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Allan M. Walker Insurance Agency
120 High Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Tel# 508-824-5875 Fax# 508-880-5056 Toll Free# 1-877-824-6670
August 2016
The Town Crier Do College Students Need Insurance for Their Stuff ?
Is your son or daughter heading off to college? If so, she’ll probably arrive on campus with a trunkful of pricey
electronics including a laptop, tablet, smartphone, flat-screen TV and gaming console. But what happens if any or
all of this stuff gets lost, damaged or stolen?
You will need to verify coverage with your insurer, but in general your homeowners policy
should cover your child’s possessions as long as she is living on campus in a dorm. Liability
coverage should extend to the dorm, too. Keep in mind, however, that coverage limits might
be lower than they would be at home. Many insurers sell extra electronics coverage to boost
limits. Living off-campus is another story. If your young scholar is sharing an apartment with
friends, he or she should buy renters insurance. Policies are usually inexpensive typically around $240 a year.
Renters insurance will only cover her and her stuff, so her roommates will need their own
separate policies. Give us a call today to find out if your child is covered for college. Source: Kiplinger 8/8/16
THAT’S THE TICKET The most ticketed car in 2014-2016 was the Lexus ES300 according to an insurance survey that assessed quote information from more than 300,000 drivers. The cars most frequently ticketed were both economy and luxury cars while those ticketed least fell in the more expensive range. Drivers who racked up the most tickets also made more insurance claims. Based on the percentage of ticketed drivers, the 10 most ticket vehicles are: 1- Lexus ES300 33% 2-Nissan 35OZ 33% 3-Dodge Charger 32% 4-Volkswagon Jetta GL 31% 5-Chevrolet Monte Carlo LS/LT 31% 6-Mazda 3S 30% 7-Volkswagon GTI 30% 8-Dodge Stratus SXT 30% 9-Acura 3.0S 30% 10-ToyotaTacoma 30% Only 3% of drivers received a ticket behind the wheel of a Buick Encore. The lowest proportion of all vehicles. Independent Agent Magazine July 2016
NEW REPORT REVEALS DROWSY DRIVING COSTS $109B ANNUALLY In today’s fast-paced society, Americans are sacrificing sleep, which too often leads to tragic consequences on our roadways. A new report from the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), “Wake Up Call! Understanding Drowsy Driving and What States Can Do”, points out that nearly 83.6 million sleep-deprived Americans are driving every day. And it’s taking a toll. The report found that the average annual number of drowsy driver accidents in the US is 328,000 with 109,000 resulting in injuries. Approximately 6,400 of these result in fatality. The extreme danger posed by tired drivers has prompted the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to expand its definition of impaired driving to include not only drunk, drugged and distracted, but also drowsy. In a newly available NHTSA estimate provided for this report, the agency reveals the annual societal cost of fatigue-related fatal and injury crashes is a staggering $109 billion, not including property damage. Source: The Standard Aug 2016
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Homeowner Sued for $25 Million Over California Wildfire The federal government sued a homeowner for nearly $25 million on Thursday, contending his negligence sparked a 2013 fire in the mountains east of Los Angeles that forced 5,000 people from their homes. The lawsuit says that a short in a poorly maintained electrical junction box sparked a blaze in the San Jacinto Mountains above Palm Springs that charred more than 27,500 acres of brush and timber - about 43 square miles and at one point threatened the town of Idyllwild. Investigators determined that the lid of the plastic box containing wires was warped and ajar, the lawsuit said. "As a result, an electrical discharge inside the box shot sparks and hot material out of the box and onto dry ground vegetation below," according to the lawsuit. "Property owners and their agents have a responsibility to ensure that property under their control is maintained in a safe fashion," U.S. Attorney Eileen M. Decker said in a statement. The fire endangered "countless lives, including those of firefighters who battle these large-scale blazes," she said. The fire burned for more than two weeks in and around San Bernardino National Forest. More than 3,000 firefighters, 250 fire engines and 30 aircraft fought the blaze. The U.S. Forest Service spent more than $15 million on firefighting, and the blaze caused in excess of $9 million in damage to resources, ranging from wildlife and timber to eroded soil, according to the lawsuit. More than $300,000 was spent on emergency rehabilitation of the area. The lawsuit, which alleges negligence and violations of California law, was filed in Los Angeles one day before the third anniversary of the fire's eruption. It names Tarek M. Al-Shawaf and two caretakers he employed at his home, known as Gibraltar West, in the community of Mountain Center. The lawsuit was filed after Al-Shawaf and the caretakers failed to pay the costs of firefighting and fire damage demanded by the government, according
to the lawsuit. Source: Program Business.com
Help Kids Beat The Worries Of First Days At School Do you clearly remember your first day at school? If so, it was probably because it was a traumatic experience. Most of us
otherwise only have a hazy recollection of the big day. And it is a big day possibly the biggest thing to happen in a young
life. All over North America that day is looming for hundreds of thousands of youngsters. If you're the parent of one, or
you know someone who is, it's time to give some thought to what you can do to ease them through those early days.
The American Academy of Pediatrics offers the following advice:
Encourage them with talk about making new friends and having fun.
Remind them it's the first day for lots of others as well.
Reassure them that you will help them out with any issues or anything they're worried about at school.
Write them a little note (or perhaps a card) they can take with them to remind them that you're thinking of
them.
Try to find a friend, even one who's already at the school, who can walk or ride with them during their first few days.
Provide lots of support to them at home during those first few days and encourage them to make new friends.
Law Requires You To Buckle Up In Big Rigs How safe do you think you'd feel riding as a passenger in the cab of a tractor trailer? Pretty safe,
huh? So maybe you'd be surprised to learn that dozens of such passengers die every year in
highway accidents half of them hurled through the windshield.
That's why passengers are now required to wear seatbelts under a new law introduced by the US
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
An investigation found that while most truck drivers wore their seat belt, it's the law, far fewer
passengers did because it was optional. That's no longer the case. In fact, the
new rule stipulates that motor carriers and drivers are actually responsible
themselves for ensuring their passengers buckle up.
EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH
We would like all our clients to get to know all the wonderful
employees here at Walker Insurance! Cindy Ellis is a personal lines
account manager who has been with Allan Walker for 37 years!
City / Town you live in? Raynham Ma & Washington NH
Family? Husband, 2 daughters and 3 grandchildren
School? BR
Most unexpected or surprising thing about your job? I really like the people
I work with and the people I get to meet and speak to daily. I like the constant
change too.
Your first paying job? Newspaper girl delivering morning papers
First car you owned? 64 Chevy impala
What radio station is dialed in or what’s in your CD player? 91.1
Hobbies? Enjoying NH with family, grandchildren and friends. Spending
time on Cape Cod too!
Stop in the office and meet with Cindy! She can help you with all
your personal lines insurance needs!
Bright Ideas: Tips And News Snippets For A Better, Safer Life
Apricots? Yum. But did you know that this delectable fruit has a potentially poisonous heart? Apricot kernels the seed inside the stone -- are often sold as an energy food, but they also contain a chemical called amygdalin that
turns into cyanide after it's been eaten. According to a study by the European Food Safety Authority, eating more than three kernels could put an adult over the safety limit, causing nausea, fever and headaches.
Users of vaporizing e-cigarettes -- battery-powered electronic smoking devices -- face new restrictions on them when they fly. The devices can still be carried in The batteries are considered potential fire hazards so they can no
longer be packed in checked luggage under rules introduced by the US Transportation Department. hand-luggage but they cannot be charged while on the aircraft. Other devices also powered by the same type of lithium battery are so far not affected.
Low carb food products specialists Atkins Nutritionals has issued a voluntary recall notice for some of its candy bars because of fears that they may be contaminated with listeria via sunflower seeds that are either used in
processing or have been processed on equipment where the candy bars are made. Consumers are asked to destroy the products and contact the company for a coupon towards replacement. More at: http://tinyurl.com/atkins-recall
A Canadian study of the effects of loud music on the hearing of young people has warned that the practice is leading to increasing incidence of the disorder known as tinnitus, an incurable persistent ringing in the ears. 25% of young
respondents were found to have the condition, which doesn't normally strike until a person has passed the age of 50.
A version of the well-known scam in which a caller pretends to be from the IRS and demands immediate payment is targeting students. The scammer claims the young victim owes "Federal Student Tax" which must be paid by wire
transfer immediately. There's no such tax and you can safely ignore the call!
Allan M. Walker Insurance Agency
120 High Street
Taunton, MA 02780
Tel# 508-824-5875
Fax# 508-880-5056
Toll Free# 1-877-824-6670
CHECK US OUT AT WWW.ALLANWALKER.COM
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER AT http:/twitter.com/WalkerInsurance
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HOURS
We are open
Monday-Friday
8:30am-5:00pm Open until
7:00pm on
Thursday
nights!
PET OF THE MONTH
Schatzi is a miniature schnauzer and was only 4 weeks old when she was found on a street in Tennessee and brought to a rescue shelter. She was adopted 6 months ago and she just had her 1st
birthday! She enjoys long walks and golf cart rides in the neighborhood. She loves the water, rides on the pontoon boat,
playing fetch in the pond and floating in the water with her friends. Schatzi’s family are so happy they found her! Thank you
Mellissa! Put your pet in our next newsletter! send your pics to [email protected]
