Comprehensive and collision are two different types of auto insurance coverage. You may want to bundle them together for added protection. Comprehensive may cover situations that collision does not, and vice versa.

What Is Comprehensive Auto Insurance?

Comprehensive pays for damage to your vehicle caused by non-collision-related covered events. These events may include vandalism, theft, hail, or fire. Comprehensive may also cover a collision with an animal, such as a deer, or damage caused by an object, such as a tree or a rock, falling on your car.

What Does Collision Cover?

Collision covers damage to your automobile in case of a covered accident involving a crash with another vehicle. Depending on the extent of the damage, this insurance may cover repairs or full replacement of your vehicle. Collision covers damage to your vehicle if you hit an object, such as a tree. It can also cover damage caused by a rollover accident or hitting a pothole in the road.

Why Buy Collison and Comprehensive Auto Insurance?

We all need liability auto insurance. Every state in the U.S. has mandatory minimum liability auto insurance laws. This coverage, which is considered part of the social responsibility of driving, pays for damage you cause to others in case of a crash. Comprehensive and collision coverage is designed to do what liability coverage will not do – pay for damage to or loss of your car. If you have liability, collision and comprehensive insurance, you have what is considered full coverage on your vehicle.

Do You Need Both Comprehensive and Collision Coverage?

You may need both collision and comprehensive coverage if:

• Your car is newer or of higher value: This means you have more to protect and may not want to risk paying out of pocket for repairs or replacement.
• You commute or frequently put a lot of miles on your vehicle: The more you drive, the greater the risk of an accident.
• You live in an area where damage is more likely to occur: If the area where you live or frequently drive has wildlife, such as deer or elk, a greater possibility of falling tree branches, or a greater likelihood of other types of damage, added protection may be a wise choice.

How Do Collision and Comprehensive Insurance Work?

Comprehensive and collision insurance are often sold together as a package. Both types of coverage typically come with a deductible. Common deductible amounts are $250, $500, or $1,000. If you make a claim on your collision or comprehensive coverage, the payout amount will be reduced by the amount of your deductible. Some insurance companies reward policyholders for safe driving with diminishing deductibles that go down over time if certain types of claims are not made against the policy.

The types and amount of auto insurance coverage you need can depend on several factors, including the age and value of your automobile, how much you drive and where, and the area where you live. Our friendly agent can advise you on the right types of car insurance to provide the protection you need.

If your boat is kept in a cold winter weather area without heated storage, you will want to winterize before the first freeze sets in. You can pay someone else to winterize it for you, or save money by doing it yourself in a few simple steps.

Steps for Winterizing an Inboard/Outboard Drive Boat

Gather Your Tools and Supplies

A factory service manual could be an invaluable reference to help you locate all the drain ports and cooling units on your boat. You will also need tools and materials, including:

• Oil suction pump
• Lube injection pump
• Drain plug gaskets
• Screwdrivers
• Socket wrenches
• Combination wrenches
• RV antifreeze
• Fogging oil
• Oil filter
• Motor oil
• Bucket

Clean the Carburetor and Change the Engine Oil

First, change the oil and filter. Remove the dipstick and insert the suction hose in the dipstick tube to take out the old oil. Then replace the filter and add fresh oil.

Next, fill the gas tank with non-oxygenated fuel, add a fuel stabilizer, and run your boat to a landing. While the boat is still in the water, take the spark arrestor out of the carburetor and fog the engine. Take the boat out of the water on a trailer to perform the remaining steps.

Drain Off the Coolant

Tip the trailer and place a bucket under the hull drain. Use an open or box-end wrench to remove the hull plug. Get in the boat and start removing drain plugs or hoses near the top of the engine. Make sure to remove plugs or hoses from the oil cooler, block drain plugs, power steering cooler, and exhaust manifolds. Instead of screwing the drains open, you can remove the entire valve, for better drainage and to prevent the wings from breaking off.

When the boat is finished draining, reinstall all the plugs and hoses, except for the block drain plugs. Remove the hose attached to the thermostat housing, or the thermostat itself, and pour in RV antifreeze until it comes out of the block drains. Once it stops draining antifreeze, re-insert the hull and block drain plugs.

Lubricate Lower Unit

Take the bottom drain plug out of the lower unit, allow it to drain for a few minutes, and remove the upper vent plug. When all the old lube has drained out, use a screw-in pump nozzle to refill it with fresh high-performance lube. Put new gaskets in the vent and drain holes and reinstall plugs.

Charge the Battery

As a final step, remove the terminals and fully charge the battery. You can leave the charged battery in the boat or bring it inside and attach it to a maintainer. Now that winterizing is done, you can cover your boat until spring.

Get the Right Insurance Coverage

Boat insurance can help protect you against damage to your boat, new boat replacement, and liability for personal injury, property damage, or fuel spills. Our agent can help you find the right boat insurance policy to protect your investment.

Learning to drive and getting a license is an important step in the process of becoming an adult. But that does not make it any less stressful for the teen’s parents! It is nearly impossible not to worry when you are aware of teen driving accident statistics and know how susceptible that age group can be to driver distraction. If you are a parent of a teen driver, the following guidelines can give you greater peace of mind and help ensure your teenager is safer when behind the wheel.

Set a Good Example

Whether you realize it or not, your teen is watching what you do and hearing what you say. Teenagers make mental notes of their parents’ behavior, and that includes what they do while they are behind the wheel of a car. It is critical that you set a good example while operating a motor vehicle. Buckle your seatbelt, stick to speed limits, drive safely and responsibly, and never drive distracted or impaired.

Teach Your Teen to Slow Down

Speeding or driving too fast for conditions are among the most dangerous driving conduct common in young, inexperienced drivers. Excessive speed is a major contributing factor to traffic crashes nationwide. Explain the laws of physics to your son or daughter. The faster a vehicle is traveling, the more time and distance is required to stop, and the greater the impact in a collision.

Outlaw Texting and Driving

Texting while driving is the most alarming form of driver distraction, as stated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It requires visual, manual, and cognitive attention and takes the driver’s eyes off the road for five seconds at a time – equivalent to the length of a football field at 55 mph. Consider installing an app, many of which are free and offered by your cell service provider, which silences calls and texts once the speed of the vehicle reaches 15 mph, sends auto-replies, and can alert you if the app is turned off.

Consider a Dash Camera

Dash cameras are video cameras that can be installed in your vehicle to record footage of the exterior and/or the interior of the vehicle. With a two-channel model, one camera records what is in front of the vehicle, and the other records the interior of the vehicle and what is behind it. Parents are able to view this footage after a teen drives the car to monitor safe driving habits and determine if anyone else was in the vehicle. This camera footage also provides evidence of how an accident happened if one should occur.

Keep Your Teen Off the Road at Night

Fatal crashes are more likely to occur after the sun goes down, as stated by the CDC. For the first six months of driving, make it a rule for your teen not to drive after 9:00 p.m. When he or she has six months of experience, go out with your teen and practice night driving.

Make Sure You Have the Right Auto Insurance Coverage

Having a teen driver in the family increases your risk of liability and your need for medical coverage. It can also increase your premiums. Our agent can help you find the car insurance coverage you need at the best available rates.