auto insurance

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TPG 5 17 2With summertime quickly approaching, it typically means more and more people will be hitting the road. In fact, The Vacationer estimates that approximately 100 million people will be road-tripping 250 miles or more when the summer travel season begins Memorial Day weekend. So before you “get your motor running and head out on the highway,” The Prewitt Group recommends that you check your auto insurance coverage to ensure you are prepared should something unexpected happen.

When trying to decide what auto insurance coverage plan is right for you, do you know the difference between Comprehensive and Collision coverage? 

According to our partners at The Hartford, Comprehensive and Collision insurance coverages are defined as:
Comprehensive insurance protects your car from damages you can’t control like fire, hail, wind, theft, vandalism or even hitting a deer.

Collision insurance protects your car in accidents and will pay for vehicle repairs or even the replacement of your vehicle.

COMPREHENSIVE INSURANCE:

Comprehensive Insurance is optional and will help pay for non-collision damage to your car that is out of your control. It covers damage from: 

  • Natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes 
  • Vandalism
  • Theft
  • Fire
  • Falling objects
  • Civil Disturbances such as a riot. 
  • Hitting an animal 
  • Glass 

Comprehensive insurance does not cover damage to your car from a collision, medical expenses, legal fees, loss of income for you or your passengers, damage to another person’s car or property stolen from your car. 

COLLISION INSURANCE on the other hand, covers:

  • A collision with another vehicle or an object like a fence or tree
  • An accident involving only your car, like a rollover accident
  • Someone crashing into your parked car
  • An accident in a car you’ve rented

If you have an accident, both types of insurance require that you meet your deductible before coverage pays for repairs to your car. To find out what coverage you need or to review your current auto insurance coverage, schedule a review with one of our associates or personal lines team. 

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TPG Distracted Driving

According to the National Safety Council, 96 percent of people believe that texting or emailing  on a cell phone is a threat to driving safely, and 87 percent believe that talking on the phone is a threat. Yet, 60 percent of the people still talk on the phone and 44 percent still respond to texts while driving. Did you know that talking on a cell phone while driving is more dangerous than talking to your passengers or listening to music? 

As April (and Distracted Driving Awareness Month) comes to a close, The Prewitt Group wants to remind you that it doesn’t mean you can now go back to being distracted while driving. Our partners at Frankenmuth Insurance offer eight tips on how to avoid driving distracted so that you will arrive safely at your destination:

  1. Familiarize yourself with your car’s features: Learn everything you need to know about how your car operates so that you can access features without taking your eyes off the road.
  2. Know where you’re going: Before you place your car in drive make sure you have set your navigation system and it is voice activated.
  3. Pick a perfect playlist: Instead of fooling with tuning the radio while you are driving, why not set up the perfect playlist so that you are not distracted trying to find the right music for your journey?
  4. Place your cell phone in the center of your console: Drivers are six times more likely to get into an accident while talking on their cell phones. Place the phone where you are not tempted to dial while driving.
  5. Silence your notifications: When a phone is constantly notifying you, you will become distracted. Messages can wait until you arrive at your destination safely.
  6. Sip through a straw: Eating and drinking while driving can be very hazardous. Sometimes drinking during a road trip is necessary, but if you drink from a bottle, you have to tip your head back, which takes your eyes off of the road. Drinking through a straw will alleviate the head tip.
  7. Download an app to reduce distracted driving: Consider downloading an app that blocks calls, emails, texting and your camera while you are behind the wheel. Once you arrive safely at your destination, you can turn off the app until you’re on the road again.
  8. Sign a pledge to keep roadways safe: You can pledge to become a more attentive driver by signing the National Safety Council’s pledge to help make the roads safer for you and other drivers.

The Prewitt Group wants to help you protect yourself and the ones you love through safe driving habits. Having a good auto insurance policy is an important measure to keep you on track. Review your plan with one of our risk consultants by booking an appointment at this link.

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As we approach 2023, it’s time to take a step back and make sure that all of your insurance needs are being met and that you will not be hit with any unforeseen issues. For nearly 49 years, The Prewitt Group’s mission has been to expertly handle all of your risk management needs, whether personal or professional, with the utmost attention to detail and comprehensive protection from anticipated risk.  The following checklist will help you evaluate your current coverage as well as what adjustments need to be addressed for 2023:

1. Assess Your Policies and Coverage – Take time to assess your current coverage and make sure it’s current and provides all that you need for you, your family or your employees. It’s also a good idea to review your policies with your risk consultant to ensure you have the coverage you need should you have to file a claim. Your consultant will also offer guidance on policy changes and review what’s new in the upcoming year.

2. Check Your Health Insurance Policy-  The end of the year offers the opportunity for you to make adjustments to your current health coverage plans. Check to make sure that if you have recently made changes, you are aware of any changes in your plan’s coverage.

3. Check Your Life Insurance Policy– Have you recently changed your status? If you have recently gotten married, divorced, had a child, taken out a mortgage or changed jobs, you will need to review your life insurance coverage and make appropriate updates based on your current status.

4. Check Your Auto Insurance Policy- Check your auto insurance policies to ensure that you have the appropriate coverage. Take note of your policy’s comprehensive and collision coverage. Make sure you are not underinsured because being so can cost you more money in the long run.

5. Examine Your Commercial Insurance Policies- If you are a business owner, you also need to make sure that you have the appropriate insurance coverage for all associates as well as your locations. Have you added any new employees, added locations or changed something about your business? We highly recommend you sit down with your risk consultant and review all of your commercial coverage so that you can anticipate or minimize any risks going into 2023. 

We understand you and your business and what keeps you up at night. We use our power to mitigate risk so you can have peace of mind now and in the new year. We invite you to schedule a policy review with your Prewitt Group consultant so that you can feel at ease as we kick off 2023.



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The Prewitt Group EvennSanta Needs Insurance

The Prewitt Group EvennSanta Needs Insurance

Up on the housetop reindeer pause, out jumps good ole Santa Claus. Down through the chimney with lots of toys, all for the little ones with Christmas joys. This song, written in 1864 and which Gene Autry made famous in 1953, makes Santa’s job sound easy enough, but what is Santa really putting at risk when he delivers toys to children all over the world? What happens when something goes wrong or there’s an accident with his sleigh? Is Santa immune from being held accountable? 

It may all sound very magical, but let’s face it even Santa needs insurance. As we see it, there are a number of items that Santa would need insurance coverage for in order to help him mitigate the risks involved in delivering toys to children:

1. North Pole Home: Santa needs a Homeowner’s policy to cover any damage to the structure or its belongings caused by fire or theft. It’s also good for any elves who may be injured in Santa’s home.

2. Santa’s Workshop: For this particular part of Santa’s business, he will need a Commercial Insurance policy that will financially protect his business from common risks such as lawsuits, cyber-attacks, theft, damage, customer or employee injuries or any other events that may come up. He also will need a Worker’s Compensation policy to help cover medical costs if one of his elves is injured or falls ill while performing their duties on the job. We also recommend a Product Liability policy to protect his business from claims on products he made in or sold from his workshop. This policy also protects against bodily injury or property damage.

3. Elf Health Insurance: Because it takes many elves to make toys for children all over the world, Santa will want to make sure his elves remain in tip-top shape and are healthy. There are many employee benefits options to choose from when deciding the appropriate coverage. We also want to ensure that Santa and Mrs. Claus are healthy as well. We definitely want Santa to have a good policy that covers him just in case he’s medically injured on the job.

4. Santa’s Sleigh: As with any vehicle, automated or guided by reindeer, Santa Claus needs to ensure that he has enough coverage should he get into an accident. We recommend commercial vehicle policies that cover unforeseen damages as well as damage from collisions. Comprehensive coverage would help Santa cover damage from fire, theft, animal damage, natural disasters and falling objects. Collision coverage covers any damage from an accident with another vehicle, vehicular rollover and collisions with objects, like a chimney.

5. Reindeer: We definitely can’t forget about Rudolph; we want to keep his shiny nose shining. Because Santa works with four-legged associates, he will need a good policy that covers any illness or injury to his reindeer on or off the job.

We want your holidays to be worry-free, and just like Santa, you too need to make sure that you have the right policies to cover all of your needs and help you mitigate your risks. Schedule your policy review today with one of our trusted advisors: https://prewitt.group/.

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From texting and scrolling through social media to driving while fatigued or under the influence, there are countless distractions that take our minds and eyes away from the road.  Each day in the United States, approximately nine people are killed and more than 1,000 injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver.

April is recognized as Distracted Driving Awareness Month, which gives us the opportunity to raise awareness of the dangers of distracted driving. All of the “it was just a glance” or “it was just one drink” or “I needed to reply” excuses for taking your attention from the road are not worth the risks and consequences of a car accident.

Here are 7 ways to cut distractions from your commute and just drive:

  1. Turn off your phone, put it out of reach, or use the “do not disturb” setting: Taking these measures will help you avoid interruptions from any notifications and the temptation to check your phone. You can also block out driving time on your calendar or set automatic responses to let people know you’ll be driving.
  2. Program your route before you leave: Need directions? Enter the address into your GPS before hitting the road. Be sure to turn the volume on and position the device where you can easily see it without taking your eyes off the road.
  3. Stop using your hands-free device: While using a hands-free device keeps your hands on the wheel, studies show that talking on the phone reduces your field of vision and your ability to process moving imagery. If you need to take or make a call, find a safe place to pull over.
  4. Pullover to eat: Eating and driving can be just as dangerous as texting and driving. Make a pit stop at a rest area or restaurant if you need a bite to eat.
  5. Turn down your music: Keep the stereo volume low enough to be aware of your surroundings. Loud music can cause you to lose focus on the road or miss other potential warning signs of an accident.
  6. Don’t drive fatigued: Driving while fatigued raises your chance of a crash by increasing reaction time and impairing your ability to make quick decisions. Be sure you are well-rested before hitting the road.
  7. Get ready at home: Doing your hair or makeup while driving might save you a few minutes in the morning, but it could cost you your life. Finish getting ready at home or at your workplace.

Join The Prewitt Group as we raise awareness of these distracted driving dangers, make adjustments to your driving routine, and pledge to drive free from distractions today.

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National Preparedness Month (NPM) is recognized each September to promote disaster and emergency planning. It reminds us to be prepared for disasters and emergencies in our homes, businesses and communities. This year’s theme is “Be Prepared, Not Scared.”

We’ve all heard the saying, “Preparation is the key to success,” and it certainly applies to disaster and emergency planning. While we still hope for the best, preparing for the worst can mitigate your expenses and protect your assets.

Be Prepared in 3 Steps:

  1. Create an emergency fund. First and foremost, recovering from a disaster can be financially burdensome. It’s vital to prepare for emergency expenses. Create an emergency fund for your family, home and business so that the money is there when you need it.
  2. Make emergency plans. Inform your family and/or employees of the location of fire extinguishers and first aid kits. Create a fire evacuation and severe weather plan, and then communicate it clearly to your household and workplace. Planned procedures and processes will keep your family and employees safe.
  3. Purchase proper insurance policies. Having the right insurance policies in place is an integral step in disaster preparation. Meet with an insurance consultant to make sure you have the proper coverage for the disasters and risks your family, home and business face. There are many different types of coverages, which are all subject to limitations and exclusions, so make sure you understand your deductibles, the limits of your insurance and the nature of your coverage.

Since 1974, The Prewitt Group’s mission has been to expertly handle all of your insurance needs whether personal or professional, with the utmost attention to detail and comprehensive protection from anticipated risk. We strive to protect our clients from danger, risk and unpleasant experiences. That’s “The Power to Mitigate Risk.”

We offer various commercial, personal and life and health coverages to fit your unique needs. Contact a risk consultant to review your current coverage or purchase additional policies as a step in your disaster planning process.

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It’s that time of year again: back-to-school! Are you sending a child off to college? If so, don’t forget to review your insurance coverage before they go back to campus. Remember, your insurance needs change as you and your family members reach certain life milestones. Plus, college is expensive enough without incurring unexpected expenses of an accident uncovered by your current policies.

Health Insurance

Is your child staying on your health insurance policy? If so, he/she is covered until they turn 26. If your child is going to school out of state, check with your insurance company to see how their out-of-state coverage works and ensure that there are in-network providers near the college. If not covered by their parent’s policy, college students have other health care options, such as enrolling in the student health plan offered or purchasing an individual policy.

Car Insurance

Is your child taking a car to campus? Be sure they are covered on your policy or have an individual policy that provides enough coverage. If they are going to college out of state, make sure they at least have the minimum coverage required by that state. Even if your child isn’t taking a car to school, it’s smart for them to remain insured so they are protected when driving a borrowed car.

Homeowners or Renters Insurance

Unfortunately, theft and burglary are very common on college campuses. Whether your child is living in a dorm, apartment or house, you will want to protect their valuables. Students who live on-campus are usually covered by their parent’s homeowners insurance policy as long as they are listed as a dependent on their policy. However, the extent of coverage depends on policy specifics and limitations, so it’s a good idea to check your policy before relying on it.

Students who live off-campus should obtain a renters insurance policy to protect their valuables and their bank accounts in the case of unfortunate situations, such as fire, theft or on-premise injuries. While renters insurance does NOT cover the building itself, it does cover the stuff in your rented house/apartment, like furniture, valuables and cash. A renters insurance policy can also cover liabilities and additional living expenses, if needed. Renters insurance is fairly affordable, but it’s important to understand the coverage and limitations of your policy.

All in all, it’s best to inform your insurance agent that you have a child going to college and discuss the additional coverage he/she needs depending on your current policies.

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Insurance for Every Milestone

“When should I buy life insurance?” “Do I need renters insurance?” “What is disability insurance?” “I’m starting a business. What insurance do I need?”

These are just a few questions that are frequently asked by individuals who are planning for their future and/or entering a new season of life. As your life changes, so should your insurance coverage. While insurance isn’t the most exciting purchase, it is essential for protecting yourself, your loved ones and your wealth.

From buying a car to starting a business, certain life milestones call for reevaluation of your insurance coverage. Some policies are required, while others are strongly recommended. As you reach these common milestones, here are the policies you should consider purchasing:

When you buy a car: Before hitting the road in your new ride, you need personal auto insurance. Many factors impact how much you pay for your premium, including what you drive, your driving history, how often and how far you drive and your credit history, as well as your age, sex and marital status. That being said, your premium may increase or decrease as these factors change throughout your life.

When you start “adulting:” As you enter the workforce and move out from your parents’ home, consider purchasing these policies to protect your livelihood:

  • Health insurance: Children can stay on their parents’ policy until age 26, but once your 26th birthday comes around, you’re required to obtain your own policy.
  • Disability insurance: If you’re relying on your income to live, purchasing disability insurance could be a lifesaver if you become disabled and unable to work for a period.
  • Renters insurance: While it’s not a requirement, renters insurance is something any renter will be glad to have in the case of a fire, leak, or storm.

When you buy a home: If you own a home, homeowner’s insurance is a necessity. Most policies cover the house itself, your belongings and the liability of someone being injured on your property. Depending on the location of your home, you may need to purchase additional coverage, such as flood insurance.

When you get married and start a family: While you can purchase life insurance at any time, the importance of life insurance increases when you get married and/or start a family. In the event of your death, life insurance offers protection for your family and home by replacing your income. Acquiring life insurance at a younger age is smart because you’re not only healthy, but you also pay the same rate over a period of time.

When you start your own business: As soon as you start your business, no matter the size, you should consider getting commercial insurance. The type of coverage you need will vary based on the type of business you open.

At The Prewitt Group, we are committed to understanding your needs for every stage of life and delivering customized services to fit those needs. We would be happy to meet with you to discuss the coverage you need with each life change.

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Are you ready for summer? While your kids may be on summer break, risks never take a vacation. In fact, summer activities like these often lead to more mishaps.

  • Road trips: During the summer, the roads are more crowded, which makes driving more dangerous. Whether you’re taking a road trip in your personal vehicle or a rental car, be sure your auto insurance policy covers collisions. If your auto policy does not include driving in a rental car, consider purchasing the liability insurance offered at the rental counter.
  • Pool parties: By having a swimming pool, you take the risk of someone getting injured or drowning on your property. If you haven’t already, consider increasing the liability coverage on your homeowners policy to reduce this risk. Also, be sure to take measures to prevent accidents, such as building a fence around the pool and making sure children never swim unattended.
  • Summer storms: Strong summer thunderstorms can wreak havoc on your home and cause water damage. While homeowners insurance doesn’t cover flooding, you can purchase a flood policy to reduce this risk.
  • Boating: Boating-related accidents seem to increase every summer. While small boats like kayaks and canoes are often covered by your homeowners insurance, you usually need a separate policy for large watercrafts and jet skis. The cost can vary depending on your liability coverage, the value of your boat and where it’s kept.
  • Vacation home rental: When you rent out your vacation home, you run the risk of tenants damaging the property. Homeowners insurance may provide coverage for an occasional short-term rental, but if you regularly rent out the property, you may need an additional rider or a commercial landlord or host policy.

Fortunately, you can mitigate these risks by making sure you have the proper insurance policy in place. As summer draws nearer, determine if these risks are relevant to you and contact a representative at The Prewitt Group to be sure you have the coverage you need.

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2019 coverage

The new year gives us the opportunity for a fresh start. It’s the season for goal-setting and resolutions. It’s also a good time to ask yourself, “What could go wrong this year?” and “How would my insurance company respond if the worst scenario occurred?”

Reflect on the happenings of the past year and evaluate your insurance policies to guarantee you’re covered in the coming year. Consider your family, business, property, home, health, vehicle, etc. A lot can change over the course of a year, and sometimes those changes may impact your insurance coverage. Here are a few items to asses to ensure you’re covered in 2019:

  1. Health insurance: Did you recently enroll or change your health insurance? Make sure you have your new insurance cards and before you visit a doctor and verify that they are in your provider network.
  2. Life insurance coverage: Major life changes, such as a birth, divorce, remarriage or even a new mortgage or new job, are indicators that you might need to make changes to your life insurance policy.
  3. Homeowner’s insurance: Take account of your assets with a detailed home inventory. This is the best way to determine the appropriate level of coverage needed. It’s also a good idea to know your deductible amounts and check to see if you’re eligible for any discounts.
  4. Auto insurance: Driving underinsured is not a good way to enter the new year. Examine your deductibles for comprehensive and collision coverage. Talk with your agent to determine how raising or lowering this amount would affect your premium.
  5. Commercial coverage: Take inventory of your business. Be sure you have coverage for all locations and aspects of your business. If you’ve purchased new real estate or equipment, added new operations, expanded your online presence or made any other drastic business changes in the past year, be sure your insurance agent is aware.

The Prewitt Group is committed to mitigating risk by understanding your needs and delivering customized services to fit those needs. We would be happy to meet with you and discuss strategies that will empower you and/or your company in fulfilling insurance needs for the new year. Contact us today!