Insurance Car, Moto or Life

Seguro para autos, forzoso en Querétaro - El Semanario Sin Limites

2012-10-11T07:18:00.000-07:00

Seguro para autos

De los más de 450 mil vehículos que hay en el estado, el 63% no cuenta con un seguro. Querétaro | Viernes 14 de septiembre de 2012

El Congreso de Querétaro aprobó cambios a la Ley de Tránsito estatal, en favor de las víctimas de accidentes viales, dicha reforma propone que todos los automóviles de la entidad deberán contar con una póliza de seguro, por lo menos en la modalidad de responsabilidad civil.

"Esta iniciativa representa una propuesta de atención a un problema de salud pública, ya que de los más de 450 mil vehículos que hay en el estado, el 63% no tiene un seguro, es decir más de la mitad de los conductores de la entidad no cuentan con un mecanismo de protección que les permita hacer frente a los daños que causen a terceros o a sí mismos", indicó el diputado Marcos Aguilar luego de la sesión del Congreso local.

Cabe mencionar que en tan sólo en un año se registraron más de 11 mil accidentes vehiculares, que provocaron 2 mil 523 personas lesionadas y gastos por más de 2 mil millones de pesos en la región.

Por lo que la Comisión de Movilidad Sustentable aprobó por unanimidad los cambios a Ley presentados por los Diputados Marcos Aguilar Vega, Gerardo Gabriel Cuanalo Santos, Adriana Cruz Domínguez, María García Pérez, Salvador Martínez Ortiz, Luis Antonio Rangel Méndez y Ma. Micaela Rubio Méndez.

Además estas modificaciones buscan garantizar la atención médica y, en su caso, la indemnización legal correspondiente para todas las víctimas de lesiones provocadas en un accidente vial.

En un comunicado de prensa la Asociación Mexicana de Instituciones de Seguros, AMIS, celebró la aprobación de esta iniciativa por parte del Congreso del estado, ya que "contar con un seguro de responsabilidad civil para automóviles constituye una política pública indispensable, en cualquier ciudad o país, para brindar a sus ciudadanos mayor seguridad", señaló.

Seguro para autos

Seguro para autos Audi A3, de los autos más seguros

2012-10-11T03:43:00.000-07:00

Seguro para autos

El Audi A3 también fue reconocido por The German Motoring Organization, por su freno multicolisión. Reino Unido | Viernes 14 de septiembre de 2012

El consorcio EuroNCAP (Programa Europeo de Evaluación de Automóviles Nuevos) otorgó la máxima calificación de 5 estrellas al nuevo Audi A3 2013, debido a la seguridad pasiva con la que cuenta.

Después de someter al auto a diversas pruebas, el EuroNCAP concluyó que se trata de uno de los vehículos más seguros en su tipo, gracias a los sistemas de protección que ofrece a sus ocupantes en caso de un impacto frontal, trasero y lateral, así como la seguridad infantil y protección a peatones.

Cabe destacar los elementos que le permitieron al Audi A3 acreedor de esta distinción, como sus luces de circulación diurna que son más visibles para los peatones, los sistemas de asistencia al conductor como el adaptive cruise control, active lane assist, side assist y el límite de velocidad.

Además cuenta con sistemas de iluminación y la regulación de los faros adaptativos, los cuales rebasan los estándares de las medidas evaluadas por EuroNCAP.

Asimismo el Audi A3 ha sido reconocido por The German Motoring Organization, con el Yellow Angel Award por su freno multicolisión, función que le ayuda a reducir el peligro de derrape y el riesgo de choques adicionales durante un accidente por medio del frenado automático.

Seguro para autos

Con información de Agencias.

Seguro para autos Conozca algunos de los SUV que se presentan en el Salón

2012-10-10T23:33:00.000-07:00

Seguro para autos

SANTIAGO.- Autos seguros, cómodos y espaciosos. Ideales para una familia numerosa, o para ser cómodos en largos viajes de aventura. Éstos son algunos de los mejores SUV (Sport Utility Vehicle) que podrás encontrar en el Salón del Automóvil.

FJ Cruiser de Toyota

Resalta por su gran tamaño y por su infinidad de detalles para vivir el off road extremo. Por ejemplo, tapiz impermeable para no preocuparse de las manchas y puertas traseras abisagradas que facilitan el viaje de los pajeros. Cuenta con un poderoso motor 4.0 litros DOHC de 24 válvulas VVVT-i V6 con 240 Hp que entrega un performance de primer nivel en todo terreno.

Montero

Él emblemático SUV de Mitsubishi cumple 30 años con toda su línea de productos, que incluye el Montero Sport G2 y el Outlander K2. Es la cuarta generación de este reconocido todoterreno que destaca con su potente motor, el cual desarrolla hasta 234 HP y 325Nm de torque a 6.000rpm en su versión 3.8 MIVEC bencinero. También cuenta con una versión diesel, de 3.2 litros, que permite desarrollar 197 HP, y 441Nm de torque a 2.000 rpm.

Nueva Traverse

Se trata de la más reciente SUV de Chevrolet. La Nueva Traverse dispone de un avanzado motor V6 de 3.6 lts. con 288 HP y 364.5 Nm de torque, con tecnología de inyección directa que ahorra combustible, apoyada por una transmisión automática de seis velocidades. Aunque es el espacio interior el sello distintivo de Traverse. La última corrida de asientos permite acomodar hasta tres pasajeros adultos cómodamente sentados o llevar una carga de 691 litros.

Ford Explorer

Se presenta en el Salón en dos versiones: Limited 4x4 y Ecoboost 4x2, ambas equipadas con importantes avances de seguridad, motorización y tecnología. Otras grandes innovaciones del modelo insigne de Ford es el Terrain Managment System, un sistema inteligente 4WD que optimiza la capacidad del vehículo en situaciones específicas. A través de un botón de simple uso se puede seleccionar una configuración integrada del motor y del sistema de frenos para proporcionar la tracción apropiada en cualquier camino y clima. Cuenta con 4 posiciones: nieve, arena, barro y normal.

SsangYong Korando

Modelo diseñado por Giorgetto Giugiaro ha resultado ser un éxito de ventas en el país. Es el segundo modelo más vendido de la marca, con 1.072 unidades comercializadas entre enero y agosto de 2012. El nuevo SsangYong Korando incorpora un potente motor diésel de 2.0 litros y 175 caballos de fuerza. A esta potente motorización se suma una caja de transmisión completamente nueva de seis velocidades tanto en su versión mecánica como en su versión automática.

Chery Tiggo2

El Tiggo2 viene equipado con un motor Euro IV Dual VVT de 1.6 litros, el cual entregar un menor consumo y mayor potencia de hasta 124 caballos de fuerza. Su sistema de frenos es de circuito cruzado asistido con ABS y EBD, mientras que su suspensión delantera es McPherson con barra estabilizadora y barra de sujeción superior, mientras su suspensión trasera es multibrazo con espiral con barra estabilizadora.

Seguro para autos

Seguro para autos CONDUSEF recibe 163 reclamaciones hacia aseguradoras de autos

2012-10-10T19:29:00.001-07:00

Seguro para autos

En lo que va de 2012 al menos 163 reclamaciones han sido emitidas a la Comisión Nacional para la Defensa de los Usuarios de las Instituciones Financieras (CONDUSEF) relacionados con pólizas contratadas con empresas aseguradoras de autos.

Así lo aseguró en entrevista con Códice Informativo, el delgado estatal de CONDUSEF, Antonio Castillo Willars, quien añadió que este año la Comisión ha tenido un incremento del 27.85 por ciento en cuanto atención ciudadana se refiere, para asesorías en general; es decir, que el año pasado tuvieron 10 mil 471 acciones y en lo que va de este año llevan alrededor de 13 mil 387.

“Con respecto a la sección de seguro, que es una de las áreas de posible reclamación, tenemos que el número de acciones totales a la fecha son 580 versus 750 del año pasado, dentro de las cuales entran las 163 acciones en materia de pólizas automovilísticas este año hemos tenido menos reclamaciones y menos asesorías en promedio”, detalló Willars.

Las principales causas por las cuales el usuario realiza algún tipo de reclamación son, entre otras, incumplimiento de contrato, en el que el usuario no se siente satisfecho con lo pactado con la institución aseguradora y existen alrededor de 200 casos.

“Cancelación de póliza no contratada; algunas que son contrataciones vía teléfono que el usuario dice no haber hecho, o en caso de automóviles se da la renovación automática, salvo que el usurario haga la cancelación en el momento adecuado, y tenemos 101 quejas en este rubro”, indicó.

Otra de las reclamaciones tiene que ver con la inconformidad de los usuarios hacia la reparación del bien afectado; se da cuando el usuario no quedó conforme después de seis meses sobre cómo fue arreglado su carro ya sea por pintura o cuestiones mecánicas. En este tema hay 51 casos.

Willars añadió que también es motivo de queja el monto recibido por indemnización, con 39 denuncias.

“Hay ocasiones en las que se presenta también frecuentemente en los seguros automotrices que la aseguradora le notifica al usuario que lo va a indemnizar a través de una suma en efectivo y hacen un avalúo del daño y le ofrecen una cantidad con la cual el usuario no está de acuerdo”, especificó el delegado.

Por otra parte, al preguntarle su opinión acerca de que si existirá un incremento de quejas en al año 2013 cuando entre en vigor la ley de seguro obligatorio para automóvil en la modalidad de responsabilidad civil, previó que debido a que aumentará en forma sustancial el número de pólizas existe gran posibilidad que el número de acciones, asesorías y denuncias también se incremente.

“Por otro lado es gente que no está acostumbra a no tener su carro asegurado y puede ser que, uno, no conozca muy bien la operación del seguro y que eso pudiera orillar a que se queje; el otro punto es que la gente que no esté acostumbrada a tener seguro, tampoco esté acostumbrada a quejarse, pero van a ser un mayor número de pólizas que estarán en el mercado”, concluyó.

Willars subrayó que no se podía otorgar el listado tanto de personas afectadas como de las empresas aseguradoras con más quejas por políticas de confidencialidad.

Seguro para autos

Insurance should deal with risk - Columbus Dispatch

2012-08-31T07:47:00.000-07:00

Insurance is all about risk. Yet neither insurance companies nor their policyholders can do anything about one of the biggest risks — namely, interference by politicians, to turn insurance into something other than a device to deal with risk.

By passing laws to force insurance companies to cover things that have nothing to do with risk, politicians force up the cost of insurance.

Annual checkups, for example, are known to take place once a year. Foreseeable events are not a risk. Annual checkups are no cheaper when they are covered by an insurance policy. On the contrary, they are one of many things that are more expensive when they are covered by an insurance policy.

All the paperwork, record-keeping and other things that go with having any medical procedure covered by insurance have to be paid for, in addition to the cost of the medical procedure itself.

Politicians love to mandate things that insurance must cover, including in some states treatment for baldness, contraceptives and whatever else politicians can think of. Playing Santa Claus costs a politician nothing, but it can cost the policyholder a bundle — all of which the politician will blame on the “greed” of the insurance company.

Insurance companies are regulated by both states and the federal government. This means that, instead of there being one vast nationwide market, where innumerable insurance companies compete with each other from coast to coast, there are 50 fragmented markets with different rules. That adds to the costs and reduces the competition in a given state.

When there are innumerable insurance companies, it is by no means clear that political regulation of them will produce better results than the regulation provided by competition in the market. In a competitive market, insurance companies would cover only those things that policyholders are willing to pay to have covered. Policyholders would have no reason to pay to have insurance cover things that would be cheaper if paid for directly — or not paid for at all, in the case of things that are not a concern to many people, such as baldness cures.

One of the factors in the number of the “uninsured,” for whom politicians are willing to turn the whole medical-care system upside down, is the high cost of insurance that covers far more things than most people would be willing to pay for, if it was up to them. The uninsured who use hospital emergency rooms and don’t pay are a problem only because politicians passed laws forcing hospitals to let themselves be taken advantage of in this way.

Too many political “solutions” are solutions to problems created by previous political “ solutions” — and will be followed by new problems created by their current “solutions.”

There is no free lunch. In the case of health insurance, there is not even an inexpensive lunch.

Health insurance would be a lot less expensive if it covered only the kinds of risks that can involve heavy costs, such as a major operation or a crippling disability. While such things can be individually very expensive, they don’t happen to everybody, and insurance is one way to spread the risks, so that the protection of a given individual is not prohibitively expensive.

The problem of “pre-existing conditions” is a problem largely because of the way that politicians have written the laws — more specifically, by giving a tax break to employer-provided health insurance. If individuals bought their own health insurance, with the same tax advantages, the fact that an illness occurred after they changed employers would not make it a “pre-existing condition.”

There is no inherent reason for employers to be involved in the first place. The fact that some guy manufactures furniture or plumbing fixtures in no way qualifies him to understand insurance for his employees. Including him in the loop adds another unnecessary layer of bureaucratic costs.

Political risks are the biggest risks.

Thomas Sowell is a senior fellow at Stanford University's Hoover Institution.

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Ads address insurance disparity for female service members - Washington Post (blog)

2012-08-31T04:46:00.000-07:00

A provocative ad campaign has kicked off, coinciding with the Republican National Convention in Tampa.

A pair of commercials hit the airwaves to add another argument to the raging national discourse about women becoming pregnant through non-consensual sex.

These ads call attention to the law that bans women who are covered by military insurance from using their policy to pay for abortions if they are impregnated as a result of rape or incest. But these commercials are particularly challenging because they bring U.S. service members themselves to the fight.

The group is called Stand with Servicewomen, and the ads are slated to run through Thursday in Tampa, Fla. Attendees of the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte will get to see the ads on local television from Sept. 4-6.

In one ad, retired Lt. Gen. Robert Gard Jr., a 31-year Army veteran, explains the need to change the law. “Over 250,000 women have served our country with honor and courage in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Gard says. “Yet our servicewomen are denied coverage for abortion … even if they’re raped. We have an obligation to provide military women with the care their service to our country demands. Women in the military deserve better care. Period.”

A second ad features a trio of female veterans who have recently returned from serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Dottie Guy, Kayla Williams and Shannon Clark take turns a line or two at a time to ask that their sacrifice for their nation be remembered when it comes to coverage for reproductive health care.

Their script reads: “As a soldier in Iraq, I put my life on the line to protect and defend my country. I fought for the freedom and justice our country stands for. Yet I’m denied proper reproductive health care benefits; denied abortion care even if I’m the victim of rape. I expected the horror of war in Iraq – but I expected better from my own government.”

Frankly, these American heroes make a strong point. They’re bringing the case to the American public that if supporting the troops is a priority, the troops are making a recommendation on how to help protect the 15 percent of the U.S. military who are female.

Women in the military are the only class of women under federal health insurance who aren’t covered in case of rape or incest. Even a female prisoner is covered should her sexual attacker leave her pregnant. Federal insurance coverage is available only if a woman’s pregnancy endangers her life.

As the law stands, a girl who is impregnated by a male relative, if she relies on coverage from a parent’s military health insurance policy, will be turned away for an abortion unless the procedure is paid for out of pocket.

If federal government employees, their dependents and even convicted prisoners are granted coverage for terminating a pregnancy that results from rape, why are female veterans and military dependents denied?

Even the staunchest abortion opponent must admit that this is an unfair and unjust standard.

The Senate Armed Services Committee agrees that there’s a problem with the status quo. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act that would repeal the ban on abortion coverage for servicewomen who have been raped. The amendment was adopted on a bipartisan vote. But the measure never made it to the Senate floor for consideration.

It’s a point of pride for the American people and the politicians they elect to talk of supporting the troops. Unless that talk is actively supported by legislation and policies that address the needs of our nation’s defenders, the “support our troops” ribbons and platitudes carry no real meaning.

One might argue that the burden faced by a woman who is raped while serving in the U.S. armed forces is great enough to warrant special consideration. Congress already requires the Department of Defense to submit an annual report on sexual assault in the military. The Coast Guard is exempted from reporting because it exists under the Department of Homeland Security.

Women in the military report their rapists at rates below that of civilians. And non-military women already tend to underreport rapes. Anu Bhagwati, former Marine Corps captain and executive director of the Service Women’s Action Network says there is such massive underreporting because “victims do not feel the climate is safe to report, and perpetrators are not being brought to trial in sufficient numbers."

Military advocates say servicewomen who suffer Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from being raped must adhere to a standard higher than other PTSD suffers. She must absolutely prove that her disorder could not have come from any other source or her insurance benefits won’t cover her treatment. Not to mention that an unplanned and unwanted pregnancy could derail the career trajectory of a female military service member.

This ad campaign seeks to get attention about the timely rape and abortion issue. But what it also does quite well is to let the troops ask for what they need. And they’re asking both parties’ conventions for consideration. It was a bipartisan effort to support the Shaheen amendment, and both parties agree that troops should be heard and their needs addressed.

These servicewomen lay down their lives to defend American freedom. It’s high time that Americans of all political persuasions support them with laws that treat these heroes with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Jamila Bey hosts the “Sex, Politics and Religion Hour: SPAR with Jamila” on the Voice of Russia Radio network.

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Flood Insurance Hits a Bigger Swath - Wall Street Journal

2012-08-31T00:13:00.000-07:00

New York area residents applying for mortgages to buy a new home or refinance an existing one are bumping up against a new obstacle: flood insurance.

Ever since the Federal Emergency Management Agency began redrawing the flood-zone maps in the greater New York region in 2007, some areas that were once considered low-risk have become high-risk. That has prompted banks and other lenders to require borrowers in the high-risk zones to buy insurance against hurricane or flood damage to their homes.

Initially, the new requirements mainly affected owners of single-family homes near coastal areas, including houses in Queens, Staten Island, Long Island and Westchester County.

But as FEMA continues to revise the flood-zone map, the changes are affecting more high-rise residential buildings in Manhattan, Jersey City and elsewhere around the region. The result is that some buyers and owners of condominiums and co-ops are finding that lenders are requiring that they, too, have individual flood-insurance policies or that their buildings buy heftier policies before obtaining a mortgage.

Renee Slas said she was "shocked and appalled" that Bank of America Corp. wouldn't fund her home loan when she attempted to buy her TriBeCa apartment earlier this summer. The rejection surprised her, both because her apartment was on the fifth floor, which seemed an unlikely location for flood damage, and because the building was already insured for natural hazards by Lloyd's of London.

But Ms. Slas says her lender would only consider a policy written by the National Flood Insurance Program administered by FEMA.

"I lived through Hurricane Irene and there was no flood damage on any of our streets," says Ms. Slas, a senior vice president at Estée Lauder, who had already been living in her one-bedroom apartment for four years. In the end, she switched to a different lender, which didn't require an NFIP policy.

Bank of America said the amount of commercial space in her building was the main reason Ms. Slas's loan request was denied. BofA spokesman Rick Simon also noted that lenders aren't required to accept private insurance when a property is in a high-risk flood area. He added that over the years, the bank has been following FEMA guidance about insurance policies.

FEMA spokeswoman Crystal Tramunti says Ms. Slas's case isn't unusual. Even when a co-op or condo building has flood coverage for the entire building, she said that if the mortgage lender believes the policy is inadequate, it "will require in some cases individual unit owners to take out additional insurance."

Currently, there are nearly 39,000 NFIP policies in force in New York City, up 41% since 2007. For condos or co-ops, the NFIP can insure individual unit owners who pay directly for their flood coverage or the entire building, which divides the cost among residents as part of the common charges. A full third of this year's policies were for condo buildings or unit owners.

Not surprisingly, the new designations of high-risk flood areas aren't sitting well with some residents, especially those who live high in the sky.

Terrence LeRay is a real-estate agent who tried to fight back when his bank required flood insurance on his 10th floor condo in Dumbo, Brooklyn. "I'm over 50 feet in the air," said Mr. LeRay. "But the bank said as long as my building is in the high-risk area, I have to be covered."

Mr. LeRay brought the issue to his building management, which bought a new, more-expensive policy for the entire building and added the cost to the condo's common charges.

Lenders say they're just playing by the rules. Since 1968, flood insurance has been required for properties in high-risk areas with mortgages written by federally regulated banks.

"What we see is a map from FEMA," said BofA's Mr. Simon. "If a property shows up to be in a flood plain, and there's no reason to believe the FEMA map is wrong, we require flood insurance."

On Aug. 21, FEMA announced building owners already covered under flood insurance could renew their policies at low-risk rates even if they were recently mapped into a high-risk zone. As a result, lenders will likely accept private flood insurance in lieu of NFIP more consistently, according to Mr. Simon.

A version of this article appeared August 30, 2012, on page A20 in the U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Flood Insurance Hits a Bigger Swath.

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Pan-American Life Insurance Group completa la mayoría de la ... - Revista Generacción

2012-08-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

NUEVA ORLEANS, 1 de agosto de 2012 - PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE: Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG), proveedor líder de seguros y servicios financieros en las Américas, anunció hoy que ha recibido aprobaciones de los reguladores y ha completado la adquisición de determinados activos y negocios de MetLife (símbolo bursátil en la Bolsa de Valores de Nueva York: MET) en las Islas Caimán, Costa Rica, Panamá, St. Lucia y Trinidad y Tobago. En un próximo paso significativo, PALIG espera recibir las aprobaciones de los reguladores y cerrar la transacción en los demás países del Caribe en los próximos meses.

Tras el cierre de la adquisición en todas las jurisdicciones, la adquisición de PALIG representará aproximadamente $675 millones en activos, que se distribuyen entre 15 países de América Central y el Caribe. En total, esta adquisición representará más de $170 millones en ingresos (a partir del 2010).

"Esta compra consolida la estrategia de Pan-American Life Insurance Group para convertirse en uno de los principales proveedores de seguros de vida y salud en las Américas", dijo José S. Suquet, Presidente de la Junta Directiva, Presidente y CEO de Pan-American Life Insurance Group. "Durante más de 100 años, Pan-American Life Insurance Group ha ofrecido seguridad financiera confiable a nuestros asegurados. La adquisición que acaba de completarse fortalece financieramente a Pan-American Life Insurance Group y aumenta su tamaño y alcance geográfico, a la vez que refuerza su compromiso de servir a sus clientes en toda América".

Las regiones adquiridas a través de esta transacción amplían en gran medida los ingresos internacionales de PALIG y realzan la prioridad de estos mercados mientras la compañía continúa expandiendo su presencia a nivel mundial.

"Esta transacción está en línea con nuestro enfoque dedicado a nuestras principales competencias en seguros de vida y salud. La incorporación de los negocios de MetLife - Alico/Algico se ajusta perfectamente al enfoque estratégico de Pan-American Life de convertirse en una compañía líder en el área de seguros de vida y salud con alcance internacional para nuestros asegurados, tanto en las líneas empresariales como personales", comentó el Sr. Suquet. "Además, esta adquisición coloca a PALIG entre las tres principales compañías aseguradoras de vida o salud en prácticamente todos los mercados en los que compite fuera de los Estados Unidos".

Los clientes de MetLife - Alico/Algico en el Caribe y Centroamérica se beneficiarán de estar asegurados por un proveedor que cuenta con una base de activos de alta calidad, un sólido estado financiero, una calificación en solidez financiera de A (excelente) otorgada por AM Best y Fitch Ratings, un alcance amplio y cien años de experiencia con un enfoque particular en los seguros de vida y salud en las Américas, afirmó la empresa.

En relación con la adquisición, compañías miembros de PALIG son ahora socios de MAXIS Global Benefits en el Caribe, Panamá y Costa Rica, así como en América Central y Ecuador. MAXIS Global Benefits Network es una red mundial creada por MetLife y AXA para ofrecer la mejor cobertura local de seguros a compañías multinacionales mediante sus propias operaciones y las de compañías independientes.

No se divulgarán los términos de la transacción.

Acerca de Pan-American Life

Pan-American Life Insurance Group es un proveedor líder de seguros y servicios financieros en el continente americano. Pan-American Life Insurance Company, con sede en Nueva Orleans, es el principal miembro del grupo y presta servicios financieros de confianza desde 1911. Cuenta con más de 1,300 empleados en todo el mundo y ofrece seguros de vida y salud, beneficios para empleados y servicios financieros de primer nivel en 47 estados, el distrito de Columbia (D.C.), Puerto Rico y las Islas Vírgenes Estadounidenses. Las empresas que conforman este grupo ofrecen seguros de vida y de salud individuales o colectivos en toda América Latina y el Caribe. El grupo tiene sucursales y empresas afiliadas en Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala< /span>, Honduras, México, Panamá y 15 mercados en el Caribe*, entre ellos Barbados, las Islas Caimán, Curacao* y Trinidad y Tobago. Para obtener más información, visitar palig.com, el sitio web de Pan-American Life.

* Pendiente Aprobación Regulatoria

FUENTE Pan-American Life Insurance Group

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TEXT-S&P revises Volkswagen Insurance Co otlk to pos; 'A-' rtgs afmd - Reuters

2012-08-30T17:02:00.000-07:00

Aug 30 -

Overview

-- On Aug. 27, 2012, we revised our outlook on Volkswagen AG (VW) to positive from stable and affirmed the 'A-/A-2' ratings.

-- Volkswagen Insurance Co. (VICO) qualifies as a captive insurer of parent VW under our criteria.

-- We are therefore revising our outlook on VICO to positive from stable and affirming our 'A-' ratings.

-- The rating actions are not due to any changes to the stand-alone characteristics of the company and are in lock step with its parent, VW.

-- The positive outlook reflects that on VW.

Rating Action

On Aug. 30, 2012, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services revised its outlook on Volkswagen Insurance Co. Ltd (VICO) to positive from stable. At the same time, we affirmed the 'A-' long-term counterparty credit and insurer financial strength ratings on VICO.

Rationale

The outlook revision and affirmation mirror the Aug. 27, 2012 rating action on VICO's parent, Volkswagen AG (VW; A-/Positive/A-2). The outlook revision on VW reflects the possibility that we may raise the rating on VW over the coming two years if the group's profit measures remain strong in the face of more challenging macroeconomic conditions and if credit ratios remain at the higher end of the "modest" category despite high capital expenditures.

As VICO qualifies as a captive insurer under our rating criteria, we rate it at the same level as its parent. The ratings on VICO will therefore move in lock step with those on VW.

The rating action and outlook revision on VICO are not due to any changes to the stand-alone characteristics of the company.

Outlook

The positive outlook on VICO reflects that on its parent, VW.

Related Criteria And Research

-- Interactive Ratings Methodology, April 22, 2009

-- Rating Captive Insurers, April 13, 2004

-- Use Of CreditWatch And Outlooks, Sept. 14, 2009

Ratings List

Ratings Affirmed; CreditWatch/Outlook Action

To From

Volkswagen Insurance Co. Ltd.

Counterparty Credit Rating

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Isaac storm insurance claim tips: South Florida insurance claims ... - WPTV

2012-08-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

Even tropical storms leave their mark.

South Florida was spared a hurricane, but the fringes of Isaac soaked the area and left behind leaky roofs, flooded homes and, in a few unusual cases, lightning damage.

For those affected homeowners the next step is navigating an insurance claims process that involves plenty of patience and paperwork.

"Filing any claim is a pain in the butt," said Irvin Rosenfeld, 59, whose Lauderhill home suffered Isaac-related flood damage in two bedrooms. "You just have to stay on top of it and make sure it's being taken care of."

State-backed Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the largest Florida property insurer with roughly 1.4 million policies, said it had received more than 1,800 claims as of Wednesday, mostly in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

Christine Amoroso filed a claim earlier this week after a a lightning bolt hit a nearby tree, sending a 5-foot splinter of wood through the front window of her Delray Beach home. On Wednesday, Citizens sent an adjuster to the home to assess the damage.

"I could have been dead," said Amoroso, 83. "It exploded through my window. It decimated my China cabinet."

She feared she would have to shell out around $2,500 to meet the deductible required in order for the insurance company to pay the claim.

A Citizens spokeswoman said the insurer expects 5,000 to 6,000 claims to be filed over the next few weeks, down from an original estimate of 20,000 to 50,000.

Still, with storms like Debby and Isaac wreaking havoc, the potential for more claims remains a distinct possibility. And September is the traditional peak of hurricane season. With that in mind, here are answers to common questions about filing claims:

Is time a factor in filing? Yes. The National Flood Insurance Program, run by the federal government, requires homeowners to provide a notice of loss immediately and formally file a "proof of loss" form within 60 days, said Chip Merlin, a property insurance attorney in Florida. The form is a sworn statement that accompanies the claim. Florida homeowners must file a windstorm claim within three years. Previously, policyholders had five years based on the statute of limitations on all contracts in Florida.

Should I get an independent assessment of the damage? Consumer advocates say that's a good option. Public adjusters take over for the homeowner, preparing the claim and handling negotiations with the insurer. But consumers may want to first consider the size of the loss, said Dick Tutwiler, head of a Tampa-based public adjusting firm with an office in Hollywood. It's probably not worth it for the average homeowner on a loss of less than $10,000, he said.

That's because adjusters work on a contingency-fee basis, usually getting up to 10 percent of the homeowner's settlement with the insurance company. "Hopefully, the public adjuster can get you more money than you would on your own," Tutwiler said.

Using adjusters, however, remains controversial and a point of contention. Representatives for insurance companies say adjusters tend to inflate prices. Lisa Miller, a former insurance regulator and now a consultant for insurance companies, advises homeowners to work directly with the insurer first before considering an independent adjuster.

Consumers should check any adjuster's' license by clicking the "Licensee Search" link at myfloridacfo.com/agents/licensure or by calling the Department of Financial Services at 877-693-5236 or 850-413-3089.

Will my rates go up if I file a claim? It's illlegal for an insurance company to raise a rate or cancel a policy strictly because a homeowner filed a claim, Miller said.

"When Mrs. Smith files a claim for $3,000, her individual policy rate cannot go up," she said. "But if 100,000 Mrs. Smiths file $3,000 claims and the insurance company did not [adequately] estimate the rate to pay these claims, that fact is considered by insurance regulators as they decide on future rate increases."

Who can I complain to about the claims process? The Department of Financial Services' consumer services division handles compaints regarding insurance matters. Florida homeowners can call 877-693-5236.

Powers@tribune.com , 561-243-6529 or Twitter @paulowers

If you file a claim:

Request and keep all documents related to a claim.

Keep a journal, noting the dates of all calls, phone numbers and the names of people involved.

Also keep detailed notes and time-stamped photos of damage and provide a copy to any adjusters involved.

If you're a Citizens policyholder:

Call your agent or 866-411-2742.

Have your policy number available.

Provide current contact information.

Be prepared to give a brief description of the visible damage to your property (for example: tree limb fell on the roof, roof shingles blown off, etc.).

Have your current mortgage company information available.

Source: Sun Sentinel research, Citizens Property Insurance Corp.

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Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation: Bank profits up from 2011 - Christian Science Monitor

2012-08-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

U.S. bank earnings rose 21 percent in the April-June quarter and lending to consumers increased, adding to evidence that the industry is strengthening four years after the financial crisis.

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The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. said Tuesday that the banking industry earned $34.5 billion in the second quarter, up from $28.5 billion in the second quarter of 2011.

About 63 percent of U.S. banks reported improved earnings as they were able to set aside less for losses on loans. And the number of troubled banks fell for the fifth straight quarter.

Banks became less cautious about lending. Bank loans to consumers increased in most categories, including credit card loans and home mortgages, reversing a first-quarter decline.

"The industry continues to recover at a gradual but steady pace," FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg said at a news conference.

Still, the gains in revenue remain "sluggish," Gruenberg said. Total revenue increased only $1.3 billion — a slim 0.8 percent — in the second quarter from a year earlier.

Gruenberg said that the industry's bottom line was affected by JPMorgan Chase & Co.'s nearly $6 billion in trading losses revealed recently from a soured bet in its London operation. "It certainly impacted the results, and without that I think it would have been a stronger picture," he said.

JPMorgan reported second-quarter net income of $5 billion, or $1.21 per share, down from $5.4 billion, or $1.27 per share, a year earlier.

Banks with assets exceeding $10 billion drove the bulk of the earnings growth in the April-June period. While they make up just 1.5 percent of U.S. banks, they accounted for about 77 percent of the earnings.

Those banks include Bank of America Corp., Citigroup Inc., JPMorgan and Wells Fargo & Co. Most of them have recovered with help from federal bailout money and record-low borrowing rates.

The number of banks on the FDIC's confidential "problem" list fell in the second quarter to 732, or around 10 percent of all federally insured banks. That compares with 772 troubled banks in the first quarter.

So far this year, 40 banks have failed. That's far below the 92 banks that shuttered last year and the 157 that closed in 2010 — the most for one year since the height of the savings and loan crisis in 1992.

In the second quarter, fewer bank failures allowed the insurance fund to strengthen. The fund, which turned from deficit to positive in the second quarter of 2011, had a $22.7 billion balance as of June 30, according to the FDIC. That compares with $15.3 billion at the end of March.

The FDIC is backed by the government, and its deposits are guaranteed up to $250,000 per account. Apart from its deposit insurance fund, the agency also has tens of billions in loss reserves.

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North Star Mutual Insurance Company Selects iPartners' Insurance ... - BI-Spain.com

2012-08-30T04:23:00.001-07:00

Actualizado el 2 de agosto, 2012 - 02.13hs.

iPartners, the leading provider of Software as a Service (SaaS) business analytics solutions to the property & casualty (P&C) insurance industry, today announced that its iPartners’ Insurance Scorecard business intelligence solution has been selected by Minnesota based North Star Mutual Insurance Company. The iPartners solution will provide consolidation and analysis of North Star’s current and historical policy and claims data to provide greater insight and improved decision making. Delivered through a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, the Insurance Scorecard offers North Star a quick implementation and a cost effective approach.

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insurance auto auctions canada

2012-06-01T20:01:00.000-07:00

insurance auto auctions

Cheap auto insurance isn't something that's so hard to get if you know the rules of the game. And the main rule when it comes to cheap auto insurance is that comparison shopping is a must.

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The more quotes you get from different companies the higher is your chance to find a policy that will be both cheap and adequate to your requirements.

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And we are making it easier for you to get good quotes by offering accurate information on top providers in your area.

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Honda Fit 2012 gana la contienda de los subcompactos de US$16000 ... - Bolsamania.com

2012-05-10T02:06:00.000-07:00

El divertido y frugal Fit de Honda encabeza la competencia entre otros siete populares subcompactos
PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE

TORRANCE, California
19 de marzo del 2012

TORRANCE, California, 19 de marzo del 2012 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- El Honda Fit 2012 ha ganado la Contienda de Subcompactos de US$ 16,000 de Cars.com. El Fit de Honda, vers?til y eficiente en cuanto al consumo de combustible, ocup? el principal lugar en una competencia entre siete populares coches subcompactos con capacidad m?nima para cuatro pasajeros, de cuatro puertas, con un m?nimo de 35 kpl en ruta, y que se pueden comprar por menos de US$16,000. Los expertos de Cars.com, USA Today y "MotorWeek" evaluaron estos subcompactos para medir todas las necesidades de un comprador promedio de autom?viles, incluso consumo de combustible, utilidad, funciones para el usuario y confort.

(Foto: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20120319/LA72428)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100923/HONDALOGO)

"Estamos muy contentos de que este excepcional producto que es el Honda Fit sea reconocido como tal por un grupo de medios del sector automotriz con tama?a jerarqu?a", dijo Michael Accavitti, vicepresidente de operaciones de marketing de American Honda Motor Co., Inc. "Haber encabezado la competencia de un grupo tan amplio en una evaluaci?n as? de exhaustiva hecha en el mundo real demuestra que la versatilidad de Honda, su valor y diversi?n son el est?ndar incluso en nuestro modelo m?s accesible".

"Considerando que los precios de la gasolina y de los coches usados contin?an aumentando, una contienda como esta sirve como gu?a para los compradores que buscan adquirir un nuevo subcompacto como alternativa a su veh?culo usado", dijo Patrick Olsen, jefe de redacci?n de Cars.com. "Adem?s de brindar una conducci?n confiable, una s?lida transmisi?n, gran visibilidad y una practicidad que no tiene comparaci?n, el Honda Fit es un coche que es divertido de manejar y que surgi? como nuestro obvio ganador".

Adem?s de su ?ltima victoria en la contienda de Cars.com, el Honda Fit 2012 tambi?n es TOP SAFETY PICK (ELECCI?N ?PTIMA DE SEGURIDAD)) para el Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) y recibi? el "Premio de Valor Residual", edici?n 2012, de ALG. El Fit encabez? el Initial Quality Study(SM) (IQS), edici?n 2011 de J.D. Power and Associates en este segmento, y gan? seis veces el premio "10Best Cars" ("Los Mejores 10 Coches") de la revista Car and Driver, habiendo ganado el premio cada uno de los a?os que estuvo en venta en EE. UU.

Cars.com es un galardonado destino en l?nea para los compradores de coches, que ofrece informaci?n de los consumidores y los expertos para ayudar a los compradores a formarse una opini?n sobre qu? comprar, d?nde comprar y cu?nto pagar por un coche. Lanzado en junio del 1998, Cars.com es divisi?n de Classified Ventures LLC, de propiedad de importantes compa??as de medios.

Con?ctese con Honda:Sala de prensa para Medios (para periodistas): www.hondanews.comHonda Fit (para consumidores): http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/YouTube: www.youtube.com/hondaFlickr: www.flickr.com/hondanewsTwitter: www.twitter.com/hondaFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/hondafitGoogle+

FUENTE American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

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American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

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State issues rule to fix error in new car insurance law - Palm Beach Post

2012-05-09T21:28:00.000-07:00

By John Kennedy

Palm Beach Post Staff Writer

Updated: 8:36 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Posted: 6:48 p.m. Tuesday, May 8, 2012

TALLAHASSEE — A state agency issued a memo Tuesday aimed at fixing a flaw in Florida's new auto insurance law, which Gov. Rick Scott has hailed as one of the top accomplishments of the 2012 Florida Legislature.

The state's Agency for Health Care Administration said in the three-page memo that it intends to eliminate a six-month gap in eligibility for health care professionals that potentially would allow insurance companies not to pay some personal injury protection (PIP) providers such as doctors, chiropractors, medical schools and dentists.

Under the law signed by Scott last week, these providers were to lose their eligibility July 1.

Later in the act, providers' eligibility is restored - but not until Jan. 1, 2013, raising concerns about whether insurance companies might have legal standing to stiff health care professionals who treat accident victims covered by the $10,000 mandatory PIP policies Florida motorists carry.

The PIP system has been plagued by fraud and excessive billings, lawmakers and investigators have said. Scott pushed hard for the changes included in this year's legislation (HB 119), although critics say the new law is too favorable toward insurance companies and doesn't do enough to reduce PIP rates for consumers.

But whether a state agency can correct a conflict in law with a simple memo is a deeper question, said Mark Seidenfeld, an administrative law expert at Florida State University.

"A memo, executive order or rule issued by an agency can influence a court in deciding the intent of the new law," Seidenfeld said. "But there's no guarantee. You can be sure, though, this is going to be challenged in court."

Although not directly related to the problems with the new law, Miami personal injury attorney Marlene Reiss said she is already planning to sue to have the measure overturned as unconstitutional. Reiss contends the new law undermines a 38-year-old Florida Supreme Court ruling that endorsed the state's PIP law as effectively balancing a motorists' reduced rights to sue with the promise of swift payments of medical claims.

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Decrease in Accidents and Increase in Popularity for Telematics ... - PR Web (press release)

2012-05-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

(PRWEB UK) 8 May 2012

Telematics or “black box” car insurance uses satellite technology to collect data on the actual driving performance of motorists, looking at areas such as acceleration, braking and the time periods when a vehicle is driven. This data is then utilised to calculate car insurance premiums.

Analysis carried out by Co-operative Insurance that looked at 10,000 telematics insurance customers aged between 17 and 25 revealed that this group were 20% less likely to be involved in a crash than those with a standard policy. It also seems that drivers who opt to take out a telematics based car insurance policy have less serious accidents, as insurance claims from customers with a box fitted are typically 30% less than those without.

Telematics based car insurance was first introduced in 2006 by Aviva. At that time the technology was still relatively new and as such quite costly to install. Since then many more insurers have started to introduce these products and car insurance comparison site Tiger.co.uk has been quick to ensure it can offer a range of these products to its shoppers.

Andrew Goulborn, Commercial Director for the site, commented: “It is great to hear that telematics based insurance appears to be encouraging better driving habits among younger drivers. As evidenced by some analysis we carried out in April this year, this type of product appears to be growing in popularity not only among younger drivers, but across the driving population as a whole. Almost 15% of policy sales through our site are now accounted for by telematics products. The industry is predicting that the growth of these products will continue and as a comparison site we aim to keep on top of developments in this area and continue to offer shoppers a wide range of products. We are proud to say that we currently provide car insurance quotes from four telematics insurance providers on Tiger.co.uk and are in discussion with a further six providers about introducing their brands over the coming year.”

About Tiger.co.uk:
Tiger.co.uk is a trading name of Call Connection Ltd. Tiger.co.uk is a UK based, independent motor insurance comparison site, offering insurance quotes from over 140 insurance brands. Call Connection Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (number 308374).

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Prepare for Deep Auto Insurance Premium Drop Scenario, Celent ... - Insurance & Technology

2012-05-09T13:55:00.000-07:00

The combined impact of four technologies has the potential to drastically reduce the amount of auto premium, and thus overall premium, in the U.S. P&C insurance industry over the next decade, according to author Donald Light. Tags: Celent, Progressive,
Donald Light, CelentImagine a scenario in which U.S. auto insurance premium drops from 40 percent of the P&C industry total today to only 13 percent by 2022; imagine that, as a consequence, total industry premium itself will decline by 26 percent over the next decade. Owing to the potential influence of already-existing technologies, American P&C insurers should prepare for that "provocative but plausible" scenario explored in a new Celent (Boston) report, "A Scenario: The End of Auto Insurance. What Happens When There Are Almost No Accidents."

If a world with almost no auto accidents seems counterintuitive, that's largely because the technologies driving such a scenario — telematics, collision avoidance, automated traffic law enforcement, and, to a lesser extent robot cars — have tended to be considered separately in the public discussion, according to Donald Light, senior analyst, Celent, the author of the report.

"If you Google any one of these technologies you'll get an enormous number of hits but you won't see the impact on auto insurance," Light comments. "This report connects the dots."

Together these technologies have the potential to cause U.S. auto liability premium to drop from a current 25 percent of total industry premium to only 10 percent, and to lead auto physical damage to decline from 14 percent to 3 percent by 2022, the report says. The scenario explores how each of the technologies are likely to be adopted progressively in ascending order of impact, starting with telematics.

The four technologies at play in Celent's "End of Auto Insurance" Scenario in ascending order of industry impact.

Light stresses that the report considers a scenario rather than a prediction, but insists that insurers must begin to seriously consider the possibilities the scenario implies.

"This is the way things will move," he asserts. "The question is how far and how fast."

The answer to that question will largely be dictated by political will as expressed in what government will mandate, which will be conditioned in turn by voter demand and tolerance as well as the influence of manufacturers of the technologies in question.

Telematics and automated traffic law enforcement both faced initial resistance from the American public, Light acknowledges. First developed by Progressive in the U.S. about a decade ago, telematics saw its initial successes in Europe because of Americans' "Big Brother" concerns about their private activities. Automated traffic law enforcement — such as stop light cameras and speed cameras — has been met with similar concerns about surveillance, as well as complaints of malfunctions, law suits for wrongly issued citations, and even drivers in some locations taking out cameras with shotgun blasts. Multiple collision avoidance technologies are available today, but mostly as features offered in high-end automobiles, such as forward collision warning, lane departure warning, adaptive headlights and side-view assist, among several others. Robot cars form a much smaller influence in Celent's scenario but, as with all the other technologies, already exist — for example, Google's self-driving car.

In the decade or so since its inception, telematics has come to be regarded as a major opportunity for American insurers. Crash avoidance technology is a growth industry with the potential for significantly mitigating causes of accidents by supplementing drivers' abilities. Robot cars are most definitely on their way, over the longer term. The greatest variable for the Celent scenario is the degree to which the four technologies will be mandated for use, which itself will be a matter of push and pull involving legislators, regulators, voters and manufacturers. As Light writes in the report:

Celent does not make political predictions; however, it is plausible that political support for these changes would be based on value-oriented arguments invoking safety, security, and protection of the young and vulnerable. Political and financial support might also come from technology providers and automobile manufacturers.

Telematics has gained ground on just such an appeal on a commercial basis, with insurers marketing the capabilities to policyholders with teenaged children, and as all former student drivers will have heard, driving is a privilege rather than a right, so regulators have greater latitude in their control over this activity than others.

[For more on telematics see: Telematics-Powered Auto Insurance Poised to Grow Rapidly and Telematics Status Check: Opportunities Abound for Early Adopters.]

Having established the plausibility of the scenario, the Celent report details how declining auto premium is likely to manifest itself and counsels insurers to prepare. The given reduction in a given insurer's total premium will depend on the proportion of auto lines within the insurer's total book of business, according to the report, and sales service and claims will see the largest reductions in activity and budget levels should the scenario be realized.

Celent suggests specific questions that insurers must ask themselves, including how they are monitoring technology-driven changes in insured losses and what they should differently year-to-year. The report also addresses more fundamental – and potentially uncomfortable – business questions such as whether an insurer should grow its non-auto lines, pursue mergers and acquisitions, put itself up for sale, or simply accept its status as a smaller company.

While reemphasizing that the scenario is just that — a "could be" projection not a "will be" prediction — Light acknowledges that something along the lines of the scenario is almost bound to happen. However insurers decide to respond to this well-founded projection of possibility, he cautions, "Ignoring the scenario, and not watching to see how closely actual developments follow it is a poor option."

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Global Telematic Insurance Market to Overtake €50 Billion by 2020 - Sacramento Bee

2012-05-09T09:22:00.000-07:00

This section contains unedited press releases distributed by PR Newswire. These releases reflect the views of the issuing entity and are not reviewed or edited by the Sacramento Bee staff. More information on PR Newswire can be found on their web site. You can contact the service with questions or concerns here.

BRUSSELS, May 8, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ --

Pay As You Drive will shake up motor insurers worldwide

International strategy consulting firm PTOLEMUS Consulting Group has published the most comprehensive report ever written on Insurance Telematics.

The 400-page strategic report is set to become the industry's reference document, covering the global car insurance landscape, new telematic technologies, how they are turning the economics of the market upside down, response strategies for insurers and much more.

A free 60-page abstract of the study is available at http://www.ptolemus.com/insurance

With over 2 million customers, the Pay As You Drive (PAYD) market has reached its tipping point. We expect it to be multiplied by 50 by the end of the decade. Telematic-enabled policies will then generate €50 billion in premiums to insurers who have seized the opportunity.

This is good news for consumers worldwide. Low mileage- and safe drivers will stop subsidising fraudsters, road warriors and dangerous drivers. And save up to 50% on their car insurance premiums.

Frederic Bruneteau, Managing Director, describes the impact for insurers:

"Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the face, famously said Mike Tyson. Well, this is what could happen to numerous motor insurers if they do not reshape their strategy swiftly. The Internet is revolutionising all sectors and this is now the turn of the auto insurance industry. By enabling insurers to build their pricing based on the actual, real-time behaviour of drivers, PAYD redefines entirely the way to charge for motor risks. Underwriters must adapt to the new connected way of doing business.

After Italy, the wave is now reaching the UK and the US, where Moody's recommended underwriters to "adopt it sooner than later". We expect all developed countries to embrace the new model, with local technology- and business variants."

The study is notably based on 2 years of research and over 80 interviews with key industry players in 18 countries including ALD Automotive, Allianz, Arval, Aviva, Axa, Continental, Covea, Daimler, Denso, the Co-operative Insurance, the European Commission, Generali, Groupama, Hughes Telematics, ING, Navteq, Octo Telematics, Orange, MACIF, Magneti Marelli, MAIF, Mapfre, Michelin, NXP, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Qualcomm, SAP, Standard & Poor's, Telit, TomTom, Toyota, Trimble, Vodafone and Zurich.

Along with 220 tables and graphs, the report provides:

The Full Study and its free Abstract can be downloaded at http://www.ptolemus.com/insurance

About PTOLEMUS

PTOLEMUS Consulting Group is the first strategy consulting firm entirely focused on the domain of location-based services and telematics. Run by Partners in Brussels, Paris, Milan, Munich and Boston, PTOLEMUS assists leading companies in defining and executing their strategy.

For press interviews and other requests, please contact the Partner in charge of the study, who will speak at the Insurance Telematics Conference in London (9-10 May).

Tags: connected car, consulting, ITS, location-based services, M2M, motor insurance, Pay as you Drive, PAYD, PHYD, PTOLEMUS, report, research, telematics, strategy, Usage-based Insurance

SOURCE PTOLEMUS Consulting group

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Confused.com revolutionises car insurance by launching QuickQuote ... - USPRwire (press release)

2012-05-09T05:46:00.000-07:00

Confused.com revolutionises car insurance by launching QuickQuote mobile service

Confused.com has announced the launch of QuickQuote, a new mobile service that offers the fastest way to?get a cheap car insurance quote.

[USPRwire, Fri May 04 2012] Confused.com the leading price comparison site is revolutionising the car-insurance price-comparison quote process by launching a new mobile phone service called QuickQuote.

This simple mobile quote service is available for UK based customers and cannot be found on any other price comparison site. Customers of Confused.com can get a motor car insurance quote and save money just by simply having a mobile phone.

Confused.com have worked with Process Flows a well-established SMS vendor to create the first mobile phone service that changes the way a car insurance quote can be returned.?It?s the quickest way of getting a cheap quote when the renewal is due, or if people are just interested to see how much it would cost them to get insured on their dream car.

QuickQuote is an innovative way of allowing customers to get quick and easy car insurance quotes through their mobile phone. To use this simple service, the customer must have used Confused.com before. They simply text the number plate to 66800 and Confused.com will text back with the cheapest quote in seconds. Customers can get a quote for any car just by simply texting 66800 and it only costs ?1 per text.

Once the quote is received via their mobile phone, the customer can also access it via their Confused.com account and will be shown the range of car insurance quotes which are available through Confused.com. Currently 130 insurers are available on their panel, offering the biggest car insurance comparison service in the UK.

The advantage of QuickQuote is that the customer's details can be reused on subsequent occasions, saving customers the time and effort required to re-enter this information every single time they are looking to retrieve a quote on a vehicle.

Jeanette Fennell, Product Manager at business solution provider, ProcessFlows, developer behind the SMS technology driving the QuickQuote service said: "ProcessFlows was recommended to Confused.com. Our SMS technology is designed to meet the needs of large organisations who want to leverage the popularity of text to market and engage with an extensive audience in real-time. Confused.com continues to lead with innovative ideas that make shopping for car insurance quicker.? I am sure this latest campaign will be very popular with consumers. Our technical director is already reviewing his car insurance after texting to QuickQuote."

Mike Hoban, Marketing Director at Confused.com continues: "Confused.com revolutionised the search for car insurance 10 years ago through the launch of Confused.com. To follow on this success QuickQuote has been created to provide a quick and easy car insurance process which we have developed with Process Flows to help customers find cheaper car insurance and save them money. Conducting a car insurance quote can be a laborious task for motorists when it comes to buying or renewing their insurance. However with QuickQuote this will all change.

"With QuickQuote drivers can shop around and get the best quotes and hopefully save a hefty packet on the cost of car insurance in the process. For new car hunters it allows them to find out the kind of car insurance premiums that they could expect on a particular type of vehicle at any place or time; even on the vehicle forecourt, helping to make the big decision a little bit easier."

- Ends -

About Confused.com:
Confused.com was the UK's first price comparison site for car insurance. Confused.com is one of the UK?s biggest and most popular price comparison services. Launched in 2002, it generates over one million quotes per month. It has expanded its range of comparison products over the last couple of years to include more specialised insurances such as learner driver car insurance, womens car insurance, home insurance products such as buy to let home insurance and life insurance offerings such as mortgage life insurance.

PR Contact:
Sarah Wenham
Confused.com press office
Friary House
Greyfriars Road
Cardiff
CF10 3AE
02920 434275
www.confused.com

Company: Confused.com
Contact Name: Sarah Wenham
Contact Email: enquiries@pr-sending.co.uk
Contact Phone: 02920 434275
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The tune-up you need to give your vehicle's insurance - kjrh.com

2012-05-09T02:11:00.000-07:00

TULSA - Getting a bargain on car insurance resulted in a very costly problem for one Green Country resident.

Alberto went online looking for cheaper car insurance and signed up on a "name your own price" policy.
He says it did lower his insurance costs and then he got in an accident.

He says, "I took for granted I'd gotten full coverage. I didn't inspect the actual policy thoroughly. Turns out I didn't have full coverage so now I'm left with the rest of my car loan and the expense of towing on a car I can't drive."
The Oklahoma Insurance Department says there's some minimum coverage everyone is required to carry.

But everyone needs to decide on additional coverage based on their specific circumstances.

It will be different depending on whether you own the car outright or are still making payments.

Also the age of the vehicle and whether you chose coverage to protect you in the case of a hit and run accident or uninsured driver.

If you're not sure you fully understand everything offered you may want to find a local insurance agent who can explain all of your options.

The Oklahoma Insurance Department offers this information on the different types of auto insurance coverage available and what to do if you are in an accident:

Who Needs Auto Insurance?

Automobile accidents can cause great financial and economic insecurity. Financial loss may include property damage, medical bills, and legal costs if a lawsuit arises. Anyone who owns a car should purchase auto insurance so that these important financial protections are provided. Oklahoma requires the owner of a vehicle to purchase insurance and provide proof of financial responsibility. In addition, your auto lender may require you to purchase auto insurance to protect them against damage to a financed vehicle.

Liability Coverage

Most auto liability insurance policies contain three major parts: liability insurance for bodily injury, liability insurance for property damage, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.

Bodily injury liability insurance does not protect you or your car directly. If you cause an accident in which other people are injured due to your negligence, this insurance protects you against their claims for damages, such as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.

Property damage liability insurance pays for any damage you cause to the property of others, such as damage to another vehicle, fence, or tree caused by a collision.

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you directly. This coverage pays if you are injured by a hit-and-run driver or a driver who does not have auto liability insurance. This coverage, in effect, takes the place of the liability insurance that the other driver should have purchased but did not.

Underinsured motorist coverage applies when the other driver is at fault and whose limits of liability are lower than the damages you sustained. Your underinsured motorist coverage will pay you an additional amount up to your policy limits.

When purchasing liability coverage, you will need to determine the amount of coverage needed to protect yourself if a loss occurs. Oklahoma state law requires minimum auto coverage 25/50/25 (Title 47 § 7-204).

Coverage is often sold with per person and total per loss maximum amount. For example, 100/300/50 coverage means that you have coverage of $100,000 bodily injury liability insurance per person, $300,000 total bodily injury liability insurance per accident, and $50,000 property damage liability per accident.

Coverage for Your Car

There are two types coverage that you can choose to purchase to protect your car.

Collision Coverage pays for physical damage to your car as a result of your auto colliding with an object, such as another car or a tree.

Comprehensive Coverage pays for damage to your auto from almost all other losses other than collision. Covered losses under comprehensive coverage include the following: theft, fire, vandalism, weather related losses such as hail, water (flood), falling objects, damage caused by a bird or animal, and glass breakage.

When purchasing collision or comprehensive coverage, you will need to determine what your deductible should be. A deductible is the amount of money you agree to pay prior to the insurance company making any payment on a loss. Typical deductible amounts are $250, $500 or $1000.

Other Optional Coverage

Depending on what you want to protect against and how much money you want to spend, there are several other types of coverage which you may purchase.
These include:

Medical Payment Coverage (MPC) pays for the medical and funeral expenses for you or others injured or killed in an accident while riding in or driving your auto. This coverage also often extends to insured individuals that are struck by a vehicle while acting as a pedestrian. Covered expenses include hospital, surgical, chiropractor, dental, and funeral expenses. This might duplicate benefits provided

by your health insurer.

Rental reimbursement coverage or transportation expenses pay for a rental car if your vehicle is damaged by a covered loss. This coverage is usually purchased with a daily and total maximum. For example, $20 per day up to a total of $600.

Towing or Emergency Road Service coverage pays the cost of towing your car to a repair shop.

What To Do In Case Of An Accident

If you are in an accident, you should:

Remain calm.

Telephone the proper authorities and inform them of any injuries. Regardless of the circumstances, report the accident to the police.

Check for any injuries and administer first aid if necessary.

Record the name, address and phone number of the other driver. Always write down the make and license number of all vehicles involved.
Collect the names, addresses and phone numbers of all passengers and witnesses.

Take photos of the accident scene if possible.

Do not admit fault.
Ask the investigating officer how to obtain a copy of the police report.
Notify your agent or insurance company immediately.

Key Points to Remember When Considering an Auto Policy

Your auto insurance policy will financially protect you up to your policy limits for auto damage or injuries resulting from an auto accident.

Be aware of the types of coverage offered and what is required in Oklahoma.

Review your auto policy and stay informed on what and whom your auto policy will cover.

Know your state's minimum amount of liability coverage required, and decide what amount is best for your situation. Oklahoma's minimum is 25/50/25.
The state in which you reside will have either a tort or no-fault system in place. Oklahoma has a tort system.

Know how to file a claim with your insurance company.

When an accident occurs, know what to do to protect yourself and others around you.

The Oklahoma Insurance Department, an agency of the State of Oklahoma, is responsible for the education and protection of the insurance-buying public and for oversight of the insurance industry in the state. Consumers who would like more information are encouraged to contact the Department's Consumer Hotline at (800) 522-0071.

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comparethemarket.com Welcomes New Car Panel Member - Sacramento Bee

2012-05-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

LONDON, May 8, 2012 -- /PRNewswire/ --

comparethemarket.com, one of the UK's leading price comparison websites, has announced it is adding Flux Direct to its car insurance panel.

A specialist insurance broker, Flux Direct has access to a wide range of schemes for virtually anything on four wheels, from classic cars to modified or performance vehicles and even supercars. With decades of experience in niche motor insurance markets, Flux Direct provides a lifeline to customers who sometimes struggle to find competitive quotes.

David Jackson, Director of Insurance Partnerships at comparethemarket.com said: "Flux Direct brings a different dimension to comparethemarket.com, helping us to extend our offering even further. We're pleased that this move will enable us to give more customers competitive options for their car insurance."

Specialising in more than just car insurance, comparethemarket.com provides customers with an easy way to find the right deal on a wide range of insurance and financial products including home insurance, van insurance, bike insurance, life insurance, pet insurance and credit cards. It also offers comparisons for a range of household utilities including electricity, gas, phone, broadband and digital TV.

About comparethemarket.com

comparethemarket.com is a trading name of BISL Limited. BISL Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority.

Registered Address: Pegasus House, Bakewell Road, Orton Southgate, Peterborough, PE2 6YS. Registered in England number 3231094.

SOURCE comparethemarket.com