AIG Direct is Now 21st Century Insurance

Gee, I wonder why AIG changed the name of their US car insurance operation to 21st Century Insurance? Maybe if they threw in a free year's worth of car insurance there would be more enthusiasm for yet ANOTHER tax payer funded bailout. All I'll say (because I don't want to get the crap sued out of me) is that if you insure your vehicles with 21st Century Insurance / AIG, you'd better pay close attention to the man behind the curtain.

No Amount of Insurance Protection or Legal Help...

...can keep children safe from sexual predators. A recent release from Pennsylvania Attorney General Tom Corbett slams an Internet Safety Task Force Report as misleading. Parents, please read this and educate yourselves to the gravity of the problem.

Top 5 Motor Vehicle Insurance Fraud schemes in 2008

A recent IA&B newsletter reports that 2008 statistics show a 30% fraud increase in Pennsylvania. The Top 5 motor vehicle insurance fraud schemes include:

1. Falsely claiming injury from staged motor vehicle insurance accidents.
2. Falsely claiming that your car was stolen.
3. Driving without insurance, having an accident, buying insurance and lying about when the accident happened.
4. Falsely claiming your car was hit while parked and unattended.
5. When an accident was caused by someone listed as an "excluded driver" on an auto policy, falsely claiming that someone else was driving.

Teens May Avoid Tickets By Driving One of These Cars

If you have a lead foot but are unwilling to quit playing "Speed Racer" on the highway, driving one of these least ticketed cars could help:

1. Jaguar XJ
2. Chevy Suburban
3. Chevy Tahoe
4. Chevy Silverado
5. Buick Park Avenue
6. Mazda 6
7. Buick Rainier
8. Olds Silhouette
9. Buick Lucerne
10. GMC Sierra

This list was compiled from a study conducted by ISO (Insurance Services Office) Quality Planning.

Does Your Car Insurance Company Reward You For Referrals?

Probably not. Yet referrals are the lifeblood of any business. Either most insurance agents haven't figured that out or they just take them for granted. And I KNOW FOR CERTAIN that if you're insured with GEICO, Progressive, or any of the other direct writers they're not doing squat for you. So I thought I'd share what we do for our clients. Give us a referral and we'll send you two lottery tickets and a thank you card. We'll also enter your name in our monthly drawing for a free dinner for 2. In addition, we'll enter your name in our semi-annual drawing for a $500 gift card. Click here for all of the details.

Really, it just comes down to good manners. If you're nice enough to refer us, we should at least return the favor. Tired of being under-appreciated? Call Consumers Insurance Agency at 717-763-7631. Or find us on the web at www.consumers-insurance.com.

Top 10 MOST Ticketed Cars

Drum roll please.....These are the cars to drive if you're hoping to help your state or local government with a little revenue infusion during these difficult economic times!

1. Hummer H2
2. Scion tC
3. Scion xB
4. Mercedes Benz CLK63 AMG
5. Toyota Solara Coupe
6. Mercedes Benz CLS63 AMG
7. Scion xA
8. Subaru Outback
9. Audi A4
10. Toyota Matrix

This list was compiled from a study conducted by ISO (Insurance Services Office) Quality Planning.

Need advice to help your teen make a smart car insurance decisions? Call our office today. Consumers Insurance Agency - 717-763-7631 or www.consumers-insurance.com.

Sharp Increase in Uninsured Motorists Means Danger for Teen Drivers

With the economy getting worse everyday, the number of Americans driving without insurance is on the rise. A recent article in the Wall Street Journal cites a study by the Insurance Research Council that indicates a single percentage point increase in the unemployment rate correlates to a 1/2 percent increase in uninsured drivers. Of course, the study also concludes that even in good times about 15% of all drivers are uninsured (unless you live in Mississippi, California, Arizona, or Philadelphia where close to 25% of all drivers go without).

So what happens if you're hit by an uninsured driver? Unless you specifically purchase coverage for such incidents you will have to resort to the legal system. Many teens and parents of teens don't understand this and make the mistake of trying to save money by skimping on or elimating this coverage. For instance, Pennsylvania has no requirement that motorists carry this type of insurance. So, as you can imagine, when someone is hit by an unisured driver, their illusion of being protected can quickly disapear. Of course, at Consumers Insurance Agency, we counsel our teen drivers to protect themselves against getting hit by an unisured driver. Some listen. Some don't. But at least we give them the option. For more information about insurance for your teen driver, visit www.teendriverinsurance.com/consumers.