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The Possibly Surprising Truth About Summertime On the Open Road

June 26, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

It may seem to go against logic to an upper Midwesterner who has braved the ice and snow on the roads year after year when winter comes along, but there are more auto accidents nationwide in the summer.

The fact is that automobile accidents have consistently peaked in July and August, while January and February have historically been found to see the fewest roadway accidents, nationally.

Analysts will attribute the lower number of incidents in the winter to the fact that Americans travel by road the least number of miles during that time. It stands to reason that the less time you are on the road, the less chance of incident, even though it is true that most accidents occur within 10 miles of the person’s home. This should not discourage you from taking that summer road trip you’ve no doubt been planning since the first snowflake fell last winter. With a little vigilance and planning you can keep your trip safe and memorable for the right reasons.

Since the peak season is upon us, let’s run through some of the major factors that make driving in the summer so perilous, and what you can do to avoid the headaches and potential danger. Some of them are more obvious than others but really cannot be overstated. And never forget that in most of these cases the power is in your hands:

• Keep an eye on construction that is being done on the path you plan to take. Find an alternate route if the construction is heavy. It may mean a little extra time on the road, but even this can be quality time with the family.

• Another one that many people don’t consider when planning a trip is that you, as well as many of the people you’ll be sharing the road with, are on an unfamiliar road. All of this means your reaction to the unexpected will likely not be as smooth as you assume. It all goes back to, again, planning and knowing your route ahead of time.

• You’ve probably been warned that excessive cold and excessive heat can damage your tires as well as your engine. What is not so often talked about is how excessive heat and dehydration can affect your focus and cognition, and can bring overwhelming fatigue without warning. Please do not ever go on a road trip on which such conditions are likely, without a supply of cold drinks. If that is not convenient, fresh fruit is a good rehydrating alternative.

• If you have kids, you are likely well aware that they tend to find long car rides tedious and will announce their displeasure openly, either vocally or with outrageous displays of contortionism that even the seat belt cannot stifle fully. Nobody likes to stuff a screen in front of their kids to quiet them. Any activities that will keep them engaged that they can easily partake in while seat-belted in, will do a world of good for your sanity and safety. You know best what engages your children’s attention, so plan head for this and you’ll be glad.

And finally,

• During the summer, pedestrians, bicyclists, skaters, etc., really come out of the woodwork. All you can do is give them the space they require, since they are already there. At the same time, teen (relatively inexperienced) drivers will be out of school and on the road in larger numbers. There is no planning for this, so we all have to be more aware that they are there, and give people the space and time they need. It all goes back to the old adage that “you can never know what people around you are going through, so be kind always.” A good number of the accidents involving more than one vehicle on the road probably comes down to a matter of basic courtesy.

Please keep these tips in mind, and have a great summer, everybody!

In a World Where No Insurance Was Mandatory…

May 29, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

A common complaint about insurance arises when it is mandatory, as with auto insurance for individuals and worker’s compensation for business owners. But have you thought about what life would be like if either of these were not compulsory?

Let’s talk about auto insurance.

Auto liability insurance is required by law (except in New Hampshire) for a good reason. In 1925 the first state laws making it compulsory were written in Massachusetts and Connecticut when it became apparent what a legal mess was developing with the boom in auto ownership well on the way, and our roadways becoming packed with over-zealous auto enthusiasts.

So just to be sure we’re on the same page, let’s make a quick distinction:

Comprehensive and Collision Insurance (also known as Physical Damage coverage) is not mandatory, and it protects you, the holder of the policy.

Auto Liability Insurance is mandatory, and it protects others from you in the case of an accident which you cause. Importantly it also protects you from another person who causes an accident provided they carry the liability insurance.

But what if it were not made mandatory? Sure, if these matters had to be taken to court, proving fault in an accident could be easy depending on who witnessed the crash, and depending on the circumstances. But it isn’t always cut and dry. Even if it is, and in court you were found not to be the liable party, you still would have already taken the time off work, and paid your legal fees as well. For that reason, some will say it all comes out about even either way even if you are not liable.

Assuming that is true, then it goes to show why it is best for all parties involved to have a system in place that minimizes time spent and legal costs.

…and as for Worker’s Compensation…

The first worker’s compensation coverage was implemented in Germany in 1884. Not until 1911 did the state of Michigan succeed in passing a Worker’s Compensation law. In the next decade, 41 states followed suit.

Before worker’s comp law, the only way for a worker to be compensated for an injury on the job was, again, through the courts. Naturally suing one’s employer – as opposed to settling the dispute based on the previously agreed-upon parameters of a worker’s compensation benefit package – was a tough spot for a worker to be in.

And being out of work due to the injury, the person often did not have the funds available to do so. The employer always had the upper hand. Their negligence had to be proven in court.

As 20^th century industrialization reached a peak, this became a major issue. It wasn’t until 1917 that the Supreme Court ruled that at the state level, compulsory worker’s comp coverage was not a violation of due process.

In the 21^st century, there are enough regulatory protections that reduce the number of workplace injuries drastically in comparison to those days. But if you are a business owner, had worker’s comp laws never been enacted and misfortune struck, where would that leave your employees?

Building Codes: Good For The Community and Good For You, Especially If You Have Building Code Coverage

April 26, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

Have you ever stopped to think about how the insurance industry creates jobs and pushes other industries to thrive? To illustrate what I mean, it may be best to go back in time a bit.

In 1752, the Philadelphia Contributionship for the Insurance of Houses from Loss by Fire was founded by Benjamin Franklin. It’s a mouthful, so it came to be known as the Contributorship.

Franklin was a forward-thinking man, of course and the Contributorship was not about to insure a house if it was not “up to code” if that was even a thing in 1752. So Franklin and his associates retained the services of a chimney sweep and paid them to service the homes of insureds. Of course, today the responsibility to find those services falls in the lap of the insured, but countless service providers like those chimney sweeps are still kept busy making sure insureds are up to code.

To have a home or building insured, today there are a great many codes that one must meet – either mandated by the state for building permits to be issued in the first place, or mandated by the insurance company before it will insure a property. Regardless, each one of these mandates provides someone with a job to do and adds to the economy on any level. Fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems, updated electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, siding, security systems all may be needed.

Of course, these are all things that should be up-to-date in any safe structure.

Some of these things may seem like a real pain. And, sure, they can be.

The good news is that building code coverage can be added to most home or commercial building policies. It’s optional but it will pay off, should you ever be forced to rebuild.

NOTE: Building code coverage does not typically cover a routine maintenance or remodeling project.

Building code coverage helps with expenses for the updates on electrical, heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning, plumbing, roofing, and fencing incurred due to the enforcement of code laws, if the building in its original state was not up to code.

If your local building codes require a building to be demolished entirely and rebuilt, then your basic property insurance will either cover to a limited extent, or may not cover at all, the replacement of the heretofore undamaged portion of the structure, or the cost of its demolition.

Building code coverage will.

As for the part of the structure that was damaged in the calamity in question, your regular insurance will cover the rebuilding of the damaged structure itself up to its original state. Then, so long as it was damaged by a type of peril covered by the policy, building code coverage covers the costs of getting it up to code if laws changed since the structure was originally insured.

Something to think about the next time you insure your home or business.

For the Love of Cats and Dogs

March 28, 2018 By Forrest Dailey

We hate to bring up controversial subjects here at Horihan Insurance, but we have got to address something.

Over the last few years, without many people noticing, apparently dogs have become more popular than cats on the internet!

Yup. Dogs are trending.

I know! We always thought it was cats. In general, internet searches for dog-related topics outnumber those about cats. Even though, according to the American Veterinary Medicine Association, cat ownership outnumbers dog ownership in American households by a margin of 6%.

One theory – likely perpetuated by “cat people” – to explain this phenomenon is that dogs are more needy and therefore dog owners have more questions to hit up Google with.

“Dog people” will tell you that the main reason they are “dog people” in the first place is because dogs are more loyal and caring. Not needy. Meanwhile, they say, cats are just plain apathetic to their owner’s existence altogether. And there is some truth to that. Dogs naturally tend to involve their owners in their lives more than your cat ever would. It is simply none of your business what Snuffy is doing behind that curtain, under the bed, or on top of the refrigerator.

And anyway, the above-mentioned theory of why dogs are searched online more doesn’t hold much water because the research shows that top cat-related questions searched are largely the same types of queries: Brands of toys appropriate for them, signs of illness to watch for, what to feed them…. “Why is Snuffy on top of the refrigerator?” That type of thing.

The funny thing about it though, is when it comes to famous cats and dogs on the internet – the ones who have gone viral – it seems the cats (“Grumpy Cat” being a prime example) are far more popular than their canine counterparts (see “Doge Dog”). In the case of those two, at the time of this writing, the margin was about 9,000,000 to 500,000.

Speaking of which, as you may be aware, customers of the big, famous corporate insurance agencies commonly report feeling “like just a number” in doing business with them. They only need you when they want to be fed. You know, like a cat.

If you want to look at this metaphor from another angle, you may just find that the difference between getting a quote from a large, online corporate agency and going to speak face to face with a real, living and breathing Horihan insurance specialist is like the difference between Googling your question about your pet and going to a veterinary specialist.

The Possibly Surprising Truth About Summertime On the Open Road

In a World Where No Insurance Was Mandatory…

Building Codes: Good For The Community and Good For You, Especially If You Have Building Code Coverage

For the Love of Cats and Dogs

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