Several national rating institutions rate insurance companies. Do coverages, rates, and service vary from company to company? Why can you pay less with one company than another can for the same coverages? Choosing the best insurance company for you is a crucial financial decision. Does your insurance company have the financial strength to safeguard you and your family? If the company cannot pay future claims or benefits, other issues become far less relevant. Financial strength ratings are an analysis of a wide variety of risks that could affect an insurance company’s long-term viability. Insurance companies have failed or ceased to operate due to inadequate financial strength, competitive forces, or changing dynamics in the marketplace.
Standard & Poor’s Ratings (http://www.standardandpoors.com) Financial strength ratings of insurance companies, plus detailed financial Insurer Profiles on nearly 4,000 companies.
Fitch Ratings (http://www.fitchratings.com) Financial strength ratings of insurance companies.
Have you heard of the company where you are considering purchasing coverage? Do you have any experience with the company?
Ask your peers what experiences they have had. What is your sense of the reputation of the company? How quickly and easily are claims processed? Is there 24-hour claims service? Is the claims management in the house of the insurance company or have they outsourced? Auto insurance is meant to make you whole in the case of an accident with injury or property damage. It is to protect your assets and protect you from liability. You will want the peace of mind of a superior rated company when it comes time to manage and pay the claim. The financial health of a car insurance company is an often-overlooked area when shopping for the best auto insurance rate. It is human nature to make your comparison solely on the rates for the coverages. While this is certainly important, you should be aware of the company’s overall rating and level of satisfaction. Consulting insurance company ratings is crucial. Each company issues quarterly reports that are publicly accessible. You cannot always tell the future from the past. However, the past performance is a valuable insight into what expectation to have for your future coverage. One of the factors that are used in order to determine the companies’ ratings is how long they have been in business. If there is no history, you may be taking an unnecessary chance. Look for a company that has a history and make sure that history shows good performance.
What about the reputation of the insurance company? It is very simple to find this information. Just ask around. There are your peers, the BBB, and family. Many times these resources closest to you will be able to share experiences that are favorable or unfavorable regarding the company you are considering. In addition, each state has a Department of Insurance that keeps public information about companies. Use all the resources you can to determine which company is best for you. Once you have paid for the policy, you will then become keenly interested in customer service. Be aware of what the source of information is regarding the insurance company. Many companies put our information about themselves in the form of illustrations that are intended to make them look as good as possible. Of course, while these illustrations must be factual, you should be aware that you are not receiving objective information.
How can you quickly check the company rating? You are on the internet now. Surely, there is a quick way.
Go to http://www.carinsurance.com. Not only will you get the rates of various insurance companies, you will see the A.M. Best rating for each company along side their rates for you personal situation.
Now is the time for your fingers to punch their way to a quick rate analysis and view the ratings at the same time.
Visit http://www.CarInsurance.com for free car insurance quotes online

We all wish to make savings in our life. Cars included. Myriad insurance companies offer varying premium rates depending on their policy coverage. So it is important that you get the best Insurance package for your car.
These tips will help you how to manage your Car Insurance budget within limits.
Making Comparisons: The costs of at least three to six insurance companies will give you a fair idea of the costs involved with different policies. Seek the advise of colleagues, friends, relatives. Besides from costs involved, the track record of the companies matter a lot.
The standing, strength and financial position of the company need to be looked into. Request for higher deductibles – It’s the amount one pays prior to making any claim for the accident. The complete coverage and collision is sold along with the deductibles. The more the deductibles the less the premium rate. By increasing the deductible say from $300 to $600 will invariable reduce the cost to 20 to 35 percent.
Old Cars – Drop Collision and Comprehensive Coverage – It is better to drop the collision and comprehensive coverage if the car is worth less than 10 times your premium in the current market. One way to reduce the cost is buying the auto coverage from the existing insurance and insurance coverage from existing carrier.
No to Double Health Coverage – Avoid health coverage with auto policy provided you have enough health insurance. This is one way of reducing costs.
A Good Credit Card Record – This has multiple benefits – helps to file claims if the credit score is less. A good credit score will also help in settling the accident with the help of the company.
Low Profile Car Discount – Fancy and trendy cars with high maintenance costs higher rate and attract thieves as well. A low budget, low profile car will help a lot with insurer discounts to boost.
Mileage Counts – More discounts can be obtained by driving less than the national average mileage recorded per year.
Avoid double health coverage- If you think that you have enough health insurance, and then avoid health coverage with your auto policy. This will help you to reduce the cost.
Maintain a good credit record- Insurers are using the credit history while determining the price of insurance. Statistically, the lower your credit score, the more you are likely to file claims. A person with a good credit score is more likely to settle the accident without the support of the company. Try to maintain a good credit record.
Discounts with low profile car- Cars that are expensive to repair or attractive to thieves will have a higher rate. Consider buying a low profile or average car as it your insurer might come up with discounts for such a car.
Low Mileage Pays – Obtain some discount on premiums by driving less than the national average mileage recorded per year.
All about Group Discount – It’s all about a group taking insurance plan collectively. Be it an employer, business group or associations. Check for such plans.
Safety Discount – Discounts are also offered if the car is fitted with safety items like air bag, automatic seat belts, anti lock brakes. So make safety pay for you.

There are DOZENS of insurance claim possibilities which will increase the dollars awarded you in the settlement of your personal injury insurance claim. Some of them rarely see the light of day but some do. The six I’ve listed below are crucial for you to be aware of as you prepare to go to war with Adjuster Henry Hard-Nose regarding the value of your loss. They are:
(1) EMOTIONAL REACTIONS TO YOUR INJURY: When it comes to placing a dollar value on the “Emotional Reaction?of an injury one enters into an area where most individuals, even experienced claims adjuster’s and Legal Beagles, are at a loss.
Four often ignored “Characteristic Symptoms?can be: Confusion, Anxiety, Depression and Denial. (“Denial? that is, regarding the seriousness of your injury and the constant pain you feel. This usually comes to pass when one refuses to complain anything is seriously wrong, convincing themselves it will work itself out).
If any of the above “Emotional Reactions?(which are a direct result of “Characteristic Symptoms? becomes a reality it would be wise for you to see a shrink. Maybe you won’t immediately identify this as something you need to have checked out but the person you climb into bed with probably will. When she tells you you’re not functioning (between your ears) all that well, listen up! If that’s what you’re told you should swallow hard and obtain an expert’s opinion. You may consider yourself a muscular “Power To Be Reckoned With” but you’re not Superman so, talk to a specialist, explain what’s happening, and let it all hang out.
Once you’ve been discharged, get that specialist’s written Medical Report and hand it to Hard-Nose, along with the medical bills for your treatment. Is that legit? The answer is absolutely, yes! Can he refuse to accept them and suggest they add no value to your claim? The answer is absolutely, no!
(2) EMOTIONAL DISTRESS: Emotional distress is legitimate “Pain and Suffering” and you should be compensated for it. For example, problems that may develop over the effects of an accident within the area of your work or business, or perhaps interfere with your sex life! Whatever it is that’s causing you problems you should see a specialist. Keep going back to see him for as long as it takes to return to normal. At the end of his treatment, when he’s finally discharged you, ask for and obtain his written report. Present that to Adjuster Henry Hard-Nose along with the specialist’s bill for their services.
This is a legitimate expense and it positively gives your personal injury more value !
(3) SECURING COMPENSATION FOR LIFE DISRUPTIONS: If your injuries caused you to miss some special training you had arranged to take advantage of, you’ll probably, at some point, want to make that time up. The difficulty you may experience in making up that missed time (or perhaps never again being able to obtain it) has the potential to increase the value of your settlement. To achieve this you must obtain written proof and present it to Adjuster Hard-Nose.
Also to be taken into consideration is a vacation you may have been unable to take, or some recreational event’s in which you could not participate in and/or a missed special event, like a wedding or a reunion, etc. All of these, properly documented, add value to your claim because they are specific examples of the inconvenience and discomfort you’ve endured as a direct result of your injury.
(4) YOUR AGE: In the evaluation of an individuals “Pain and Suffering”, age is always a factor because the older you are the longer the periods of Total or Partial Disability will be. This will affect the course of treatment plus the length of time of the “pain killers” you’ve been ordered to take. For example: Over age 50 disability is about 10% to 15% longer, over age 60 disability is about 20% to 30% longer, over 70 disability can be 35% to 45% longer and over 75 disability can often be 50% and longer.
(5) PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL PROBLEMS: Also pre-existing conditions are factor’s that must be considered: For example: Arthritis, Sugar Diabetes, Pervious Injuries and/or Previous Operations that have left you with on-going problems, etc.
Whatever that pre-existing situation may be you should look to your attending physician for advice. Don’t avoid discussing this with him. If any doubt exists you should insist your doctor refer you to a specialist for consultation. If your physician is legit he’ll agree. If he doesn’t than kiss that goodie-two-shoes “goodbye” and go dig up a specialist on your own. It’s your body and there’s only one to a customer!
(6) ONE THING YOU SHOULD NEVER FORGET IS THAT THE VISIBLE DAMAGES TO YOUR MOTOR VEHICLE CAN VERY OFTEN PROFOUNDLY AFFECT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU’RE EVENTUALLY PAID.
If your vehicle was badly smashed, that goes a long way proving that your injuries were sever and therefore painful. You must snap photographs of your motor vehicle. Shoot a couple rolls of colored and also black and white (black and white because in some instances colored photographs cannot be entered as evidence in a court of law).Take them from different angles and various distances. Like for example, 30 feet away, then 15, then right up close.
Make two sets. One for you and one for Hard-Nose. Blow them up into 8X10 glossies and present them to him. Both the size of your repair bill and those photographs will go a long way towards proving two important points: First, that you know what you’re doing and second, that the injuries you received from that god-awful impact (and the long period of pain, suffering and discomfort you’ve had to deal with) – - if and when viewed by a judge or jury – - are proof positive of what your injury caused your body to endure.
DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this article SIX CRUCIAL INSURANCE CLAIM POSSIBILITIES, is to help people understand the motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor ARTICLE CITY make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service; NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.
Dan Baldyga’s third and latest book AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM (How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss) can be found on the internet at http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com . This book reveals “How To” successfully handle your motor vehicle accident claim, so you won’t be taken advantage of. It also goes into detail regarding the revolutionary BASE (The Baldyga Auto Accident Settlement Evaluation Formula). BASE explains how to determine the value of the “Pain and Suffering” you endured – - because of your personal injury.
Copyright (c) 2003 Daniel G. Baldyga. All Rights Reserved
Dan Baldyga – Author
19 Winona Drive, West Springfield, MA 01089
Phone: (413) 733-0127 FAX: (413) 731-8358
Mail to: dbpaw@comcast.net
AUTO ACCIDENT PERSONAL INJURY INSURANCE CLAIM
(How To Evaluate And Settle Your Loss)
Found On Internet At: http://www.autoaccidentclaims.com
Or: http://www.caraccidentclaims.com

Carrying car insurance is a crucial decision for anyone on the roads today. With so many drivers on cell phones, eating fast food and even watching TV while at the wheel, it isn’t unusual to find yourself in a “fender bender?or serious wreck. Having car insurance can make such an ordeal a lot less stressful for you and your family.
Car insurance, in plain English, protects you and your family financially if you ever have an accident in your car. You have a contractual agreement with your car insurance company. If you pay the premium you agree to in a timely manner, the car insurance company will cover your losses in the event of an accident.
Car insurance is typically made up of these three specific types of coverage: property coverage, liability coverage and medical coverage.
1. Any damage which occurs to your car in an accident will be covered by property coverage. Property coverage will also be used if your car is stolen.
2. Anything you are legally responsible for, such as when other are injured or their property is damaged in an accident determined to be your fault, will be covered by liability coverage.
3. Any payments needed for injuries, rehabilitation due to injuries, lost wages and funeral expenses will be covered by medical coverage.
Most states require that you carry car insurance in order to drive a vehicle of any type. At the time you received your driver’s license and when you renew your license plate for your car, showing proof of car insurance is a common practice. There are rare instances when car insurance is not required. However, in those rare instances, it is the law that you must be able to pay for any losses to others you might cause in an accident!
If there is ever a time you don’t carry car insurance, you will be taking a big risk. If an accident should occur, and you are determined to be at fault, you could find yourself responsible for the full cost of replacing your car, paying any medical bills, and any expenses that add up if you happen to cause harm or damage to someone else, their car or their property!
Car insurance is something you need to put into your budget every year. When you get a car insurance policy, it will normally cover you and your vehicle for 6 months to a year. You will find that your car insurance company will remind you whenever you need to renew your policy or if a premium payment is due.
Car insurance prices vary, just like any other services, from pretty inexpensive to extremely expensive. Remember that you normally get what you pay for, though. If you purchase an inexpensive car insurance policy, it probably won’t cover everything if you ever did get into an accident. The companies that offer cheap car insurance usually have high deductibles, too.
A great place to start your search for car insurance options is on the internet. Doing a simple keyword search under “car insurance?will pull up tons of information for you to browse and study at your leisure. Several car insurance companies even have the option for you to get free online quotes! What could be easier than that?
Just like other services out there, not all car insurance plans will fit your specific wants or needs. If you find a good car insurance company, they will work with you to create a plan that is right for you and your family. With older model cars that you don’t drive much, you may want a simple, inexpensive plan. With several cars and a large family including a newly licensed teen, you may want a family plan with as much coverage as you can afford to protect you in the event of any possible accident. Do your research and know what car insurance options are available to you so you can create and maintain a car insurance plan that is right and will work for you and your family.

You’ve heard it a hundred times: That shiny new car your buddy just bought? It doesn’t really cost him anything. He writes off the car as a tax deduction.
Your first thought is usually, “That can’t be right.?Your second thought is, ‘I got to figure out how to enjoy that loophole.?
But what does the law say? And what are the rules for writing off vehicles? It turns out that you can write off the cost of buying and using a car if you’re self-employed and use your vehicle in your business. Specifically, you can probably deduct the business portion of your vehicle expenses on your business tax return.
But this deduction is trickier than most people realize. Here’s the first big thing that goofs many people up. You need substantiation to prove your business use. Ideally, in fact, the Internal Revenue Service wants you to keep a log of your business miles, your commuting miles, and your personal miles.
With this information, you can then either deduct an amount equal to the business miles times a standard per-mile rate of roughly $.35 or $.40 a mile (depending on the year)?or you can deduct the percentage of your vehicle expenses equal to the percentage that your business miles represent.
Note that only your business miles-and not your commuting miles or personal miles are deductible.
For example, if your business use equals 5,000 miles, personal use equals 3000, and commuting equals 2000 miles, your total miles for the year equal 10,000. Business miles as a percentage of total miles equal 50% because 5,000 divided by 10,000 equals .5 or 50%.
In this example, you could therefore deduct 50% of your fuel, 50% of your insurance, 50% of your maintenance and repairs, 50% of the car loan interest, 50% of the depreciation, and so on, as a business deduction. This means you can’t ever deduct all the costs of owning and running vehicle-only the business use of a vehicle.
If you don’t have exact records about your business use, you can sometimes use good sampling. For example, if you keep a good appointment calendar of your business activities, one popular tax reference suggests that you can look at the total business, personal and commuting miles driven during one week each month. Then, you can average this data to get good weekly estimates of your business, personal, and commuting miles. Finally, you can multiple these weekly estimates by 52 (the number of weeks in a year) to get reasonable estimates of your business, personal and commuting miles.
But before you go out and buy a new luxury auto, you need to know there’s another complication. Congress limits in most cases the amount of depreciation or lease rental that you can include in your vehicle expense calculations. The rules are a bit tricky, but essentially, for purposes of vehicle depreciation and lease payments, you only get to look at the first $17,000 (roughly) of vehicle cost. In other words, if you buy a $60,000 vehicle and your friend buys a $15,000 vehicle, you may both have the same business depreciation expense-even though your vehicle costs four times what your friend’s does.
One other related point: You may have heard about the sport utility vehicle loophole. This SUV loophole really does exist. Specifically, the luxury auto limits mentioned above don’t apply to sport utility vehicles that weigh more than 6,000 lbs. Note that Congress partially closed that loophole in 2004, however, by saying that a special, super-accelerated form of depreciation called Sec. 179 depreciation can’t be used to write off all of the cost of an expensive SUV in the year the vehicle is purchased.

(NC)-All owners are required by law to insure vehicles driven on public roads. Some provinces and territories offer public insurance while others have insurance sold privately. Here are some basic items to consider when buying vehicle insurance:

Liability insurance is mandatory, and is used as financial protection against loss or injury caused to others while operating your vehicle. The minimum amount of insurance required differs across jurisdictions but keep in mind that skimping on liability insurance may cost you in the long run. Minimum liability will not cover the cost of an accident resulting in the injury of several people, for example, particularly in circumstances where litigation is an option.
Vehicle damage insurance, unlike liability insurance, may be optional. Damage insurance, however, is still recommended for the simple reason that damages to a vehicle will quickly add up in the event of an accident where you are at fault. Not being able to recover any money will have serious ramifications on your bank account.
Some dealers or credit grantors may require that you take out other insurance such as life and/or disability insurance prior to agreeing to do business with you. Make sure that you fully read and understand any agreements that you are asked to sign and that you get a copy of the completed and signed agreement. Do not sign an agreement unless it is completed in full.

You should also do some comparison shopping on insurance prices and coverage prior to signing any agreement. Here are some items to consider in keeping your insurance rates to a minimum:

Accidents can increase your insurance costs, especially when you are at fault. Though it’s easier said than done, staying out of accidents will save you money in more ways than one.
Statistics show that some vehicles are more likely than others to be involved in an accident. Insurance companies are aware of this and therefore charge more to insure high-risk vehicles. The make and model of the vehicle, its colour, and whether it’s a two-door or four-door are all factors considered by your insurance company. Some cars are also more expensive to repair or are frequently pursued by thieves. Consider how important owning a high-profile vehicle is to you. Contact the Vehicle Information Centre of Canada (www.vicc.com) to find out which vehicles will cost you more to insure.
Where you live may affect what you pay for automobile insurance. Driving to work everyday, especially if it’s a long commute, does not only mean extra gas and wear and tear on your vehicle but also the possibility of a higher insurance premium. Urban residents may have higher premiums than those living in rural areas.
Insurance companies reward those who are of low risk to them. Discounts might be offered for driver education, multiple vehicles, high academic achievement, anti-theft devices or abstinence from alcohol, among others. Have your insurance broker inquire about any of these types of discounts.

Sometimes it doesn’t pay to be carrying collision or comprehensive insurance on an older vehicle if the total amount you are paying for the deductible plus the monthly premium is more then the entire worth of your vehicle.
For more information regarding auto insurance and other topics on cars and transportation, visit the Canadian Consumer Information Gateway ConsumerInformation.ca The Gateway is a new Web site created by federal, provincial, territorial governments and their partners that brings consumers, objective, reliable and current information.

Although the most interesting method to save on car operating costs came from my chemistry teacher in high school (Buy your gasoline in the early morning or at night when it is cold outside. Gas becomes denser in cooler temperatures. Since gas pumps only measure the volume of fuel – not the density – you’ll get better overall gas mileage for your money by purchasing fuel when it’s cool outside rather than in the heat of the day), the moment that will determine the true amount you can save on your car costs comes before you even buy a car. The simple fact is that the type of car you decide to purchase will have the largest impact on the expenses you incur during the lifetime of it.
Even if a large sports utility vehicle is your dream car, it’s probably a lot more than you really need. Taking some time to make a list of the things you’ll use the car for will help determine the difference between your true needs and your wants. It’s important to remember that each additional want you add above what you really need will cost you not only at the time of purchase, but in most cases well down the road with an increase in maintenance and operating costs.
The size of the car you decide to purchase will have a direct effect on its operating costs. Purchasing the smallest car possible for your driving needs will save you a tremendous amount in gasoline charges. Small cars weigh about half as much as larger cars which results in about half as much fuel being used.
Once you have decided on the size of car, it’s worthwhile taking the time to research the safety ratings of the different cars in that size range. Not only will this improve your chances of staying alive in an accident, it will likely reduce your car insurance costs. A quick call to your car insurance company will tell you the tale. Remember, if you keep your car for 7 years, a $25 a month difference in insurance costs adds up to over $2,100 over the lifetime of the car.
Once you have a car, taking some simple steps can reduce your operating costs by hundreds of dollars. For example, if you reduce your gas consumption by $20 a week, it will save you over $1,000 a year. Most people can easily save this amount (and often much more) by simply changing their driving habits and paying a little more attention to their cars.
By far the best way to reduce your car expenses is to use your car only when necessary. Cars are extremely convenient and this causes people to use them much more often than they really need to. By simply asking yourself, “Is this trip really necessary?” you can greatly decrease the amount you drive.
For short trips close to home, try walking or riding your bicycle. Not only will you save money on your car expenses,you’ll also get some healthy exercise. When you go shopping or run errands, take a little time to plan and combine them all into one outing instead of several. Of course, car pooling and using mass transportation systems when possible are always excellent ways to reduce car expenses. If you can find a different way to commute to work rather than by your car, there is a good chance that this will result in a discount in your car insurance.
There are also a number of steps you can take to reduce your driving expenses while using you car. Here’s a quick list of some actions you may want to consider while driving.
*** Take the time to check your car’s tire pressure each month. Under inflated tires reduce fuel efficiency by 2% for every pound they are under inflated. Under inflation also causes premature tire wear giving your tires a shorter use life.
*** Drive at the speed limit. Cars use about 20% more fuel driving at 70 miles per hour than they do at 55 miles per hour.
*** Avoid driving fast in low gears. Driving at high speeds in the improper gear can reduce fuel efficiency by up to 40%.
*** Avoid using air conditioning whenever possible. Air conditioning reduces fuel economy by 10% to 20%.
*** Don’t open windows when traveling at high speeds. Open windows on the highway can reduce fuel efficiency by 10%. It is much better to use the ventilation system. Also remember to remove car racks and other items which make your car less aerodynamic when they’re not being used. Use cruise control to maintain a steady pace on the highway to increase fuel economy.
*** Avoid rough roads. Driving on roads made of dirt or gravel can reduce fuel economy by up to 30%.
*** Don’t let your car idle. Even on cold mornings, there’s no need to let your car idle for more than 30 seconds. Newer cars are designed to be driven almost immediately and letting your car idle longer is a waste of gas. In addition, it’s more efficient to turn off your car and turn it on again than to let it idle for more than 45 seconds while waiting.
*** Remove all excess weight from your car. Many people use their car trunk as a storage space adding unneeded pounds to the car’s weight. This unnecessary weight reduces the car’s fuel efficiency.
*** Try to accelerate gently, brake gradually and avoid stops when driving. Gunning engines, quickly accelerating, and abrupt stops all waste fuel. Try to avoid driving during rush hour periods when you know traffic will be stop and go. If you do find yourself in stop and go traffic, try to maintain a crawl. When approaching hills or steep slopes, accelerate before the hill. Accelerating once on the slope will consume much more gas.
*** Service your car regularly while paying special attention to oil and filters. Blocked air flow from clogged air filters will increase fuel waste. Also check your car’s alignment since this can cause engine drag which will also increase gas waste.
*** Periodically calculate your car’s fuel efficiency. A loss in fuel efficiency is an indication of possible mechanical problems.
To really see how much you can save by using the above information, don’t change your driving habits this week, but take note of the number of miles your drive and calculate your car’s current fuel economy. The following week begin initiating any of the above ideas which you aren’t currently utilizing. You are sure to be surprised by how much you can save over your regular driving habits, and you’ll be able to enjoy some extra money jingling in your pockets.
Copyright (c) 2004, by Jeffrey Strain
This article may be freely distributed so long as the copyright, author’s information and an active link (where possible) are included.
A complimentary copy of any newsletter or a link to the site where the article is posted would be greatly appreciated.

Non-truckers often don’t stop and think about the trucking industry and the many trucking companies that help keep the economy going. Without those big rigs hauling various loads, whether it is gasoline, office supplies or grocery items, this country would be at a stand still. Where do you think the gasoline you pump comes from? What about that package of diapers you are buying your child? How did they get on the shelves? The answer: a big truck delivers all of that and much more!
Let’s talk about the various types of trucks that you might encounter on the roads. Each one is different because the loads of cargo are different. For example, the same truck that delivers your favorite ice cream brand to the grocery store will not be the same type of truck that delivers office supplies to the local discount store. By the same token, you will have a trucking company that might specialize in the delivery of one certain type of product over the other.
Possibly one of the most hair-raising trucks on the road today is the one that hauls vehicles. You know ?those car carriers where you just KNOW that one of those vehicles are going to come loose and fly off onto the hood of your car! Or how about the tanker trucks that haul fuel or other hazardous products like fertilizers and chemicals? Truckers who drive these types of trucks probably have nerves of steel. Not only do they have to worry about safety precautions for their own loads they are hauling, but they also have to keep an eye on some of the crazy drivers on the road and always be on the lookout for potential hazards.
Some trucking companies specifically handle household or office moving. Think of those families that sell their homes and move half way across the country. Truckers that handle that type of load not only have to be careful of these household items due to insurance issues but also have to have great customer service skills to handle these stressed out people making this move.
There are many other types of trucks on the roads today. Flatbed carriers, refrigerated trucks, dry van carriers and even those trucks that carry livestock ?non-truckers encounter some of these every day on the roads. We all should be cognizant of the fact that these trucking companies and truckers literally drive the economy. They have a tough load to carry and without them doing their jobs, we could not do our own.

What is Colossus?
Colossus is software licensed to about twenty-five insurance companies to aid in predicting the settlement value of claims. The insurance industry maintains it is a useful tool because it considers a great many factors, and the settlement values are just a range for use in any way the insurer wishes. The claimants?attorneys, on the other hand, maintain that the software is only so good as the data input, and we never know what the adjuster has input; that it does not consider interference with normal life activities, or other valid indications of pain and suffering normally proved by lay testimony instead of medical testimony (as required by Colossus); and that it is NOT merely a beginning point, but is instead the FINAL WORD ON VALUE that the adjuster has to adhere to, or else risk unfavorable management reviews.
How would you like to know that only a part of all you are suffering will be compensated? Unless data are input, how can a computer quantify your emotional distress, or the loss of enjoyment of life because you no longer can take long walks with your spouse, or the pain and despair you suffer each day because your work hurts you and interferes with your healing? Unless all of your circumstances are included, is it fair to quantify all you have suffered and reduce to a dollar value based upon some factors that may or may not reflect your condition?
That is the essence of the Colossus software. It is an attempt by some insurance companies to value claims with no consideration at all given to whether or not a jury might award you more than the “average?claimant. They plug in such things as damage to the vehicles and expected length of treatment and allowable cost of treatment and many other variables and then come up with a number for the value of the claim. No consideration whatsoever is given to the extent of your actual pain and suffering.
Nor is any consideration whatsoever given to the fact that you might have a job where your injuries cause continued pain, or which slows your healing (consider, for example a waitress, or a person who has to stand all shift). They do not know, nor do they care, that you cannot hold your baby because of the pain in your neck and back. There is no room in the formula for such information.
But the problem is that in our system, it is the jury that is supposed to be the basis for determining the value of a claim, and juries do tend to listen to and consider many of the factors that Colossus ignores. Juries do make a distinction based upon whether or not they think the plaintiff is believable, or has attributes we value in our society, such as the virtues of honesty, perseverance, humility, or patience, for example.
Colossus has no way to evaluate those positive traits, so if you are possessed of anything positive that is likely to bring you a larger jury verdict, it will not be included in the Colossus valuation. You will have become a magnetic image, no different in regard to your positive characteristics than the magnetic image of any other of thousands of claimants with injuries similar to yours.
The real problem with Colossus is that the adjuster for your claim is just about stuck with the results that come out of the computer. Of course the insurance company will deny this, and will tell the media and the state insurance commissioner that Colossus is nothing more than an evaluation tool. It just gives a starting point, they say, from which the adjuster can move up if the facts of the case merit it. That is not at all true.
The Colossus result is a position that is increasingly locked in, and the adjuster who wishes to vary from it because of the facts of an unusual case, had better be ready to justify it. Furthermore, how many times do you think any adjuster trying to make the cut at an insurance company is going to go to her boss and ask for permission to exceed the Colossus determination of value? Considering that her evaluation and merit pay will be based upon how “efficiently?(read that to mean cheaply, or “hard-line? she settles her cases, do you think she will ever go to her boss to ask for more money than allowed by Colossus? Not very likely.
Colossus is a well-kept secret by the insurance companies that use it, and they will likely not tell you if they have licensed the software. It is the market leader bodily injury claims-handling software used by an increasing number of insurance companies in the world. According to Computer Sciences Corporation, the company which produces Colossus, it is used by more than 50 per cent of the nation’s claim adjusters and by more than 300 insurance companies. Out of the top 20 US Property and Casualty Insurers, 13 are using Colossus.
Most claims insurance adjusters use computer software to appraise any insurance claim that you make. CSC claims that Colossus can evaluate more than 600 type of injuries based on 10,000 different rules. This way, adjusters will obtain a figure from Colossus software and then offer it to you to settle your claim. Insurance companies claim that their adjusters are not required to settle within the suggested Colossus calculations, but that is truly nonsense, and should be investigated by the nation’s insurance commissioners.
How does it work?
Neither insurance companies nor CSC will divulge exactly how they determine the Colossus baseline value. Most of Colossus’ calculation of your claim is based on insurance data to which you don’t have access, and insurance companies certainly do not want former insurance adjusters to tell anything about it either, see the article from the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/93800_insurance01).
However we do know that the value of your claim will differ greatly from one region to another and also by the baseline that your insurance company has set. For example, auto insurers using the software select a number of closed, already-settled claims from each region in which they do business to provide the “baseline” settlement value for each type of injury. For example, an insurer might pick 200 back injury cases from a particular region that previously settled for between $1,000 and $5,000 and enter them into the Colossus program. Based on this past settlement data, Colossus calculates a settlement range for similar claims. Therefore the baseline value will be different for each insurer.
But who is there to ensure that the closed claims selected truly represent the norm? Wouldn’t it be in the interests of the insurance industry to “pad?the research by holding back reports of high value settlements? There is no assurance whatsoever that Colossus represents anything other than what best serves the interests of the insurance industry. No one has certified that the base from which the data are drawn was fairly and objectively constructed.
By using Colossus, most insurance companies will try to lower the value of your claim, and will not take into consideration stress, or emotional trauma, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of consortium (relationship), inability to participate in activities that you used to enjoy, or any number of other things that a jury will consider. These factors are not accounted for by the Colossus software.
What Should You Do?
The first thing to do is to determine whether or not the company you are dealing with uses Colossus for any purpose in its claims process. Here is a list obtained through the media, of companies that will admit to using Colossus for some purpose in their claims valuation process.
The following companies are known to license COLOSSUS:

Aetna
Allstate (since 1997)
American National Property and Casualty (since 1997 in 38 states)
American Family Group of Madison (since 1996)
Arrow Claims Management (since 1997)
AXA Insurance (based in UK, one of the world’s largest insurance group) (2001)
Bishopsgate Insurance (since 2000)
Explorer Insurance Company (1997)
Farmers Insurance Group of Companies (2000)
Federated Mutual Insurance Company (1998)
General Casualty Insurance Companies (1998)
Grange Mutual Casualty Companies (1998)
Great American Insurance Company (1998)
Hartford Financial Services (2000)
Keystone Insurance Companies of Philadelphia
Metropolitan Group, Rhode Island Norwich Union
Motorist Mutual –American Hardware Insurance Group (1998)
Ohio Casualty Group of Insurance Companies (1998)
State Auto Insurance Companies of Columbus (1996)
20th Century Industries (1997)
Travelers/Aetna Property Casualty (1996)
United Services Automobile Association (USAA) (1997)
Utica Mutual Insurance Company (2000)
Zurich Personal Insurance (1998)

Therefore, we recommend that you follow carefully our advice on this topic to avoid allowing the insurance company an upper hand in resolution of your claim. How could this valuation software allow them the upper hand? First, as documented above, this is a software program that will produce a result that is in favor of the insurance industry. It does not include factors that may cause real interference with healing, or which may result in many nights of disturbed sleep.
Be it the tortfeasor’s company or your own insurance company, if the company that you are going to deal with for a general damages award has licensed Colossus, we recommend that you consider that in your negotiations. For example, since Colossus produces only an “expected?result based upon an “average?from input verdicts and settlements, you would want to call to the attention of the adjuster any facts that put your situation outside of the norm.
Let’s say that you are a waitress and you sustained a soft tissue injury to your neck and low back. No matter how good and helpful your medical treatment or no matter how much healing you achieve from a couple of days off of work, your condition will worsen just as soon as you again start carrying those trays full of food or drinks. The weight of that tray on one side or the other will make your injuries worse, and it will be much more difficult for you to obtain healing.
Another example might be a single mother who has to pick up her 11 month old baby frequently. She will suffer continued pain from her accident injuries a lot longer than a person who does not otherwise burden healing tissue. Think of how many times a day she has to pick up that child, and what a strain that puts on her neck and back.
Now do you think there is any way that either of these-or like-situations will be covered or considered in the Colossus result? Of course there isn’t. This is the old adage of: “Garbage In-Garbage Out? Since the computer was not queried or programmed to consider either of these circumstances, then it is your job to provide sufficient information to the adjuster to allow her to modify the result from Colossus by making another set of information inputs to the program.
What you have to do is to think about your situation and come up with some aspect of your case that may be a little different than the norm. Then you will make note of that situation in a letter to the adjuster and ask her to confirm that in her evaluation she will make allowance for your situation notwithstanding the result suggested by Colossus. A good resource to consult to get such a letter would be a website specialized in personal injury claim such as SettlementCentral.Com (http://www.settlementcentral.com)
If she does not respond, or if she does not agree to make allowance for your particular situation, we suggest you warn her that you will write to the insurance commissioner. Again, consult the SettlementCentral.Com website (http://www.settlementcentral.com) as they do provide a sample demand letter. As a next step, we suggest that you write to your state insurance commissioner and complain about the use of Colossus. Finally, we think that your state Trial Lawyers Association may have some information or suggestions on legislation to curtail the total reliance on Colossus.
Another key to working with an adjuster who is using Colossus is to make sure your medical record documents everything in a way that the software will reward. There are three key elements to this requirement, and you control only one of them: the other two are held by your doctor (who may not wish to make adequate documentation) and the adjuster (who may not cooperate to let you know what format is required for information to be understood by Colossus).
You will need the cooperation of the adjuster to tell you what format would be helpful to him in getting you full value for your claim. Ask him about the quality of your medical records. Which records were most useful, and which records were virtually useless. He should be able to tell you. This person is not an actual enemy; he has a job to do in this mission, and so do you; you need each other to ensure the case is settled fairly and amicably.
Solicit the adjuster’s cooperation to let you know the specific injuries and specific complaints used to evaluate the claim. Since each complaint and injury must be documented in a medical report to be considered by Colossus, ask him to help you by telling you which doctor needs to make a supplementary record in this case.
If you don’t have a good medical record, you will have to obtain a narrative report from your doctor, or get him to make specific findings that are translatable to input into Colossus.
Additional information such as a letter to the insurance adjuster regarding Colossus, letter to the insurance commissioner, and other Colossus references are available for free on our website at: http://www.settlementcentral.com

You have probably seen a huge rise in the number of car insurance companies offering their services. From TV adverts, to leaflets through your door, to radio jingles, the list goes on.
It may seem a little frsutrating when renewal time comes. The choices out there are huge. Do you go for this company because they are offering a free keyfob with every cover – or this one because you like the sound of their jingle. Neither, there are many ways to find the best car insurance policy a few tips we will cover here.
First; a car alarm will not only frighten off the thiefs, but also help lower your insurance. An immobaliser has the same affect and better still an alarm, immobaliser AND garage parking. The safer your car the less chance of theft or damage caused by theft.
Second; when you have passed your test the first thing usually recommended to you by your instructor is advanced lessons or advanced course. You may think ‘I’ve already passed, I don’t need to’ but insurance companies treat your devotion to safer driving seriously. Not only will it help you with your skills, but will save a few pounds.
Third; shop around. There are a number of companies, and with competition comes price wars. Insurers are looking for your business, don’t be afraid to try and haggle on price. If not you could try an online company, e.g. theaa.com, who will contact a number of leading insurers to get you the best quote.
Fourth; buy your car insurance over the internet. Many car insurers are offering discounts of around 10% simply for buying online. If your car insurance is usualy ?00, you save ?0 instantly buying online – well worth logging on for!