| Unitrin Direct Introduces Affordable Auto Insurance to Iowa
DES MOINES, Iowa, June 15 -- Unitrin Direct Insurance Company, an auto insurer that offers a unique blend of customer-friendly service and affordable rates, has begun selling policies in Iowa, which is likely to mean significant savings for drivers statewide. With a strong reputation for reliability and value in 23 U.S. states, Unitrin Direct uses an innovative direct business model to reduce overhead and pass savings on to consumers looking for affordable car insurance. Customers who switch to Unitrin Direct from another carrier save an average of $303.* "We're using the latest technology to streamline the insurance process in a way that benefits our customers," said Scott Carter, Unitrin Direct president. "Not only do they save money, they also receive customer care that is faster and more efficient." Unitrin Direct's most recent contribution to low rates and outstanding service earned it the prestigious 2007 IASA Technology Achievement Award, an honor given to companies in the insurance industry that use technological applications to solve business challenges.
Tips on buying a new car
Post-graduation is one of the busiest times for car-buying. I know it's summer, but there's some homework you must do before hitting the car lot. Recent Eden Prairie (Minn.) High School graduate Josh Critzer was fortunate enough to learn about car-buying basics in a school personal finance class. And lucky enough to have parents willing to help him with the purchase. But if you need a crash course on car finance, here are some tips to take with you to the car dealer and the bank. Map your budget. Josh, 18, didn't contribute much to the purchase of his 2000 Ford Explorer, but his arrangement with his parents requires him to pay for insurance and gas and to set aside money for repairs and his insurance deductible. He ran the numbers and decided he needs $40 a week for gas and about half that for insurance.
ABD: All distractions put car insurance at risk
The Association of British Drivers (ABD) has said that individual bans on anything that can be considered a risk to car insurance through distraction to the driver is a "ridiculous" idea.Responding to calls by the Local Authority Road Safety Officers' Association to ban smoking behind the wheel, the ABD has said that it would not be practical to ban every distracting driving factor."Almost everything one does in a car 'can' be dangerously distracting if not done in a sensible manner," said ABD chairman Brian Gregory.The organisation states that producing separate bans for each activity would be "ridiculous" and result in "a massive increase in frivolous prosecutions".Rather than trying to keep lives and motor insurance premiums intact with bans, the organisation states that a crackdown on those deploying such activities irresponsibly would be more effective.According to comparison site uSwitch.com, some firms already take smoking into account when calculating an individual's motor insurance premium.Research conducted last year found that motor insurance customers could save up to £231.92 with Kwik-Fit Insurance.© Adfero Ltd
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You Can't Drive If You Don't Have A Car
The City of Chicago has no compunction about separating motorists from their cars. Chicagoist had their car towed once because they parked in the financial district on Veteran's Day; the streets were empty, there were no cars driving or parked anywhere. That part of the Loop was a ghost town. We were shocked when we came back to find our car gone. When we called to find out what had happened and recited the sign to the person on the other end of the 311 line, quoting the phrase "Sundays and holidays," we were told it wasn't a "traffic holiday." Oh. All Federal and City insitutions are shut down, but it's not a traffic holiday? Great. You will also get your car removed from your possession if you commit the following crimes: drunken driving, waste dumping and prostitution to loud radio playing, drag racing and drug and curfew violations.
Pushing limits in the fast lane
Although Gerardot survived a drag racing crash in 1988 that should have killed him, he's not just a stubborn survivor. He's a father, a local businessman, a racing champion and perhaps best-known locally as the "mayor" of Monroeville (his official title is town council president). Somehow, between days and weeks spent drag racing, manufacturing race-car parts from his home and raising a family, Gerardot found time to learn to aggressively pursue grant money for the town, learned to operate a sewer plant and got involved in economic development issues. He's fought efforts to consolidate Allen County and Fort Wayne government more than once and remains Monroeville's go-to guy. Gerardot, now 60, entered politics in 1983 after a former schoolmate complained that the town board wasn't doing an adequate job and encouraged him to run for office, he said.
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