Frankenmuth Insurance This week is Part 1 of a two part series showcasing Frankenmuth Insurance.  Etler-Kettenacker Agency has been a trusted agent for Frankenmuth Insurance for many years and continues to match numerous clients with their products.  The complete Part 1, highlighting Frankenmuth’s personal lines products, can be found at http://www.ekagency.com/frankenmuth/insurance.aspx.             Frankenmuth...

This week EK Agency wanted to present an accident scenario for their clients and friends to think about and learn from.  This scenario is a common motor vehicle accident scenario and will demonstrate how claims are adjusted behind the scenes.   It was a rainy evening and the claimant (plaintiff) was with a friend leaving a restaurant.  The claimant was attempting to turn left onto a four lane road.  The plaintiff had their left turn signal on.  There were severa...

Mortgage/rent, groceries, savings, insurance... these are the non-negotiable expenses in someones monthly budget. And lets face it, most of us arent exactly thrilled to shell out a portion of our hard-earned money for insurance -- especially car insurance. The fact of the matter is, many of us pay our car insurance premiums diligently every month -- and never actually have to use it. We dont get into any major accidents -- and small scuffs from taking a curb too close simply arent worth filin...

Alright: its quiz time! Today we are going to play a round of "Would You File an Insurance Claim If...". Answer the following questions honestly -- and remember, this makes a great game for the next family get-together! Would you file an insurance claim if... you got into a fender-bender in the parking lot at Preschool dropoff? Would you file an insurance claim if... a tree branch fell and damaged your gutter? Would you file an insurance claim if... your teenage son backed i...

It has been COLD around here lately -- and theres still lots more time before Mr. Groundhog makes any predictions about spring. In addition to being a nuisance, cold weather can also wreak havoc on your pipes, gutters, cars -- you name it! Here are 5 tips to help avoid any weather-related damage to your property this winter: 1. Check your attic Make sure there arent any leaks, which can lead to roof damage, ice dams and higher heating bills! While youre up there, insulate any areas...

Today we are going to talk about liability coverage -- and why you might need to increase yours! Liability coverage covers injuries or damage to other people or property if youre at fault for an accident. Its part of your auto insurance policy, and is covers two types of damage: Bodily Injury: Covers costs if you cause an accident that injures or even kills another person. Bodily Injury will cover hospital and medical bills, rehabilitation, long-term nursing care, funeral expenses, ...

Your teen was likely thrilled to score that part-time job delivering pizzas: Free pizza? Getting to drive around town on the clock? Tips? However, your teen might want to reserve some of those tips for car insurance. In fact, they may need to up their coverage, or, in some cases, switch from a personal to commercial policy. Simply put, personal policies are written with the average private citizens habits and needs in mind, whereas commercial policies are designed to address t...

One of the ways you can save major money on car insurance is by opting for a plug-in diagnostic kit. Known as SmartRide, Snapshot or In-Drive (depending on your insurance company), this device attaches to the inside of your car (like an external hard drive connects to a USB port) and gives you personalized feedback to help you make safer driving decisions. All of your actions while behind the wheel -- miles driven, speed, acceleration, deceleration, what time of day you drive and how quickly...

Driver education classes, "practice" driving hours and memorizing road rules are all important parts of learning to drive -- but there are things only seasoned drivers know (like how you just know that guy in front of you is going to stop suddenly and turn, despite his turn signal not being on). A lot of driving is just getting experience, but you can do your best to set your teen up for success! Before you kid hits the road this spring, be sure you’ve shared the following 3 items: ...

It may sound like something out of The Jetsons -- but self-driving cars are here! According to recent data, as many as 10 million cars will be outfitted with self-driving features by the year 2020. While exciting, these futuristic vehicles have opened up a whole can of worms. Especially for insurance companies. How are they insured? Who’s to blame in the event of an accident? Can you trust machine over man? We don’t know the answers to these questions, but here are some f...

Most local schools are out for summer this week. While kids everywhere are rejoicing, working parents are faced with the issue of summer childcare. If you’re thinking of hiring a nanny this summer, there are several important factors to consider: Taxes If you hire a nanny, you should think of them as an employee, as far as taxes go. The IRS has criteria to help you determine who is and isn’t an employee, which can be found on their website. If your housekeeper or nanny is your...

If you get into a car accident, what do you replace the damaged parts with? Will any old part do, or should you replace with Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) parts? Does it matter? And, more importantly, what does your insurance cover? You may think you need to replace with original parts, but thats not always the case. Or the most economical. Heres what you should know: Unless youre a car enthusiast, you wont notice a difference. According to the Consumer Insuranc...

Weve talked about self-driving cars before, debating the pros and cons of these cars of the future. However, this week, Bloomberg Technology posted a bullish case for self-driving cars. In this article, the media mogul quoted a recent study by insurance broker Aon Plc. According to Aon, premiums for U.S. auto insurers may drop more than 40 percent once the use of automated vehicles has been fully adopted by 2050. Aon analyst Paul Mang was careful to specify the conditions under which ...

Next time you hail an Uber in Pittsburgh, you might end up riding in a machine-run vehicle! In August, NPR reported on Ubers plan to run an experiment in Pittsburgh, where it will test the first-ever self-driving fleet thats available to everyday customers. For safety purposes, an Uber staff member (an engineer or specially trained driver) will be inside, acting as a human "co-pilot." So technically, its not a car without a human. In fact, for the time being, a human co-pilot is a neces...

Tis the season for the holidays -- leaving our waistlines a little bigger and our bank accounts a little smaller! While we cant offer any advice for keeping your diet on track (thats what Januarys for, no?), we can help you save a little money this holiday season. How? By reviewing your car insurance policy, of course! As the inforgraphic ave illustrates, there are many ways to trim your auto policy. Here are some more top money-saving tips: 1. Bundle up! Were not talking about out...

2017 has just begun -- but, as this video shows, the future is already, in fact, here. Weve talked about self-driving cars before; most notably, how these smart vehicles could affect insurance premiums (both negatively and positively for consumers and insurers!). However, the biggest "pro" on the Self-Driving Cars Pro/Con list, is, of course, the potential for safer driving conditions and fewer accidents. Realizing that an accident was about to occur on the A2 highway in the Nether...

Its common knowledge that one of the quickest and easiest ways to lower your car insurance premiums is to raise your deductible. But is it worth it? Here are 3 scenarios where you should think twice about raising your deductible: 1. You have a new car Congrats -- you have a new pair of wheels (and likely, a new car payment...). Before you change your deductible, consider what would happen in the event of an accident. There is no getting around needing full coverage that includes the coll...

Picture this: you buy a new car, taking advantage of low financing and no down payment. A month later, you get into an accident. In this scenario, what you owe on the car is greater than what your car is worth. In other words, theres a "gap" between the vehicles value and your loan -- and youre responsible for the difference. This is why gap insurance exists. Gap insurance covers the gap between what your vehicle is worth and what you are actually on the hook for in regard your ...

A recent accident involving self-driving cars has once again put this new technology in the news. Last month, an Arizona driver turned left across three lances of traffic just as the light was turning from green to yellow. According to a report from the Tempe, Ariz., Police Department, the first two lanes were backed up with cars, and the driver crossed them at a speed of about 20 mph. Then, she approached the third lane when a self-driving Uber SUV came through the intersection, hitting...

Summers here -- which means its golf season! And if you drive a golf cart, you may need to be thinking about golf insurance. Yes -- golf insurance. If you drive a golf cart only around the links, you might not don’t need additional insurance. But if you own a cart and use it anywhere else, you might. In fact, you likely need golf cart insurance even if you drive exclusively on your own property or around your residential neighborhood! (FYI: most home and/or auto insurance polic...

Becoming a rideshare driver (think Uber/Lyft) is a great way to earn a little extra income. You set your hours and schedule, and are your own boss. But, did you know theres a gap in your auto insurance coverage when you drive for a transportation network company (TNC)?  Nearly every carrier’s auto policies exclude coverage for incidents that occur when a personal vehicle is used to transport paying passengers; i.e., during ridesharing. Heres the truth: the entire time your TNC app...

  Self-driving cars promise to transform the automobile industry - and not just for insurers. A recent report in Insurance Journal states that self-driving cars will completely change life for motorcyclists -- for the better. Its a simple safety equation: when robots are at the wheel, far fewer bikers will die on the road. As a result, more people will be inclined to use this alternative form of transportion, which previously had been seen as too dangerous. How, exactly, will self-dr...

This week is National Teen Driver Safety week!  It feels like just yesterday your kiddo was born and today, they’re getting their driver’s license.  It’s exciting and terrifying all at the same time!  You have to trust that your child has listened to all of your words of wisdom, when they take control of that 3,000 pound vehicle/death machine.  Take a deep breath parents!   While no one can take away the concern you will have when you w...

When you receive your Insurance policies do you read them?  If you do, do you understand what you are reading? Give me a few minutes of your time to help you understand what your policy says and why it’s important!   We drive our cars every day!  We drive to work, to school, on vacations, and running errands.  How many times have you worried about an uninsured driver hitting you?  What if they have insurance, but not enough?  Now how many times have you a...

We’ve had a very mild winter so far, but January is here and cold weather is sure to follow! When you are preparing yourself for cold weather you should also include your vehicle.  Follow these tips to help make sure you are prepared when the temperatures start dropping.   Important items to keep in your car. No matter what the weather there are some items that are always good to keep in your car.  Below is a list of items you should have in your car in the event of ...

Many times we receive the question, "Why is my auto insurance more expensive than my neighbors or friends?"  There are many different factors that go into insurance rates and no one is exactly the same.  Here are just a few of the components of auto insurance rating.  Insurance score- Each company has their own way to calculate your insurance score, but most follow this method. They calculate your score from information on your credit report, accident, and insurance claim h...

    During this crazy time that our world is going through, its nice to be able to say that WE are here for you!  Our partner insurance companies are here for you!  All of our companies have put special modifications in place for their client’s auto, home, and some commercial policies.  Check the companies listed below to see what your company is doing to help you by putting money back in your pocket.      Encova Formally Motorists Mu...

“An independent agent is an insurance agent that sells insurance policies provided by several different insurance carriers, rather than just a single insurance company. The independent agent acts as a middleman to connect insurance buyers and sellers in order to facilitate a transaction. Independent agents are not considered employees of any specific insurance company."    I have found that many people dread talking about insurance or to anyone who works in insurance. This...

If you are looking to add a Kia or Hyundai to your insurance, you may have a hard time due to a new social media trend.  This trend is teaching people how to hotwire certain vehicles that do not have an engine immobilizer.  This has caused many companies to halt writing new business with these vehicles.   How do you know if your vehicle falls under this risk? Your vehicle may be included if it is a Kia between the years of 2011-2021, or a Hyundai between 2015-2021 with a standar...

If you are looking to add a Kia or Hyundai to your insurance, you may have a hard time due to a new social media trend.  This trend is teaching people how to hotwire certain vehicles that do not have an engine immobilizer.  This has caused many companies to halt writing new business with these vehicles.   How do you know if your vehicle falls under this risk? Your vehicle may be included if it is a Kia between the years of 2011-2021, or a Hyundai between 2015-2021 with a standar...