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Does your auto insurance automatically cover a newly purchased vehicle?

You want to buy a new car on a nice Saturday morning. So you head off to the local dealership. You find the perfect car, agree to a great price and then sit down to get through the paperwork. And the time comes where the dealer ask you if you have auto insurance. Your answer is yes.

So the next question is: Does you auto insurance policy cover a newly purchased vehicle? And the answer is …. Maybe.

So why is it a maybe? The standard ISO (Insurance Service Office) auto insurance policy will provide insurance coverage for newly acquired cars, ONLY IF all of your owned vehicles are on that auto insurance policy.

What does that mean? If you have one car insured with Company A and another insured with Company B, you will NOT have automatic coverage on your newly acquired automobile. This is one major problem with not insuring all of your vehicles with the same auto insurance company. So if you buy a car and provide you insurance information from Company A to the dealership and drive off of the lot, you DO NOT have insurance on that car until you notify Company A that you have bought the vehicle. So, if you pull out of the lot and get into an accident before you make that call, then Company A does not have to pay that claim.

Now let’s assume that you do have all of your cars insured with an auto insurance company; and that company uses the ISO insurance policy language and you buy a car on a Saturday. What coverage will you have for that new car?

For liability insurance there are two scenarios:

1. If it is a replacement vehicle, liability insurance automatically transfers to the new vehicle without having to notify the insurance company. Although the policy wording states that you do not have to notify the company, we recommend that you make that call to the company.

2. If it is an additional vehicle to the policy, the policy states that liability insurance will transfer to the new vehicle provided that you notify the company within 14 days of the date of acquisition.

For physical damage coverage (comprehensive and collision) there are also 2 scenarios:

1. If you currently have physical damage coverage on your auto insurance policy, provided that you notify the insurance coverage within 14 days of the acquisition date of the new vehicle, then the “broadest” coverage that you have on any auto on the policy will apply to the new.
2. If you do not have physical damage coverage on any vehicle on you policy, provided that you notify the company within 4 days from the date of acquisition, the policy will provide comprehensive and collision coverage for the vehicle with a $500 deductible for each coverage.

We also hear cases where the sales person at the dealership states that they will take care of calling your insurance agent for you to add the vehicle. Please do not rely on this for two reason:

1. Sometimes they may forget to make that call. We have had that issue come up several times when an insured calls in a few weeks after buying the car asking for ID cards only to find out that the dealership never called. They are good people and have good intentions, but sometimes things happen and the call does not get made.
2. Even if the person at the auto dealership does call, they do not have the legal authority to make changes to your auto insurance policy. The policy is a contract between you and the insurance company and only the named insureds on the policy can legally request policy changes.

Buying a new car is an experience. And we can help make that experience a little smoother by making sure you have the right auto insurance in place at the time you purchase your vehicle.

If you know you will be buying a car soon, give us a call first to go over your coverage and go over the steps needed in order to assure that your auto insurance policy will cover your new vehicle. The last thing you want to happen is to not be able to drive your newly purchased vehicle home due to a glitch with the insurance verification.

Did you know that as a Huff Insurance client, you can have 24/7 access to your insurance information through our customer portal? With this portal you can access your auto ID cards and verify your insurance at any time. For details go to www.MyHuffPortal.com. So next time you find yourself needing an ID card or proof of insurance for the auto dealership, you can quickly pull it up on your phone, tablet, or computer.

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Cyber Security While Traveling

Would you let anyone attach a device to your computer?

I was traveling through the Miami airport on the way to a family vacation recently.  Airports are a known hub for hacking, because almost everyone connects to the free Wi-Fi and then does their confidential business transactions on their laptops, phone or tablet.

My husband and I were sitting at the counter at the airport restaurant, and there is a gentleman sitting two chairs down from us who is on the phone and the computer, clearly he is engaged in his work.  As soon as he hung up his phone, he was approached by a very charismatic individual in his late 20’s.  The guy had one of those personalities you are comfortable with and you feel like he could be a friend.  He tells the business guy, that he left his phone is LaGuardia airport, and he bought himself and new iPhone, but it froze and according to Apple he must plug it into a computer and log into his iTunes account.  Immediately, my reaction was don’t do it, don’t do it.  The charismatic young gentleman, asked to plug his phone into the businessman’s computer and in return he would buy him a drink.    The business person closed out of his work item and then let the young guy proceed.   Unfortunately, the businessman does not have iTunes on his Dell computer, so they sat there chit chatting while he downloaded iTunes.

While waiting on the download, two other people sit down at the counter, and they start talking to the young fellow, who again proceeds to tell him his woes.   They pulled out their computer and wow they have a MAC.   He asks them if he can try their computer, if it does not work on the businessman’s computer since it may need to be an Apple computer to work.  Well, sure enough after iTunes is downloaded on the businessman’s computer, and he logs into his iTunes account, with his phone plugged into the computer, it does nothing for his phone that remains completely dark.    He then asks the couple with the Mac to help him if he buys them a drink.  They comply and give him their computer and we go through the same process.  Again, nothing happens to the dark iPhone.

All I could think is that I just witnessed 2 people hand over their computer and allow someone that they do not know to plug into their device.  While the iPhone was plugged in the person could have been downloading malware onto their computer or opening and storing all of the files from the computer onto his phone.  Any virus that was on the phone would now be in the computer, leaving the computer vulnerable.  I don’t even allow my employees to plug their phones into the office computer for this reason.  To keep you and your business safe, establish a policy and practice that no one is to ever attach anything into an office computer or allow anyone else to.

So in what seemed like an innocent conversation with a nice guy at an airport restaurant could very well have turned into a data breach for both of the folks who allowed the man to hook his device up to their computer.

Cyber threats do not take a vacation.  So it is important to think about the safety of your data while you are traveling.  Here are a few quick cyber security tips for travelers from the Department of Homeland Security:

What to do Before you Go:

• Update your mobile software
• Back up your information

While you are there (or at the airport):

• Stop Auto Connecting (for both Wi-Fi and bluetooth)
• Think before you connect to a public hotspot
• Think before you click on any links
• Guard your mobile device and keep it locked when not using

Keeping your data secure is extremely important for your financial future both personally and for your business (if you are a business owner). There are insurance policies that you can purchase that can help you deal with the situation should you fall victim to a data breach or identity theft. Personally, you can add the identity theft coverage to your homeowners insurance policy.

If you own a business, you should seriously consider purchasing a Cyber Liability Insurance Policy for your business

Nancy Nicklow is the owner President of Huff Insurance,a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Car Seat Safety

The Right Car Seat for Your Child

Nothing in this world will be more important to you than the safety of your child. Protecting your child while on the road is a top priority.

You are going to have a new baby and it is time to shop for the perfect car seat, so you walk into the local store to pick one up. Shouldn’t be that difficult right?

Well, you round the corner of the car seat aisle and come to a screeching halt. You quickly see that there are dozens of different brands and styles to choose from. So you take some time to look over all of the different options, take some notes, and head home to do some research online to see which one is best for you and your child

That is how you may have landed on my blog article. Although I am not making any specific brand recommendations for your child’s car seat, I at least hope that this information can help you when making your final decision.

Many soon-to-be parents in Maryland don’t know where to begin when it comes to car seats. And, each choice has advantages and disadvantages.

Here are five things to keep in mind, from shopping to installation, to help you find the right seat for your precious cargo:

1. Know the pros and cons of each seat type. Children usually outgrow infant-only seats within the first year. However, they offer a snug fit and allow you to quickly snap the baby carrier in and out. Convertible seats and all-in-ones have a longer life, but they sometimes aren’t as convenient. Both transform into forward-facing seats, and an all-in-one seat becomes a booster, as well.
2. Know when to use each type. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommends using a rear-facing seat for as long as possible — through 12 months of age, at minimum. After kids reach the limits of rear-facing seats, often between ages 1-3, switch to forward-facing. When they outgrow those, usually between ages 4-7, it’s time for a booster. Finally, when a seat belt fits properly without a booster, your child is done with special seats! (They should still ride in back, though.)
3. Don’t accept a used car seat unless you know everything about it. It should be within its service life (look for the expiration in the manual or on the seat) and not have been involved in an accident that caused injuries or forced air bags to deploy. And, of course, it should not be included in any recalls.
4. Before you install, read the instructions. Seats should be secured in the back seat with anchors or a seat belt. When you’re done, get a free inspection to check your handiwork, if possible.
5. Check the fit. Harness straps should be flat and placed through the slot either at or below your child’s shoulders (rear-facing) or at or above the shoulders (forward-facing). When the harness and chest clip are secured, make sure no extra material can be pinched at the shoulder

Knowing your child is secure in the back seat helps you focus on distraction-free driving in the front. Your car insurance also offers peace of mind when you’re on the road. If it’s been awhile since your last insurance check-up, give us a call today. We’ll help ensure you have the right coverage.

Be sure to contact your insurance agent once your child is born. Some companies offer a discount on your Auto Insurance for having a child.

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

How can a drone affect my business insurance coverage?  Do you have drone insurance?

Are you using a drone in your business?

Drone Insurance. I was speaking with a flooring company about their upcoming general liability insurance renewal, and in conversation I reminded them that there is an Unmanned Aircraft exclusion on their policy.

I explained that this means that there is no liability or property coverage by a drone.   The client says “Really?” and gave me a smirk.

Oh, NO! I thought, he used a drone.   The client proceeds to tell me that they were thinking of renting a drone because they had installed tile in a school and put the school’s logo on the floor.  They had taken pictures, but they were not showing the full scope of the project.  So, they were going to rent a drone for the day to take pictures from above.  The client asked, what would happen if we hit someone with the drone in the hallway or if they had broke the drone they rented.

Well, the standard general liability insurance policy is not providing coverage for liability or property covered for an unmanned aircraft, or drones.  Most insurance carriers were using the aircraft exclusion on the general liability insurance policy for their position. But many companies are coming out with a specific unmanned aircraft exclusion to be sure their liability policy is specific and there is no room for different interpretation.   This is why you need a drone insurance policy designed specifically to cover your drone.

You will need liability insurance coverage in the event someone is hit by the drone or if the drone causes property damage to someone else.  You need hull coverage to cover the drone itself and its payload.   A payload can be a camera or a package carried by the drone.

The Aviation Administration is expecting 600,000 drones to be used commercially by October 2017.  It is now less cumbersome to become a commercial drone operator. The FAA is the government body that will set the rules and regulations for commercial drones in national airspace  Drone operators will need to pass a certification test and abide by various flying restrictions.

What do you do if you need to use a drone in your business?

You need a specific drone insurance policy.

A drone insurance policy can be issued for the drone operator to cover the following:

• Physical damage insurance for the drone and it’s payload (i.e. expensive camera equipment or products being delivered)
• Liability exposures coming from a 3^rd party bodily injury and property damage
• Privacy issues of using the drone and non-owned aviation liability, for drones that you rent or borrow.  It is important that if you are signing a contract to rent a drone or to hire a pilot, that you and your attorney review the contract.  Since this industry is infancy, most of the contracts and language are not standardized. In order to be sure that you know what your responsibilities are you need to have the contract reviewed and read.

The cost of drone insurance policies can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand dollars per year.  The cost depends on the type of the drone, the scope of the drone use, the experience of the operator and the desired liability insurance coverage.

Before any activity occurs on the job site, an Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) should have a safety procedure developed.   At the minimum it should include the safe use of the UAS, pre-planning and risk assessment activities.  It is important that the drone pilot is certified and has experience as an unmanned aircraft pilot.

Drones are being used in a variety of businesses including real estate, photography, agriculture, entertainment, construction, and inspection companies, to name a few.

Drones are being used today in lieu of helicopters for various types of jobs.  The cost of a helicopter can be a few thousand dollars and hour, compared to owning a drone with a camera which can be purchased for under $5,000.

Drones are being used by all types of businesses and not limited to big business.

Nancy Nicklow is the owner President of Huff Insurance,a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Let’s Keep Our Lawns – and Ourselves – Safe in Pasadena, Maryland

For many of our neighbors in Pasadena, MD, SumHuff Insurance, Landscaping Blog, Yard Work Blog, Pasadena, MDmer means more than sunshine and vacations. It also means working in the yard – often with tools that can be dangerous if not used properly. So please take the time to learn the proper handling and operation of any tool that you will be using.

Each year about 400,000 people are treated for injuries from lawn and garden tools, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). It only takes a second for a devastating accident to happen, so don’t let your landscaping efforts land you in the hospital, or worse!

Follow these handy safety tips.

Tool safety tips from the U.S. CPSC

• Dress appropriately. To protect yourself from debris when using lawn tools, wear eye protection, long pants, long-sleeved shirts, close-fitting clothes and no jewelry. Sturdy shoes are recommended, and ear plugs may be appropriate depending on how loud the device is.
• Before starting, remove objects from your work area that could cause injury or damage, such as sticks, glass or stones.
• Keep children indoors and supervised at all times when any outdoor power equipment is being used. Never let a child ride or operate a garden tractor or riding mower, even if the child is supervised. And never assume children will remain where you last saw them.
• Use extreme caution when backing up or approaching corners, shrubs and trees.
• Teenagers using power equipment should always be supervised by an adult.
• Handle gasoline carefully. Never fill tanks while machinery is on or when equipment is still hot. Of course, you should never smoke or use any type of flame around gasoline or any gasoline-powered equipment.
• Do not work with electric power tools in wet or damp conditions. For protection against electrocution, use a ground fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
• Be sure that extension cords are in good condition, are rated for outdoor use, and are the proper gauge for the electrical current capacity of the tool.

Lawn Chemical Safety Tips from Texas A&M University

• If you use chemicals to control weeds or pests in your lawn, read the product label carefully so you understand the potential effects on humans, animals and the environment. Follow all instructions.
• Keep children and animals away from the application area, and protect your skin, eyes and nose during and after application.
• Remember, use only the recommended amount. Using more of the chemical will not do a better job.
• Ask yourself if you truly need to use a general pesticide. Is there a product that will specifically treat only the problem you need to solve?

From all of us at Huff Insurance here’s to keeping both you and your lawn healthy this summer!

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Why is general liability insurance not enough for sports organizations?

In order for most youth sports organizations to play on county or state owned fields they have to provide the municipality proof of general liability insurance coverage. If that is all that t they need to use the field, why are some agents or insurance companies requiring them to also carry an accident insurance policy? Generally, the general liability coverage is going to exclude coverage to the players themselves. So for example, a fly ball hits a mom sitting in the stands at a baseball game, this would be covered, but the player gets hit by a pitch, this would not be covered. The accident insurance policy fills in this gap and covers the player, if they are hurt while participating.

Concussions, which is a brain injury caused by a sudden blow to the head or body, has caused a lot of security in the youth sports world, bringing to light lifelong injuries these players could endure. There are some sports like football, lacrosse, rugby, ice hockey and wrestling and soccer where the ones deemed to be the most susceptible. But now, cheer leading, baseball and basketball are on the list. High-profile concussion settlements, such as those in the National Football League have brought concussions to light and caused people to be more focused on the potential liability that could arise out of the youth sports.

I had a friend’s daughter that was a great athlete; she played soccer, basketball and lacrosse. One day at her high school basketball game, she took an elbow to the back of her head. Her parents were in the stands, but did not think much of it. Until their daughter started running back to the basket and collapsed and blacked out mid court. They got the daughter off the court and by the time she was on the bench, she did not know her name, who her parents were or where she was. After numerous doctor visits, it was determined that she had multiple concussions over the years that had gone undetected and untreated and this just happened to be the event that caused serious injury. It took her well over a year to regain 90% of her memory back.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention; about 30 million Us Children and teen participate in some form of organized sports each year and one child visits the emergency room every 24 seconds due to a sports accident. Kids getting injured in the course of playing sports is common, and in order for the youth sports league to have the protection they need to have both general liability and sports accident policy. In addition, to having the proper coverage you also need to have the proper procedures in place to help prevent diagnosis and remove kids from sports that have had a concussion. Many of the carriers, will not only provide the insurance coverage to you, but will help you by providing additional loss prevention measures, and concussion plans and training for coaches and volunteers. Having the right insurance is one piece of the puzzle but as important is to make sure that you have the training of the coaches and volunteers of the signs of a concussion and how to respond.

Huff Insurance is a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111

Excess Uninsured Motorist Insurance Coverage

You have an umbrella insurance policy; therefore you understand the importance of protecting your assets. An umbrella insurance policy is still the most affordable coverage, dollar for dollar that the insurance industry offers. But, recently the insurance carriers have started making the coverage even better, by offering excess uninsured motorist insurance coverage on the umbrella. Why is this important?

In Maryland, uninsured motorist insurance also includes underinsured motorist insurance coverage. Uninsured motorist are those drivers on the roadways that do not have any liability insurance at all on their vehicle. Yes, I know that the law requires them to have insurance coverage to get their tags, but there is still more motorist then any of us would like that are driving with no insurance coverage. A recent study showed that about 14% of all vehicles on the roads in Maryland are not insured. Underinsured motorists are those that have at least the state minimum requirements of $30,000 per person/$60,000 per accident and $15,000 property damage but carry less liability then you do.

Let me give you an example of how this coverage works:

Let’s say that you have $250,000 liability per person/$500,000 per accident and $100,000 property damage on your personal auto insurance policy and the uninsured motorist coverage is the same limits. Then you have a standard $1,000,000 umbrella policy.

Let’s say, you are like my friend Jane, and you are hit by a motorist that is carrying $50,000 per person/$100,000 per accident and $25,000 property damage. This person is not uninsured, but they would be considered underinsured in this case since their limits are lower than your limits.

If the other driver caused you injuries and loss wages that exceed the $50,000 under their policy, you would then be able to collect under your policy up to your $250,000 limit. Even though you have an umbrella policy, your umbrella policy would not pay anything to you since you cannot be liable to yourself and your umbrella policy is a standard unendorsed umbrella insurance policy.

If you have uninsured motorist insurance coverage on your umbrella insurance policy, you would be entitled to collect up to $1,000,000 over the $250,000 limit from your auto insurance policy for you injuries.

Since, you already have an umbrella insurance policy, you have assets to protect and you understand the importance of this coverage. Why would you want to give someone else more protection than you give yourself and your family? Do you want to lose your assets because of someone else negligence? Do you want to put faith in the “other guy” having the right protection, or do you want to rest assured that you will have the appropriate coverage if something happens?

The cost for this coverage varies by carrier but it is roughly $75 a year per vehicle. Very inexpensive for $1,000,000 of additional coverage and peace of mind that it provides.

My friend Jane, that I mentioned earlier, she was T-boned by a guy with $50,000/$100,000 limits. It was her and the two boys in the car. Luckily the 2 boys escaped with scrapes, but Jane broke her right ankle and her left wrist. She was taken to Shock trauma for surgery on her ankle and spent a few days there and then rehabilitation for a few weeks. When she got home, they had to install a ramp because she could not walk on the ankle and with her wrist broken, crutches were out of picture. She then had weeks of rehab and could not drive. She was out of work for 5 months. The “other guys” $50,000 coverage was exhausted by the time she left Shock trauma.

You know what that could do to you financially, which is why you carry high liability limits like Jane. Six months after her accident her carrier began offering uninsured motorist coverage on the umbrella policy, Jane was one of the first clients to buy this coverage. She knew first hand, if this accident would have been worse what it could have done to her savings and her family’s financial well being.

Don’t have this happen to you and not have uninsured motorist coverage on your umbrella insurance policy. Call us today to add this coverage. For 2 vehicles, it is about $150 a year for $1,000,000 of protection.

Nancy Nicklow is the owner President of Huff Insurance,a full service Independent Insurance Agent We have been dedicated to Protecting Lifestyles™ since 1960. We offer a full array of Personal Insurance, Commercial Insurance and Life Insurance products. Call us at 410-647-1111