1) Maintain your car. Make sure your vehicle is up to date on its maintenance schedule, and be sure to check the battery and tires.

2) Plan your trip and know where you’re going. Call ahead for proper and safe directions to get you to your destination safely and have maps of the area on hand to help you navigate once you are off the main road. This is made easier in today’s world with the amount of technology that has GPS capabilities. You’re more likely to make good decisions, even in dangerous situations, if you’re clearheaded and know where you’re going.

3) Be alert. Seems obvious, but driver inattention is surely the cause of a lot of accidents. If you stay focused behind the wheel and plan carefully, you will have a wonderful summer road trip.

4) Take precaution with a cell phone. Cell phones can be a lifesaver when you need immediate access to emergency services after an accident. Keep your phone within easy reach and get to know its features. However, use it prudently. Do not use your phone to talk or text while driving.

5) Wear your seat belt. Whether or not it’s required by law in the state through which you’re driving, always wear your seat belt as a safety precaution.

6) Protect your car against theft. Help deter criminals from taking your car with steering wheel locks, switches that disable fuel or ignition systems, and electronic tracking devices.

7) If you’re in an accident, taking immediate action can protect your family and your car from further damage. Stop immediately and make sure your car is not blocking traffic. Turn off your car to keep it from overheating or catching fire. Warn oncoming cars using road flares or orange triangle reflectors. After you have protected yourself and your family, call your insurance company immediately.

8) Make sure re on the road and far from home.

An independent insurance agent or broker can provide the personal service and advice you need to travel in confidence. To learn more about what else we can offer, give us a call at 516-484-5200.

The post Be Safe, Be Smart On A Long-Distance Road Trip appeared first on Curran Cooney Penny Agency.

“Deciding whether to buy ‘damage waivers’ or insurance at the rental car counter can be a confusing experience—especially if you don’t know if you’re already covered by your personal auto insurance policy,” said Rick Crawley of the Progressive Group of Insurance Companies. “Optional rental car insurance can cost between $7 and $25 per day, depending on the rental car company, vehicle make and model and type of waiver. Those daily charges can significantly add to the cost of your rental.”

Follow these three tips to help you decide whether or not you should buy the coverage:

1. Consult with an independent insurance agency – like us. As licensed insurance professionals, independent insurance agents and brokers can review and evaluate your policies to find out if the coverage you have on your personal vehicle provides protection for you in a rental car.

2. Check with your credit card company. Some credit card companies provide coverage at no charge if you use their card to charge the cost of the rental. However, some restrictions may apply so be sure to ask for a description of the exact coverages provided.

3. Take your personal auto insurance policy and details of your coverages with you to the rental car counter. You may be asked a question that these papers can help answer—or, if you’re in doubt, you’ll have your agent’s name and phone number readily available. “We want people to have the information they need to make more informed decisions about car insurance,” said Crawley.

“Knowing whether you need to buy additional coverage can save you money and give you peace of mind so you can enjoy your vacation. Don’t start off your trip questioning your decisions—take control by talking with your independent agent or broker and knowing the answers to those inevitable questions.”

The post Three Tips To Help Your Vacation Get Off To A Worry-Free Start appeared first on Curran Cooney Penny Agency.

Leading commercial auto insurers like Progressive offer seasonal insurance for businesses like landscapers, snowplow drivers, ice cream truck owners, and more. These coverages allow you to customize your commercial auto insurance based on when your business is running on all cylinders — and when it’s not.

Progressive offers these tips for getting the most out of your policy in the off-season:

• If your vehicle will be parked during the off-season, you may think you should cancel that vehicle’s insurance during that time. But if you’d like to protect your vehicle and still save a little money, just switch your insurance to a Comprehensive-only policy. This will give you basic protection against incidents like vandalism, theft, falling tree branches and hail.
• A Comprehensive-only policy also gives you the bonus of having continuous insurance coverage. If you drop your insurance completely, you may pay significantly more to get a new policy when in-season rolls around because most insurance companies want to see proof of continuous coverage.
• If you plan to drive your work truck or other vehicles for personal use during the off-season, let your insurance carrier know. They can adjust your policy to reflect personal use, which can be less expensive while still providing coverage.

Call us today at 516-484-5200 to learn more.

The post How to Save on Commercial Auto Insurance in the Off-Season appeared first on Curran Cooney Penny Agency.

When purchasing car insurance, there are so many different types of coverage available. For a low cost, all auto insurance companies offer road side assistance, which is very important to have. What will this cover? Why is it important? When you’re driving, you don’t plan on any mishaps occurring on your route. No one really says, “Hey I hope I run out of gas or get a flat tire on my way to work.” These are all things roadside assistance will cover and more! Roadside assistance coverage does vary from company to company, but typically it will cover situations like towing to the nearest repair facility, minor labor, flat tires, keys being accidentally locked in the vehicle, running out of gas, etc. This is a very inexpensive coverage for such a worthy cause. Next time you are reviewing your auto policy, make sure you see roadside assistance listed as a coverage or call us for a quote to add it onto your policy.

The post Why should I elect to have roadside assistance? appeared first on Curran Cooney Penny Agency.

The easiest way to save 10% on your auto premium is to take a defensive driving course online

If you’re a driver in New York, you can save 10% on your auto insurance premium and remove violation points from your driving record by taking a defensive driving course. But like most drivers, you live a busy life and don’t necessarily have the time to sit through a course.

Certified online defensive driving courses offer the convenience of allowing you to complete the course on your own schedule from the comfort of your own home, while still reaping the benefits of having a defensive driving certificate. It will reduce your premium and remove up to 4 violation points from your record. You can pause and resume the course whenever you have time, and there’s no exam at the end.

If you have your auto insurance policy with us, all you have to do is send us your certificate once you complete an online defensive driving course and we’ll take care of the rest. (Don’t have us as your agent? Call us today at (516) 484-5200 to find out how we can manage your insurance policies.)

Our affiliates at the American Safety Council offer a New York DMV-approved online course for $24.95. Register for the course on their website, or call us at (516) 484-5200 to speak with a personal insurance agent. You can also visit www.ccpinsurance.com/defensive-driving to learn more.

The post Save money on your auto policy with an online defensive driving course appeared first on Curran Cooney Penny Agency.