Reducing Risk for Riders – Understanding Motorcycle Coverages

There’s nothing like the freedom you feel when riding a motorcycle but if you’re on the road, you’re at risk. To ensure you’ve got the coverage and financial protection you need, consider the following motorcycle insurance coverage options.

Liability Insurance Coverage

Required by most states, liability insurance covers bodily injury and property damage that you may cause to other people involved in an accident.

Bodily injury liability – typically covers the other driver or your passenger’s expenses such as medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Property damage liability – typically covers the expense of repairing damage to others’ property (vehicles, homes, fences, etc.).

Collision Insurance Coverage

Collision insurance covers damage, minus your deductible, to your motorcycle if you are involved in an accident. Keep in mind, collision insurance usually covers the book value of the motorcycle before the loss occurred.

Comprehensive Insurance Coverage

Comprehensive coverage pays for damages caused by an event other than a collision, such as fire, theft or vandalism. However, just like collision insurance coverage, your policy will pay for damages, minus your deductible, and will cover only the book value of the motorcycle.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance coverage covers damages to you and your property caused by another driver who either is uninsured or underinsured to cover your damages. This coverage typically pays for medical treatment, lost wages and other damages.

Optional Equipment Coverage

If you decide to customize your motorcycle, you should look into obtaining additional or optional equipment coverage. Most comprehensive and collision insurance coverages will only cover the factory standard parts on your motorcycle.

Is a “Lay-up” Right for You?

There’s no need to fully insure your motorcycle if it’s stored for an extended period of time. With a lay-up insurance policy, all coverage except comprehensive is suspended for a specified period of time. Ask us for more details about this more affordable seasonal coverage option.

We’re Here to Help!

Call our office today at (508) 248-1440 to learn more about all of our affordable vehicle insurance and personal risk management solutions.

Anastasi Insurance Agency, Inc.

www.anastasiinsurance.com

(508) 248-1440

Gain freedom on the road with the right motorcycle coverage. We can help!

Struck-By Vehicles Safety

According to the US Department of Labor, struck-by objects is another leading cause of construction-related deaths. Approximately 75% of struck-by fatalities involve heavy equipment such as trucks or cranes.

OSHA offers some ways in which you can reduce your risk of being struck while on the job:

How Do I Avoid Hazards?

Wear seat belts that meet OSHA standards, except on equipment that is designed only for standup operation, or that has no rollover protective structure. [29 CFR 1926.601(b)(9)]
Check vehicles before each shift to assure that all parts and accessories are in safe operating condition. [Vehicle Inspection]
Do not drive a vehicle in reverse gear with an obstructed rear view, unless it has an audible reverse alarm, or another worker signals that it is safe.
Drive vehicles or equipment only on roadways or grades that are safely constructed and maintained.
Make sure that you and all other personnel are in the clear before using dumping or lifting devices.
Lower or block bulldozer and scraper blades, end-loader buckets, dump bodies, etc., when not in use, and leave all controls in neutral position.
Set parking brakes when vehicles and equipment are parked, and chock the wheels if they are on an incline.
All vehicles must have adequate braking systems and other safety devices. [Brake Systems]
Haulage vehicles that are loaded by cranes, power shovels, loaders etc., must have a cab shield or canopy that protects the driver from falling materials.
Do not exceed a vehicle’s rated load or lift capacity.
Do not carry personnel unless there is a safe place to ride.
Use traffic signs, barricades or flaggers when construction takes place near public roadways.
Workers must be highly visible in all levels of light. Warning clothing, such as red or orange vests, are required; and if worn for night work, must be of reflective material.

Keep a constant lookout while you are working. By not fully knowing your surroundings, you are running the risk of being struck by a vehicle or piece of equipment.

Your safety matters to us at Anastasi Insurance Agency. Contact us for more safety material to keep you and your employees safe.

3 Most Common Motorcycle Accidents and How To Avoid Them

May is motorcycle awareness month and with Memorial Day right around the corner, it’s officially time to dust off your helmet and get out the bike.

The best way to reduce your odds of getting in an accident or injuring yourself while riding your motorcycle is safety gear, stay aware and education.

We’ve laid out the 10 most common motorcycle accidents and how to avoid them below:

1. Car changes lanes in front of you

How to avoid: Motorcycles can easily fit into vehicle’s blind spots. Be aware of where your blind spots are and stay out of them as much as possible. Be aware of the traffic situation ahead; is there traffic ahead in the other lane?

2. Car turns left in front of you

How to avoid: RIDEAPART.com describes how to avoid this perfectly:

Look for signs that could indicate someone may turn in front of you: a car is at an intersection waiting to turn, there’s a gap in traffic near an intersection, driveway or parking lot. In either situation, slow down, cover your brakes and get ready to take evasive action.

And once you’ve identified said threat, you can work it through levels of severity. Is the driver clearly able to see you, without obstruction from their window pillars, trees or signs? Is that person actually looking? Are they looking at you? How are they situated in the road? What is their speed? Where are their wheels pointing?

Look at their wheels, not the car – they’ll give you the first clue of movement. During all this, also be aware of what’s behind and to your side. Should you need to take evasive action, you’ll need to know your routes of escape. It’s no good braking in time to avoid a turning car, only to be swatted from behind by a tailgating SUV. What’s the road surface like? Is it going to be able to handle the full force of your brakes or are you going to lock them? You do know how to use the full ability of your brakes, right?

Under no circumstances should you “lay the bike down.” Your best chance of survival comes from shedding as much speed as possible pre-collision, and you’re going to be able to do that best with the bike completely upright, using both brakes. Even if you only have time to lose 10 or 20 mph, that could be the difference between going home with bruises and going home at all.

3. Gravel / Road Conditions

How to avoid: Be aware of your surroundings and avoid poor road conditions whenever possible. Be especially aware when coming around a corner.

4. Speeding

How to avoid: Simple…don’t speed. The higher the speed, the greater the impact and the more severe the consequences.

5. Car Doors

How to avoid: Avoid the “death zone” aka between active traffic lane and parked cars. Not just because of the opening doors thing, but because pedestrians step out, cars pull out so they can see, and for a million other reasons

Be Safe Out There! Contact us with any questions

IRP Renewal – Due at the end of JUNE

Massachusetts IRP renewal applications are out!

These are for the apportion plates that expire on the last day of June.

FAST FACTS ABOUT YOUR IRP RENEWAL:

If you need an insurance stamp:
1. Complete the form and sign the docs and send the renewal paperwork to us
2. We will stamp the renewal as needed and forward your package off to Boston to be processed.

If you DO NOT need an insurance stamp:
1. Complete the form and sign the documents
2. Mail to the address listed on your renewal paperwork

Please make sure you do this process as soon as your paperwork is received so that you ensure that you get your renewal stickers on time!

Things to remember to make your renewal go smoothly:

• Your MCS-150 needs to be updated every two years!
• Your 2290 tax form for the year 2017-2018 must be paid and receipt sent with your paperwork.

Need help? Please contact our office if you have any questions!

The International Roadcheck 2018

The International Roadcheck 2018 will take place on June 5-7. Last year during this nationwide event, over 62,000 inspections were conducted!

How confident are you that your drivers and vehicles will pass a roadside inspection during the International Roadchecks?

According to The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), CMV inspectors will primarily perform North American Standard Level I Inspections during the event –an examination of both driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness.

The vehicle inspection includes checking brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, driveline/driveshaft components, exhaust systems, frames, fuel systems, lighting devices, steering mechanisms, suspensions, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels, rims and hubs, and windshield wipers. Additional items for buses include emergency exits, electrical cables and systems in the engine and battery compartments, and seating.

“Although the electronic logging device (ELD) rule that went into effect on December 18, 2017, does not change any of the underlying hours-of-service rules or exceptions, the ELD mandate placed a spotlight on hours-of-service compliance,” said CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner of the Kansas Highway Patrol. “We thought this year would be a perfect opportunity to focus on the importance of the hours-of-service regulations.”

A couple of things I’d like to highlight for you to prepare you for the International Roadcheck:

The emphasis this year is hours of service. However, violations and out-of-service orders can be handed out for non-compliant brake systems, cargo securement, coupling devices, and more
32% of drivers who were found out of compliance were removed from roadways due to violations (think about the loss of revenue for employers or the contracts that will be put in jeopardy)
In this 72 hour inspection period, on average 17 trucks/buses will be inspected every minute

At Anastasi Insurance Agency, we HAVE resources to help you avoid any violations (vehicle inspection checklists,Guides to DOT vehicle inspection levels, logbook guides etc). We encourage you to contact us to discuss this more.

CPR Refresher

It’s finally time to open up the pool and invite your friends and family over for a swim! At one point in our lives, most of us learned CPR, but would you remember the steps if an emergency happened? Read the below for a refresher…

3 Steps to CPR for Adults:

Call 911
Pump – 30 Chest Compressions
Open Airway
Rescue Breaths

Check out this video for a demonstration on how to perform CPR on an adult and on a child.

Bridge Your Auto Policy Gap with Drive-other-car Coverage

Do you know if your employees have a personal auto policy?

If you provide company vehicles to your employees and these employees don’t have their own personal automobile policy, a potential gap in coverage may exist. To adequately cover your risk, a drive-other-car endorsement is specifically intended to bridge this gap.

Drive-other-car Coverage Basics

If you have employees that are provided with company-owned vehicles, they DRIVE OTHER CAR often do not have an additional automobile and therefore do not carry a personal automobile policy.

If the employee doesn’t carry a personal policy and drives a vehicle borrowed from another party, other than the company-issued vehicle, drive-other-car coverage affords them protection should an accident occur.

Drive-other-car coverage is endorsed onto your business automobile policy and provides coverage only for scheduled individuals.

How Does This Differ From Hired/Non-owned Coverage?

There are some key differences between hired/non-owned coverage and drive-other-car coverage:

Hired automobile coverage is provided for vehicles that are leased, rented, hired or borrowed by the insured or its employees for business purposes.
Non-owned coverage is afforded to employers when an employee uses their own personal vehicle for business purposes.

Are You Covered?

To show how drive-other-car coverage applies, consider the following situations:

A salesperson rents a car for personal use on vacation and damages another vehicle. Is he or she covered?

A business owner has all the vehicles titled in the company’s name. The owner’s family travels out of town on vacation and rents a car, opts not to purchase coverage and is involved in an accident. Is he or she covered?

An executive borrows a friend’s minivan to move and is involved in an accident. Is he or she covered?

In all of these circumstances, the business automobile policy provides no coverage since the “covered auto,” or company-owned vehicle, was not involved in the accident. A drive-other-car endorsement closes the exposure loop in these instances.

How You Can Minimize Exposure

Take these steps to minimize your exposure:

Require all of your employees who are either issued or that will drive company vehicles to have personal automobile policies.
Notify Anastasi Insurance Agency, Inc. of any employees and family members that do not have personal automobile policies.
Review the coverage provided on the endorsement so that you have a clear understanding of what is included. Coverage can include liability, medical payments, uninsured motorist and physical damage coverage. Review the endorsement to ensure that all employees and/or family members that do not have personal automobile policies are scheduled on the endorsement.
Notify us of any individuals not shown on the schedule.

Proper Planning is No Accident
An agent who understands your business can help you understand drive-other-car coverage and endorse your business automobile policy to your individual needs.

Call us today at (508) 248-1440 to ensure that your automobile coverage adequately meets your needs.

Provided by Anastasi Insurance Agency, Inc.

Rental Car Insurance Considerations

RENTAL CAR
When it comes to renting vehicles for business use, it’s important to understand your coverage options to smooth out any surprise bumps in the road. Since coverage varies from one rental agency to the next, it’s important to know the risks and how to protect against them.

For years, we have been advising our clients to purchase hired car physical damage on their business auto policy and to reject the “insurance” offered when you rent a car. Since hired car physical damage covers rented vehicles the same as it would an owned vehicle, why pay more for loss damage waiver (LDW) or a collision damage waiver (CDW)? Because rental agreements have evolved in recent years and possibly create pitfalls for auto renters.

About Your Business Auto Policy

If you are relying on your hired car physical damage on your business auto policy to protect you, but the vehicle isn’t rented by the business, the hired car physical damage coverage won’t respond to claims. Your employees should use the business name on the agreement and pay with a business credit card, if possible.

Each year, the liabilities assumed under rental agreements expand. At one time, renters were responsible only for actual damage to or theft of the vehicle. Over the years, the rental car companies added loss of use. As a result, if the car is in the shop for two weeks after an accident, you, the renter, are liable for the revenue the rental car company has lost. Plus, storage fees may be passed on to you. In addition, some agreements require that you pay for “diminution of value.” This is the reduction in resale value for a vehicle that has been in an accident. If you purchase the LDW or CDW offered by the car rental company, your responsibility for damages will be waived.

About Rental Insurance

Should you use coverage from the rental car company and remove the hired car physical damage from your business auto policy? This would be a good solution if you could rely on the rental car coverage. Unfortunately, there are provisions in every rental contract that can void the coverage. For example, coverage is often voided if the driver has a single drink before driving; if he asks someone to drive in his place and that person is not listed as an authorized driver; if the driver is under the age specified in the rental contract; or if the car is taken on unpaved roads. Unfortunately, there are many ways to void the LDW/CDW, and they vary from one agreement to the next.

About Personal Auto Policies

Some personal auto policies won’t cover an SUV, van, or pickup being used for business. Plus, a personal auto policy won’t cover if the employee doesn’t carry comprehensive and collision—a likely case if the employee drives an older vehicle. Some policies exclude loss of use and all exclude diminution of value. And, if the personal auto policy does pay the claim, it will be on the driver’s loss record and might result in cancellation of coverage.

About Credit Card Coverage

Will the credit card used to rent the vehicle pay for the loss if your insurance doesn’t? To activate coverage, the cardholder must be the primary renter and must decline the LDW/CDW. Nothing is standard with credit card coverage, and it may be changed from time to time at the credit card company’s discretion. Also, if you violate any terms of the rental agreement, the credit card coverage is voided when you need it most. Many credit cards exclude rented SUVs, and some exclude any weather-related damage, like flood and hail.

Minimizing the Risk

What should you do to minimize your risk? We recommend the following:

Dealing with one corporate-approved rental company, if possible. This will establish that the rentals are for business use and that the business is renting the vehicle, not the employee. Review the contracts of at least three rental car companies and choose the one that best suits you. Make sure to sign a blanket agreement for all rentals and keep a copy on file.
Taking the LDW/CDW coverage, or self-insure any exposures not covered by hired car physical damage. Such exposures typically include loss of use, diminution of value, storage fees, administration and claims expenses. Some loss of use may be provided by your Business Auto policy. Ask us to review this for you. Depending on how often your firm rents vehicles and the cost of LDW/CDW, self-insuring might be a good option.
If you purchase LDW/CDW, make your employees understand the “Prohibited Uses” or other section that explains actions that will void coverage, even though you paid for it.
Continue to carry hired car physical damage on your business auto policy.

Proper Planning is No Accident

Car rental insurance has important considerations. If you need help sorting through this coverage with an expert who understands your needs, call us today at 1-800-237-1378.

New Study Shows Homeowners 50+ are delaying…

Study shows homeowners 50+ are delaying home repairs..

New research from The Hartford and MIT shows that 49% of homeowners who are 50 years and older are delaying important home repairs. This percentage grows as homeowners reach 70 years and older. Fire, water, pests and weather are causes of the most significant damages to homes. According the AARP homeowners insurance for The Hartford, water damage from heating, plumbing and air conditioning are the most common cause for insurance claims, followed by wind damage. Shockingly, of those who were interviewed for this survey, only 16% believe that water leaks could cause serious damage. Putting off home repairs could also cause claims to be denied if you had prior knowledge of damage. Don’t delay in repairs, a small leak could cause a flood!

Where’s George?

Anastasi Insurance is excited to announce our new objective Where’s George? Where we highlight local businesses and promote their success. Check out our FIRST episode below, Manthorne Automotive!

Stay tuned for Episode 2..coming soon!