1. According to a study by A.M. Best, tornadoes are responsible for 57 percent of all catastrophic losses since 1953. The costliest tornado to date struck Georgia in 1973, causing $5.35 billion in damage. Tornadoes are approaching hurricanes in terms of costliness. According to the Insurance Information Institute’s 2009 Insurance Fact Book , “insured damages of $1 billion or more from a single event [are] becoming more common.”
Frequency
2. In 2008, 1,390 tornadoes touched down in the United States in the first seven months of the year, setting a new record. Kansas and Texas typically see the most action; in 2007, twisters hit Kansas 137 times and Texas 197 times. However, Florida, with its dense population, saw the highest number of tornado fatalities in 2007 with 21. Given the right circumstances, tornadoes can occur at any time of year, but they are most frequent between April and September.
Cause
3. While we know that tornadoes emerge from thunderstorms, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) doesn’t fully understand why some t-storms produce them while others don’t. “The classic answer – ‘warm moist Gulf air meets cold Canadian air and dry air from the Rockies’ — is a gross oversimplification. Many thunderstorms form under those conditions (near warm fronts, cold fronts and drylines respectively), which never even come close to producing tornadoes.” Needless to say, this gap in knowledge makes tornado prediction ??a very imprecise exercise.
Rating
4. Tornado strength is measured by the enhanced Fujita scale, from 0 to 5, with an F5 tornado packing 300-mph winds. The F-scale, as it’s known, measures intensity by analyzing wind damage to manmade structures. While based on engineering guidelines, the scale is subjective. NOAA: “Nobody knows the ‘true’ wind speeds at ground level in most tornadoes, and the amount of wind needed to do similar-looking damage can vary greatly, even from block to block or building to building.”
Coverage
5. Most standard homeowners insurance policies cover tornado-related damage. Car damage is covered under your auto insurance policy’s comprehensive coverage (which is an elective coverage that kicks in after you pay your deductible amount).
Written by admin on August 22nd, 2010 with no comments.
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When vans became popular in the 1960s and ’70s, everyone from sports enthusiasts to business owners to the handicapped began taking advantage of their form and function. Depending on the type of van chosen—whether minivan, mid-size cargo or full-size utility model—a van could easily transport people and goods anywhere they needed to go.
But along with this unique vehicle came a need for unique protection. As consumers began purchasing and driving these oddly shaped, top-heavy and often cumbersome automobiles, safety on the road—and finances due to risk of accident—became an issue. Thus developed a need for physical and financial security that only insurance could provide van enthusiasts.
That was the advent of van insurance. Now, as individuals, families and businesses use vans to move everything from sporting equipment to loved ones, and business materials to wheelchairs, there’s a way to do so safely and conveniently—without worrying about the risk of accident or injury.
Making Vans Safe & Reliable—and Insurance Affordable
Though the early van models tended toward bumpier rides, louder engines, decreased stability and non-responsiveness, the van today has been redesigned to improve safety, reliability, efficiency and overall comfort. Not only has this increased van appeal with shoppers; it has also made the van safer and more reliable—and helped reduce van insurance rates.
Depending on make and model, some common redesigns include:
- Quieter engines
- Smoother rides
- Better control/responsiveness
- Greater stability
- Additional safety features
- More “creature comforts” (i.e. swiveling chairs, cup holders)
As van makers respond to lifestyle changes with van redesigns, insurers are responding with lower insurance quotes, cheaper insurance policies and lower monthly premiums.
Saving Money on Van Insurance
Because safety rates number one when it comes to insurance rates, taking advantage of a few simple tips can help keep auto insurance premiums low—and protection levels high—for van lovers.
- Enforce safety by requiring riders to wear seat belts. Statistics show that those strapped in a van during accidents have much greater chance for survival—and lesser chance of injury—than those who aren’t.
- Inspect tires before driving. Because blowouts represent one of the most common reasons for loss of vehicle control, checking these systems before hitting the road helps keep the rider—and van—safe.
- Make sure only experienced drivers drive. Because updrafts, other drivers’ recklessness and slow responsiveness can cause accidents, van operators should have experience driving this particular type of vehicle before getting behind the wheel. This helps reduce the likelihood of accident insurance claims.
- Limit cell phone usage and driver/passenger conversation, and require all drivers to be well rested before operating a van. The less distracted and the better rested the van driver is, the greater the chance of safe arrival.
Staying Worry-Free
Vans have come a long way since their introduction more than 40 years ago. Still, no one can predict what will happen behind the wheel.
But with the right insurance policy, drivers can hit the road worry-free. All it takes is some basic knowledge, the right insurance policy and a competitively priced plan.
Written by admin on August 22nd, 2010 with no comments.
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