***Winter weather Driving Tips***

Driving On Snow and Ice: 10 Safety Tips

Expert Advice to Prevent a Car Crash, by Mac Demere,

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

The best tip for winter driving: Sometimes it's best to stay home, or at least remain where you are until snow plows and sanding crews have done their work. If you crash on a snowy or icy road, you'll certainly be late — or worse. But since you can't always call in to work claiming a "snow day," it's better to learn how to correctly deal with driving in the snow.

I've battled snow- and ice-covered highways in two-dozen states behind the wheel of both passenger vehicles and 18-wheelers. I've performed hundreds of tire tests on snow-covered roads, attended snow-driving schools and done precision (translation: "barely in control") driving in the snow for videos and still photos. From this experience, here are some snow driving tips the average driver can follow to reduce the chances of a crash.

1.    Get a grip. To have adequate snow traction, a tire requires at least 6/32-inch deep tread, according to The Tire Rack. (New passenger-car tires usually have 10/32-inch of tread.) Ultrahigh-performance "summer" tires have little or no grip in snow. Even "all-season" tires don't necessarily have great snow traction: Some do, some don't. If you live where the roads are regularly covered with snow, use snow tires (sometimes called "winter tires" by tire makers). They have a "snowflake on the mountain" symbol on the sidewall, meaning they meet a tire-industry standard for snow traction.

2.    Make sure you can see. Replace windshield wiper blades. Clean the inside of your windows thoroughly. Apply a water-shedding material (such as Rain-X) to the outside of all windows, including the mirrors. Make sure your windshield washer system works and is full of an anti-icing fluid. Drain older fluid by running the washers until new fluid appears: Switching fluid colors makes this easy.

3.    Run the air-conditioner. In order to remove condensation and frost from the interior of windows, engage your air-conditioner and select the fresh air option: its fine to set the temperature on "hot." Many cars automatically do this when you choose the defrost setting.

4.    Check your lights. Use your headlights so that others will see you and, we hope, not pull out in front of you. Make sure your headlights and taillights are clear of snow. If you have an older car with sand-pitted headlights, get a new set of lenses. To prevent future pitting, cover the new lens with a clear tape like that used to protect the leading edge of helicopter rotor blades and racecar wings. It's available from auto-racing supply sites.

5.    Give yourself a brake. Learn how to get maximum efficiency from your brakes before an emergency. It's easy to properly use antilock brakes: Stomp, stay and steer. Stomp on the pedal as if you were trying to snap it off. Stay hard on the pedal. Steer around the obstacle. (A warning: A little bit of steering goes a very long way in an emergency. See Tip 8.) If you drive on icy roads or roads that are covered with snow, modify your ABS technique: After you "Stomp" and the ABS begins cycling — you will feel pulses in the pedal or hear the system working — ease up slightly on the pedal until the pulsing happens only once a second. For vehicles without ABS, you'll have to rely on the old-fashioned system: You. For non-ABS on a mixed-surface road, push the brake pedal hard until the wheels stop rolling, then immediately release the brake enough to allow the wheels to begin turning again. Repeat this sequence rapidly. This is not the same as "pumping the brake." Your goal is to have the tires producing maximum grip regardless of whether the surface is snow, ice or damp pavement.

6.    Watch carefully for "black ice." If the road looks slick, it probably is. This is especially true with one of winter's worst hazards: "black ice." Also called "glare ice," this is nearly transparent ice that often looks like a harmless puddle or is overlooked entirely. Test the traction with a smooth brake application or slight turn of the wheel.

7.    Remember the tough spots. Race drivers must memorize the nuances of every track, so they can alter their path for changing track conditions. You must remember where icy roads tend to occur. Bridges and intersections are common places. Also: wherever water runs across the road. I know people who lost control on ice caused by homeowners draining above-ground pools and by an automatic lawn sprinkler that sprayed water onto a street in freezing temperatures.

8.    Too much steering is bad. If a slick section in a turn causes your front tires to lose grip, the common — but incorrect — reaction is to continue turning the steering wheel. That's like writing checks on an overdrawn account: It won't improve the situation and may make things worse. If the icy conditions end and the front tires regain grip, your car will dart whichever way the wheels are pointed. That may be into oncoming traffic or a telephone pole. Something very similar happens if you steer too much while braking with ABS. Sadly, there are situations where nothing will prevent a crash, but turning the steering too much never helps.

9.    Avoid rear-tire slides. First, choose a car with electronic stability control. Fortunately, ESC will be mandatory on all 2012 models. Next, make sure your rear tires have at least as much tread as your front tires. Finally, if you buy winter tires, get four.

10.  Technology offers no miracles. All-wheel drive and electronic stability control can get you into trouble by offering a false sense of security. AWD can only help a vehicle accelerate or keep moving: It can't help you go around a snow-covered turn, much less stop at an icy intersection. ESC can prevent a spinout, but it can't clear ice from the roads or give your tires more traction. Don't let these lull you into overestimating the available traction.

Regardless of your driving skill or vehicle preparation, there are some winter conditions that can't be conquered. But these tips may help prevent snowy and icy roads from ruining your day.

Additional Resources 

Virginia Department of Travel (VDOT) has put together this useful PDF file and, a worthwhile download 

AAA has arranged these helpful driving tips

Ice Storms can cause power failures at traffic signals, take this advice from the Fairfax County Police  and be safe. 

Workers Compensation and Independent Contractors

Recently I did some work for a local small contracting company. Like many small contractors, they rely on 1099 or independent contractors as a mainstay for their labor requirements. This new client was surprised when he received a letter in the mail from the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission informing him, that pursuant to section 65.2-902 of the Virginia code, he was subject to a fine of up to $5,000 if he failed to comply with law, and secure a Workers Compensation policy.

Now, scary language aside, what to do? More often than not employers enter into 1099 arrangements to avoid engagements, like work comp, so it would follow that this regulation seems onerous. But let’s not be too hasty with that judgment, perhaps there is more to this?

What does a Workers Compensation policy afford a business owner? Like all insurance policies, it transfers risk. But, Ian – these are independent contractors, don’t they work at their own risk? Of course that’s the nub of the question, right; and the answer is sometimes. Yes, they are working at their own risk when they could be doing work for you, or someone else, at any given time and place, for example a software developer, to whom you give a task, and ask only that they return your order by a date certain. If however, your 1099 is told by you to report to a specific place, at a given time, and work only on your task, than you do have a workers compensation exposure, that contractor isn't truly independent, at least not at that time, and should they get hurt, your business could find itself paying bills it never budgeted for. In this instance a Workers Compensation Policy is very useful.

Of course all of that is only the dry and rather boring insurance detention stuff. This whole aspect of 1099’s becomes far more complex when one actually goes to the market in an effort to secure a policy. Workers Compensation carriers as a matter of course ask for threes prior loss runs, as part of their application, fail to provide them, and most likely you’ll be declined. Rather a frustrating thing for many contractors, since they don’t have an existing workers compensation policy, with three years prior loss runs, they are brand new to the market. This often comes to ahead when a smaller contractor earns an opportunity to work for a larger contractor as a sub. The larger contractor will ask their new sub for a certificate of insurance, the sub, lacking a working compensation policy, is left scrambling.

This issue tends to set off a time consuming and aggravating experience of calling insurance agents and 800’s numbers in search of a work comp policy for their company. The business owners seeking a worker’s Compensation policy find themselves at a crossroads in the insurance industry, caught between their need to buy an insurance policy they need in order to manage their business, and insurance sales people who tend to shy away from difficult challenges without clearly defined commissions. Business owners will hear a range of response, but the bottom line tends to be, sorry but  can’t help ya.

Sturdevant Agency is much different; helping to resolve these challenges affords us an excellent opportunity to better understand our clients, their needs, and their business.  Yes, these are more difficult cases, it is a challenge to find a carrier willing to work with a new enterprise, but we’re willing to do the work to earn our clients trust, respect and business. Workers Compensation doesn't pay huge commissions, but frankly, commission growth is an endpoint of client satisfaction, and its client satisfaction not commission growth that is our primary motivation.

If you are seeking a Workers Compensation policy for your business, please give us shout, we’re always happy to meet new clients, and help new friends.

Sturdevant Agency
"Protecting that which you cherish most"

(703) 822 7505 

Usage based Auto Insurance article, (Smart Money)

More Americans say they're willing to be spied on – if it reduces their auto insurance rates.

Of the more than 2,000 consumers surveyed for LexisNexis Risk Solutions, half said they’d sign up for usage-based insurance if they’d save at least 10 percent on their premiums.

That comes at a time when the average auto insurance premium soared by $153 between 2012 and 2013, according to a study by J.D. Power.

Not all insurers offer usage-based or pay-as-you-drive auto insurance programs, or they may only offer them in certain states, so you may have to check with a number of insurance companies to find one that has what you want.

The LexisNexis survey found that more than a third of consumers would be willing to switch companies if they could save at least 10 percent on their premiums.

While big savings are possible with pay-as-you-drive – some insurers tout discounts of up to 50 percent — there’s no guarantee you’ll save that kind of cash.

The sweet spot in savings comes to someone who doesn’t drive a lot, drives safely, and stays off the road in the middle of the night.

We did a TV news story about pay-as-you-drive insurance a couple of years ago. Check it out, and then read on for more.

How it works:

Programs such as Progressive’s Snapshot send you a device that plugs into your vehicle’s onboard diagnostic port, which is usually located beneath the steering column. It then records information on your mileage and driving habits and sends them to your insurance company.

State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save program uses your auto’s OnStar, In-Drive or Sync communication system to collect your driving information.

What it looks at:

What’s taken into account when setting your discount depends on the auto insurance company. Along with looking at how much you drive, some insurers are interested in seeing how you drive and when you drive.

Allstate says you should benefit the most from its Drivewise program if you drive no more than 12,000 miles a year. You could still see some cost savings if you drive 12,000 to 15,000 miles each year. (Your insurer may already provide a discount if you drive less than 12,000 a year. Call and ask.)

Besides tracking mileage, insurers may check to see if you brake hard, if you make jack-rabbit starts, if you speed, or if you routinely drive late at night or in the wee hours of the morning.

How much can I save?

Like everything auto insurance-related, discounts vary from person to person and state to state.

State Farm promises a discount of up to 50 percent with its Drive Safe & Save program.

With Allstate’s Drivewise program, you’ll get a 10 percent discount when you sign up, but the full discount won’t kick in until your policy renews. At that time, you can save up to 30 percent on your rates.

Progressive also offers you an unspecified initial discount when you try Snapshot, and the complete discount after your information has been collected for five months.

What can happen to my information?

While the insurance companies that have pay-as-you-drive programs make assurances that your driving data is safe from prying eyes, there are still privacy concerns about how the information might ultimately be used.

For instance, Brent Hunsberger wrote in The Oregonian:

“Can others get the information? Law enforcement certainly can, and the information could be sought as part of a civil lawsuit.”

Despite those privacy concerns, industry experts predict 20 percent of consumers will have usage-based insurance in the next five years, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Are you willing to share more information with an insurance company to qualify for lower rates? Let us know on our Facebook page.

For more information: Sturdevant Agency or Ian Sturdevant 

Insurance what it is and what it's not

I talk to a lot folks about their insurance needs, be they car, home, or business owners, and they all tend to ask me for the same thing – a cheap deal.

Let’s start with the basics, what is insurance? In its most basic form insurance is a transfer of risk. An insurance policy is a contract, where by you, the consumer, become the insured. The insurance company agrees to take the risk that you transfer to them, in exchange of a fee, known as a premium.

The premium is the part of this process most of know well, it’s related to us in the form of a bill that arrives every month or so. Our desire when we shop for a new policy is to get a better rate, or lower premium.

Fair enough, I’m always happy to help my clients and prospective clients save money, and there are many ways to program an insurance policy to make it less expensive, as reflected in the monthly premiums.

Thing is – the PRICE of insurance isn't always the same as the COST of insurance. The price is what we just talked about, the premium, that bill you pay every month. The cost, of insurance is a formula, add your premiums, to your deductibles, plus any uncovered losses, and that is the real cost of your insurance policy.

Now, that’s a bit of a mouthful- so what does it all mean. Well, we know about the premiums, let’s talk about deductibles next.

Deductibles are the amount the risk you are retaining when you buy an insurance policy. If you have a $2000 loss on your car, and a $500 deductible, the first, and it’s key to remember FIRST, $500 used to pay for the repairs will come from your deductible, in other words, your pocket. A higher deductible will mean a lower premium, which is good, but at time of lose; you will need to dig a little deeper.

The last part of that formula was uncovered losses. This is the hard part for me as an insurance professional. Sadly, I see the impact unfortunate choices, mostly when purchasing auto insurance, and how they play out later. Again, focused on premium, state minimum coverage limits are procured. To be sure, such limits can, though not always, make the final premium, less expensive. Once the policy provisions are maxed out, the balance of the loss, will be borne by the insured, you.

In our prior example, your car was damaged, which is a bummer, but in the grand scheme of things, survivable. Now imagine, instead of your car, it was someone else’s car that you damaged, and there are people inside, and they are hurt. These costs can be huge, much more than the state minimums.

What I’m talking about is liability. And to be fair, when you sit down with me to transfer your risk, it’s your liability risk that is first and foremost on my mind. The exposure you have to a liability loss is ever-present, and limited only by the imagination of the lawyer who sues you.

With that in mind, I advise my clients to buy insurance based on these fundamental principles.

1. Mitigate losses to your property – risk management (both personal and commercial)

2. Buy the highest deductible you can afford – this is a personal choice but a good rule of thumb is this question. If you would not put in a claim at that value (i.e. $750) than your $500 deductible is too low, and you should consider raising it.

3. Buy a policy with liability limits as high as you can afford – uncovered liability losses can wipe you out financially, remember what you are buying, a transfer of risk, and transfer as much of your risk as you can.

4. Work with an agent who will give it to you straight – it pays to shop your rate around and get some competitive quotes. You may also find some sales folks willing say just about anything in order to entice you with a lower premium. Find one you trust, willing to lay their cards out on the table for you. Remember the lowest price may not be the best deal for you and your family. It might just be a – cheap deal.

For more information: Sturdevant Agency  or Ian Sturdevant