The top 10 cheapest and most expensive 2011 cars to insure

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A new year means many things for car buyers; new safety ratings, new models, and new costs. Another aspect of a car search to consider is the cost of Auto insurance; preferably before Royce rolls his brand new auto from the lot.

Fortunately, Insure.com has done the world a great service by ranking the most expensive and least expensive cars to insure. Most of the cars on these lists will come as no surprise to you, but nonetheless good information to have before you adventurously strike out to haggle with the peddlers of the automobile world.

Least Expensive (2011)(Cheapest first) Chrysler Town and Country LX Toyota Sienna Toyota Sienna LE Honda Odyssey LX Nissan Murano Jeep Wrangler Honda Odyssey EX Toyota Sienna Ford Escape Toyota Highlander

Most Expensive (2011)(Most expensive first) Mercedes-Benz SL65 AMG BMW 750i BMW 750Li Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG Mercedes-Benz S65 AMG Aston Martin DB9 Mercedes-Benz CL600 Porsche 911 Carrera S Aston Martin DB9 Volante Mercedes-Benz G55 AMG

It’s important to note that the car you drive is NOT the only factor that affects your auto insurance rates. Several other factors, including age, gender, area of residence, and annual mileage also play a part in determining the number at the bottom of your car insurance bill. We’ve also written about how each of these affects your insurance, if you’re interested.

As for the car itself, there are reasons that some cost more to insure than others. This is due to safety ratings, top speed, anti-theft devices, and cost. It makes sense that a fast, poorly protected car will be the apple of a thief’s eye and therefore cost more to insure.

Performance: what can this baby do on the highway?

If your car’s engine could power a third world village, your insurance is going to be higher. Insurance companies have to assume that high performance cars are bought for just that reason: to drive fast and practice risky driving behaviors. If you want to keep your insurance low, stay away from performance vehicles.

Foreign Cars:

If your dream car has parts from obscure companies and/or locations, beware. Should you get into an accident (even a minor fender bender), the replacement parts will be much more costly than high supply auto parts. That factors into your insurance cost; in fact, it may factor in even more in the future if gas (and thus shipping) prices continue to rise.

Bigger is not always better:

First and foremost: YOU ARE NOT NECESSARILY SAFER IN A BIGGER CAR. There are many large trucks and SUVs that have inherent safety flaws.  Consult crash test reviews and data before you commit to a larger car. However, even if safer, SUVs are not necessarily the best way to obtain low car insurance. Big cars tend to have a higher liability coverage rate because they do more damage to other cars in accidents.

Consider a ‘family car’:

Remember the ‘high performance, high insurance’ paragraph? Well the converse is also true. Cars associated with ‘routine, safe’ driving behavior are going to cost you less. These are the cars that many think of as ‘family vehicles’: minivans, station wagons, and family sedans. This is due to the fact that ‘family vehicles’ are statistically involved in fewer crashes than other types of cars; therefore, they will cost you less to insure.

 Remember:  insurance companies play a game of numbers; if your car is going to cost more to replace, then you’re going to pay more for it.  With that in mind, go forth and buy the right car for you and your insurer.

And, of course, if you find yourself in an auto insurance pinch, look to Gordon Insurance: we provide both a wealth of information on our website and would be happy to place you with the right insurance agency for you.

How is the Cost of my Car Insurance Policy Determined?

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Have you ever wondered how your car insurance rates are calculated?  What affects that number on the bottom of the page? Here’s the answer:

1. What type of car you drive- some cars cost more to insure than others do. Your rate can be affected by how likely your car is to be stolen, its age, the cost of any future repairs, and how safe it is (or isn’t).
2. Your driving record- your driving record largely determines how well you drive (at least in the eyes of your insurance provider). The fewer incidents you’ve been involved in, the lower your premium will be. If you have a slew of accidents and driving violations on your road resume, expect to pay significantly more than if you have a clean record.
3. Where you live- Outside of your own driving ability, some areas are simply safer to drive in than others, both in terms of crime and accident statistics. Your rate can vary depending upon where you garage your car as well.
4. The number of miles you drive each year- Statistics says by the law of large numbers that the probability of an accident increases with the amount that you drive. Therefore expect a higher rate if you put hefty mileage onto your vehicle each year.
5. Your age- Young drivers (especially males) will have to pay augmented rates. Generally insurance providers divide the “steps” into drivers who have been on the road for under three years, three to six years, and more than six years.
6. Your credit- for many insurance providers, your credit score can have an impact on your insurance rates.
7. Coverage- like any other insurance rate, the price is partially determined by the coverage you already have. Make sure you shop around and get the best possible price for the coverage you need.

The good news: There are a variety of auto insurance discounts available to insureds. Here’s a video made by our agency that explains the various discounts you may be eligible for:

Corbin Foucart
Andrew G. Gordon Insurance

College Identity Theft Prevention

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College Students: Identity Theft Protection Hints

 

College provides a whole new world to students along with independence and a perspective into the “real world”. However, in order to do this, many college students find themselves sharing personal space with many people that they don’t know. Here are some helpful hints for college teens to ward off identity thieves.

Mail
College students are constantly out and about; trips, vacations, and time away from school leave personal mail to ferment in student mailboxes.  Make sure your teen doesn’t leave mail lying around, and have him or her cancel any mail during vacations or holidays.

Personal Possessions
It is a myth that identity theft occurs over the internet with the disclosure of online account numbers and passwords. A large portion of identity thieves make an honest living by rolling up their sleeves and stealing identification the old-fashioned way. Make sure your teen carefully guards his or her computer, wallet, or purse. One moment of carelessness can lead to devastating consequences.

Personal Questions:
Many college students are not suspicious about requests for personal information, especially when it seems to come from a legitimate source, such as a landlord or dormitory. Advise your teen to always question the need to reveal personal information. Additionally, make sure your teen NEVER USES SCHOOL COMPUTERS TO CONDUCT BUSINESS, such as online banking or logging in. Taking identification information from public computer terminals is easier for identity thieves than taking candy (and social security number) from a baby.

Shredders
One of the best ways to dispose of personal documents such as mail and bills is to use a shredder. They’re cheap, and completely eliminate the possibility of a thief recovering documents from the trash. 

Facebook:  
Using Facebook is an activity that many college students would not feel normal without. However, thieves can use the public information to gain access to a student’s identity. A common misconception is that a Facebook profile is visible only to friends; a remarkable amount of information can be recovered with a simple google search for a profile. Here are a few things to leave off your profile:

• Date of birth- Everyone likes getting notifications on their birthday, but leave the year out. One of the most common ways to validate credit information over the phone is through date of birth. Don’t let yours land on the internet.
• Travel Plans- Posting Vacation times or specific plans alerts both identity and regular thieves as to when your college student is away, and/or their location. Don’t extend the thieves a written invitation to burglarize a dorm or make a trip to the bank. They might be closer than your teen suspects.
• DON’T POST A PERSONAL PHONE NUMBER OR ADDRESS ON A FACEBOOK PAGE, except possibly your phone,  for Friends ONLY.
• And NEVER, ever, ever post your mother’s maiden name on your page (the most asked security question online); you are handing your online transactions over to identity thieves on a silver platter.

Related Articles

• Protecting Your Identity and Credit Score: College Students Should Beware of Identity Thieves (prweb.com)
• 47 Identity Theft Horror Stories (identitytheftprotection.net)

 

For more relevant insurance information and risk management resources, visit us at the A.G. Gordon, Inc. Website.

Protect Your Engine from Ethanol Damage

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 During a recent trip to the “fix it” shop I learned of the probable reason that my lawn mower – as well as my lawn tractor and snow blower— wasn’t properly working.  Although I flirted with the possibility that a poltergeist was haunting all my gas-powered tools, it turns out that changes in fuel composition are to blame. The transition from pure gasoline to a mix of gasoline and ethanol were the culprits that had brought about the unforeseen damage to the engines.  

Ethanol attracts moisture, which rapidly deteriorates fuel.    My “fix it” shop offered the following solution: run the lawn mower/snow blower/etc until it’s almost out of gas or drain the fuel when not in use.  I consulted some articles on the subject that suggested the problems to be more extensive, but I’m going to employ the simple solution above to do the trick.

Maintaining expensive tools even with the simplest of procedures will save you trouble and money in the future.  Insurance doesn’t and shouldn’t cover everything, including a small engine with moisture damage, so I hope this tip acts as your insurance against this problem!

And for a wealth of insurance information and topical resources, visit the A. G. Gordon, Inc. Website.

Linseed Oil is Hot Stuff

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Ever wonder about horror movie special effects where an object suddenly bursts into flames without any likely cause? Look around the movie set and there is no electrical short, match, flame or spark to set the object ablaze.  You may have witnessed a phenomenon called  spontaneous combustion.   

One of our insurance agency customers learned about this phenomenon firsthand  after cleaning her antique pumpkin pine floors with linseed oil. She placed the rags in her washing machine. The insured walked away for only a few minutes before turning on the machine when suddenly the rags combusted and began melting the inside drum of the washer. The fire department responded within minutes and the homeowner only incurred very minor smoke damage to her million dollar home.  

There was a very happy ending to this story but it brings an awareness to the dangers of linseed oil and other oils used to finish wood. Heat  is generated during the drying process for these oils. This is because the oils do not dry like paint through the evaporation of a solvent or water. Linseed and other oils dry through the same process that generates fire- oxidation. There must be enough heat in order for spontaneous combustion to occur. That’s why you won’t see a recently finished table spontaneously combust from linseed oil treatment because the chair is open to the air.  

  

Linseed oil soaked rags pose the biggest risk for spontaneous combustion. The rags act as an insulator as the oil oxidizes. This allows the oxidizing oil to become hot enough to cause the rags to smoke and eventually ignite.  Also,  the bigger the pile of rags then the greater the risk of sudden combustion. Room temperature is also a factor.  Rags reach ignition temperature quicker in warmer rooms.  

Have no fear home improvement enthusiasts- there is a way to safely dispose of rags soaked with linseed or other oils to finish wood. These cloths should either be burned immediately following use or stored in a metal container filled with water and a metal lid to be disposed as hazardous waste.  

For more topical, relevant insurance information, risk management resources, or to get a quote from us, visit our website.  

Related Articles

• Is cooking oil flammable? (greenanswers.com)
• Before You DIY, Know the Dangers of Linseed Oil (abcnews.go.com)

   

Kasey McCarthy, CPCU  

A. G. Gordon, Inc.  

Moving Into Fall

Some Things to keep in mind moving into fall. At A. G. Gordon, Inc. we wish everyone a peaceful and safe seasonal transition.

Grill Safety:  With Summer winding down, everyone is trying to get in as many cookouts as possible before the weather gets cooler.  Be sure to check your propane tank to be sure you have enough to last – nothing more frustrating than to run ‘out of gas’ in the middle of a meal!  Also be sure to watch children around the grill – smaller kids don’t understand the danger of burning themselves. 

It’s Back to School time!  Be sure to be on the lookout for kids waiting for the school bus.  And most importantly – be aware that school buses make frequent stops!  Be sure to stop not only behind the school bus, but also in front of it.  Kids will be entering and exiting – let’s keep them safe!

Summer is over and what a wonderful one it has been.  With Fall in the air, now is the time to do those all important home checkups.  Have you had your furnace cleaned for the upcoming heating season?  Covered the Air Conditioner unit?  Checked the roof and windows to be sure all are secure?  Winterized the lawn mower?  Covered the pool? Click here for our Homeowner’s Checklist to complete.

Moving into Fall, it’s been easy to forget some of the important things like health checkups, etc.  Before the colder weather comes, why not schedule an appointment for a physical?  How about a dental checkup?  And why not schedule time with your physician for those all-important flu shots?  Then relax and enjoy all the upcoming holidays!

Sandi Cornell
Ratings Expert, A. G. Gordon, Inc.

And for more insurance information, resources, and to get a quote, visit our website, www.agordon.com.

Home Project Snowballs

A true story from the life of an agent on staff:

We were looking forward to replacing our exterior door and because it seemed manageable, planned on doing it ourselves.  In retrospect, it was probably a mistake.  My husband removed the door frame including the threshold and we found what we believe are termites and carpenter ants along with the damaged sill and other areas.  At least it seems to be isolated to that small area.   He tore out the affected areas and sprayed with the old toxic chemicals that were on hand.  We made multiple trips to Lowe’s and Home Depot to pick up supplies and more spray to treat the affected areas.  We’re not done yet and as it turns out, we’re replacing the deck now instead of next year so that he has easier access to replace the damaged area.  Unfortunately, our homeowners policy won’t step in either, as there are exclusions for insect damage, wear and tear, deterioration, and other damages that happen over time. 

If you’re more inclined to hire a carpenter than try this kind of project yourself, be sure to ask for a certificate of insurance, showing they have liability and workers compensation insurance.     This should be a minimum “legitimacy” level for any contractor, and is one good way to separate the pros from the amateurs!  For a project like ours, we should have found a pro!

Keep in mind that insect damage is not usually covered under a Homeowners policy:
“Additional Exclusions”. We do not cover, with respect to any property, any loss resulting from, caused by, contributed
to, or aggravated by any of the following:

1. Wear and tear, marring, or deterioration;
2. Inherent vice, latent defect, or mechanical breakdown;
3. Rust or other corrosion, mold, or wet or dry rot;
4. Contamination, smog, or smoke from agricultural or industrial operations, including smudging;
5. Settling, shrinking, bulging, or expansion, including resultant cracking, of pavements, patios, foundations, walls, floors, roofs, ceilings, fences, swimming pools, retaining walls, or bulkheads, whether resulting from growth of vegetation or otherwise;
6. Birds, vermin, animals, rodents, or insects, except that this exclusion does not apply to collapse under Coverages A and B, under which we do not cover loss involving collapse resulting from detectable decay or detectable damage by birds, vermin, animals, rodents, or insects, and that any ensuing loss resulting directly from a Peril Insured Against to property described in Coverages A and B is covered.

 

For more insurance information, as well as topical and relevant resources. Visit our website or recieve an online quote.

Summer Motorcycle Safety

With the beautiful summer weather we’ve been having, there are more motorcycles than ever on the highways.  Due to their relatively small size, they are not always easily visible to the larger vehicles on the road and thus can present a potential risk of accident. It’s important to be aware of them when on the road and give both extra space and extra attention to the two-wheeled cousin of the car. 

Motorcycle fatalities have also been climbing, reaching 5,290 in 2008, the highest level since the Department of Transportation began collecting data in 1975. There has also been a dramatic jump in the number of deaths among motorcyclists age 40 and older in recent years. 

We hope these tips from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation will help keep you and motorcycle drivers safe:

1. Over half of all fatal motorcycle crashes involve another vehicle. Most of the time, the motorist, not the motorcyclist, is at fault. There are a lot more cars and trucks than motorcycles on the road, and some drivers don’t “recognize” a motorcycle – they ignore it (usually unintentionally).
2. Because of its small size, a motorcycle can be easily hidden in a car’s blind spots (door/roof pillars) or masked by objects or backgrounds outside a car (bushes, fences, bridges, etc). Take an extra moment to look for motorcycles, whether you’re changing lanes or turning at intersections.
3. Because of its small size, a motorcycle may look farther away than it is. It may also be difficult to judge a motorcycle’s speed. When checking traffic to turn at an intersection or into (or out of) a driveway, predict a motorcycle is closer than it looks.
4. Motorcyclists often slow by downshifting or merely rolling off the throttle, thus not activating the brake light. Allow more following distance, say 3 or 4 seconds. At intersections, predict a motorcyclist may slow down without visual warning.
5. Motorcyclists often adjust position within a lane to be seen more easily and to minimize the effects of road debris, passing vehicles, and wind. Understand that motorcyclists adjust lane position for a purpose, not to be reckless or show off or to allow you to share the lane with them.
6. Turn signals on a motorcycle usually are not self-canceling, thus some riders (especially beginners) sometimes forget to turn them off after a turn or lane change. Make sure a motorcycle’s signal is for real.
7. Maneuverability is one of a motorcycle’s better characteristics, especially at slower speeds and with good road conditions, but don’t expect a motorcyclist to always be able to dodge out of the way.
8. Stopping distance for motorcycles is nearly the same as for cars, but slippery pavement makes stopping quickly difficult. Allow more following distance behind a motorcycle because it can’t always stop “on a dime.”

 And for relevant and topical insurance information, as well as risk-management solutions, visit us at our website; you can browse insurance information, watch educational insurance videos, or get a quote.

Personal Umbrella Coverage

Geoff Gordon, representative of Andrew G. Gordon, Inc. talks about personal umbrella coverage, and what it entails.

For more topical insurance information and risk management solutions, visit our website.
To watch more insurance videos, click here.