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What To Do After an Accident.

You've been in an accident. Here are some general guidelines about what to do
next:

* Stop at once. Never leave the scene of even a MINOR accident.

* Assist Injured! Call police every 5 minutes until they arrive if injuries

* Do not admit fault. Do not comment about the accident to anyone but your
insurance representative and the police. Never accept or make an offer of cash,
check or "private" settlement.

* Gather accident information. Note the date and time of accident.

* Obtain information on the other driver including: name, address, phone
number, make of car, vehicle license number, insurance company and agent's
name and telephone number.

* Record a description of what occurred.

* Draw a diagram of the accident showing the direction of both cars and the point
of the accident. Include street names and location of traffic signs/signals.

* Report the accident promptly to your insurance agent.

Rental Cars:
Should you purchase rental agency coverage?

If you have collision and comprehensive ("other than collision") coverages on
your own car, you are most likely covered if you're traveling in the United
States, its territories and possessions or Canada (for example, travel in
Mexico, the Bahamas or Europe would not be covered). Most policies (except
business policies) cover any rental car that you drive at no additional
premium. Business cars frequently require an extra premium to afford the
same coverage. Give us a call before you leave for your "fun in the sun and/or
snow" to confirm your coverage.

Lease Loan Gap Coverage:

If you are thinking about leasing or buying a car, you might consider adding
Lease Loan Gap (LLG) Coverage to your auto policy. LLG Coverage is an
extension of your auto's physical damage coverage.

Ordinarily, your comprehensive and collision coverages provide you with up to
the actual cash value (the vehicle's cost minus depreciation) in the event of a
total loss. When you sign a lease or loan agreement, you may be obligating
yourself for an amount higher than the vehicle's actual cash value.

At a cost of approximately 5% of your current comprehensive and collision
premiums, LLG Coverage protects you from out-of-pocket expense when
such a "gap" occurs. Although there are some limitations, LLG Coverage will
pay up to your lease or loan amount if your car is stolen or if the cost of
repairs is greater than its salvage value. Contact our office and we'd be happy
to discuss this coverage further.

Note: Some car manufacturers may provide gap coverage as part of the lease
agreement --- check your particular contract for details.
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Vehicle Equipment that affects your premium!

New Car Selection: Safety Counts
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has published a shopping guide for
those wanting to buy a new car based upon safety features. While the guide
does provide specific car lists (from station wagons to sports cars) it also
reveals some overall safety basics to keep in mind.

Air bags - Serving as a buffer between vehicle interiors and occupants' heads
and faces, air bags provide automatic protection in frontal crashes. The
Institute advises that although "the speed and force of air bag inflation may
occasionally cause minor injuries such as abrasions, this slight risk is far
outweighed by the benefits." This type of injury can be reduced by selecting a
seat position that is not too close to the steering wheel.

Safety belts - Remember, the more comfortable the safety belt, the more
likely you are to always use it. Even though shoulder belts allow some
forward movement, automatic crash tensioners and/or belt webbing grabbers
can reduce the chance of an occupant hitting the steering wheel or
dashboard in a serious frontal crash.

Antilock brakes - Especially designed to avoid skidding and loss of control,
antilock brakes automatically pump several times a second. Drivers need to
become familiar with the difference in braking style as antilocks require
heavy braking pressure to activate this safety feature.

Head restraints - Required in the front seats of all new passenger vehicles,
head restraints prevent occupants' heads from snapping back in a rear-end
crash. Look for a fixed head restraint or an adjustable restraint that is
designed to protect tall and short people even in the "down" position. Avoid a
poorly-designed adjustable restraint that would only protect the shortest
occupants.

Built-in child seats - Several cars and vans offer built-in child safety seats as
options.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage:

Do I Really Need It?
You're driving your son to soccer practice when you are rear-ended at a stop
sign. Dealing with the initial trauma of the accident and injuries and the
subsequent disruption of a period of medical recovery and the inconvenience
of car repairs is bad enough. What if the injuries are serious? And what if the
at-fault driver has no insurance? Where do you turn?

This is where your Uninsured Motorists (UM) Coverage comes into play.

What is UM Coverage? The Ohio Insurance Institute defines it as coverage
that "pays the policyholder and passengers in his/her car for losses
sustained by reason of bodily injury ... caused by the owner or operator of an
uninsured automobile or a hit and run driver."

What is the difference between Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists
Coverage? Underinsured Motorists Coverage covers you and passengers in
your car for "losses unpaid because sufficient bodily injury liability limits are
not available from the policy of an at-fault driver." In other words, Uninsured
Motorists covers you if the wrongdoer has no insurance while Underinsured
Motorists covers you in the event that the wrongdoer has some coverage but
not enough.

Many people wonder if UM is really necessary. After all, isn't liability
insurance mandatory? How can there be any uninsured drivers out there?
The problem is not everyone obeys the law. The Office of Public Safety for the
State of Ohio recently quoted to us in a telephone interview that 7% of the
drivers convicted of moving violations in a recent six-month period were
found to have no insurance. There are upwards of 11 million automobiles
registered in the State of Ohio. If even 5% of them are uninsured, that's a
frighteningly high number!

Others question the necessity of UM in light of the fact they have very
comprehensive medical coverage. In the event of an accident with an
uninsured driver, they assume their own medical coverage will fully protect
them. Yes, medical insurance would likely cover most medical expenses.
But it will not generally compensate the injured person for lost wages,
disfigurement, pain and suffering, mental anguish, and changes in quality of
life. For a person permanently disabled following an accident, even things
such as modifications to make a home and a vehicle more accessible can
cost tens of thousands of dollars. UM can compensate the victim in these
broader areas.

There are ways insurance dollars can be saved, but paring down or going
without UM is one we strongly discourage. The largest claim in our agency
history is not a huge fire loss or a big liability settlement. It is, you guessed it,
a UM claim.

Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage
It is estimated that one out of every 20 motorists is driving uninsured.
Although this figure represents only 5% of today's drivers, uninsured
motorists are responsible for approximately 13% of all auto accidents. If you
become involved in an accident with an at-fault driver of an uninsured motor
vehicle there are coverage options available to ensure that you are
adequately protected:
UMBI- Uninsured Motorists Bodily Injury Coverage provides bodily injury
coverage for you and for the occupants of your vehicle. Most policies already
provide this coverage.

UMPD- Uninsured Motorists Property Damage provides coverage for your
vehicle. Vehicles without collision coverage have no protection for damage
resulting from an accident with an uninsured driver. If the optional UMPD
coverage is added to your policy and you find yourself tangled in an accident
with the at-fault driver having no insurance, you won't be left to pay for the
damage to your car out of your own pocket.
Please contact us if you want to check into how your particular company's
UMPD coverages are structured and priced.
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Homeowner Coverages:

Earthquake, Flood and Sewer Back-up
While not wanting to dampen your anticipation of this long-awaited season, it
is a good idea to review some optional coverages you may wish to add to your
current homeowners policy. Flood insurance as well as the sewer back-up
and earthquake endorsements are worth a brief examination.

Flood- Since flood damage is excluded under your homeowners coverage,
you should be aware that flood insurance is available from the National Flood
Insurance Program. Most Ohio communities have qualified for the program
that provides coverage for surface flooding only. Structural and contents
protection are offered. A $500 deductible applies.

Sewer Back-Up- This endorsement provides protection for direct loss caused
by water that backs up through sewers, drains or sump pump wells. Just as
flood insurance excludes coverage for sewer back-up, this endorsement
excludes any coverage for damage due to flooding. Coverage is subject to a
deductible.

Earthquake- Coverage is available with the premium determined by the
structure of your home or building. Because it will better withstand an
earthquake, a frame structure is less to insure than a masonry one. A
substantial deductible (often a percentage of the amount of insurance that
applies to the destroyed or damaged property) is in effect.

For clarification of your current policy or information regarding the above
coverages, please contact us. We welcome the opportunity to evaluate your
present needs and to discuss possible insurance improvements for you and
your family.

Money Saving Tips $$

Controlling household expenses is something we all try to do. We want to
help you reduce your home insurance costs when possible. Here are some
points to consider:

Smoke alarms. Check your policy or contact us to see that you are receiving a
discount. If you don't have alarms, get them. Not just for the discount, but for
your family's safety.

Higher deductibles. The standard deductible today is $250. If yours is lower,
you are paying an added charge. If you choose a $500 or higher deductible,
more savings are available.

Delete unneeded coverage. Review your policy. There may be jewelry listed
that has since been sold, endorsements for businesses in the home that are
no longer in operation or other unnecessary coverages.

Central station alarms. Fire and burglary alarm systems that automatically
dial a central station can provide both good security and a significant
premium savings.

Combine home and auto insurance in one company. Companies often offer a
discount on the home and auto insurance or both when carried by the same
insurer.

In addition to these money-saving tips, some companies offer discounts if you
have fire extinguishers, deadbolt locks or a loss-free record. Check with us
to see if your plan offers any of these options.

Remember, under insuring is not a recommended way to save premium as it
can lead to serious problems settling a claim. Whether it's a question about
cost or coverage, we're always willing to review any insurance concerns with
you. Please call us.
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Umbrella Liability
What is it? Should I have it?

Skyrocketing court settlements and medical costs can cause uneasy feelings
about the adequacy of insurance protection. Liability insurance pays for
injuries to others due to negligent acts by you or another covered person on
your policy. Although the liability insurance provided under a home or auto
insurance policy is adequate for most situations, in a few instances large
lawsuit settlements do approach or exceed the limits of these policies.

An umbrella liability policy is designed to give you peace of mind from this
concern. It adds one million dollars (or multiples of $1 million) of protection to
the liability limits of your home and auto insurance policy. * Should a judgment
against you exceed the limits of that policy, the umbrella picks up the unpaid
portion up to the umbrella policy limit.

Persons most likely to purchase an umbrella policy are:
"Likely "targets" for a large lawsuit: property owners, professionals,
business owners, higher income individuals, etc.
Those who want greater peace of mind knowing that their life savings will be
protected from a financially devastating lawsuit.
Coverage cost varies, but it is generally $115 to $150 per year for a $1 million
limit. If you would like more information on this topic, please call us. We will
be happy to discuss it with you.

*The umbrella can also increase the liability limit for your boat, rental
property, motor home, recreational vehicle, motorcycle, vacation home and
others.