Whether it’s a trip to the vet, or just a cruise to the beach, at some point all animal owners will have to transport their pets.  Transporting your pets in a car can be very dangerous to you and your pet if not handled properly.  Each day we see people driving with their small dog on their lap, or bigger dogs roaming the entire car.  Not only is this a distraction to the driver, but it can be very dangerous for your pet in the event that you are in an accident. 

Here are some safety tips and ideas you can use when transporting your pet in your vehicle:

• Restrain your pet – Using a pet specific seatbelt or a crate will help to keep your pet in one spot. Having your pet restrained will also make them less of a distraction because they won’t be able to crawl onto your lap and will not obstruct your views of other vehicles on the road.
• Use a pet barrier – For larger dogs that don’t fit into a crate or seatbelt, barriers are available to fit your make of vehicle. These barriers will keep your large dog in place and keep you from being distracted.
• Drive defensively – When driving, you are responsible for your pet’s well-being. Therefore, drive accordingly. Slow down, check your mirrors often and keep a close eye on the other cars driving around you.
• Smaller pets and exotics – for small pets like cats, or more exotic breeds like lizards, it is important to keep them in a crate or a cage while driving. Smaller animals have a tendency to seek out hidden places that can be dangerous. Keeping them in a cage will make sure they don’t end up under your brake pedal or on your dashboard.

Following these tips will make sure that you and your pet are safe on your next road trip or during your next visit to the vet!

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

Be Prepared For the Road.

Summer is here, the kids are out of school, and the weather is beautiful.  What does that mean?  Road Trip!  Summer is an ideal time for vacationing.  With the price of air travel increasing, families are taking to the road to reach their summer-fun destination.  Your vehicle may be packed with bags, but have you remembered the safety essentials such as roadside emergency kits and quick repair tools?  One sure way to spoil a family vacation is by being unprepared when an unfortunate situation arises.

Before you hit the road this summer, ensure that you have the necessary items in your car to prepare you and your family for any issue that may arise while driving.  Here are some items to keep for your road trip preparation.

• Working spare tire and jack
• First aid kit
• Flashlight with extra batteries
• Jumper cables
• Extra Oil
• US map or atlas book
• Tools (lug nut wrench, assorted screwdrivers, adjustable wrench or multitool)
• Can of fix-a-flat

Assemble these items in a small duffel bag to place in your trunk.  You may already have many of them in your home or garage.  If you don’t have a listed item, you can find it at an automotive supply store or other locations like Target or Wal-Mart.  Once your kit is assembled you are officially ready to start your summer road trip!

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.

 Should you accept or decline coverage the rental agency usually offers to sell you?  Such insurance is offered in order to help to cover accidents while you are on your trip.  In most cases, you’re safe to decline, it providing you have the same or better protection from your personal automobile insurance company.  Also, you may already have rental-car insurance provided by the credit card that you use.  Both options can give you substantial savings over the rental agency’s coverage.  Before declining the coverage, however, you should be certain that your personal auto insurance or credit-card coverage covers you – otherwise you could be driving your rental uninsured.

Since insurance is state regulated, the cost and coverage will vary from state to state.  The following types of coverage are those that are generally available – you should check with your auto insurance company to be sure which coverage you either have or need:

Loss Damage Waiver (LDW)

While an LDW is not technically an insurance product, it does, however, “waive” renters of financial responsibility if their rental car is damaged or stolen.  In most cases, waivers also provide coverage for “loss of use,” in the event the rental car company charges the renter for the time a damaged car can not be used because it is being fixed.  It may also cover “diminution of value”: the decline in value a repaired vehicle incurs.  Additionally, it may also cover towing and administrative fees, so check with your auto insurance company as these are all things your personal auto insurance policy typically will NOT cover when renting a car.

Liability Insurance

By law, rental companies must provide the state required amount of liability insurance.  This is an instance where, if you have sufficient amounts of liability protection on your own car, you might decline the additional liability protection.  Again, this is something that you should check with your auto insurance company on, in order to know if the amount of liability protection on your car is enough to cover a rental.

Personal Accident Insurance

Personal Accident Insurance offers coverage to you and your passengers for medical and ambulance bills for injuries caused in a car crash.  Your health insurance or your personal injury protection insurance under your auto insurance policy may cover the costs of this.  You should check with your health care insurance provider as well as your auto insurance company to make certain.

Personal Effects Coverage

Personal Effects Coverage provides insurance protection for the theft of items in your car.  If you have a homeowners or renters insurance policy that includes off-premises theft coverage, you are generally covered for theft of your belongings away from home, up to a certain limit and minus the deductible.  This is another area where, depending on your auto insurance or homeowners or renters’ insurance, you may be able to save money at the car rental counter.

When all is said and done, the options for properly insuring a rental car can be a confusing process.  This is why it’s a good idea to make two calls before you rent a car.  One call should be to your auto insurance agency or auto insurance provider, and the other should be to the credit card company you will be using to pay for the rental car.  By finding out beforehand how much coverage you currently have on your own car, as well as finding out the insurance benefits offered by your credit card company, you can save yourself both time and money.

This content is offered for educational purposes only and does not represent contractual agreements. The definitions, terms and coverages in a given policy may be different than those suggested here and such policy will be governed by the language contained therein. No warranty or appropriateness for a specific purpose is expressed or implied.