Factors that will determine the cost of rebuilding your home:
Local construction costs determine the replacement cost of your home
The square footage of your structure
The type of exterior construction (brick, frame, metal, brick veneer)
The number of bathrooms (basic, custom, half, full)
The type of roof and material used
Other structures on the premises such as garages, pool house, other rooms
Improvements and additions. If you have made additions to your home since the inception of your homeowners policy, please contact your agent to increase the coverage of your policy.
Homeowners policies do not cover floods or earthquakes.
Please visit our website at www.firstmetroagency.com for additional information and submit a quote request form Homeowners Quote .
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
Louisiana Homeowners Insurance
There is no better time than now to shop your current homeowners insurance. Multiple companies are writing new policies in South Louisiana. There are more companies now than in the past ten years that want, and in some cases need, to write new policies.
For Low Rates on Homeowners Insurance visit our website or contact us today www.firstmetroagency.com
For Low Rates on Homeowners Insurance visit our website or contact us today www.firstmetroagency.com
Monday, April 27, 2009
Drivers are more distracted than they realize
Drivers are more distracted than they realize
by MSNBC.com
Using gadgets while you're driving can be a very bad thing, but an expert on automotive distractions says using a gadget that watches you while you're driving can be a very good thing.
"People don't always understand the degree of distraction they may be exposing themselves to ... so the idea is to help people understand that distraction by providing them with feedback," John D. Lee, a professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Iowa, told me today. Lee outlines the magnitude of the problem in an essay published in this week's issue of the journal Science: More than 40,000 people die every year in motor vehicle crashes, and research indicates that failures of attention - including distractions or drowsiness - probably played a role in most of those crashes. Crashes and near-crashes are about three times as likely to happen when the driver is performing a complex task not related to driving (such as dialing a phone or even texting), and twice as likely during a moderately complex task (such as inserting a CD), Lee reported. As new technologies are introduced, the list of potential distractions keeps getting longer. Questions have been raised about dashboard GPS navigation devices, for example, as well as "green" energy-monitoring displays. Of course, most drivers overestimate their own abilities: In one survey, 88 percent of the respondents judged themselves to be safer than the average driver. And Lee said his own camera-monitoring research has shown
that teen drivers in particular "don't notice what they don't notice." In one case he studied, a driver looked away from the road for 6 seconds to tap out a text message on her phone, slipped out of her lane and came to attention only when the tires hit the curb. "When she actually saw
the video from the perspective of the camera, she was shocked to learn that she almost hit a telephone pole at 40 miles per hour," Lee said. So how does watching the driver help? Lee's method was to install a special camera system that saves video snippets for the 10 seconds before and after every abrupt movement on the road. "We took that video, put it on a CD, and then we had a 'report card' that shows the number of events that the teen driver experienced over time," he said. "It had a pretty dramatic effect on teens, in terms of the frequency
of these abrupt steering and braking events that are often associated with distractions."
After the feedback sessions, the number of events triggered by risky drivers declined 89 percent, Lee said, and the rate of risky driving remained low even six weeks later.
After-the-fact monitoring systems are being used to check up on motor-fleet drivers as well as teenagers, and Lee told me it won't be long before real-time monitors show up as well. "There are video cameras that are being developed and actually being put into cars - high-end Toyota and Volvo models, for example. [They're] video-based face-tracking systems that tell whether the driver is looking at the road or looking into the car," he said. Such a feature, sometimes known as a drowsiness warning system, would likely be wrapped up as an optional package with other advanced safety features such as forward collision avoidance, side collision warning and blindspot detection, Lee said. Among the oft-used catchphrases for these technologies is "intelligent transportation system" or "intelligent vehicle technology." Japan's Nissan Motor Co. even suggested that future cars could automatically sound an alarm and release "a stimulating mint fragrance" if they sense that the driver is dozing off. Can a car become too smart for our own good? Last year, my colleague Bob Sullivan wrote about computerized car-trackers that could record when and how far you're driving - as well as how many abrupt stops and starts you put your car through.
Some insurance companies are offering discounts for drivers who use the tracking devices, but privacy watchdogs worry that this sort of thing could eventually turn Big Brother into a back-seat driver. "Obviously there are issues of privacy that come into play as you collect these data about drivers," Lee said. "I think about that, but I really haven't studied that in detail." Instead, Lee is focusing on technologies that will help drivers help themselves. "Having your car know a little bit more about you and your behavior might well be worth it in terms of the number of lives saved," he said.
© 2009 msnbc.com
Drivers are more distracted than they realize by MSNBC.com
For low cost Auto Insurance and low rates on Louisiana Homeowners Insurance see http://www.firstmetroagency.com/
by MSNBC.com
Using gadgets while you're driving can be a very bad thing, but an expert on automotive distractions says using a gadget that watches you while you're driving can be a very good thing.
"People don't always understand the degree of distraction they may be exposing themselves to ... so the idea is to help people understand that distraction by providing them with feedback," John D. Lee, a professor of mechanical and industrial engineering at the University of Iowa, told me today. Lee outlines the magnitude of the problem in an essay published in this week's issue of the journal Science: More than 40,000 people die every year in motor vehicle crashes, and research indicates that failures of attention - including distractions or drowsiness - probably played a role in most of those crashes. Crashes and near-crashes are about three times as likely to happen when the driver is performing a complex task not related to driving (such as dialing a phone or even texting), and twice as likely during a moderately complex task (such as inserting a CD), Lee reported. As new technologies are introduced, the list of potential distractions keeps getting longer. Questions have been raised about dashboard GPS navigation devices, for example, as well as "green" energy-monitoring displays. Of course, most drivers overestimate their own abilities: In one survey, 88 percent of the respondents judged themselves to be safer than the average driver. And Lee said his own camera-monitoring research has shown
that teen drivers in particular "don't notice what they don't notice." In one case he studied, a driver looked away from the road for 6 seconds to tap out a text message on her phone, slipped out of her lane and came to attention only when the tires hit the curb. "When she actually saw
the video from the perspective of the camera, she was shocked to learn that she almost hit a telephone pole at 40 miles per hour," Lee said. So how does watching the driver help? Lee's method was to install a special camera system that saves video snippets for the 10 seconds before and after every abrupt movement on the road. "We took that video, put it on a CD, and then we had a 'report card' that shows the number of events that the teen driver experienced over time," he said. "It had a pretty dramatic effect on teens, in terms of the frequency
of these abrupt steering and braking events that are often associated with distractions."
After the feedback sessions, the number of events triggered by risky drivers declined 89 percent, Lee said, and the rate of risky driving remained low even six weeks later.
After-the-fact monitoring systems are being used to check up on motor-fleet drivers as well as teenagers, and Lee told me it won't be long before real-time monitors show up as well. "There are video cameras that are being developed and actually being put into cars - high-end Toyota and Volvo models, for example. [They're] video-based face-tracking systems that tell whether the driver is looking at the road or looking into the car," he said. Such a feature, sometimes known as a drowsiness warning system, would likely be wrapped up as an optional package with other advanced safety features such as forward collision avoidance, side collision warning and blindspot detection, Lee said. Among the oft-used catchphrases for these technologies is "intelligent transportation system" or "intelligent vehicle technology." Japan's Nissan Motor Co. even suggested that future cars could automatically sound an alarm and release "a stimulating mint fragrance" if they sense that the driver is dozing off. Can a car become too smart for our own good? Last year, my colleague Bob Sullivan wrote about computerized car-trackers that could record when and how far you're driving - as well as how many abrupt stops and starts you put your car through.
Some insurance companies are offering discounts for drivers who use the tracking devices, but privacy watchdogs worry that this sort of thing could eventually turn Big Brother into a back-seat driver. "Obviously there are issues of privacy that come into play as you collect these data about drivers," Lee said. "I think about that, but I really haven't studied that in detail." Instead, Lee is focusing on technologies that will help drivers help themselves. "Having your car know a little bit more about you and your behavior might well be worth it in terms of the number of lives saved," he said.
© 2009 msnbc.com
Drivers are more distracted than they realize by MSNBC.com
For low cost Auto Insurance and low rates on Louisiana Homeowners Insurance see http://www.firstmetroagency.com/
Monday, January 12, 2009
Flood Insurance
Three Important Facts About Your Flood Policy
A Standard Flood Insurance Policy is a single-peril
(flood) policy that pays for direct physical damage to
your insured property up to the replacement cost or
Actual Cash Value (ACV) (See “How Flood Damages
Are Valued”) of the actual damages or the policy
limit of liability, whichever is less.
1. Contents coverage must be purchased separately.
2. It is not a valued policy.
A valued policy pays the limit of liability in the event of a total loss.
For example: Your home is totally destroyed by
a fire and it costs $150,000 to rebuild. If your
homeowners insurance policy is a valued policy
with a $200,000 limit of liability on the building,
you would receive $200,000. Flood insurance
pays just the replacement cost or ACV of actual
damages, up to the policy limit.
3. It is not a guaranteed replacement cost policy.
A guaranteed replacement cost policy pays the
cost to rebuild your home regardless of the limit
of liability. For example: Your home is totally
destroyed by a fire and it costs $200,000 to
rebuild. If your homeowners insurance policy
is a guaranteed replacement cost policy with a
$150,000 limit of liability on the building, you
would receive $200,000. Flood insurance does not
pay more than the policy limit.
For a flood quote, www.firstmetroagency.com
A Standard Flood Insurance Policy is a single-peril
(flood) policy that pays for direct physical damage to
your insured property up to the replacement cost or
Actual Cash Value (ACV) (See “How Flood Damages
Are Valued”) of the actual damages or the policy
limit of liability, whichever is less.
1. Contents coverage must be purchased separately.
2. It is not a valued policy.
A valued policy pays the limit of liability in the event of a total loss.
For example: Your home is totally destroyed by
a fire and it costs $150,000 to rebuild. If your
homeowners insurance policy is a valued policy
with a $200,000 limit of liability on the building,
you would receive $200,000. Flood insurance
pays just the replacement cost or ACV of actual
damages, up to the policy limit.
3. It is not a guaranteed replacement cost policy.
A guaranteed replacement cost policy pays the
cost to rebuild your home regardless of the limit
of liability. For example: Your home is totally
destroyed by a fire and it costs $200,000 to
rebuild. If your homeowners insurance policy
is a guaranteed replacement cost policy with a
$150,000 limit of liability on the building, you
would receive $200,000. Flood insurance does not
pay more than the policy limit.
For a flood quote, www.firstmetroagency.com
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Homeowners Claim Checklist
Claim Recovery Checklist
Damage to your home can stressful, upsetting and, even hazardous. The following key steps from The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) can help homeowners recover safely following damage to their property.
Protect yourself
Always be careful when entering a damaged building. If there is serious structural damage, contact local officials before entering. Report downed power lines or gas leaks. Keep electricity turned off if the building has been flooded.
Protect your property
Take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage. This could mean boarding up windows and salvaging undamaged items. Contact your Independent Insurance Agent to find out what is covered in terms of protection.
Report the loss as soon as possible
Contact your Independent Insurance Agent as soon as possible. Provide a general description of the damage and have your policy number handy if possible. Write down the adjuster's name, phone number and work schedule as soon as you have them.
Prepare a list. Keep damaged items or portions of them until the claim adjuster has visited, and consider photographing or videotaping the damage to document your claim. Prepare a list of damaged or lost items for your adjuster.
Keep receipts
If you need to relocate, keep records and receipts for all additional expenses. Most policies cover emergency living arrangements.
Return claim forms
After you've reported your claim, watch for claims forms. Fill out and return the forms as soon as possible. If you do not understand the process, be sure to ask questions and write down the explanation.
Cleanup
When starting the cleanup process, be careful, and use protective eyewear and gloves if available.
For More Information http://www.firstmetroagency.com/
Damage to your home can stressful, upsetting and, even hazardous. The following key steps from The Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) can help homeowners recover safely following damage to their property.
Protect yourself
Always be careful when entering a damaged building. If there is serious structural damage, contact local officials before entering. Report downed power lines or gas leaks. Keep electricity turned off if the building has been flooded.
Protect your property
Take reasonable steps to protect your property from further damage. This could mean boarding up windows and salvaging undamaged items. Contact your Independent Insurance Agent to find out what is covered in terms of protection.
Report the loss as soon as possible
Contact your Independent Insurance Agent as soon as possible. Provide a general description of the damage and have your policy number handy if possible. Write down the adjuster's name, phone number and work schedule as soon as you have them.
Prepare a list. Keep damaged items or portions of them until the claim adjuster has visited, and consider photographing or videotaping the damage to document your claim. Prepare a list of damaged or lost items for your adjuster.
Keep receipts
If you need to relocate, keep records and receipts for all additional expenses. Most policies cover emergency living arrangements.
Return claim forms
After you've reported your claim, watch for claims forms. Fill out and return the forms as soon as possible. If you do not understand the process, be sure to ask questions and write down the explanation.
Cleanup
When starting the cleanup process, be careful, and use protective eyewear and gloves if available.
For More Information http://www.firstmetroagency.com/
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