three-quarters and full face. They provide different levels of coverage. To make sure you get the most protection from your helmet, make sure it meets U. S. Department of Transportation and state standards, that it fits snugly all the way around and that it has no obvious defects such as cracks, loose padding or frayed straps.

Whatever type of helmet you chose be sure to keep it fastened securely while riding or it may fly off your head in an accident.

Eye and face protection

Wind, dust, dirt, rain, insects and debris thrown up by other vehicles … you can protect yourself from these by wearing a faceshield. A plastic shatter-resistant one will also help protect your face in the event of an accident. And goggles will protect your eyes if you’re not wearing a faceshield.

To be effective, your eye and face protection must:

•  Be free of scratches
•  Be resistant to penetration
•  Afford a clear view to either side
•  Fasten securely so it won’t blow off
• Allow air to pass through to alleviate fogging
• Permit enough room for sunglasses or eyeglasses if needed.

Protective clothing

The right clothing will help protect you in an accident, as well as providing protection from heat, cold, debris and hot and moving parts of your motorcycle.

Jacket and pants should cover arms and legs completely and fit snugly enough to keep from flapping in the wind. Leather is the best protection but sturdy synthetic materials are a good alternative. Boots or shoes should cover your ankles. Soles should be hard and slip-resistant; tuck laces in so they don’t get caught on your motorcycle. Gloves will give you a better grip and help protect your hands in an accident.

Wear the appropriate clothing for the weather you’ll be experiencing. If you’re too hot or too cold, you may not be able to control your motorcycle as well.

There are plenty of things on the highway that can cause you trouble. Making sure you have the right gear will help ensure that you have adequate protection should an accident occur.

By Brian Downes State Farm® agent

Flushing Car Insurance

As parents, grandparents or caregivers, we always want to do the best thing for our child’s health and safety. We make sure that they don’t eat too much candy. We teach them to look both ways before crossing the street.

But when our kids are riding in the car, are we making sure they are buckled up correctly?

Even though experts for years have stressed the importance of child safety seats, the number one killer in the United States for children ages 2-14 is car crashes.

Partners for Child Passenger Safety (PCPS) is a joint effort between State Farm Insurance and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia®. The partnership is dedicated to understanding how and why children are injured or killed in auto crashes. PCPS began in 1997 and continues to be the largest study of its kind, having recently been expanded to include crashes in Texas.

One of the earliest findings of the study was that children ages 2 to 5 who use adult seat belts are 3.5 times more likely to suffer significant injury than those correctly restrained in a child safety seat or belt-positioning booster seat. In 2004, PCPS data showed more than 61 percent of children ages 4 to 8 were not optimally restrained and were often using only a seat belt.

Seat belts are designed to fit adults, not children. A belt-positioning booster seat, which is the next step after a child has completely outgrown a child safety seat, gives kids a lift so that a lap and shoulder belt fits them properly.

Besides emphasizing the need for the intermediate step of the belt-positioning booster seat, findings from the PCPS study show that boosters reduce the risk of injury for 4 to 7 year-olds by 59 percent compared to those using only adult safety belts. Another recent discovery by PCPS researcher is children are 40 percent less likely to be injured in a crash if they are seated in the rear seat versus the front seat. This supports the recommendation of the American Academy of Pediatrics that all children under age 13 should ride in the back seat. Based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recommendations, the following tips are critical to help ensure the safety of children riding in vehicles.

If the Child is:

A newborn up to at least 1 year AND at least 20 pounds

• Use a rear-facing infant seat or rear-facing convertible seat.
• Keep the child in the rear-facing seat until he or she has completely outgrown the seat.
• Never place a rear-facing infant in the front seat with an airbag.
• Follow the child safety seat and vehicle manufacturers’ instructions on correct restraint use and installation.

Over at least 1 year AND over at least 20 pounds, up to 40 pounds.

• Use a forward-facing convertible seat or forward-facing combination seat with harness straps.
• Keep the child in the forward-facing child safety seat until he or she has completely outgrown it.
• Follow the child safety seat and vehicle manufacturers’ instructions on correct restraint use and installation.

Over 40 pounds AND up to at least age 8, unless 4’9″ tall

• Use a belt-positioning booster seat with lap and shoulder seat belt.
• Follow the child safety seat and vehicle manufacturers’ instructions on correct restraint use and installation.

Over age 8 or 4’9″ tall

• Use a lap and shoulder safety belt.
• Follow vehicle manufacturers’ instructions on correct restraint use.

By Brian Downes

State Farm® agent

New York Auto Insurance

Driving while drowsy is an unnecessary risk you shouldn’t take.
Sleep deprivation has become widespread in New York as people try to squeeze more and more activities into each day.
One consequence: more vehicle crashes attributed partly or wholly to sleepiness.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says about 1 million crashes a year are thought to occur because of driver inattention or lapses – and fatigue makes such inattention more likely.
In a survey by the National Sleep Foundation, 57 percent of those interviewed said they had driven while drowsy and 23 percent admitted to having fallen asleep behind the wheel.
NHTSA reports that sleep-induced crashes typically involve a driver who is alone and driving late at night or in mid-afternoon on a high-speed road (so the crash is more likely to be serious). Most of the time, it’s a single-car crash because the vehicle leaves the roadway.
Leave the driving to those who are wide awake! In other words, many of us may be susceptible to driving while sleepy, but there are some things we can do to avoid doing so. The National Sleep Foundation and other experts suggest:
1. Get a good night’s sleep before starting a long drive.
2. Avoid driving during your body’s natural “down time” when you’d normally be sleeping.
3. Plan to drive long trips with a companion. Passengers can help look for early warning signs of fatigue and can help share the
driving. Passengers should stay awake to talk to the driver.
4. Sit up straight while driving; don’t slouch. Don’t stare straight ahead at all times; scan the road and nearby areas.
5. Stop for a rest every 100 miles or two hours.
6. If you need one, take a short nap. Or get some exercise – run in place, jump up and down.
7. Avoid alcohol and medications that may make you sleepy; read the label on the container or ask your physician.
8. Consult a doctor if you have any symptoms of a possible sleep disorder: frequent daytime sleepiness, frequent difficulty sleeping at night or loud snoring every night.
So, before you hit the road, make sure you’ve had a good night’s sleep. Then you can rest assured you’ll arrive at your destination safely in New York.

By Brian Downes
State Farm® agent