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On average, the roughly 1.5 million to 2 million people in the U.S. who drive for both Uber and Lyft earn $18.15 an hour before expenses. Just one car accident, though, could easily eat up that money—and more. That’s why Uber and Lyft drivers likely need separate rideshare insurance to supplement both personal auto insurance and the coverage that’s automatically provided by rideshare companies. A driver’s financial stability could ride on whether they’ve got rideshare insurance.

To understand the insurance for rideshare driving, it’s important to know the three phases while a rideshare app is on:

1. Available: The driver is available to pick up a passenger.

2. En route: The driver has accepted a ride and is on the way to pick up the passenger.

3. On the trip: The driver has picked up the passenger and is on the way to the passenger’s destination.

When an Uber or Lyft driver’s rideshare app is off, their personal auto insurance applies. But when the app is on, Uber and Lyft provide some coverage on the driver’s behalf. Personal auto coverage typically excludes rideshare trips. That’s because your auto insurance company has priced the policy assuming you’re driving yourself, relatives and/or friends, and that you aren’t earning money from private trips and putting a lot of extra miles on your car.

As a result, a rideshare driver’s personal auto policy typically won’t supply coverage while you’re making rideshare trips. A rideshare driver might be happy with the insurance provided by the rideshare company, especially if the driver carries only the minimum personal auto insurance required by the state. In those cases, a million dollars in liability coverage from Uber can look like a major bonus.

But, there can still be gaps, which is where rideshare insurance comes in. For example, rideshare companies don’t provide collision or comprehensive insurance when the app is on and the driver is waiting for a ride request. And a personal auto policy that includes collision and comprehensive likely won’t cover that period. So, if you accidentally back into a pole, you’d have no insurance for the damage. Without additional rideshare coverage from their personal auto insurer, drivers may find their existing coverage may not apply to a loss that occurs while they are acting as a rideshare driver.

We can provide coverage from many insurance carriers so you receive the insurance for your budget and needs!

Source: https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/rideshare-insurance/

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are an average of 385,500 residential fires every year. While taking out a Homeowners insurance policy with fire insurance coverage will help protect you from the costs incurred from a house fire, following these fire safety tips can help prevent a fire from starting in your home. 

Fire Safety Tip #1: Don’t Smoke Indoors

Smoking indoors can cause more damage than you may realize. Over 18,000 fires are started by smoking materials annually, causing $476 million of property damage. While it’s best not to smoke indoors or on exterior balconies or porches, if you do, be sure to completely extinguish any cigarettes and never smoke when there’s a chance you might fall asleep. 

Fire Safety Tip #2: Keep Your Dryer Clean

It may surprise you but completing common household chores like cleaning the lint trap in your dryer can help prevent fires. In 2010-2014, U.S. fire departments responded to almost 16,000 home structure fires involving clothes dryers or washing machines each year. In addition to keeping your washer and dryer clean, it’s best to only run them when you will be home to supervise, that way if a fire starts, you can take immediate action. 

Fire Safety Tip #3: Practice Summer Grill Safety

Over 10,000 house fires a year are attributed to grills and fire pits. Whether it’s because people use their grill too close to their home or they use the wrong fire starter to ignite the charcoal grill or fire pit, practicing summer grill safety can help prevent fires from starting. This includes everything from grill placement, making sure your grill is clean, safely disposing of charcoal briquettes, and never leaving your grill on while unattended. 

Fire Safety Tip #4: Don’t Leave Candles Unattended

Candles can create a relaxing ambiance for your home, but unattended candles can be incredibly dangerous. In fact, from 2011-2015, over 8,500 fires a year were started by candles, with $295 million in property damage. Never leave candles in a room unattended, especially if you have children or pets, and always make sure to clear the area around a candle of anything that could possibly ignite, including decorations, curtains, papers, etc. 

Fire Safety Tip # 5: Practice Firework Safety 

Fireworks and sparklers account for roughly 15,000 fires per year, including house fires, vehicle fires, and outdoor fires. To avoid injury and potential fires, it’s important to practice firework safety, including only using legal fireworks, having a designated area for setting off fireworks, only lighting off one firework at a time, only letting responsible adults use sparklers and fireworks, and properly disposing of firework remnants after they’ve been used. 

Fire Safety Tip # 6: Create a Wildfire Defensible Space

While wildfires are powerful and unpredictable, there are safety tips you can try if you live in an area threatened by wildfires to help create a wildfire defensible space, which could prevent the spread of wildfires. To do so, you might consider actions like keeping your lawn and plants watered, clearing away brush and debris, using fire-resistant shrubs and plants, storing firewood away from your home, and keeping your roof and gutters clear of leaves, needles, and debris. You’ll also want to practice additional fire safety if your area is experiencing a drought like nearly half of Washington state.

Smart technology and devices continue to revolutionize how we live. Most people want to stay up to date on the latest trends and technologies. It is estimated that there will be over 73 million smart homes by 2021. So if you want to be one of these trend setters, you will want to read this list of how you can start to make your home a smart home!

  1. The first, and most important, step to making your home a smart home is to get a smart home digital assistant. The two most popular home assistants are Amazon Echo (with Alexa) and Google Home. You can purchase either one of these at www.bestbuy.com 
  2. Adding smart light bulbs is another great way to make your home smarter. Using your smart home digital assistant you can control all the smart lights in your home via voice control or by the push of a button. You can also have different settings for the lighting in each room, and turn lights on and off when you’re not home!
  3. Installing a smart thermostat is a great way to automate the temperature throughout your home and can even save you money on your electric bill! Some smart thermostats can learn your favorite temperatures and even sense when people aren’t home to regulate the temperature.
  4. Replacing your regular doorbell with a smart doorbell is another step to making your home smarter and safer. Smart doorbells come with HD cameras so you can see who is at your door via your mobile device. You can also communicate through your smart doorbell if you need to.
  5. If you hate running the vacuum, you will definitely want a smart vacuum. High quality smart vacuums come with great sensors that allow them to navigate throughout your home and clean autonomously! Some also come with Wi-Fi connectivity so it allows you to control it via your smartphone.

Source: https://thesmarthomer.com/how-to-make-your-home-a-smart-home/

flood

You don’t have to live in a flood-prone area to encounter flooding in your home. This can happen at any time to anyone! Flooding can be caused by more than just natural disasters. If you own a home, you need flood insurance. There are two different types of flood insurance: the National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance. The area you live in will determine which type of flood insurance is best for you. 

The National Flood Insurance Program is a flood insurance that is offered through FEMA. If you are located in one of the 21,000 communities that participate in this program, you should be eligible for both types of coverage offered by the National Flood Insurance Program. The two types are building property coverage and personal property coverage. Building property coverage is “replacement cost value” coverage. This means that building property coverage covers the cost to repair or replace your home up to $250,000. Personal property coverage replaces up to $100,000 of items in your home. 

The other type of flood insurance is private flood insurance. Private flood insurance premiums vary based on the insurance companies that offer it. Speak with your insurance agent regarding cost and coverage plans. 

You may qualify for both the National Flood Insurance Program and private flood insurance. Depending on the value of your home and contents in it, you might be better off getting both to protect yourself in the event of a flood. 

Flood Facts: 

  • Just one inch of water can cause more than $20,000 in damage. 
  • It takes just six inches of fast-moving water to sweep an adult off their feet and 12 inches of water to sweep a car away. 
  • Flash floods typically carry water between 10 and 20 feet high. 
  • If you live in a 100-year flood plain, your home has a 1% chance of flooding each year. 
  • Moving water at 10 mph carries the same pressure as wind blowing at 270 mph. 
  • If your home is in a flood plain and you have a federally backed mortgage, you are required by law to carry flood insurance.

Source: https://www.daveramsey.com/blog/need-flood-insurance

If you own a vehicle, you should own an auto insurance policy. Have you ever wondered how the cost of your policy is determined? There are a number of different factors that impact the cost of your auto insurance. While not all companies use the same parameters, we will help you understand what commonly determines the bottom line of your auto policy. 

First, your driving record – The better your record, the lower your premiums. If you have been in accidents or had serious traffic violations, it is likely you will pay higher premiums. How much you use your car is also considered while determining the cost of your premium. The more miles you drive, the more chance for an accident. Even where you park is taken into consideration. Do you park in a secure garage? Or do you park on a street?

Other factors taken into consideration while determining your auto insurance costs are: your age, your gender, the car you drive, and the amount of auto insurance you wish to carry. Mature drivers generally have fewer accidents than beginners. Statistics show that women are involved in fewer accidents, and when women are involved in an accident they tend to be less severe than men. The cost of your car and the amount of insurance coverage you want to carry are major factors in the cost of your policy as well.

Source: https://www.iii.org/article/what-determines-price-my-auto-insurance-policy

There is nothing more stunning than seeing a classic car rolling down the road. If you are a proud classic car owner you want to do everything you can to protect your investment. You keep it clean and well maintained, but do you have the proper insurance for your beloved classic?

Traditional auto insurance policies usually cover your car up to its actual cash value, which equals its replacement cost minus depreciation. Collector car insurance usually covers your classic vehicle for an agreed, or guaranteed, value that is mutually agreeable to you and your insurance company. Collectible cars generally increase in value, especially if they are well maintained and/or restored. Everyday automobiles generally decrease in value over time. So it is important to have the right insurance coverage for your classic car!

How do you know if your car is eligible for collector car insurance? Insurance companies require that a collectible car not be used as a primary driving vehicle. Insurance companies will also place a maximum annual mileage restriction. This restriction can vary from state to state, but generally the mileage cannot exceed 7,500 miles per year. You can only use your classic vehicle for pleasure driving or a hobby activity such as participating in a parade or attending a classic car show.

 

A.C. Marmo& Sons Inc. loves our classic cars and we know you do too! If you have any questions regarding collector car insurance, please give us a call at (973) 340-9100 or visit us online at https://www.acmarmo.com/ and we will be happy to assist you.

Source: https://www.valuepenguin.com/classic-car-insurance