Auto Insurance and Cell Phones

Studies have shown that driving while texting can be as dangerous as driving under the influence. Because of this many states have passed legislation to make certain types of cell phone usage against the law. In some cases, using a cell while driving can cause you to obtain a "careless driving" violation which may impact your auto insurance rates.

In the past decade six states have passed a ban on cell phone use while driving. These states include Connecticut, California, New York, New Jersey, Washington and Utah. The District of Columbia has also passed this. There are six states who have authorized cities to ban cell phone use including Pennsylvania, Ohio, New Mexico, Michigan, Massachusetts and Illinois.

To learn more on this topic you can read the full article http://www.iihs.org/laws/cellphonelaws.aspx.

Health Insurance Reform - What Do Doctors Think

Lindsey Tanner wrote an article entitled “Doctors signal they’ll work with Obama” published in the Associated Press discussing Obama's meeting with the American Medical Association (AMA).

The AMA is a group of doctors representing the nation. Traditionally, the AMA is conservative and have fought previous administrations' health care reform attempts. There was speculation that they were going to create an obstacle for Obama and his health insurance plan. But after Obama spoke to the doctors at their annual meeting in Chicago, the AMA signaled that they won't close the door on his health insurance proposal. Specifically, they are not against the part where public health insurance will compete with private insurers.

Obama's trip to Chicago for this meeting shows how much the President values the AMA's support. They would have liked a stronger endorsement, but this is a small battle in the large fight ahead for the Obama administration.

Auto Insurance Prices Drop in May

More and more Americans are trying to save money so it comes as good news that auto insurance rates dropped in May according to an article on IFAWebnews. The average rate was as low as $1871 in May, 2009. It got as high as $1950 in Sept, 2008.

It's a good time for lower auto insurance rates because industry experts say new auto sales will be increasing, potentially by 9%, in June over May. Dealers are trying to get 2009 cars off the lots to make room for the 2010 cars coming in. As buyers purchase new cars they will need to update their auto insurance policies and many will shop around. Because of the economy slump new car sales have been down. A pick up in car sales will have an impact on auto insurance. Having a new car may change your insurance rate so it's important to get a quote from numerous auto insurance companies to ensure you are getting the best deal.

Health Care Spending Needs to be Lowered

A report was released today by President Obama's economic team stating that the growth in health care spending needs to be decreased from 6% to 4.5% to show huge benefits for the economy. Some of these benefits would include creating up to 500,000 new jobs and increasing the average family income by $2600 over the next 10 years. Cutting these health insurance costs and covering the 46 million people who are currently not insured would increase economic stability by about $100 billion per year.

This goal is incredibly aggressive and barely seems possible. Obama's economic advisers realize that decreasing spending by 1.5% will be very challenging, but if the goal can be attained it could mean a huge benefit for companies, families and the US economy, which is definitely needed. Health care spending right now accounts for 18% of gross domestic product and could be up to 34% by 2040 if reform does not take place. Obama also met with industry leaders recently who are pledging to find $2 trillion in health savings over 10 years. It is definitely a priority on Obama's agenda and he thinks reform is a must.

Oxford Health Insurance Quick Reference Guide for Swine Flu

With the US recently declaring a public health emergency in response to swine flu, Oxford Health Insurance, owned by UnitedHealthcare, put out a quick reference guide to better understand how to safeguard yourself and people around you.

This has come at a valuable time since many are confused about how to protect themselves from swine flu, and also do not understand the ramifications of the disease spreading. View the quick reference guide and if you have any other questions contact Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website.

Donegal Insurance Released Its 2009 First Quarter Earnings

On April 24, 2009 Donegal Insurance stated their 2009 first quarter earnings. The first quarter net income was $169,804 (.01 per share of Class A common stock on a diluted basis). The Company was expecting a lower net income for the First Quarter citing severe winter weather as well as an unusually high number of fire loss claims. Both of these factors adversely affected their net income 1st quarter, 2009.

Donegal Insurance is an insurance company with subsidiaries that provide personal & commercial property and casualty lines of insurance in 18 states in the US.

Keeping Teen Drivers Safe

Car crashes are the #1 killer of our nation's teens. Through education teens can learn how to be safer and prevent devastating accidents.

It's crucial to talk about road safety with your teen as well as establish rules and consequences you can agree on. Discuss when, where, how and with whom your teen is allowed to drive. Limit the number of passengers in the car and enforce a curfew. Insist that all passengers wear seat belts and encourage your teen to call for a ride home if any alcohol or drugs are involved.

Ensure your teen understands the enormous responsibility that comes with having their license. With the proper information and rules, lives may be saved. When it has been determined that your teen is a safe driver and you have to add them to your auto insurance policy, be sure to shop around for the best price.