My diving record is not the worst, but it is not good either. I do not have any DUI’s, hit and runs, or any accidents for that matter, but I have a lot of speeding tickets. I have so many speeding tickets that I lost my license for over 4 years in total. Mind you that I am only 23. That means that I had my license suspended or revoked longer than I had it.

My wife’s record on the other hand is impeccable. She has no speeding tickets or any moving violations. Also she had been with her previous insurance for more than 5 years.

Why did I stammer you all this, well it helps to set the tone for the surprising realization of how the insurance is calculated on Esurance.

Before I married my wife I had recently gotten my license help and bought myself a car. In need of insurance I decided to steal Esurance as my provider after checking others and their rates. After doing so my monthly insurance premium was $177.00 for full coverage on newer Ford Focus.

Once we were married I decided to add my wife to my policy and naturally it went up. We both have newer cars so at most I was thinking it would be just under double. That would about be about $280-300 a month and yes that was the monthly total. Truth be told this was too great for us to bear.

Here is where the interesting part comes in. Because I was trying to win my case that Esurance was cheaper than her American Family Insurance, I created an account with just her and her car. When compared to her current monthly premium she was saving about 40 a month.

But then curiosity got the better of me. I asked myself “what would happen if she was the distinguished and then added my record to hers”?

There are only two possible options. Either that it would be the same as the $280-$300 amount or it would be different. And to my unjustified amazement it was different. The monthly premium came to $150 a month for the two cars with full coverage.

If you were keeping track that is less than what I paid alone for objective my car.

The trick is to gain sure the one with the best driving record sign up first and made to be the primary and then add on all the other drivers.

For some reason I was thinking that since we were married we would get the same insurance premium either diagram it was done, but from my real life case observe it is definitely not the case.

The auto insurance process is filled with terms that are not musty by the general public. Collision auto insurance is one of these terms. Collision auto insurance is one of the most common types of automobile insurance coverage. Collision insurance is often confused with liability and comprehensive insurance coverage. Let’s spy at all three.

Collision insurance refers to coverage of your car or truck when you are in a collision. Comprehensive insurance refers to coverage of your vehicle against theft, vandalism, and other similar events. Liability insurance refers to coverage of other vehicles, people, and property when the collision was your fault. There are of course many different types of insurance, varying covered situations, and different levels of coverage.

One thing to sustain in mind is that normally collision auto insurance coverage will only pay for repairs to your vehicle up to the recent actual value of the vehicle. The actual value of your vehicle is determined by the insurance provider considering the age, mileage, condition, and other variables. Collision auto insurance is also normally subject to a deductible as well. Remember, while a high deductible will lower your premium you need to be prepared to pay that deductible out of pocket in case of a claim.

Consumers of auto insurance should use this information to make an educated decision when selecting collision auto insurance coverage for their car or truck. Specific information on your collision auto insurance is found in your auto insurance policy.

* This study was designed to examine OSHA and Florida’s Partnership and provide research in both a positive and negative light.

* Small Business Safety under the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.

* The State of Florida and OSHA, working hand in hand to provide a multi-cultural, diverse state with workplace safety.

* Flaws within OSHA and opposition towards OSHA

* Workplace Safety, OSHA reality or technology as the benefactor.

Research consisted of queries with various government and scholastic entities, including but not limited to the US Department of Labor, the Occupational Safety and Health Act, University of South Florida, and the Florida Legislature. Additional sources included literary guides such as the New York Times, the Press Room, and the honorable Henry Bonilla representing the 23rd Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives along with other glorious providers of information. Results of this research, discussed more fully in this report, indicate that OSHA, while a boon to the average employee, could be a long monotonous government run-around to those that truly require workplace investigations of safety hazards.

We would be please to discuss this report and its conclusions with you at your request. My team and I thank you for your confidence in selection our group to prepare this comprehensive describe.

Table of Contents

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ACT (OSHA)… 1

HELP OR HINDERANCE 1

Executive Summary 4

OSHA for Small Businesses: Pros and Cons 5

Small Business Safety 5

Florida University System Lend a Guiding Hand 6

OSHA Bridges the Language Gap 7

Florida Follows Federal Guidelines 7

U.S. Department of Labor Honors Exemplary Businesses 7

Section 18 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970.7

Florida’s Stake in the Agriculture Business 8

Better Wonderful than Sorry 8

OSHA: A Critical View 9

Opposing OSHA 9

OSHA Suffers Lawsuits 10

Workplace Safety 10

The Ergonomics Standards Plan 11

Is the Plan Cost Effective 11

Figure 1 11

Summary of OSHA Cost Errors 11

Inspections as a Deterrent 9

Economic Feasibility 12

Bibliography 13

Executive Summary

Jobsite safety and health is a top priority for workers in the United States. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a federally run agency, was created to ensure that people would have a generous environment to work in.

OSHA has been charged with improving workers’ health and safety since 1970, but few studies claim it improves workplace safety at all. Most cannot find a significant reduction in workplace fatalities or injuries due to OSHA. Studies site the annual cost of OSHA’s regulations as high as $11 billion per year to run the novel health and safety policies it has in spot. Even pro-OSHA studies point to that the agency annually generates three times more cost than it generates in benefits.

The Three Amiga’s supports restructuring OSHA with reform. The state of Florida currently has in place a collaborative partnership under Occupational Safety and Health Administration, which provides education, training, and technical assistance; and employers are encouraged to avail themselves of this assistance without fear of becoming involved in a major controversy with the agency. OSHA must focus their attention on more necessary safety and health problems, so that the regulatory program will achieve greater overall risk reduction benefits.

This study supports the concept of providing employers with the incentive to improve their safety and health performance voluntarily in cooperation with their employees. This study also advocates reforming OSHA’s standards and making them as practical, cost effective, and performance oriented as possible.

Improving safety in the workplace is a team effort. Both employers and employees share the responsibility for safety. There must be provisions that create a role for the employer’s safety program.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration aims to ensure worker safety and health in the U.S. by assisting employers and employees to effect better working environments. Since becoming law in 1970, the Williams-Steiger Occupational Safety and Health Act and OSHA have helped cleave workplace fatalities by more than 60 percent and illness rates by 40 percent. This success has occurred while the nation’s employment figures have more than doubled from 56 million workers at 3.5 million organizations to more than 115 million workers at 7.1 million sites.[1]Although the statistics appear to support OSHA’s success, others see the agency as a hindrance to worker safety. This report will cover both of these views.

Small businesses in Florida engaged in business involving interstate commerce are subject to the regulations of OSHA.[2] There are exceptions to audits and inspections (i.e. ten or fewer employees or a business made up of only immediate family members), but the liability of hazardous working environments are not removed or eliminated.

Under its provisions, an employer must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards that cause, or are likely to cause, death or serious physical harm to employees regardless of the size of the business. Every business in Florida covered by the OSH Act must comply with federal workplace safety and health standards. In South Florida, OSHA’s Area Office in Plantation provides advice education, and assistance to small business people, trade associations, local labor affiliates, and other stakeholders who interrogate help with occupational safety and health issues.[3]

For those small businesses in Florida with eleven-or-more workers, OSHA requires employers to: 1.) inform employees of the organization’s safety regulations 2.) Post OSHA Job Safety and Health poster in a permanent place where notices to employees are usually posted 3.) Report within eight hours to the OSHA location office (by telephone or in writing) any fatal accident involving an employee or any other accident resulting in the hospitalization of three or more employees 4.) Maintain up-to-date (within six working days) records of all occupational injuries and illnesses 5.) post the annual summary of the organization’s OSHA No. 200 log on February 1st of the following year and hold that posting in a conspicuous area for the entire month of February; 6.) Retain all records of occupational injuries and illnesses for five years after the raze of the year; and 7.) Furnish a site of employment free from recognized hazards that could cause death or serious injury to employees. (This catchall enables an OSHA inspector to cite an employer who should have recognized a serious hazard, even if OSHA does not have a specific standard related to that hazard).[4]

Florida University System Lend a Guiding Hand

Here in Florida, small business is fortunate to have a friend in the State University System. The University of South Florida’s “Safety Florida Consultation Program” in Tampa offers free services that can help lower costs. Taking advantage of this service can assist an employer with:

• “Complying with federal safety and health standards to reduce the risk of injuries and OSHA citations.

• “Identifying deficient safety conditions with full-service worksite evaluations and to assess required programs and resolve safety needs.

• “Writing detailed reports that define specific actions that can be taken to correct pickle areas and improve existing safety programs.

• “Delivering technical guidance and information outlining how to comply with federal standards.

• “Providing printed materials on occupational safety, including copies of OSHA standards, as well as industry and government guidelines.

• “Assisting in implementing safety programs mandated by OSHA. • “Support in the reduction of workplace injuries by providing safety and health programs tailored to a particular business or workplace.”[5]

This has proven very helpful to Florida employers who have seen their employee total case incident rate decline by 4.9 percent and their employee lost workday incidence rate decline by 8.9 percent. Furthermore, a study by the Florida Legislature found that more than nine thousand Florida employers received a two-percent reduction in their workers’ compensation insurance rates and research has also shown that lasting improvements in workplace safety are made through consultation, education, and

training, as compared with simply strict enforcement.[6]

OSHA attempts to arrive every employee and employer, even those who do not speak English as their first language. Particularly of interest in Florida is the fact that the agency maintains a Spanish webpage and Spanish-speaking operators at a national call center during business hours. Various publications, training materials and videos are also provided in Spanish.[7]

Florida Follows Federal Guidelines

In Fiscal Year 2004, OSHA has a staff of 2,200, including 1,123 inspectors and the agency’s appropriation is $457.5 million.[8]Since Florida has not yet established its own health and safety program, the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration are responsible for ensuring compliance with the law. OSHA, under the leadership of the Secretary of Labor in Washington, may conduct site inspections and require employers to make self-evaluations.

U.S. Department of Labor Honors Exemplary Businesses

The U.S. Department of Labor says that using all the resources available to improve upon health and safety in the workplace, certain exemplary small businesses can request participation in OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Eligibility for participation in SHARP includes receiving a comprehensive consultation visit, demonstrating exemplary achievements in workplace safety and health by reducing identified hazards and developing and implementing an effective safety and health program. Small businesses accepted into SHARP may receive an exemption from scheduled annual inspections-not complaint or accident inspections-for one year.[9]

(the Act) encourages States to develop and operate their have job safety and health programs.OSHA approves and monitors State plans

Alaska

Arizona

California

Connecticut*

Hawaii

Indiana

Iowa

Kentucky

Maryland

Michigan

Minnesota

Nevada

New Jersey*

New Mexico

New York*

North Carolina

Oregon

Puerto Rico

South Carolina

Tennessee

Utah

Vermont

Virgin Islands*

Virginia

Washington

Wyoming

Note: The Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Virgin Islands plan coverspublic sector (Plot and local government) employees only.

One area of great interest to OSHA in the state of Florida is agriculture. Florida agriculture, including forestry and seafood, made an annual economic impact of $53 billion. More than 81,000 people work on some 40,000 farms around the state, and more than 50,000 are employed in other activities related to agriculture. The state’s agriculture enterprises range from large citrus, vegetable and cattle operations to minute family-operated farms. Safety in Florida agriculture is especially spirited to OSHA because: 1.) the state’s agriculture enterprises are diverse; 2.) safety knowledge among workers varies; 3.) manual labor is primitive extensively; and 4.) the climate creates year-round stress.[10]

Compliance Safety and Health Officers from the Department of Labor are authorized to enter Florida businesses at reasonable times and without delay, to inspect a physical plant, question an employer and review records required by the OSH Act (OSH Act, Section 1903. Advance notice of inspections is not given, except in cases of apparent imminent danger, in circumstances where the inspection can be more affectively be conducted after regular business hours, when important to assure the presence of representatives of the employer and employees, and in other circumstances determined by the OSHA area director (OSH Act, Section 1903.6).[11]

Employee benefits when safety and health are priorities at the workplace. Every worker wants to contribute through the job, even when the significant purpose of work is to obtain a living. Safety and health add value to the lives of workers in Florida by enabling them to preserve an unbiased income and provide for their families. Getting hurt or sick on the job is not just physically painful, but on-the-job injuries and illnesses can also significantly reduce income, increase stress, and hinder a beefy and enriching family life.

Establishing safe and healthful working environments in Florida require every employer and employee to make safety and health a top priority. The entire workforce-starting at the CEO and downward to the newest employee-must realize the importance of safety and health by acknowledging that these are keys to the small business vision, identity and success.

In this regard, OSHA believes it provides leadership and encouragement to employers and workers in helping them recognize and realize the values of safety and health on the job. The agency’s ultimate goal has always been, and continues to be, the reduction of injuries, illnesses and deaths to zero in the workplace.[12]

OSHA: A Critical View

Although The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH ACT) was created to regulate the private sector, it has been accused of having many flaws and some feel OSHA should be abolished altogether. These opponents base their opinions on modern statistics from refutable sources showing a lack of progress, as well as serious financial losses that taxpayers absorb. Additionally OSHA does not cover public workplaces such as school systems and municipal governments.[13] These are only a few of the many criticisms aimed at OSHA.

Some opponents deem OSHA is a useless entity that sometimes does more harm than good. A unique article, written by Thomas J. Kneiser and John D. Leeth, states just that. Their paper, appropriately titled Abolishing OSHA, cites the case of the Pymm Thermometer Company,” the second largest manufacturer of mercury thermometers in the United States.

Employees of Pymm worked in a non-ventilated windowless basement with no respirators or protective clothing. Their job was recycling mercury from old thermometers. For five years, OSHA had known about serious health problems among the plant employees, including asthma and pulmonary fibrosis. Mercury poisoning can damage organs including the brain. The company was not even fined when “puddles” of mercury were found on the floor when inspected.

Finally, when a worker who had formerly worked for the plant stated suspicions that one of his former co-workers was suffering from brain damage, OSHA got involved. Mercury fume levels in the plant were five times higher than the acceptable level, which can cause serious illness and even death. OSHA fined Pymm $1,400 and ordered them to clean up.

Five years later Pymm has not complied with OSHA’s recommendations. When an employee suffering from severe health consequences went to the news media, OSHA enforced the recommendations. However, serious violations were allowed to stand for five years, and the consequences were severe. More than half of Pymms 100 workers, and many of their children also suffer from serious mercury poisoning. [14]

Many firms realize that the likelihood of an inspection is minimal. The typical American worker may see an OSHA once every seventy-five years, or once every thirteen years if they are employed in a hazardous profession. Companies generally know that they can simply agree to comply with inspector recommendations to avoid future inspections.

OSHA Suffers Lawsuits

OSHA inspectors seem reluctant to shut down companies or impose severe fines even when their findings indicate serious health and safety issues.

Case in point is The United Auto Workers (UAW) and the United Steel Workers of America (USWA) who have united in a joint lawsuit filed October 21, 2003[15]. The lawsuit requests that OSHA set clean air standards in United States factories. Because OSHA took no action, ten years ago when the UAW first petitioned them, millions of workers have been exposed to hazardous chemicals and developed serious health problems.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety,[16] a government agency that researches health problems for employees in the United States, collected evidence about metalworking fluids and suggested a standard of 0.5 milliliters per cubic meter of air for both oil and synthetic metalworking fluids.

OSHA is required to submit a standard or space a reason for not doing so within sixty days of the (NIOS) recommendation. After Four years, OSHA has not complied, and even withdrew the recommendation from consideration and millions of factory workers are calm being exposed to hazardous chemicals.

Although several reports have shown a decline inworker fatality, (in 1925 there were 16 fatalities per 100,000 workers, whereas by 1993 that number had dropped to 3.5 per100, 000), there is no real decrease in on the job injury or illness. Fatalities in the workplace had begun to decline even before OSHA, possibly due to safety technology, and the occupational distribution of labor. To the contrary, illness and injury in the workplace tend to follow the economy. The more people employed, the higher the injury rate. OSHA still does not veil the self-employed, who tend to work in higher risk professions and legend for 20 percent of workplace fatalities

The Ergonomics Standards Plan

Most recently, OSHA proposed its Ergonomics Standards Program.[17] Ergonomics is the study of the create and arrangement of equipment in a healthy comfortable manner.[18] This Program Standard states that an employee who complains of a

musculo- skeletal disorder (MSD) must complete a complicated series of steps in order to decide whether OSHA covers them. It is a far from cost effective policy.

Furthermore, employers have been effectively dealing with these injuries for many years on a volunteer basis. The efforts of these business owners has decreased stress related injury by 22 percent since 1993.If OSHA implements the Ergonomics Program it will force employers to follow rigid guidelines, thereby reducing flexibility for targeted response. Companies will be forced to spread resources more thinly to address every complaint, many of which are discovered to be invalid, resulting in less effective coverage, as well as higher costs for employees.

Opponents of the Ergonomics Plan point out that OSHA made a series of mistakes in its financial plan and the costs will likely outweigh the benefits and cause, damage to existing programs employers have in situation. The table below shows these errors as well as the corrected estimated cost: [19]

Error or Omission ItemOSHA EstimateOSHA ErrorCorrected Estimate

Computation of Annualized Cost

$4.2 billion

$1.6 billion

$5.8 billion

Compliances baseline

$4.2 billion

$5-$7.5 billion

$9.2-$11.7 billion

Assess potential MSDs

$0

$2.5-$29.7 billion

$2.5-$29.7 billion

Familiarization time

$0.2 billion

$3.1 billion

$3.3 billion

Other time parameters

$0.9 billion

$12.8 billion

$13.7 billion

Training for fixed jobs

$0

$0.6-$1.2 billion

$0.6-$1.2 billion

Increased MSD reports

$0

$5.6-$39.2 billion

$5.6-$39.2 billion

Total

$11-$12 billion

$31.2-$95.1 billion

$35.4-$99.3 billion

(Employment Policy Foundation; fact &fallacy: April 10, 2002)

OSHA’s costs far outweigh the benefits. According to an article published in The Yale Journal on Regulation,[20] and written by Robert Hahn and John Hind, it costs OSHA $11 billion per year to run the current health and safety policies it has in place. The support to workers through health care costs and injury reduction they estimate is $3.6 billion per year. Even best case reports indicate the costs outweigh the gains three to one.

In conclusion, many proponents feel OSHA would benefit if supplied with a larger budget and more resources, but it already spends an exorbitant amount of taxpayer dollars on programs that are largely ineffectual. Abolishing OSHA completely may leave some workers largely unprotected, so the answer probably lies in complete reformation. OSHA is in the business of reform, but who will reform OSHA?

Bird E., Ronald; Fact & fallacy; Analysis Misses the Target in Predicting Ergonomics Rule;

Bonilla, Henry; The Workplace Preservation Act;; Remarks

(4 March 1999)

ErgoDynamo.com;

The Florida Legislature. “Addendum to OPPAGA Report No. 97-25 Agency Response from Dept. of Labor & Employment Security.” January 1998. (4 June 2004).

HR.BLR.Com; Florida Safety and Health;

Kneisner J.,Thomas; Leeth P, John; Regulation; The Cato Review of Business and Government;AbolishingOSHA; (2003)

Lehtola, Carol J., Charles M. Brown, and William J. Becker. “Inspections, Citations, and Proposed Penalties – OSHA Standard 1903.” University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. November 2000. (5 June 2004).

The Current York Times; Work Region Safety is Growing Concern;

Olexa, Michael T., Aaron Leviten, and Kelly Samek. “Florida Solid and Hazardous Waste Regulation Handbook: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA).”University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. December 2003. (6 June 2004).

Polopolus, Leo C., Michael T. Olexa, Fritz Roka, and Carol Fountain. “2003 Handbook of Employment Regulations Affecting Florida Farm Employers and Workers: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) [Federal].” University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service. December 2002. (5 June 2004).

Press Room; UAW and USAW Sue Secretary of Labor…;

< http://www.uswa.org/uswa./program/content/616.php> (21 October 2003)

Smith, Sandy; Safety Zones; Unions sue to Force OSHA to Area Clean Air Standards in Factories;; (22 October 2003)

University of South Florida Consultation Program. “Ask USF Safety Florida to Protect Your Profits with an Effective Safety Program.” n.d. (4 June 2004).

U.S. Department of Labor. “OSHA Help for New Businesses Fact Sheet.” 2002.

(4 June 2004).

U.S. Department of Labor. “OSHA Facts.” 2004.

(7 June 2004).

U.S. Department of Labor. “OSHA Handbook for Small Businesses.” 1996 (Revised),

(4 June 2004).

[1] U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Facts, 2004, available at http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/oshafacts.html; Internet; accessed 7 June, 2004.

[2] Leo C. Polopolus et al., 2003 Handbook of Employment Regulations Affecting Florida Farm Employees and Workers: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) [Federal], December 2002, available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FE408; 5 June 2004.

[3] U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Help for New Businesses Fact Sheet, 2002, available at http://www.

Osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/newbusinesses-factsheet.pdf; 4 June 2004.

[4]Polopolus, 2003 Handbook of Employment Regulations Affecting Florida Farm Employers and Workers: Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) [Federal].

[5] University of South Florida Consultation Program, Ask USF Safety Florida to Protect Your Profits with an Effective Safety Program, n.d., available from http://www.safetyflorida.usf.edu/Pdf/Safetypr.pdf; 4 June 2004.

[6]

[7] U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Facts.

[8] Michael T. Olexa et al., Florida Solid and Hazardous Waste Regulations Handbook: Occupational Safety and Health Act, December 2003, available at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/FE447; Internet; accessed 6 June 2004.

[9] U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA Facts, 2004, 32-33, available from http://www.osha.gov.as/opa/ oshafacts.html; Internet; accessed 5 June 2004.

[10]Carol J. Lehtola et al., Inspections, Citations, and Proposed Penalties-OSHA Standard 1903, November 2000, available from http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/BODY_OA059; 5 June 2004.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid,

[13]HR.BLR.COM; State HR Answers & Tools Online; Florida Safety and Healthhttp://hr1.blr.com/Article.cfm/Nav/3.12.48.0.25134.25134>

[14] Kneisner J., Thomas and Leeth D. John; Abolishing OSHA, 2003;

[15]Press Room; October 21, 2003;< http://www.uswa.org/uswa/program/content/616.php>

[16]The New York Times; Work Place Safety is Growing Concern http://www.saja.org/stories/safety.html

[17]ErgoDynamo.com:

[19] Bird E. Ronald: Osha Analysis Misses the Target in Predicting Ergonomics Rule Cost, fact & fallacy.

[20][20] Kneisner J., Thomas and Leeth D. John; Abolishing OSHA, 2003;

My first accident, I was driving a ’91 Mercury Sable. This was before they went compact. I could fit 4 and half people in my trunk. Well, cramped people. My car insurance, Progressive. I was at a dead stop, and then, rear-ended by a Crown Victoria. My trunk was in my back seat. Yeah this car was cruising at a 40 miles per hour. To make this short, I had to go to physical therapy, for about five months. I could not work, because of true whiplash. I get so mad when people say they have that when they don’t. Whiplash is when you don’t even want to turn you eyes to the left or right because the pain is excruciating. So when people say they have that while being able to move their heads from side to side, I say this with an extended finger, ” Up yours!” I digress, well it was lovely juggling the hospital bills and physical therapy payments. I had to maintain track of all the receipts and send them off to my insurance and also to the other guy’s insurance. Progressive, hey, help a sister out here.

I was offered a rental car for two weeks, but I had to obtain within a certain time limit. So I’m seriously injured, can’t really drive just yet, but if I need a car I had to get it on their terms. I mean really, this is just absurd. My car was turned into a Volvo. I can barely walk around without looking like Frankenstein’s monster. And I have no upfront money to purchase a new car. What do these idiots inquire of you to do? I disapprove these people!

I was paid for my lost wages. Thank God. But the other guy’s insurance company sent a couple of spies (investigators, whatever you want to call these worms) to make sure I was the real McCoy. I mean by that I was really hurt. They would actually drive to my house for some bogus excuse to see if I’m really laid up. Of course when I answer the door, they have the shark tooth smile on their faces. “Oh, you’re walking around? So you’re feeling better? ”
“You rang the doorbell, didn’t you? How else would I answer the damn door.”
They would drive by my work as well. Oh, I’m getting mad all over again. And this happen about 9 years ago.

And what does my car insurance do for me in my moment of need? Nothing. They unprejudiced ask when will I finish turning in my receipts.

So Louisiana state law: You must have car insurance.

So Claire Bankston’s law: Phooey on car insurance companies. And their moms! That goes double for Progressive!

Progressive has claimed to be a cheap car insurance company. They offer services such as 24/7 claim service, pet accident insurance, and someone to assist you with buying a car if yours gets totaled, and discounts for a safe driving record and having more than one car insured with them. In completing a quote, individuals are asked to provide the car that they drive, personal identifying information, and whether they have any driving violations. Individuals are then offered a choice of what kind of car insurance they would like, and the amount of money they could pay for each of those insurances, which may or may not be cheaper than what they are already paying.

Geico also has claimed itself to be a cheap car insurance company. Their claim is that 15 minutes could achieve you up to 15 percent on your insurance. One bonus with Geico is that they do provide all the different coverages that are available and that you the consumer should consider having on your policy. I started a quote from them but became frustrated at the amount of information that they required. Some personal information I was allowed to opt out of giving like my phone number and social security number, but others I was not like my occupation and how great I am paying for my insurance currently. Geico does not provide coverage in Massachusetts.

Allstate is going a different route in being a cheap car insurance company. Their claim is a safe driving bonus for every 6 months an individual goes without an accident they can earn up to 5% of their premium. They can also earn money off of their deductible. Individuals can also receive a quote online.

State Farm can also be considered a cheap car insurance company. They offer to their individuals information such as how much insurance do they need, what affects the price of their insurance, what are coverage and deductible options, and auto insurance discounts. They offer discounts for Multiple Vehicle, Multiple Line, New Vehicle Safety, Accident Free, Anti-Theft Device, Defensive Driving, Good Driving, Good Student and, Driver Training. Individuals can catch a quote online in about 15 minutes.

Nationwide is also a cheap car insurance company, because they claim that you can save up to $500. They offer 100% guarantee on repairs for as long as you own the vehicle. They offer 24/7 claim service. They also offer free On Your Side Reviews to abet you with choosing discounts and coverage that are right for you.

Amica also claims to be a cheap car insurance company. They do not offer much information about their auto insurance online. However, you can complete a quote online.

Esurance offers the most information about cheap car insurance companies. Esurance allows individuals to obtain a quote that compares auto insurance rates. This allows the individual to pick the best insurance information for them. Individuals can then buy the policy right online. Esurance claims that if another company offers a cheaper rate you can purchase the policy.

There are many different types of life insurance available from a number of companies specializing in meeting the insurance needs of the areas they service. One such type of policy is a variable rate policy. Usually with this type of policy the rate increases at certain ages in your life. This type of policy will start out with a lower premium when you are young and likely have the added expense of mortgages and children, and the premiums will increase as you age and hopefully gain financial stability. The down side to these policies is that the coverage you remove initially is not guaranteed, so it can decrease as years go by. The insurance company can also fall you completely if they choose to do so.

Another type of life insurance policy available is often referred to as a term life insurance policy. With this type of policy you can select from a wide array of coverage for a specified premium amount. The premium amount is then locked in for the term of your policy, and terms can range from five years to thirty years depending on which you select. The good point of this type of policy is that you are guaranteed the amount of coverage you take for a predetermined premium amount for the term of the policy. The downside would be that you are likely to pay higher premiums when you are younger to offset the cost in the latter years of your term.

The third and final type of life insurance policy I would like to call your attention to is often called a whole life policy. This type of policy locks in your rates for your lifetime, guarantees the coverage amount that you sign up for, and even builds cash value as time progresses. However, there are caveats to this type of policy as well, since the premiums are the most expensive of the three types of life insurance policies on the front end they are often more than young people just starting out can afford. However, for those who can the guarantee for protection that cannot decrease along with premiums that are locked in for your entire life are often very attractive options.

Regardless of the type of life insurance policy that you choose to protect your family from the costs associated with your demise, it is an extremely important decision to have some type of policy in place. Most of us would never intentionally place our loved ones in a difficult financial position intentionally, but if you ignore the cost of dying while you are alive that is what you are ultimately doing.

In Washington, there are minimum insurance requirement for all drivers. In order to operate a motor vehicle, a driver must purchase at least $25,000 worth of coverage for bodily injury or death per person per accident, $50,000 for two or more people, and $10,000 for property damage.

Drivers must also carry with them official proof of insurance. Insurance cards should list the driver’s name, policy number, effective dates, name of the insurance company and year, make and model of the vehicle. If you are caught without your card, you could face fines and penalties. If you are caught driving without any insurance, there is a mandatory fine of at least $450. If a driver gave a police officer unfounded insurance information to avoid that fine, he could be hit with something even worse: a misdemeanor charge.

When it comes to auto accidents, Washington follows the Tort system. This means that if you do find yourself keen in an accident, either you or another driver must be found at fault. The at-fault driver is responsible for compensating all parties for any injuries, death or damage to vehicles and other property. Claims and compensation are handled through the offending party’s insurance company, which is why it is so important to have auto insurance in Washington. Because it is a Tort state, most companies recommend drivers consume more than the minimum requirements.

Although the cost of insurance can race the gamut of costs depending on things like credit history, gender or location, Washingtonians in general enjoy good rates for car insurance. At approximately $839 for a year of insurance, the cost hovers factual around the national average of $817 a year.

Washington takes its insurance regulations seriously, but it considers drunk driving even more deeply because of the grave consequences. You can be considered driving under the influence in the state when using alcohol, any number of illicit drugs, and even prescription medications. Like many other states, Washington operates under an implied consent law, meaning that if you drive a vehicle on any road in the state you are consenting to a chemical test to determine if you are under the influence.

The Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) limit for the state is .08%. The penalties become even more harsh with a BAC over .15%. For minors, the BAC limit is .02%. If you are caught driving under the influence, your license will be immediately suspended pending your trial.

A conviction for a first time offender can carry with it a jail sentence anywhere from one month to one year, and a minimum fine of $350 that could go up to $5,000. All DUI convictions require the installation of an interlock system at the driver’s expense. An interlock is a device that is installed in the ignition that can detect the presence of alcohol in a driver. If it detects alcohol, it will prevent the car from starting and portray the finding to the authorities, resulting in even more penalties.

Two thirds of all teen deaths in the state are caused by car crashes, and so in an effort to reduce the number of deaths and assert safer drivers, Washington has employed its contain version of the Graduated Driver Licensing (GDL) system. Under the system, a teen must be at least 15 ½ years of age to obtain a learner’s permit. During the minimum six months of the learner’s permit phase, a teen must complete at least 50 hours of practice driving with a parent or guardian, ten hours of which must be at night. After six months, a teen can apply to take the driver’s road test and upon passing, he will be rewarded with his intermediate license. If a teen does not violate any restrictions, such a driving with other teenage passenger for the first six months or driving between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. during the first year, he will be rewarded with an unrestricted license.

Resources:

Washington Auto Insurance – minimum coverage requirements, average monthly premiums, info on recent rate trends, and more.

Washington DUI Laws – info on Blood Alcohol Content restrictions, penalties and fines, and more.

Vehicle Series Rating Program

The purpose of vehicle series rating is to match premiums to loss experiences for different makes and models. A high ISO rating means a more expensive insurance rate. The ISO adjusts these ratings periodically when new loss statistics are analyzed.

Surcharges and Discounts

If your vehicle has a high ISO rating, it can mean a surcharge of up to 25 percent on your auto policy. Discounts of up to 20 percent are offered for vehicles whose low ISO rating means they will fare better in vehicle accidents and cost less to repair.

Factors Considered

ISO considers several factors when determining the rating for a vehicle, including loss experience, vehicle size, body construction, wheelbase and horsepower. Recent findings by the ISO have shown SUVs in a more positive light than in earlier years. SUVs have had better loss experience than sedans and some other smaller vehicles. Cars considered “sports cars” are almost always issued a high ISO rating symbol.

Rating Symbols

Two rating symbols are given for each effect and model. One rating symbol covers bodily injury and property damage. The other symbol applies to medical payment coverage. The rating symbols correspond with the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the automobile.

Top Safety Picks of 2009

The top safety picks of 2009 were the Acura RL, Ford Taurus, Volvo S80 (huge); Acura TL, Honda Accord, Subaru Legacy (midsize); Saab 9-3, Volkswagen Eos, Volvo C70 (midsize convertibles); Honda Civic, Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Lancer (small); Honda Odyssey, Hyundai Entourage, Kia Sedona (minivans); Ford F-150, Honda Ridgeline, Toyota Tundra (large pickups); Toyota Tacoma (small pickup); Audi Q7, Chevrolet Traverse, Saturn Outlook (expansive SUVs); Acura MDX, Honda Pilot, Subaru Tribeca (midsize SUVs); Ford Elope, Mercury Mariner, Volkswagen Tiguan (small SUVs).

Source:

http://www.iso.com/

Most states now offer mature defensive driving courses designed to keep driving skills engrossing. As is the case with Driver’s Ed, about two thirds of all states mandate insurance companies give policy discounts upon completion of these courses. Generally, the cost for these two day courses is less than $30.00 and may well provide a 10% discount on auto insurance for 3 years. Checking with your insurance agent, AAA, or AARP can get you information on where courses are offered in your state along with actual costs.

Seniors should carefully consider the vehicle being driven for a number of reasons. As a rule most insurance companies give discounts across the board for safety and anti-theft features, updating or upgrading could save money over the long haul. Additionally, as we age our reflexes and reaction time slows, so now more than ever it is important for the car to be properly maintained and easy to operate.

One of the biggest money savers on car insurance is also the most obvious – avoiding accidents. Any driver regardless of age who is uncomfortable during definite conditions such as weather, darkness, or rush hour should simply just not drive.

Joining AAA, or AARP is well worth the yearly fee, not only will it save you money on car insurance in some cases, but it can also effect on repairs. Always shop around for the best prices, or at the very least review your policy yearly with an agent to be clear you’re not missing any discounts.

Sources:
http://www.hometownquotes.com/auto-insurance-tips-for-seniors.html

http://www.sbaaa.com/Insurance/Auto/auto_insurance_senior_citizen_drivers.htm

http://www.seniorjournal.com/NEWS/Discounts/2007/7-06-28-SenCitCanFind.htm