Insurance Blog

• Review your insurance policy and consider adding Comprehensive coverage if you don't already have it.
• Double-check to make sure your doors are locked.
• Whenever possible, store gifts and other valuables in your trunk. If this isn't possible, throw a blanket over gifts before you leave your vehicle unattended.
• Don't go back and forth frequently from stores to your vehicle to unload gifts. Car prowlers watch for shoppers who leave gifts in their vehicles unattended.
• Do not leave valuable items in sight. Cell phones, laptops and other expensive electronic equipment make your vehicle more inviting to thieves.
• Be sure to park in a well-lit area.
• Consider installing a quality security system in your vehicle or applying a locking device to your steering wheel.

High winds in the Puget Sound region have toppled trees and cut power to some, putting homes, businesses and vehicles at risk of wind damage.

While high-wind warnings remain in effect through today, it's important for homeowners, renters and business owners to be prepared and understand what is and what is not protected against damage caused by wind.

"Homeowners and Business Insurance policies cover wind damage to the structure of your home or business and your belongings," said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. "Wind damage to vehicles from falling trees or other wind-driven objects and damage from landslide is covered if you have optional Comprehensive Coverage in your Auto Policy."

NW Insurance Council offers the following coverage facts for wind damage.

What's typically covered:
Your Home

• Damage to your home from wind and falling trees.
• Removal of trees that have fallen on buildings.
• Damaged personal property (both home and renters) inside a damaged building.
• If you can't occupy your primary residence due to storm damage, additional living expenses such as increased housing costs, extra food costs, furniture rental, and storage fees.
• Costs for reasonable temporary repairs to prevent further damage to the building or contents.

Your Vehicle

• Damage caused by wind and falling trees - if you purchased optional Comprehensive Coverage.
  Damage caused by landslide is also covered under the Comprehensive Coverage portion of your policy.

What's typically not covered:
Your Home

• Removal of trees that have fallen in your yard without damaging a building.
  Upgrades that weren't part of your home before the storm.
  Damage from landslides.

Your Vehicle

• Damage to your vehicle if you don't have Comprehensive Coverage.

What to do if your home or vehicle has been damaged:

• Document damage and take pictures.
• If safe to do so, make temporary repairs to prevent further loss from rain or wind. Save receipts for reimbursement.
• If your home or property is damaged by a windstorm, contact your insurance agent or company to file a claim immediately. Filing a claim quickly enables your insurance company to get to you sooner.
• Use only licensed, reputable building contractors and be sure they get the proper building permits.
  

What to avoid if your home or vehicle has been damaged:

• Avoid contractors who ask for a large deposit up front or bids that are remarkably low. This may indicate a willingness to cut corners or leave work unfinished.
• Don't pay a lot for temporary repairs unless authorized by your insurance adjuster. You could get stuck with the bill if the repairs are deemed excessive.
• Don't discard anything that is damaged until it has been examined by your adjuster. You could miss out on coverage for that item.

Vehicles and deer can be a lethal combination on Northwest roads. As the weather gets colder, deer and other wildlife migrate from the mountains and you face greater risk of collisions when they dart across roads and highways.

More deer-vehicle accidents occur between October and December than any other time of the year.

The Washington Department of Transportation reports that annually more than 1,100 wildlife-vehicle collisions are reported to the Washington State Patrol (WSP).

The collisions cause nearly 1,200 injuries and two fatalities each year. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimates there are more than 1.6 million deer-vehicle collisions nationwide each year, resulting in 150 occupant deaths, tens of thousands of injuries and over $3.6 billion in vehicle damage.

The average deer-vehicle auto claim involving bodily injury is about $11,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute.

"Deer-vehicle collisions can cause significant damage to vehicles and serious injury to drivers and passengers," said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. "Using caution and staying alert can save your life and eliminate the need for costly vehicle repairs."

If you have optional Comprehensive Coverage, your Auto Insurance policy will pay for damage to your vehicle, less the deductible, if you hit a deer or any other animal. NW Insurance Council offers the following defensive driving tips to help you avoid deer while on the road:

• Be attentive from sunset to midnight and hours before and after sunrise. These are the highest-risk periods for deer-vehicle collisions.
• Drive with caution when moving through deer-crossing zones, in areas known to have a large deer population and in areas where roads divide agricultural fields from forestland.
• Deer seldom run alone. If you see one deer, others may be nearby.
• When driving at night, use high beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic.
• Brake firmly when you notice a deer in or near your path and stay in your lane. Many serious crashes occur when drivers swerve to avoid a deer and hit another vehicle or lose control of their cars.

If you have questions about coverage, contact your insurance agent or company.For more information, call the NW Insurance Council at (800) 664-4942.

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  Often, a family might not need more coverage, just changes in the way coverage is set up. NW Insurance Council encourages teens and parents to talk with their insurance company or agent to discuss their insurance needs before or immediately after graduation day.
  
  Here are a few scenarios that should raise a red flag for graduates and parents:
  
  A high school or college graduate permanently moves away from home. This creates a possible coverage problem for personal property, since a child must reside in the parent’s household for the child’s personal property to be covered under the parent’s policy. If the graduate permanently relocates, he or she may need an inexpensive Renters Insurance policy. If the child lives in a school dorm room, however, he and his personal property are covered under his parent’s policy.
• A high school or college graduate takes a summer job as a delivery person for a pizza parlor and uses his or her own car (or one owned by parents) to make deliveries. Because many personal automobile insurance policies exclude deliveries, this creates a coverage problem for damage caused in an accident when delivering pizza.
• A high school or college graduate gets involved in a volunteer program transporting young people, the homeless or the elderly from one place to another and uses his or her own car (or one owned by the parents). The parents could be liable, according to their auto policy, for injuries or property damage that occur while their child is driving.
• A graduate gets a job and starts driving a family car much more than they used to. If the car is insured through the parents, this could create a need for coverage adjustment because some policies specify that the car will not be driven to work or will only be driven a limited number of miles per day.

As parents and seniors prepare for graduation day, it’s important that families check with their insurance company or agent to see how their coverage may need to be changed. A few minutes adjusting coverage can prevent long-term headaches after this year’s graduates continue down the Walk of Life.