Quality Claim Service Makes a Difference

Quality Claim Service Makes a Difference
By David Hopewell State Farm® agent

Headaches, hassles, and unnecessary strain in life can be reduced by researching the quality of claims service a company offers before purchasing an auto insurance policy. The few key areas to inspect are: customer satisfaction, customer choices and professionalism of claim representatives.

Customer satisfaction is one of the easiest to research. Independent firms, such as J.D. Power and Associates, rank customer satisfaction for auto insurance.

Quality claim service means prompt response and payment for what is owed for damage and quality repair work. Other intangibles can make the claims process less stressful.

Here are a few questions to ask when shopping for auto insurance:
· Is the person who sells me the policy, the same person I can trust to report a claim?
· Will there be someone who can answer my questions if I have one?
· Will I have my choice of body shops to repair my vehicle?

Another measure of quality claim service is customer choice. Not only choosing the auto body repair shop, but even the choices you have in communicating with the company. With today’s hectic lifestyles, some companies offer options to report claims in person, on the phone or even online, 24 hours a day.

Finally, professional claim handling can eliminate the unnecessary stresses related to an auto crash. Professional claim handling requires special skills. Claim adjusters need to empathize with the customer’s situation to establish good communication and assist them in making a claim.

The professional needs to turn the anxiety of a customer not knowing what to expect into confidence that the claim will be handled fairly and quickly. A car crash is already a stressful time in anyone’s life. But the quality of claim service can differentiate insurance company A from company B. Knowing that you’ve researched a company before buying an auto insurance policy will give you an added confidence when the unexpected happens.

Start by asking your agent about quality service.

Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Jumps 18% in Five Years

Deer-Vehicle Collision Frequency Jumps 18% in Five Years

09.28.2009

State Farm estimates that 2.4 million collisions between deer and vehicles occurred in the United States over a two-year period.

The frequency of deer-vehicle collisions is increasing.

Among the 35 states where at least 7,000 deer-vehicle collisions occur per year, New Jersey and Nebraska have posted the largest increases, 54 percent.

The number of vehicles on U.S. roadways has grown by 7 percent over the last five years. But the number of times those vehicles have collided with deer has swelled by much more than that.

Using its claims data, State Farm® estimates 2.4 million collisions between deer and vehicles occurred in the United States during the two-year period between July 1, 2007 and June 30, 2009. That’s 18.3 percent more than five years earlier.

To put it another way, one of these unfortunate encounters occurs every 26 seconds (although they are much more likely during the last three months of the year and in the early evening).

More Deer-Vehicle Collisions

Among the 35 states where at least 7,000 deer-vehicle collisions occur per year, New Jersey and Nebraska have posted the largest increases, 54 percent. Kansas is next at 41 percent. Deer-vehicle collisions have jumped by 38 percent in Florida, Mississippi and Arkansas. Then come Oklahoma (34 percent) and West Virginia, North Carolina and Texas (33 percent). State Farm is not including the percentage changes in the other 15 states plus the District of Columbia because the lower volume of total collisions makes the percentage changes less credible.

For the third year in a row, West Virginia tops the list of those states where a collision with a deer is most likely (for any one vehicle). Using its claims data in conjunction with state motor vehicle registration counts from the Federal Highway Administration, State Farm calculates the chances of a West Virginia vehicle striking a deer over the next 12 months at 1 in 39. Such an encounter is even more likely in West Virginia than it was a year ago.

Michigan remains second on that list. The likelihood of a specific vehicle striking a deer there is 1 in 78. Pennsylvania (1 in 94) and Iowa (1 in 104) remain third and fourth respectively. Montana (1 in 104) is fifth. Arkansas and South Dakota each dropped a spot to sixth and seventh. Wisconsin remains eighth. North Dakota and Virginia round out the top 10.

The state in which deer-vehicle collisions are least likely is still Hawaii (1 in 9,931). The odds of any one vehicle hitting a deer in Hawaii during the next year are roughly equivalent to the odds of randomly picking a piece of clover and finding it has four leaves.

Property Damage Increases

The average property damage cost of these incidents was $3,050, up 3.4 percent from a year ago.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. cause more than 150 fatalities each year.

These collisions are more frequent during the deer migration and mating season in October, November and December. The combination of growing deer populations and the displacement of deer habitat caused by urban sprawl are producing increasingly hazardous conditions for motorists and deer.

“State Farm has been committed to auto safety for several decades and that’s why we want to call attention to potential hazards like this one,” said Laurette Stiles, State Farm Vice President of Strategic Resources. “We hope our updated information will inspire motorists to make safe decisions.”
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© 2009 Factiva, Inc. All rights reserved.
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According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. cause more than 150 fatalities each year.

Tips on Reducing Deer Hits:

Here are tips on how to reduce the chances that a deer-vehicle collision involving your vehicle.

*Be aware of posted deer crossing signs. These are placed in active deer crossing areas.

*Remember that deer are most active between 6 and 9 p.m.

*Use high beam headlamps as much as possible at night to illuminate the areas from which deer will enter roadways.

*Keep in mind that deer generally travel in herds – if you see one, there is a strong possibility others are nearby.

*Do not rely on car-mounted deer whistles.

*If a deer collision seems inevitable, attempting to swerve out of the way could cause you to lose control of your vehicle or place you in the path of an oncoming vehicle.

Additional Resources
Likelihood of Any One Vehicle Colliding With a Deer Over the Next Year [ pdf ]

Embrace Life, No matter What!

Embrace Life, No Matter What

By: David Hopewell
State Farm® agent


Have you ever heard, “If I had only had more time.”

As people grow older, some may have regrets about all the things they did not do. Not taking an exotic trip or missing visits to family members might top the list. Your list might even include “not running a marathon.” One of the biggest regrets may be not telling a loved one how much you care.

One thing is for sure: The more you enjoy life and prepare for the unexpected, the fewer regrets you may have.

While no one can possibly do everything on a lifetime to-do list, there are plenty of ways to show people you care. One way is to make sure your family has the financial means to continue living their current lifestyle if you are no longer around.

Life insurance is one way to do just that. A strong economic foundation includes adequate life insurance coverage; enough to cover a mortgage, college tuition or outstanding debts.

There are many online sites, including statefarm.com®, that provide calculators to determine your life insurance needs. A qualified insurance professional can help you choose a policy to meet your needs and fit in your budget. Once a policy is in place, you can revisit it, especially during different life events, to make certain the coverage is still appropriate. Knowing you have provided for your loved ones will give you peace of mind so you can enjoy doing the things you’ve always wanted to do.

If you have questions about this article please contact me by calling in at 859-734-5338 or e-mail me at david@davidhopewell.com.