PGIB Upgrading Agency Management System

On August 1, 2016 Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck will be changing agency management systems. This change will allow for more efficiency and capabilities when serving our clients in the future, which is always our goal. While we are excited about this shift and expect that it will be a great change for the agency and allow us to serve our clients even better, we ask for your patience during our transition next week while requests could take longer than usual to process. We look forward to continuing to serve our clients first, as we have in the past while adapting our technology for the future! As always, we can be reached at 309.833.1755 or info@macombinsurance.com.

 

Do you drive a company car? Are you properly insured?

Suppose you’re driving your “company-furnished” vehicle on a personal errand to the grocery store and are involved in a very serious accident. Will you have the proper insurance coverage? Bonnie Pesch, a veteran personal lines underwriter with West Bend discusses this question below.

It’s possible you may not. Maybe your employer’s business auto policy doesn’t cover you when you’re using a company vehicle on personal business. Even if the policy provides you with coverage, the limits of liability may be too low. If you’re sued, you could be personally responsible for damages.

How do you protect yourself if you drive a company-furnished vehicle? It’s easy to do if you already own a different vehicle and insure it under a personal auto policy. Simply add Extended Non-Owned Auto coverage to it. This endorsement – on your own personal auto policy – provides you with personal auto insurance while you’re driving any non-owned auto furnished or available for your regular use.

So what should you do if you don’t own another vehicle with insurance coverage? Purchase a Named Non-Owned Auto policy. This can also provide you with the personal auto coverage you’ll need.

Call your agent at Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck at 309.833.1755 to discuss your coverage needs to make sure you are properly covered.

 

Source: http://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blog/do-you-drive-a-company-car-are-you-properly-insured

President’s Day Holiday

Our agency will be closed Monday, February 15th in observance of the President’s Day Holiday. In the event of an emergency, please contact Beau Ingledue at 309-333-1292.

Seven tips to keep yourself and others safe this hunting season

Fall is a nice time of year in the Midwest. Fall sports are back, trees change colors, and if it was a hot summer, the cooler temperatures feel nice. It’s also the time of year when hunters begin venturing into the woods.

According to the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, more than 87 million Americans hunt, fish, and enjoy wildlife-related recreation annually. Combined, these activities generate more than $120 billion for the U.S. economy and support almost three million jobs.

Whether you’re a gun collector, sport-shooting enthusiast, or hunter, here are some safety tips to keep yourself and others safe.

1. Communication is key.

  • Whether or not you own a gun, talking to your kids about gun safety is an important discussion. You never know what they may find at a friend’s house.
  • If you’re hunting with family or friends, discuss the layout of the land and have a thorough understanding of where each person will be.
  • If you’re venturing into the woods, tell family or friends where you’re going and when you’ll be home.
  • If visiting your local gun range, understand their rules and abide by them.

2. Store guns and ammunition in separate locked cabinets. Too often, we hear about accidental shootings. What you think is a good hiding spot probably isn’t. Kids are inquisitive and can find things you’d least expect them to find. Store the keys for your gun cabinets in a safe place. Labeling keys for a gun cabinet and leaving them in a common area of your home defeats the purpose of locked cabinets. Consider trigger locks.

3. Wear the appropriate clothing or gear. No matter what hobby you enjoy, wearing the appropriate clothing or gear is important. When shooting, wear eye and ear protection. If you enjoy walking in the woods, make sure you wear bright clothing to make yourself more visible. If you’re hunting from a tree stand, wear a safety harness.

Maintain your gear/hunting equipment properly by inspecting it after each use. If it needs repair, contact a professional.

4. Pack a first aid kit. Create a small kit specifically for you. My dad is allergic to bee stings, so he carried an EpiPen® when he hunted. If you suffer from an occasional migraine and have prescription medicine, pack that, as well.

5. Be aware of your surroundings. Identify where other hunters are and know what your target is before shooting. Be aware of where local medical services are located.

6. Ask permission. Just because you live near the woods doesn’t mean you can hunt in the woods. Always ask permission from landowners before hunting on their land since it can create many liability exposures for them. If you talk to the landowner beforehand, he/she can keep track of who’s hunting on the land and share any safety tips specific to the property.

7. Contact your local DNR. Many states require hunter safety courses. It’s required in many states. DNR websites also share

  • Safety tips;
  • Hunting opportunities;
  • Volunteer opportunities; and
  • Places to hunt.

Illinois DNR
Indiana DNR
Iowa DNR
Wisconsin DNR

Sources:
http://kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/gun_safety.html
http://www.remington.com/10commandments
http://www.nhfday.org/Page/Hunting-Facts.aspx
http://www.thesilverlining.com/westbendcares/blog/seven-tips-to-keep-yourself-and-others-safe-this-hunting-season

Ride-Sharing and Vehicle-Sharing

In the last year, there has been a flurry of activity related to the use of personal autos in the sharing economy. Services, such as those offered through Uber, Lyft, Getaround, and RelayRides, that enable the peer-to-peer sharing of rides and vehicles have popped up across the nation. While these transportation apps are becoming increasingly popular, they are also controversial as it relates to insurance coverage. Many personal auto insurance companies classify participation in these services as a commercial exposure that should not be covered by your personal auto insurance policy.

Each insurance company has a different approach to claims from drivers participating in these programs. Oftentimes not only is a loss excluded when a rider is in the vehicle being transported for a fare, but also if the insured driver is in transit to pick up a rider, when the insured driver is logged into an online application waiting for a rider request, or if the vehicle is parked and waiting to be picked up by a renter.

Before participating in any of these programs, it is recommended that you contact your insurance agent to discuss how your individual company handles the usage of personal automobiles for programs like these. For additional information, please contact Purdum Gray Ingledue Beck at 309.833.1755.

Rental Car Insurance Considerations

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.

In the past, we have advised 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:

  • 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
C
ar rental insurance has important considerations. If you need help sorting through this coverage with the Utility Saving expert who understands your needs, call us today at 309-833-1755.

Opening at Noon Feb. 5

Due to the inclement weather, we will delay opening until noon today, February 5.  At that time we will have limited staff due to the rural road conditions.  Thank you for your understanding.

Contact me at 309.333.1292 with any urgent matters.

Beau