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High-risk drivers in Texas

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Over the last forty or fifty years, the US has been changing – some of the time, for the better. Even some of the things we take as constants have changed, the best example being the dollar. Looking back to the 1960’s, the buying power of the greenback was quite surprisingly high. But thanks to inflation, the buying power has steadily ebbed away. In 1960, the dollar was worth $7.35 in modern values. So, even to keep pace with inflation, all our paychecks have had to rise. Yet, curiously, some values have not changed. Look around the states in the union. All but three have mandatory liability insurance, most with values set forty or fifty years ago. This produces an unusual result. When almost everything else connected to insurance from the cost of spare parts to the sums payable for medical treatment have been rising faster than inflation, the mandatory requirement has stayed the same. The gap between the coverage and the liability has been steadily widening. Many states have been ignoring the problem, leaving it to victims and their attorneys to decide whether it’s economic to sue drivers to recover the additional amount lost. But a few responsible states have been discussing the possibility of increasing the basic requirements.

So welcome to Texas, a state notorious for having one of the highest rates of vehicle theft in the US. In 2007, the lawmakers decided they must do something about the minimums which, at that time, stood at 20/40/25, i.e. $20,000 to cover physical injuries, a maximum of $40,000 payable in each accident, and up to $25,000 for damage to property. The state government decided on staggered increases so, in 2008, they rose to 25/50/25 and, on January 1st, 2011, they will rise to 30/60/25. This gentle uplift has passed almost unnoticed with insurance companies barely changing the premium rates above that needed to match inflation. Whereas other states like Wisconsin have seen quite large premium increases, it’s not expected there will be a major premium increase in 2011.

Even better is the news for high-risk drivers. Texas runs a pool for drivers whose records are so bad, they cannot easily find insurance with any of the usual carriers. The Texas state regulator has just announced the premium rates payable through the Automobile Insurance Plan Association will fall by 7.6% in 2011. This offers responsible high-risk drivers the chance to increase their coverage without any net increase in the premium payable. So if you are a Texas resident and cannot find any cheap car insurance because of your record, now is the chance to save some money through the state pool. Sadly, the coverage is still expensive when compared to the rates payable by the drivers with a safer record but, with rates falling for the mandatory minimum, it’s at least more affordable than now. For other drivers, using this site gives you the chance to find cheap car insurance. The general expectation is that premium rates will stay roughly the same as this year with inflation low and the economy slow.

rd Party Car Insurance – How Much You Can Be Expecting To Pay Out

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rd party motor insurance or liability insurance plans in the United States features harms performed to other people once a driver has caused a crash. When an automobile accident occurs, the insurance providers, through the help of police force, will pick which driver was to blame. The at-fault driver will be the person who will be in charge of all health care charges and property destroys caused by the accident, so this is what third party vehicle insurance contains.

The way in which does 3rd party automobile insurance work?

Third party vehicle insurance varies from optionally available types of vehicle insurance due to the fact 1st party car insurance, like collision and comprehensive insurance coverage, apply for damages made to the actual at-fault drivers car. Because at-fault drivers are unable to get third party auto insurance to fund theirs vehicles harms, they require to buy additional insurance coverage that will have the funds for their own cars repairs.

Each state has fixed specifications depending on how much liability coverage people should have to become licensed drivers. They’ll be needed to have a the bare minimum volume of insurance to cover the medical bills of folks hurt in a car collision that they can cause, called bodily injury liability. They also must be liable for the property damages they cause during the accident with property damage liability. This specific coverage covers car repairs, landscaping damages that take place and city property that could be damaged for example the street lights. In cases where the third parties harmed by the crash elect to file a claim the at-fault driver, the third party auto insurance covers the legal defense and no matter what judge or jury orders them to pay in damages.

Just how much do you anticipate paying for 3rd party car insurance?

The standard expense of liability insurance in the USA is $1,446.49 each and every year, but the average differs from region to region and even city to city. A states drivers may perhaps be paying of the ordinary amount regarding liability insurance, but one particular city could be a place where citizens are paying far beyond the normal. To provide an example, in Nevada, the drivers pay near to the national amount that has a statewide average of $1,526.09. Reno pays about the average with $1,449.24, but Las Vegans pay $2,027.26 yearly.

In order to get liability coverage, people needs to be able to legally get a drivers license. When they are planning to drive on the public roads and highways, they’re required to purchase liability coverage by their particular states. If he or she doesnt do this, they might lose their driving a car privileges. Because its the law that people must get liability coverage, each and every insurance company that provides auto insurance is needed to offer you their states minimal requirements in the insurance package to each driver.
In order to drive, people must purchase liability coverage which will allow them to take on finance responsibility for hurting someone or harming property in an accident they have caused. Under this feature, people have to present proof that they have invested in this insurance when they are stopped by police force. This will make liability coverage an extremely important part of being a responsible driver.

Hints On Writing Your Company Vehicle Duty Of Care Policy

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Writing your Vehicle Duty of Care Policy can be a pain! We have written this guide to help you and highlight the important points your policy should include.

We recommend you think of your vehicles as “mobile offices” and download or print an 8 page leaflet by the HSE called “5 steps to risk assessment” from our PDF downloads it will help you to understand the basics of what your policy is all about.

MISSION STATEMENT

Your introduction or mission statement should outline your company/organisations “culture” when dealing with its vehicle fleet with regard to such things as defensive driving, risk assessment, driver’s hours and regular health checks for both driver and vehicle. You should inform people that your policy is a complimentary addition to the main company policy and should be read in conjunction with their contract of employment and a current copy of the Highway Code.

BUSINESS DRIVER

A business driver is anybody who drives any vehicle on Company Business.

In this section you should explain that any driver out on the public roads on the company or organisations business is a company driver and that includes the person that uses an “owned” vehicle on Fridays to collect the fish and chips at lunchtime for the workforce.

Your policy must explain the driver’s responsibilities to the vehicle and respect for it, the limitations and responsibility of use by the driver and others while using a vehicle on business and the management structure authorising a business driver.

Some people use this area to explain driving licences and reporting procedures for them but we prefer this to be included in the LEGAL section.

NB – Reporting structure – Approved Driver List

BUSINESS VEHICLE

The company is responsible for any vehicle, company owned, privately owned or hired with or without driver. When it is used on company business explain your procedure checks for:

Right vehicle for the job
Road worthiness.
Legality
Safe use within the law.

This must be explained clearly in terms of how the company will and will not allow a vehicle on company business to be used e.g. with (trailer) and where (abroad), as they all impinge on the above four.

NB – Reporting structure – Approved Vehicle List – Servicing List

SAFE USE OF A VEHICLE

This is one of the most important sections of any Vehicle Duty of Care policy and you understanding its full implications and how you write it.

It is also where the reporting structure is at is most important and also where it breaks down in a lot of companies.

An example to illustrate what we mean:-

A company driver driving their own car is involved in an accident killing their passenger. The police decide the driver was well above the speed limit both for the road and weather conditions. On further investigation it was found that the driver had been driving to a 4pm sales meeting on the instructions of management and was late. It was also discovered that one of the front tyres was less than 1.6mm. Further investigation by police of company records showed the driver was on a sales bonus scheme related to the number of new customer visits per week.

The Police can lay charges against the driver from driving without due care and attention to dangerous driving and even manslaughter. He will be charged for the illegal tyre, gain 3 points on his licence and receive a fine of up to 2,500.

The Police could also lay charges against the company and its officials for corporate manslaughter if they think they were negligent in their duty of care by the structure of reporting from driver to company and was not actively followed (tyre) and that the sales bonus scheme brought unreasonable pressure on the driver to perform. At the minimum the legal officer of the company, usually the company secretary, will have their licence endorsed with 3 points and a fine (tyre).

NB – No matter how good your Vehicle Duty of Care Policy is with regard to the legality, safe use and clearly stipulates NO work schedule incentives for drivers, if your support structure is not active, problems will occur. Sorry but we will say this again. No matter how eloquent your Duty of Care Policy is written, with all the “do this, don’t do that,” unless – Your Reporting Structure is Robust and Active – You will fail in your Duty of Care!

VEHICLE SECURITY

Sometimes vehicle security is mixed with Insurance or safe use of a motor vehicle. We feel that security is not only that of the vehicle itself but also where it is parked on company premises, customers’ premises and overnight and therefore needs a section of its own.

LEGAL

In this group you base everything your drivers and vehicles need to stay legal on the roads and what happens when they don’t!

You need to clearly outline your company/organizations stance on all things that will stop a person driving legally from drinking, driving offences to non payment of fines and who is responsible for payments both fines & court offences needs to be made clear.

You need to make drivers aware here that they also have a duty of care to keep you informed through the proper procedures which you write of any changes to themselves or the vehicle they drive that could result in legal action. Your main approved lists stem from this section because failure to maintain any one of them can result in Legal Action against the driver and or your company/organisation.

NB – Reporting structure – Driving Licence List – Tax & MOT List – “O” Licence List – Insurance List

INSURANCE

All vehicles used on company business need business cover and it should be made clear to the drivers the position of both the company and insurance company.

ACCIDENTS

The driver is at their most vulnerable immediately following an accident and therefore it is here that you want to be sure that you have done all that you can to support the driver while protecting the company to make sure that the correct procedures will be followed.

NB – Accident forms – for the last time, honest! A strong reporting structure has to be in place for any Vehicle Duty of Care Policy to succeed in your Company/Organisation.

Classic Duesenberg Ride

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The first Dursenberg sports car was built by two self taught German born engineers in 1913 using the Duesenberg Automobile & company Inc brand name in Des Moines, Iowa USA. This hand built cars were in the league of the most desirable sports cars when they were introduced. In fact, the Dursenberg car won a number of races that includes the Indianapolis 500 and the French grand prix between 1921 and 1927. Even though this classic car model was a marvel during its hay days, it failed the mass production test because the company had no profitable sales volume so it became bankrupt and closed up.

The classic Dursenberg was later bought out by Auburn Automobile Company among many others who used the advanced Dursenberg Brothers engineering know how to produce several luxury sport cars using the Dursenberg brand name. The model J was the first Dursenberg luxury car design to be rolled out after it was bought out. It was released during the 1928 New York car show. This vehicle model had all the markings of a high-end luxury sports car. It boasted of unheard top speeds of 119 miles per hour with high gear acceleration rates that could shoot to 94 mph when moved to gear two. Beside that, it had a supercharged 256 horsepower engine that supported eight straight dual camshaft overheads.

However, while the engine work was done by Dursenberg all the bodywork was subcontracted to specialized car chassis builders form North America and Europe who gave the Dursenberg luxury car its elegant finish. The chassis value when adjusted for time plus inflation in 2004 went for 8500 dollars with the complete model going for 13000 dollars. However, users had to get a top of the range Duesenberg model for $20,000. Between 1913 and 1927, before the original company went bankrupt, the Duesenberg luxury sports car brand manufacturers presented model A and X. But after Cord Corporation bought it out in 1929, it released sports cars under the model J series until 1937 when they started getting fazed out of the market gradually.

Another notable achievement in the history of this classic high-end luxury car was in 1932 when the Duesenberg SJ model was launched. A three hundred and twenty five supercharged horsepower engine that could achieve high speeds of close to one hundred and thirty five miles per hour powered this classic sports car. With this new sports car edition, the Duesenberg vehicle became a household name across America among the rich and famous. Some of the most prominent individuals of that era who are known to have owned or driven the Duesenberg SJ model include the Duke of Windsor and Clark Gable.

However, this success story of Duesenberg did not last beyond 1937. This is largely because production of this luxury car ceased when the business empire of their new owners was burst with the worldwide economic depression of Directs. Currently, only 481 Duesenberg model J and SJ can still be traced with auction values of $2 million and beyond.

What You Need To Know About Construction Contractor Insurance

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Residential and commercial contractors all need construction contractor insurance. This is not a negotiable requirement. It will often spell the difference between getting and losing a contract.

Any party who contracts services to others needs contractor insurance. This is required when contracting services to the government on the federal, state or city level. It is also most often required by private entities from contractors.

In effect, contractor insurance protects all parties involved in a contract. Those who hired the contractor are assured that any damage or injury on persons or property caused by the contractors work will be paid for by the insurance. The contractor is assured that he will not have to pay for claims on such damage or injury from his own pocket. It also protects him in case he is wrongfully sued.

Contractor insurance generally covers the contractor, the party who contracts the services and any member of the public directly affected by the work of the contractor. It should offer full protection against accidental damage caused to equipment and property, as well as full liability protection to cover all medical, legal and compensation costs. If a contractor has more business than is covered by the policy, extra coverage can be applied for in the areas of public liability and professional indemnity.

Contractor insurance does not, however, cover deliberate errors and negligent acts on the part of the contractor. If the contractor shows a consistent pattern of negligent behavior, the insurance company will not extend coverage.

Normally, contractor insurance covers only the period during which the contracted work is being done. Some work, however, may give rise to issues many years afterwards and the contractor still runs the risk of being sued even then. He could already be retired by that time. Contractors should, therefore, apply for additional insurance to cover such eventualities. This could be in the form of a run-off insurance policy or an extension of the liability clause of the existing contractor insurance.

Construction contractor insurance specifically covers all the risks involved in the construction of a commercial or residential building. This covers compensation for builders risk, demolition liability insurance, professional indemnity insurance, public liability, employers liability and accidental death of a worker due to construction default or structural fault such as the collapse of walls in the construction site.

Builders risk covers claims and legal fees against damage to the building while construction is going on. Demolition liability insurance covers claims against damage caused by the demolition done in the course of construction.

Professional indemnity insurance covers claims and legal fees against professional negligence. This is different from deliberate errors and negligent acts. Professional negligence refers to not having produced the quality of work that the contractor has represented himself to be qualified for.

Public liability, as mentioned earlier, covers claims and legal fees for injury or damage caused by the contractors work to a third party or members of the public.

Employers liability covers claims and legal fees against injuries or illness incurred by the contractors employees in the course of their work. This extends to cases of accidental death of employees in the construction site.

The typical cost of contractor insurance ranges between 0.5% and 1% of the total coverage. Among the factors involved are the industry of the contractor, the specific companys business turnover, the amount of coverage required, the probability of the company facing any legal action, and, of course, the insuring company.

Construction contractor insurance is a necessary investment for all residential and commercial contractors. It will protect them, their employees, their clients and the public at large. It will also show proof of their professionalism.