Results tagged “Auto”

The government of Canada has published the regulations surrounding low-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) automotive refinishing products.
The regulations introduce VOC concentration limits for 14 categories of coatings and surface cleaners, which are used for refinishing or repairing the painted surfaces of automobiles, trucks, and other mobile equipment, according to Environment Canada's Web site.
The regulations will come into force on June 18, 2010 -- one year after the regulations were registered -- to allow for a transition period for automotive and refinishing product manufacturers and importers, according to Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Concentration Limits for Automotive Refinishing Products Regulations.

Kanetix.ca has released the top 10 most popular hybrids quoted for 2008, as determined by auto insurance quotes sought on the site.
The top 10-quoted hybrids for the first six months of 2008 are:
• Toyota Prius
• Honda Civic Hybrid
• Toyota Camry Hybrid
• Ford Escape Hybrid
• Toyota Highlander Hybrid
• Lexus RX400h
• Honda Accord Hybrid
• Nissan Altima Hybrid
• Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
• Saturn Vue Green Line Hybrid
With the rising cost of gas prices, the hybrid market seems to be steadily rising as well, according to a kanetix.ca release.
"In the first six months of 2008, hybrid auto insurance quotes on our site have already reached 74% of 2007's total," George Small, co-founder of kanetix.ca, explains in the release. "If the trend continues, 2008's total hybrid quote activity should not only match 2007 but actually exceed it by almost 50%."
Hybrids are marketed as an environmentally friendly way to save you gas money, Gregory Ellis, co-founder of kanetix.ca notes in the release. "Of course, when it comes to money-saving potential there are other considerations, too -- like the cost of insurance."

Ontario auto rates are on the rise, according to data posted by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario (FSCO), the regulator of the province's insurers.
Rate applications approved for 2008 Q1 averaged +1.05%, based on the entire market, FSCO noted in an online bulletin.
Rate changes approved in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2007 were -10.60%, -2.43%, -1.27% and +0.55%, respectively, for the entire market.
In 2008 Q1, for the 43.37% of the market that had rate changes approved, the average rate change was +2.42%, when weighted by market share.

Desjardins General Insurance (DGI) is now offering direct home and auto insurance in Ontario.

Forty per cent of collision repair centres responding to a Canadian Collision Industry Forum (CCIF) survey noted they have suffered a loss of tradespeople within the last year, potentially affecting the cycle times of car repairs and, as a result, affecting insurers' costs.
On average, a collision repair shop has five technicians on staff, the research found. But these same shops reported they have lost an average of two tradespeople in the last 12 months, Jay Perry, the owner and founder of Automotive Business Consultants (ABC), told attendees at a January 2008 CCIF meeting in Toronto.
"That's huge," he added. "If you consider the initial statistic of five average techs and then you've lost two in the last 12 months we are losing a lot of people to a lot of other trades and there are a myriad of reasons for that."

DENVER (AP) - A woman involved in a two-vehicle crash in Denver more than two years ago has gone back to court in an effort to get an insurance company to pay up.

Shantel Gonzales was riding with a friend on Father's Day 2005 when the vehicle in which she was a passenger collided with a truck.

Gonzales was 22 weeks pregnant at the time. Doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section, delivering a boy that Gonzales named Marco. But he was born 3.5 months premature, and lived for just over an hour.

Gonzales sued Shelter Insurance for damages, and a jury last year awarded her $130,000.

The woman's attorney says Shelter hasn't paid that verdict, though it did pay $14,000 toward her medical expenses.

Shelter would not comment.

The trial is expected to last three or four days.

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1. Take a driver safety course.

2. Increase your deductible.

3. Forgo comprehensive and/or collision coverage.

4. Compare prices regularly.

5. Use the same company for homeowners and auto insurance.

6. Take advantage of group discounts.

7. Choose a vehicle that is less expensive to insure.

8. Use your clean credit report to your advantage.

9. Ask about discounts for young drivers.

10. Pay your premium in advance.

Detailed description about the above top 10 tips to save your Auto Insurance bill, click here.

Court discourages lawyer from adding insurer as defendant ‘just in case’

It would appear from a review of these cases that it is the practice of plaintiff’s counsel to commence an action against the plaintiff’s own insurer ‘just in case’ a coverage problem should arise in the course of the action, without there being any reason to believe that such a problem exists at the time of the inception of the action. Such a practice should be discouraged.

Liberty – State Police have arrested a 51-year-old North Branch man on a charge of insurance fraud.

State Police and the state Insurance Frauds Bureau conducted an investigation involving false information provided to an insurance company by Edward Lama.

Police said Lama owns and operates two businesses in Brooklyn, yet he obtained insurance coverage for his vehicles by listing an address in the Town of Callicoon as the business location.

The phony business addresses defrauded the insurance company out of mover $3,000, authorities said.

Lama was arraigned and committed to the Sullivan County Jail on $3,000 bail.

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