Spoil a Car Theif's Day

It takes less time for a professional thief to break into your car, start it up and drive away as it does for you to walk into 7-11, plunk down three bucks for a bagel and coffee and emerge to watch your ride recede into the distance. And don’t presume your elderly clunker’s immune; the most stolen vehicle of 2008, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, was the 1994 Honda Accord.

“We know that thieves never miss an opportunity to make a quick buck by stealing a car,” says Joe Wehrle, president and CEO of NICB. “They work weekends, nights and holidays and ironically, they are particularly busy on New Year’s Day and Labor Day.”

While there isn’t any way to stop a crook who really wants your ride and has the tools and know-how to make it happen, the following tips can help your car become a less inviting target and slow down, discourage or actually prevent car theft.

Park in plain sight

Holiday Car Theft
Holiday Number of Thefts
New Year's Day 3,017
Labor Day 2,847
Halloween 2,727
President's Day 2,683
Memorial Day 2,599
Independence Day 2,584
Valentine's Day 2,389
Christmas Eve 1,841
Thanksgiving 1,806
Christmas Day 1,267
New Year's Eve 916

The holidays ranked by number of thefts reported to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) for 2008.
Our natural inclination is to hide something we don’t want anyone to steal, but for cars, visibility is the key to safety, say experts. Thieves prefer to work out of sight of people and electronic recording devices, so leave your car in a well-lit, populated area.

Take your keys---always.
If you think this tip falls into the “duh” section of car theft prevention, try Googling the phrase “keys in ignition” or similar and you’ll see many trusting souls leave the equivalent of a sign reading “FREE CAR!” hanging from their ignition switches on a daily basis. Car theft is often a crime of opportunity, so shut yours off and pocket your keys even if you’re only ducking into a convenience store.

Don’t hide your keys anywhere within or outside the car.
You know those magnetic key holders you can buy to store your spare key? Leave it in your house on the fridge, not under bumpers, in the glove compartment or anywhere in the car. Thieves know all the hiding places you do, and probably a few more.

Use a variety of methods to slow would-be thieves.
Car alarms are ubiquitous and often go ignored. When used in tandem with other theft prevention methods, though, they will make a thief naturally try to work faster, and if he comes across other security measures, he may give up altogether and move on. Apply the emergency brake, turn your wheels hard left or right and set the car in “park” or in gear, making it more difficult for you to be quickly towed, and consider using a vehicle recovery system like LoJack or an engine immobilizer device such as Ravelco.

Disable your battery if parking long-term
A thief won’t spend time trying to diagnose an apparent engine problem. Consider yanking one of the cable wires to your battery if you’re leaving your car parked at an airport or anywhere else where it will sit unattended for more than a few days.

Sign valuable parts
Take the time to embed your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the inside of your trunk, inside your doors, on your sound system components and any other pricey parts thieves like to chop. If you don’t feel like doing it yourself, contact your local police precinct or even your insurance company, some of whom offer free VIN etchings.

Go east
California is the number one state for auto theft, according to the National Insurance Crime bureau, with the town of Modesto ranking #1 with 4,235 vehicles stolen in 2008.

The good news for all of us is that auto thefts were down almost 9% overall in 2008, according to the NICB, to less than one million a year in 2008. With foresight and preventive measures that don’t take much time, you can help ensure you’ll never have to experience that unique nausea familiar to anyone finding a grease spot where their car was parked.

Aetna Commends U.S. Senate on Adoption of Health Care Reform

Chairman and CEO Ron Williams calls expanding access essential, but not a complete victory if affordability for the average American is not addressed

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aetna (NYSE: AET) today commended the U.S. Senate for taking action to significantly expand access to health care coverage for millions of Americans. While noting progress toward meaningful reform, Aetna Chairman and CEO Ronald A. Williams said that more needs to be done to deliver on the full promise of health care system reform.

“Today, the Senate took an important step, but reform that doesn’t deal with affordability, tied to health care quality, is not a complete victory for consumers”

.“Today, the Senate took an important step, but reform that doesn’t deal with affordability, tied to health care quality, is not a complete victory for consumers,” said Williams. “Guaranteeing that Americans cannot be denied insurance and enhancing coverage for millions of people are essential actions. When consumers win, we all win, and that can only happen if health care reform addresses both access and affordability. The Senate has not done enough on addressing costs and has actually exacerbated the problem of affordability by choosing to pay for reform through billions of dollars in additional taxes on the health care system which will be transferred to the consumer through higher costs and will therefore hurt health care affordability for the average American.

“It’s imperative that the House – Senate conference committee get the final outcome right. As a company with a track record of leadership in health care policy, we stand ready to work with the committee to craft a workable outcome that addresses health care affordability and truly helps get the best out of our health care system.”

To learn more about Aetna’s position on health care reform, visit www.healthreformplan.com on www.aetna.com.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation’s leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.3 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.

Top Ten Stolen Vehicles During November

The following is a rundown of the “Top 10” makes of vehicles reported stolen to the Houston Police Department during the month of November 2009.

1. Chevrolet Trucks-157
2. Ford Trucks-130
3. Honda Cars-109
4. Dodge Trucks-78
5. Ford Cars-47
6. Toyota Cars-43
7. Chevrolet Cars-42
8. GMC Trucks-32
9. Dodge Cars-28
10. Nissan Cars-24

Teens and safe cars

Do you have a teen or a grandchild that is just getting a driver's license? It's an exciting time — a rite-of-passage for teens — but enough to make you frantic. Yes, the first years teenagers drive can be very risky. In fact, teen drivers have the highest death rates of any age group. In 2008, more than 4,000 teenagers (ages 13-19) died in motor vehicle crashes, and many more were left severely and permanently injured by crashes.* However, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the Insurance Information Institute say there is something worried family members can do to help protect their teens — choose a safe vehicle.

Avoid vehicles that encourage reckless driving. Speeding and reckless driving often go hand in hand with teen drivers. So avoid sports cars and other vehicles with high performance features such as turbochargers as they are likely to encourage speeding. Stick with the understated "Sunday sedan."
Don't let your teen drive an unstable vehicle. Ever see a young driver make an abrupt steering maneuver when fooling around or over-correcting for an error? Those are the moves that can cause a rollover, especially in some sport utility vehicles that have a higher center of gravity. A more stable car typically might only skid or spin out.
Pick a vehicle that offers good crash protection. Structural design, size and weight, and restraint systems, including front and side air bags, all play a part in how well a vehicle protects its occupants in a crash. For more information on crashworthiness, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates vehicles based on performance in high-speed front and side crash tests. Visit http://www.iihs.org/ratings/default.aspx for more information.
Avoid older vehicles. Newer cars are better designed for crash protection than cars of six to ten years ago. Visit the U.S. Department of Transportation at http://www.dot.gov or the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety at http://www.iihs.org before you make a buying decision.

Just say Y.E.S.
If you are getting ready to hand over the keys of a brand-new or nearly new car to a teen driver and you're concerned about safety, you're not alone. So is Farmers. That's why we developed the Y.E.S. (You're Essential to Safety®) Program. This program may help to improve your teen's driving, and in many states young drivers who complete the Y.E.S. program receive a discount on their auto insurance. Also, some vehicles are more costly to insure than others, so call me before you buy. I can give you more information about safety and discounts.

Who should consider a will?

In a word — everyone. Regardless of age, regardless of wealth — we all should consider preparing a will. It could help you to control who receives your property, who will be the guardian of your children and who will manage your estate upon your death.

One-size-fits-all
Wills are typically simple to create and we all have good intentions, but many die without a will — I see it happen all too often. People who die intestate — without a will — default to the one-size-fits-all will provided by the state. Our state's distribution formula may not be appropriate for your family's situation, but your survivors will have no choice in the matter. You can avoid that and protect your loved ones with an appropriate will — then your property will be distributed according to your wishes.

A guardian for your minor children
In many states, when you die, your will is the only means of stating who you want to act as legal guardian for your minor children. The court has final approval, but courts usually will approve your choice of guardian unless there are compelling reasons not to. The greatest peace of mind that parents of minor children can have is to know for sure who will care for their children if something happens to them.

If you don't have a will, consider preparing one sooner rather than later. (I suggest that you consult an attorney to discuss your individual circumstances and options.) And, if you have a will, update it every time there is a major change in your life — such as the birth of a child, adoption, marriage or divorce — or changes in the lives of those mentioned in your will. Make sure that your hard-earned assets are distributed in accordance with your wishes. And make sure you know who will take care of your minor children if you can't. Share this with a friend or loved one so they, too, can understand the importance of being prepared. Please contact your attorney, accountant or tax advisor for legal or tax questions.

Are you dreaming of a 'green' Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa?

The holidays are just around the corner — an exciting time for families and especially youngsters. Many of us will shop, decorate our homes and enjoy the festivities. Why not make your celebration "green" this year? It's easy: Here are some ways to enjoy this holiday season while helping cut global warming pollution at the same time:

Do your online and catalog shopping early. Shopping early lets you request ground shipping. Ground is more efficient than overnight, uses less fuel and helps reduce the pollution that causes global warming. It's good for the environment and your pocketbook.
Buy a live, potted tree. After the holidays you can plant it outside or donate it to a local school or park. Or buy a small potted tree that you can keep in its pot and use again next year. If you use a cut tree, go to www.Earth911.com to find a tree recycler in our area.
Use energy-efficient LED lights. Holiday lights use a lot of energy, especially when left on 24/7. So, when you're ready to decorate, start by replacing your old lights with LED bulbs. They are small, solid lightbulbs which are extremely energy efficient. New LED bulbs are grouped in clusters with diffuser lenses which have broadened the applications for LED use in the home. Then only use the lights when you are going to enjoy them — in the evening. Another green idea: Try solar LEDs — they use no electricity at all.
Look for the Energy Star label when buying electronics or appliances as gifts. They're more energy efficient than conventional models. Also look for an Energy Guide yellow sticker to check the energy use rating. The higher the number, the more energy efficient.
Use less paper and recycle. Send e-cards to friends, reuse last year's wrapping paper and save this year's unused paper. And remember to recycle all those cans, bottles and cardboard boxes.

You don't have to choose between enjoying this time of year and becoming an environmental stick-in-the-mud. As you can see, there are many simple steps that you and your family can take if you are dreaming of a "green" holiday season.

State Farm Owes $310M in Refunds, Texas Regulators Say

November 17, 2009

The Texas Department of Insurance has ordered State Farm Lloyd’s (SFL) to refund a total of $310 million to policyholders after finding that the insurer had overcharged customers beginning in 2003.

It’s a finding that the department had reached once before. State Farm was told in 2003 to cut its rates by 12 percent but the company sued the department and the case has been in limbo since then.

Texas Insurance Commissioner Mike Geeslin issued the current order on Nov. 16, the result of a re-hearing after the case was remanded to TDI by the Third Court of Appeals in 2008.

"I have issued an order that completes what the Legislature started in 2003,” Geeslin said in a statement released by TDI. “As far as any commentary, anything more that I could say would be redundant to what is contained in these pages [of the order]. There is evidence, there is law, and between the two you come up with $310 million."

The refund amount ordered is significantly lower than the nearly $1 billion that the state’s Office of Public Insurance Counsel had previously estimated the company owed to policyholders, according to Associated Press reports.

Geeslin, according to a summary of the order provided by TDI, “found SFL’s rates were excessive and is ordering SFL to pay refunds amounting to 6.2 percent of premium for policyholders insured with SFL from September 2003 to August 2004.”

SFL was also ordered to refund to policyholders an amount equal to 3.4 percent of premium for those insured by the company from September 2004 through July 2008, excluding new policies written from June 1, 2008, through July 31, 2008.

The amount paid to individual policyholders will vary. The total amount of the refund is approximately $257 million, and the interest owed is approximately $53 million, according to TDI.

The company can repay the amount to policyholders via renewal credits for existing policyholders, or by check. State Farm Lloyd’s must begin “applying renewal credits, and pay refunds and interest with in 60 days” of the order date. However, the company also has the right to appeal, in which case the payments would be on hold until final resolution by the courts.

Kevin Davis, a spokesman for State Farm, said the company had not yet decided whether to appeal.

“We are deeply disappointed with this decision as we believe State Farm Lloyds rates are, and always have been, both fair and justified," Davis said. "With this decision, the Commissioner effectively created another Hurricane Ike for State Farm. The financial impact of this order is comparable to the financial strain caused by the third most destructive hurricane to ever make landfall in the U.S.

"This decision not only challenges State Farm financially, it creates an unstable environment for consumers and the insurance industry. It will impact Lloyds in a significant manner. We are examining the potential financial and business consequences.”

Jerry Johns, president of Southwestern Insurance Information Service, an insurer trade group, believes the order sets a bad precedent. “This precedent tells the insurance industry that regulators in Texas are not interested in the financial strength of companies."

Johns commented that “insurers who are considering entering the market in Texas and offer choices for consumers will likely take a step back and reconsider that decision."