Louisiana Issues Bulletin Regarding Change in Effective Date of NIMA

Bulletin 2011-04 was issued by the Louisiana Department of Insurance on December 29, 2011, to provide updated guidance to surplus lines insurance brokers concerning the Nonadmitted Multi-State Agreement (NIMA) and the requirements for reporting, payment, collection and allocation of taxes for multi-state policies.

This additional guidance was necessary as a result of recent amendments to NIMA, and because the NIMA clearinghouse will not be operational before July 1, 2012.

Therefore, in Louisiana, until further notice, the tax allocation provisions of NIMA will not apply. For any multi-state surplus lines policy with an effective date on or after July 21, 2011, and for which Louisiana is the home state of the insured, all brokers, producers or independently procuring insureds are instructed to collect and remit surplus lines premium taxes only on that portion of the premium allocable to Louisiana.

Louisiana’s December 29, 2011 bulletin can be found on the Louisiana Department of Insurance website.

Nevada Issues Updated Statement Regarding Change in Effective Date of NIMA

In a statement from the Nevada Division of Insurance on December 22, 2011, the Division provided updated guidance to surplus lines insurance producers concerning the Nonadmitted Multi-State Agreement (NIMA) and the requirements for reporting, payment, collection and allocation of taxes and fees for multi-state policies for the first and second quarters of 2012.

The additional guidance was necessary because it is apparent NIMA clearinghouse will not be operational before July 1, 2012. In an emergency meeting on December 20, 2011, NIMA Participating States amended Paragraph 24 of the NIMA Agreement to change the effective date of the premium tax allocation schedule from January 1, 2012 to July 1, 2012, which defers the applicability of multi-state premium tax allocations and the NIMA allocation schedule until July 1, 2012.

Therefore, in Nevada, for the first and second quarters of 2012, the tax allocation provisions of NIMA will not apply, and the taxes and fees due under a multi-state policy would be remitted entirely to the home state of the insured, pursuant to that state’s statutory and regulatory requirements.

Nevada’s Statement dated December 22, 2011 can be found on the Nevada Surplus Lines Association website.

Have a Safe New Year's Eve

Being the insurance geeks that we are we want to wish you a SAFE New Year's Eve celebration and a Happy New Years! Be sure to make good decisions as you celebrate from one year to the next.

As for the Fey Insurance Services office we will be closing at noon on Dec 31st and will also be closed all of New Year's Day. As always, you can reach us by email or interact with us via our website http://www.feyinsurance.com/.

Lights On Ohio Drivers!

On Friday, January 1, 2010 a new law goes into effect in Ohio requiring that you turn on your lights when your wipers are on in rain, snow or fog. Failure to do so could result in a ticket and a $100 fine. A new state of Ohio law, which took effect this year, included the mandatory lights-on provision, but it allowed law enforcement to issue only warnings for six months. On Friday, the 1st of January 2010, the warnings will be replaced by tickets. The law requires drivers to turn on their headlights anytime the windshield wipers of the vehicle are in use because of precipitation.

To be safe, turn on your lights anytime there is precipitation of any sort of the windshield.

The violation is a secondary offense meaning a motorists cannot be stopped or cited only for failing to turn on their lights, but it can be tacked on to another violation such as a speeding violation in the new year.

There are two other motor vehicle laws included. One requires drivers to change lanes or slow down when there is a tow truck along the side of the road. Failure will be a third-degree misdemeanor with up to $300 fine plus court costs. The second change is to increase the speed limit for trucks from 55 mph to 65 mph on most Ohio interstates.

Extended Dwelling Coverage on a Homeowner

Many moons ago all insurance companies used to have guaranteed replacement cost endorsement you could put on your homeowner policy. This endorsement would guarantee that the insurance company would rebuild your house exactly as it was prior to the claim even if your limit of insurance on the house was lower than the cost to rebuild. Today many insurance companies limit that endorsement to only homes that are considered high value (homes valued at $500,000 or more). The endorsements also require that the insurance companies send out professional reconstruction appraisers to figure out as best they can what it would cost to rebuild your home.

For those homeowner clients who have a house valued at less than $500,000 the endorsement that needs to be added to the homeowner policy is Extended Dwelling Coverage. What this endorsement does is give a percentage of the homeowner limit as extra coverage in case of a total loss on the home. For example, if you have 25% Extended Dwelling Coverage and your house is insured for $200,000 then you would actually have $250,000 if your home suffered a total loss ($200,000 X 1.25 = $250,000).

We feel this coverage is important for two reasons. One reason is we do not send out professional reconstruction appraisers to every house. Instead, insurance companies use in house software that helps determine reconstruction cost on your house using things like square footage, construction type, location, year built, etc. to come up with a value. These programs are usually very accurate but nothing replaces the accuracy of an in home visit with measuring tape and details of the type of amenities in the house. The Extended Dwelling Coverage endorsement helps make sure that if for some reason the calculations on the house are a little off, there is still enough insurance there to replace the house to its original state.

The second reason we encourage this endorsement is for catastrophe situations. Let’s say a tornado wipes out not only your house but two other neighborhoods worth of homes. Every builder and building supplier in town will be in demand. Economics 101 will tell you that if demand goes up and supply is the same, then prices are going to rise. That home that only cost $200,000 to rebuild just got a lot more expensive but if you have the Extended Dwelling Coverage on your homeowner you would be in a much better situation.

One thing to note about this endorsement, you can’t use it to underinsure your home. In our example above, you can’t insure the house for only $160,000 and add the 25% Extended Dwelling Coverage (which would put your total insurance at $200,000). That is not the intent of the coverage. The insure companies will use their software to figure out a good estimate of the cost to rebuild your house and you would have to have it insured for that amount in order to add the coverage.

Cavalcade of Risk No. 173: Surviving the Mayan Apocalypse Edition

Like the rest of the world, we've spent the last few days cherishing our time with our friends and families, hugging our loved ones, enjoying festive meals and exchanging gifts, all in celebration of our survival of the Mayan Apocalypse. Or something like that.

But now it's time to get back to business and go through the Cavalcade of Risk, a biweekly rotating collection of articles and links (also known as a "blog carnival") from insurance and other risk-related sources that provides some great information and insight about risks and risk management.

Without further ado, here are the entries for the 173rd Edition of the Cavalcade of Risk:

• First Circuit interprets exclusion for claims arising out of restraint of trade : One of my favorite insurance bloggers, Nina Kallen at Insurance Coverage Law in Massachusetts, works in several rants – about astroturfing, hopeless arguments on illusory coverage, and judges who sloppily claim one side or another has a burden of proof with respect to the duty to defend – in her discussion of a First Circuit decision ruling on an exclusion for restraint of trade in an errors and omissions insurance policy.



• Of Antifragile and Accountable Care Organizations: The always enlightening and cerebral Dr. Jaan Sidorov at the Disease Management Care Blog delights in Nassim Taleb’s new word “anti-fragile” and applies it to both cinema and health care. The term “anti-fragile” describes the ability of organizations to survive Black Swan events. It turns out there are many examples of both fragile and anti-fragile systems in many Hollywood movies. Dr. Sidorov asks if the hyper-regulated accountable care organizations are not anti-fragile and are therefore vulnerable to unknown threats. Sidorov raises concerns over the "fragility" of accountable care organizations "which are arguably comprised of highly stable hospitals and clinics in an intensely regulated environment." A very interesting read for anyone in the risk-management field that deals with ACOs.



• Initial Health Insurance Exchanges: The Progress and the Planning: In this timely post, Dennis Wall of Insurance Issues and Claims digs into health insurance exchanges, which are designed to be competitive marketplaces for comparison shopping of health insurance plans offered by private providers. Apparently, more than half of the state governments have, at least thusfar, elected to have the federal government establish and administer the health insurance exchanges mandated by the Affordable Care Act in their states.



• Health Insurance and Genetic Testing: Louise at the Colorado Health Insurance Insider discusses some of the issues surrounding genetic testing and health insurance coverage, including whether health insurance carriers should have to pay for preventative healthcare that results from genetic testing.


• Cause of Rising Hospital Costs: Jason Shafrin at the Healthcare Economist investigates some of the key drivers in rising hospital costs, including what role – if any – that increases in the number of MRIs and CT scans play in those costs. The top three inpatient cost increases may be somewhat surprising to outsiders.



• Flexible Spending Account: Use It or Lose It: After being reminded by his wife, Phillip Taylor at PT Money Personal Finance lays out some reminders for us about FSAs at the end of the year – including both spending the remainder of it as well as setting next year's allotment.


• Life Insurance Over Age 50: Jeff Root at Root Financial & Insurance Services offers some strategic advice about life insurance for those over the age of 50.



• The Benefits of Physical Therapy in Workers Comp: Rebecca Shafer of the Workers Comp Roundup discusses physical therapy, also known as physiotherapy, which is a medical service designed to develop, maintain or restore normal body movements.

So now we have survived both the Mayan Apocalypse and the Cavalcade of Risk, No. 173.

The next edition of the Cavalcade of Risk will be hosted by Nina Kallen at Insurance Coverage Law in Massachusetts – please be sure to check it out.

Cyber Insurance Market Expected to Grow

As high-profile cyber threats to data security and privacy grow, many businesses are turning to cyber insurance for protection.

Although cyber insurance has been in existence for more than a decade, the market for cyber coverage has recently begun to expand as the cost of data breaches and other cyber threats continues to grow, according to an article by Nicole Perlroth.

The average cost of a data breach hit $7.2 million last year and cost companies $214 per compromised data record, according to the Ponemon Institute. And that's just for a data breach. If a company's intellectual property is stolen, it could decimate an organization.[1]

In the past, businesses have generally been reluctant to discuss cyber and data threats publicly, and some companies have been unwilling to commit significant resources to protecting against these threats.

Despite high-profile cyber attacks at Sony, Google, Epsilon, RSA and others this year, only a third of companies surveyed by Advisen, a research group, say they have purchased a cyber insurance policy.[2]

The business risks of cyber threats have become so prominent, in fact, that the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission recently issued guidance requiring companies to disclose "material" cyber attacks and related cost to shareholders, as well as any "relevant insurance coverage."[3]

Cyber insurance protects against the "twin risks" of data privacy and security.

A comprehensive cyber insurance policy should protect against the "twin risks" of data privacy and security, according to Emily Freeman, a cyber insurance broker. Cyber insurance should provide coverage for intellectual property theft, "the cost of lost business, notification costs, credit-monitoring services, public relations and legal and investigation expenses" as well as "class-action lawsuits, regulatory investigations, civil fines and even extortion demands."[4]

Despite past reluctance by some in the business world to address cyber and data threats with insurance coverage, Perlroth's article suggests that the cyber insurance market is on the verge of considerable growth.

There are no statistics on the size of the cyber insurance industry, but Peter Foster, a senior vice president at Willis North America, an insurance broker, estimates there may be $750 million worth of premiums placed. With the recent S.E.C. measure and the frequency and severity of cyber attacks growing, Mr. Foster predicts that figure could grow by 50 percent over the next 12 to 18 months.[5]

Julie Campbell at Live Insurance News agrees, indicating that 2012 will begin a massive expansion in cyber attack insurance.[6]

This year, the world watched as many corporations – even those that are reputed to have the strongest security systems in place – experienced massive data breaches that were so extensive that their final damage total has yet to be calculated.[7]

Earlier this year, one massive cyber attack showed that small-time hackers and identity thieves are not the only significant threat to information privacy and security.[8]

Approximately 48 chemical and defense companies in the U.S. were the targets of a large cyber attack earlier this year.

Symantec Corp., a leading data security firm, announced that "approximately 48 chemical and defense companies in the U.S. were the targets of a large cyber attack" in October. The attack was traced back to China and it "has been linked to industrial espionage, as the compromised information detailed chemicals, formulas and manufacturing processes used in military and industrial ventures."[9]

1. Insurance Against Cyber Attacks Expected to Boom, Nicole Perlroth, December 23, 2011.
2. Insurance Against Cyber Attacks..., Id.
3. Insurance Against Cyber Attacks..., Id.
4. Insurance Against Cyber Attacks..., Id.
5. Insurance Against Cyber Attacks..., Id.
6. 2012 Will Begin a Massive Expansion in Cyber Attack Insurance, Julie Campbell, LiveInsuranceNews.com, December 26, 2011.
7. 2012 Will Begin a Massive Expansion..., Id.
8. The Need for Cyber Insurance Grows in Light of Recent Attack on 48 Chemical and Defense Companies in the U.S., Stephen Vagus, LiveInsuranceNews.com, November 2, 2011.
9. The Need for Cyber Insurance Grows..., Id.

Street Accident - Claim Compensation 100%

Practically every driver has experienced or in any event saw a street mishap in his/her lifetime. I know this is a tragic thing, however its the actuality. So what makes the way vehicles the most unsafe method of transportation? Is it true that it is the human mistake? Is it accurate to say that it is something else? This article is intended to illustrate anyhow some of these inquiries. Human lapse specifically represents just about 60% of the way mischances and is in a roundabout way included in 90%. Then again, mechanical disappointments are answerable for 2-3% of the mishaps and ecological components for 4-5%. These are implicating numbers, yet what are the true realities that stow away behind them? Are individuals that much to be faulted for all the mischances? All things considered, the response is yes and no. The fact of the matter is that driving, in spite of the fact that from the start flash doesn't appear to be in this way, includes a great deal of focus and there are numerous operations done by our brains in a brief time of time. Wouldn't it be great if we could say you are driving on the roadway. You are besieged with numerous bits of data that your cerebrum needs to process, such as the street ahead, different vehicles, walkers, way signs, and so forth. Meanwhile, assuming that you have you auto stereo turned on, you have likewise sound-related diversions, for example, the music you are tuning in, or the radio channel. Assuming that you add to that a Pda discussion or considerations that experience your head as the arrangements for that day, you have a formula that frequently prompts a street mishap. Notwithstanding, such as it weren't sufficient, there might be likewise other outside elements that include intensify those circumstances. How about we assume that all these bits of data need to be transformed exceptionally quick – that is the point at which you are speeding. On the other hand, there is a thick haze outside, which renders fragmented criticism from the nature. There is likewise the likelihood that your mind is weakened by the utilization of liquor. I trust you are starting to see the totality of the situation here. That is the reason its generally suggested to drive in sensible speed confines, not to drink before or while driving, and not to be tired. These are things that ease the mind off to a focus where it can't respond to the outside motivations any longer, also your physical powerlessness if a quick reflex is required. Despite the fact that its a thing that I longed nobody needed to experience, it happens. In the event that this is the situation, you may as well realize that there is dependably the likelihood of asking for a street mischance assert. For those of you who don't recently know, this is a remuneration for the misfortunes you endured in that mishap. You need to ask for it from the gathering that harmed you. Lamentably, some of the time you can do everything right and still be included in a way mischance. This is the most disagreeable circumstance. You may be driving on an expressway at a sensible speed, concentrated out and about ahead, and the following second you might end up in a mischance that wasn't your deficiency. Assuming that you are lucky enough, you might escape with only minor scratches to your auto, yet the most dire outcome imaginable could go well past that. This cash remuneration for your misfortunes is straightforwardly relative with what you have lost. It can blanket the harm done to your auto, wounds you endured, and significantly more. There are a couple of exceptional organizations that can help you with the asserting process at no expense. It isn't a short process, particularly when the wounds are intense, however its worth your while. Typically this process can go from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, time required to get together exceptional proof for an in number case that can demonstrate you are not at fault for the mishap. The procedure begins with uncovering an exceptional organization that has a high rate of triumph. At that point, the confirmation is gotten together. It is better that you attempt to gather however much information from the spot of the episode as could be expected, it might be extremely convenient. Meanwhile, you will head off to a surgeon master who will survey the degree of your wounds and the time of time in which the mishap is set to influence you. This must be carried out on a consistent groundwork. The mission of uncovering an exceptional master is not that hard. There are numerous exceptional organizations that have great prepared lawyers who will readily help you on a no win no charge support just. Possibly a work mischance or an auto collision, and on and on, it doesn't generally make a difference with the assumption that you have the ability to demonstrate that the mishap was altogether an alternate party's deficiency. Still, there's a mental variable that make mishap exploited people who are entitled for a case choose not to seek after the legitimate movements needed. This is either on the grounds that they are perplexed about the repercussions at the work environment, or the basically attempt to abstain from set to Court. The truth is that unless an exceptionally genuine mischance happened, your case will likely not need to head off to Court. So you are included in a mishap which, I should remind you, is not your deficiency. That is the most vital condition that makes you qualified for recompense. Thus, what do you do? Most importantly, you need to tell yourself: Ok, I have been harmed; I should get a payment for that. Nonetheless, it is my existence we are discussing. Don't contemplate what others might say. It's exceptionally simple for other individuals to judge when they are not in your shoes. You must be extremely spurred since it is likely set to be a process that will keep going for a few weeks, if not months. At last, all the proof is gotten together to make up an in number case. For the most part, this doesn't head off to Court, as a course of action between the gatherings is made. The Court choice is still accessible however, when the wounds you endured are amazing and you need to get the grandest street mishap recompense as could reasonably be expected.

Christmas, Santa Claus and Insurance: One of These Things is Not Like the Others

Christmas, Santa Claus and insurance are usually not thought of as having much in common, but according to research from John Lewis Specialist Home Insurance, the number of homeowners insurance claims typically increases during the holidays. As publicized recently by PRWeb, some of the most common insurance claims at Christmas include:

• Party damage to carpets, furniture and soft furnishings due to wine spillages.
• Enthusiastic game-playing causing damage to TVs. For example a Wii remote control going straight through the TV.
• House fires and damage to furniture caused by house fires.
• Chimney fires can be caused when the chimney hasn’t been swept or used frequently.
• Theft of Christmas presents from unattended homes or due to intercepted postal deliveries.
• Pet fouling, scratching and damage due to unusual food consumption and being locked up and over-excited.
• Water damage to unoccupied homes because of extreme weather conditions e.g. burst pipes. [1]

In other holiday insurance news, TripInsuranceStore.com is offering Santa Claus free travel insurance just in case he gets hit by a cement truck at the North Pole. According to Steve Dasseos, a leading travel insurance authority:

Santa Claus is such a vital part of Christmas, it'd be a tragedy if something happened to him and he had to cancel his trip… Everybody just assumes Santa's showing up. Once we found out Santa hadn't thought of getting travel insurance, we decided to give it to him free of charge.[2]

However, it doesn't take an actuary to figure out that the chances of Santa Claus getting hit by a cement truck at the North Pole are pretty low. It's not clear if the free travel insurance would cover Santa if he strains his back carrying all those presents – a much more likely scenario.

Additionally, TripInsuranceStore.com was not clear as to whether the coverage includes workers compensation claims for toy workshop-related injuries suffered by Santa's elves, or accidental injuries to reindeer while landing on steep rooftops.

1. Common Home Insurance Claims at Christmas, PRWeb, December 21, 2011.
2.  Santa Claus Gets Free Travel Insurance For Christmas 2011, TripInsuranceStore.com, December 21, 2011.

Safe Travels this Holiday

The Holidays are in full swing and with Christmas just a day away; many have already started their Holiday travels. Being the insurance people that we are, here are a few tips for a safe and secure season of travel.

1) Make your home seem like someone is still there. You can do this several ways. Leave your front and back porch lights on so that at night your house is lit up. Ask a neighbor to collect your mail while you are gone so it doesn’t stack up. You can also ask the post office to hold if for you until you get back. Another way to make it look like you are home is to ask a neighbor to pull in and out of your driveway at some point if it snows giving the appearance that you have been in and out of your house.

2) Don’t show off to the Facebook world that you are on vacation. I know this can be tough for some but letting everyone know you are out of town on Facebook can be dangerous. We recommend waiting until you get home from your trip before you post vacation pictures.

3) Car travelers should be prepared for heavy snow at all times. The best way to do this is to make sure you have extra blankest, windshield washer fluid, ice scrapers and even a small shovel. You never know when you might need any of those things. Also, be sure to have your phone charged during the trip so that you have it in case of an emergency.

4) Don’t skimp on heat in your home: we recommend to keep the heat in your house at a reasonable level so your pipes don’t freeze.

Those are just a few simple tips. We here at Fey Insurancehope you have a wonderful Holiday and Merry Christmas

NAPSLO Forms Political Action Committee

President Mac Wesson announced the formation of NAPSLO PAC, a Political Action Committee, which will support candidates at the federal level.

The NAPSLO PAC was formed following approval by the Association's Board of Directors in November. The PAC has been registered with the Federal Election Commission, which regulates the solicitation and administration of PACs.

Mr. Wesson said the NAPSLO PAC is committed to supporting candidates for the U.S. House and Senate whose philosophies and attitudes are consistent with the goals of NAPSLO, the surplus lines industry and the wholesale brokerage system.

The Treasurer of the PAC will be NAPSLO Executive Director Richard Bouhan and the Assistant Treasurer is Maria Berthoud of B&D Sagamore, NAPSLO's Washington D.C. representative.

"Based on early comments from several NAPSLO members, we are confident that this PAC will be strongly supported by the NAPSLO community," said President Mac Wesson.
Additional details regarding purpose, goals and activities of the PAC, Federal Election Campaign donation rules, and other general information will be posted soon in the Legislation/Regulation section of the NAPSLO web site.

For additional information on the NAPSLO PAC, please contact Richard Bouhan, NAPSLO PAC Treasurer.

Happy Holidays from The Fey's!

Christmas Day is only a couple of days away. We at Fey Insurance Services hope you have a safe and wonderful Holiday with your family and friends. Our office will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. However, you can always reach us via email. Another way to get a hold of us is through our website at http://www.feyinsurance.com/. Our revamped website allows you to request policy changes, pay bills and report claims 24 hours a day.

Again, from our family here at Fey Insurance Services to yours, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Florida Surplus Lines Services Office Announces Decrease in Service Fees

The Florida Surplus Lines Services Office (FSLSO) announced that its service fee will decrease from 0.2% to 0.175% effective April 1, 2014.  This fee applies to single-state Florida policies only. For additional information, including how to determine the appropriate date for the rate, view the FSLSO announcement here.  

Mississippi Announces Change in Effective Date of the NIMA Premium Tax Allocation Schedule from January 1, 2012 to July 1, 2012

Bulletin 2011-11 was issued by the Mississippi Insurance Department on December 22, 2011, to provide guidance to surplus lines insurance producers concerning NIMA and the requirements for reporting, payment, collection and allocation of taxes and fees for multi-state policies for the first and second quarters of 2012.

The additional guidance was necessary because it is apparent the NIMA clearinghouse cannot be operational before July 1, 2012. In an emergency meeting on December 20, 2011, the NIMA Participating States amended Paragraph 24 of the NIMA Agreement to change the effective date of the premium tax allocation schedule from January 1, 2012 to July 1, 2012, which defers the applicability of multi-state premium tax allocations and the NIMA allocation schedule until July 1, 2012.

Therefore, for the first and second quarters of 2012, the tax allocation provisions of NIMA will not apply, and the taxes and fees due under a multi-state policy would be remitted entirely to the home state of the insured, pursuant to that state’s statutory and regulatory requirements.

Mississippi’s Bulletin 2011-11 can be found on the Mississippi Insurance Department website at http://www.mid.state.ms.us/bulletins/201111bul.pdf.

Safe Travels this Holiday!

The Holidays are in full swing and with Christmas just a couple of days away; many have already started their Holiday travels. Being the insurance people that we are, here are a few tips for a safe and secure season of travel.

1) Make your home seem like someone is still there. You can do this several ways. Leave your front and back porch lights on so that at night your house is lit up. Ask a neighbor to collect your mail while you are gone so it doesn’t stack up. You can also ask the post office to hold if for you until you get back. Another way to make it look like you are home is to ask a neighbor to pull in and out of your driveway at some point if it snows giving the appearance that you have been in and out of your house.

2) Don’t show off to the Facebook world that you are on vacation. I know this can be tough for some but letting everyone know you are out of town on Facebook can be dangerous. We recommend waiting until you get home from your trip before you post vacation pictures.

3) Car travelers should be prepared for heavy snow at all times. The best way to do this is to make sure you have extra blankest, windshield washer fluid, ice scrapers and even a small shovel. You never know when you might need any of those things. Also, be sure to have your phone charged during the trip so that you have it in case of an emergency.

4) Don’t skimp on heat in your home: This time last year our big recommendation in our “Traveling Over the Holiday” blog article was to keep the heat in your house at a reasonable level so your pipes don’t freeze. Again, we recommend this.

Those are just a few simple tips. We here at Fey Insurance hope you have a wonderful Holiday and Merry Christmas!

Safe Travels this Holiday!

The Holidays are in full swing and with Christmas just a couple of days away; many have already started their Holiday travels. Being the insurance people that we are, here are a few tips for a safe and secure season of travel.

1) Make your home seem like someone is still there. You can do this several ways. Leave your front and back porch lights on so that at night your house is lit up. Ask a neighbor to collect your mail while you are gone so it doesn’t stack up. You can also ask the post office to hold if for you until you get back. Another way to make it look like you are home is to ask a neighbor to pull in and out of your driveway at some point if it snows giving the appearance that you have been in and out of your house.

2) Don’t show off to the Facebook world that you are on vacation. I know this can be tough for some but letting everyone know you are out of town on Facebook can be dangerous. We recommend waiting until you get home from your trip before you post vacation pictures.

3) Car travelers should be prepared for heavy snow at all times. The best way to do this is to make sure you have extra blankest, windshield washer fluid, ice scrapers and even a small shovel. You never know when you might need any of those things. Also, be sure to have your phone charged during the trip so that you have it in case of an emergency.
4) Don’t skimp on heat in your home: This time last year our big recommendation in our “Traveling Over the Holiday” blog article was to keep the heat in your house at a reasonable level so your pipes don’t freeze. Again, we recommend this.

Those are just a few simple tips. We here at Fey Insurance hope you have a wonderful Holiday and Merry Christmas

2013 Toyota RAV4 Compact Crossover: We Take a Look Into the Crystal Ball .

Yes it's almost that time; like when your faithful old phone or television becomes out of date - your attention is then drawn to finding something newer, trendier, self-fulfilling enough to make the neighbors envious.
Insert Toyota and its popular crossover here; the current RAV4 is fast growing a few grey hairs and has lost some of its youthfulness of yesteryear. Not wanting its direct competitors to seize on this, the boffins at Toyota have been working hard on its next generation of their popular compact SUV.
This hard work has become more apparent in recent months with numerous camouflaged spy photos hitting the cyberspace. Based on those photos, I have created an illustration that previews the new design direction for the 2013 Toyota RAV4.
Gone is the upright stance of old; replaced by a steeply raked cabin that looks to have been shaped by a wind tunnel stuck on hurricane setting. This sleekness has also transferred onto the sheet metal; there are now more contemporary creases and stylized lines - the outgoing model in comparison looks like it had too many deep-fried pies.
What you can't see here is the banishment of the tailgate mounted full-size spare; with it now being out of sight the tail-lights now span horizontally like the Camry's.
At the business end, the grill and headlights take on the corporate look that will adorn the upcoming Corolla/Auris series.
It may not be the most attractive nose, but does have an interesting chrome bar running from the headlights into the grill. There's even a hint of the Lexus 'spindle' grill in the front bumper, although some could argue that the designers had a fondness for pinched cheeks.
Overall the design is a much more contemporary effort; but one has to ask - is it enough to make the neighbors envious? It certainly has some strong opponents; with the latest generations of the Ford Escape / Kuga, Mazda CX-5, and Honda CRV being no duds in the beauty stakes.
Regardless of where it sits in the style rankings, Toyota has always had a popular recipe with the RAV4, and one can bet they are not going to sabotage it by using dog meat.

MG6 Finally Gets Much Needed Diesel Variants in the UK

It's no secret that diesel engine options are necessary for any carmaker looking to succeed in the European market, even more so in mainstream segments.
Chinese-owned MG has been building and selling its MG6 in the UK since last summer, but up until now, it only offered a petrol engine in a category that's dominated by diesels, which in some models, make up for more than 80 percent of sales.
That's about to change as MG has announced the addition of a new 1.9-liter DTi-TECH turbo diesel, the first of its kind from the British firm's parent company SAIC Motor.
The four-cylinder oil-burner delivers an output of 148bhp (150PS) and peak torque of 258 lb-ft (350Nm) at 1,800rpm, and is connected to a six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels.
MG quotes a 0-62mph (100km/h) time of 8.9 seconds and a maximum speed of 120mph (193km/h), along with fuel economy numbers of 46.1 mpg UK (6.2 l/km) Urban, 59.0 mpg UK (4.8l/km) Extra Urban and 53.5 mpg UK (5.3 l/km) Combined, and CO2 emissions of 139g/100km.
There are three grades for the liftback (S, SE and TSE) and a single trim level for the sedan body (Magnette), with prices starting at £16,995.
Standard features on all models include ABS with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Stability Control System (SCS), Hill Hold, electronically controlled air conditioning, electric windows all round and ICE consisting of radio, RDS, CD player, MP3, USB and aux-in capability.

Designer Dreams Up Single-Seater Bugatti TypeZero Concept

It's never a bad idea to look to the past for inspiration, just as long as you don't forget the needs and wants of the future when doing so.
French designer Marc Devauze looked at Bugatti's glorious past and chose the brand's most successful racecar ever, the 1920's Type 35 that won over 1,000 races including the Grand Prix World Championship as well as the famed Targa Florio, for inspiration in creating his award winning TypeZero Concept.
The TypeZero is a study for a single-seater, electric powered "hypercar". It was designed to feature four in-wheel electric motors fed by detachable Lithium-Air batteries located on either side of the driver.
Other highlights include the minimalistic interior that Devauze says is constructed "like an old race car with an enveloping bucket seat stretched through the car".

Waiver of Subrogation, What is it?

If after an insurance claim is paid out by your insurance company, it is deemed that another party was actually the negligent one, then your insurance company (via the insurance policy contract) has the right to go after the negligent party. This right is usually found in the "Conditions" section of your insurance policy. This conditional right can, however, be waived. This means that your insurance company would then not be allowed to go after the negligent party. The term for this waiving of rights is called Wavier of Subrogation.

Often you will see the Waiver of Subrogation in commercial leases. Landlords will require that tenants have this verbiage in their insurance policy so that if a claim occurs at the leased location that the tenant's insurance company cannot come back after them for damages. The landlord, however, would be less inclined to have this wording on their policy since it would mean they and their insurance company would not be allowed to go after their tenant after a claim. A building owner and their insurance company usually have more to lose (the building and its rental income) than the tenant does so they would be very interested in being able to go back after a negligent party.

There are two example of where a landlord may want the Waiver of Subrogation wording on their own insurance policy. The first is if they are renting to a family member or friend who they know doesn't either have enough assets or money to be able to cover them in case of a claim, they may not want their insurance company to be able to go after them to collect for damages. The second is if the landlord and tenant are owned by the same person or organization. In some cases, usually for legal or tax reasons, a person may have one company that owns the building and another company that owns the business that is the tenant. In those cases you would probably want both the landlord and tenant policy to have a Waiver of Subrogation clause in their policies so that you don't have your two insurance companies fighting over payout.

Another place where you will see Wavier of Subrogation is in situations where companies or organizations will subcontract work to other companies or organizations. Often, if a business is going to hire another business to do work on their behalf they will request that the subcontractor have Wavier of Subrogation on their policy. Similar to the Landlord/Tenant relationship, if the contractor requires the subcontractor to have Waiver of Subrogation on their policy it means the subcontractor, if a claim arises, is not able to go back after the contractor for money.

When entering into a lease or a business contract it is important to know if you are going to be required to have Waiver of Subrogation and if you have it or not in your insurance policy. It is best to have both your legal team and your insurance professionals review contracts to make sure you are adequately protected.