Flood Insurance, Do you really need it?

Many businesses and homeowners go without flood insurance. They figure the odds are low that anything will happen. Some people may think that a flood is covered under their current policy. Let us correct you; unless you have added the coverage, it is excluded. We agree that the probability is low, none the less, it does exist. Some mortgage companies may even require flood insurance, depending where your home is located.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, businesses, homeowners and renters are discovering what insurance covers - and what it doesn't - while those with minimal or no insurance may be reconsidering flood insurance. In New Jersey, thousands of families are still displaced with little indication of when and if they'll be able to return to their pre-Sandy lives.

If your home is in a flood zone, the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers coverage and American Underwriters Insurance can help you secure affordable coverage. 

Insurance is all about understanding risks, and not every NW homeowner is equally at risk for flood losses. Your risks depend on how close you live to rivers, streams, lakes or flood zones, or how well your home was built to withstand losses. The last thing we want, is for you to be knee deep in water without the proper insurance. We recommend you consider the options, contact us today.

Texting & Driving is like Driving Drunk

A texting driver is 23 times more likely to have an accident than a non-texting driver. However, one million people chat and text while driving each day. The average text takes a driver's eyes off the road for nearly five seconds, so when traveling at 55mph, that's enough time to cover the length of a football field. Most experts agree texting and driving is equal to driving drunk.

According to the American Automobile Association, almost 50% of teen drivers admit to texting while behind the wheel. The US government puts the number of people injured during crashes because of texting while driving at over 578,000 just for 2010 alone.  In that same year, almost 6,500 people lost their lives because of texting behind the wheel.

Most states have instituted laws that ban texting while driving, and even ban the use of mobile phones while driving, unless you're using a hands-free system. That means you can be pulled over and ticketed for just talking on your phone, much less for being caught trying to text while driving. What Can You Do?

• Don't be tempted; turn off your cell phone. Let voicemail capture your voice and text messages.

• If you have to call or text while driving, pull off the road safely and stop.

• Recognize that text messaging can be a habit. Get support from your friends by letting them know you are working on breaking the texting habit.

• If you think you will still be tempted to text and drive, put your phone somewhere you can't reach it, like the trunk.

• Establish family rules that prohibit texting while driving.

• Take control of your cell phone; don't let it control you. You are the only one who decides when and if you send and read a text message.

There are a number of apps that you can use to limit or reduce texting while driving:

iZUP: Holds texts, emails and phone calls while driving. Calls are sent to voice mail and text messages are delivered when the vehicle comes to a stop.

Key2SafeDriving: Uses a small Activator to detect movement and puts phones is a "Safe Driving Mode" until the driver is stopped.

Cellcontrol: Uses a small, easy to install device inside the car to detect movement and stop the use of cell phones.

Contact me today for a free auto insurance quote. We have access to many competitive markets.