http://www.bealinsurance.com/blog/View Beal Insurance Agency, Inc.'s Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.bealinsurance.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:b0948c05-f11b-470a-907d-4181aa48f180urn:uuid:811182e4-29ce-41df-b8d4-a32e5f6c90a9<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/Workers%E2%80%99%20Compensation%20Policy%20Texas.jpg' align='left' />This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. The experience rating modifier is the one area where an employer&rsquo;s efforts can significantly reduce premium cost. Experience rating is the interaction of claims management a...Thu, 19 Jan 2012 10:15:31 -0600<p><img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/Workers%E2%80%99%20Compensation%20Policy%20Texas.jpg" style="float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Workers&rsquo; Compensation Policy" />This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. The experience rating modifier is the one area where an employer&rsquo;s efforts can significantly reduce premium cost. <br /> <br /> Experience rating is the interaction of claims management and insurance pricing. An organization that controls its losses also controls its experience modifier and ultimately is responsible for higher or lower premiums. Although the formula is quite complicated, an understanding of the basic components will assist you in minimizing the impact of losses.<br /> <br /> The experience modification formula considers losses for a three-year period, excluding the current policy period. The &ldquo;losses&rdquo; are more than just the amount that has been actually paid out on a claim. They are the &ldquo;incurred&rdquo; losses, which also include the reserves that an insurance company adjuster has estimated the loss will pay out in the future, either in direct medical treatment or as indemnity payments to the injured worker while he or she is unable to return to work. <br /> <br /> As an example, let&rsquo;s consider that an experience modifier for a risk is being calculated during 2006 for a policy that will be written effective Jan. 1, 2007. Since the 2006 policy is not yet closed (expired), the loss data is not available. This one-year lag period allows the insurance company the time to close most claims and more accurately estimate the cost of the open claims that will continue for more than one year. The three years that the experience modification calculation is based on are the years that began in January 2003, January 2004 and January 2005. <br /> <br /> In its simplest form, the experience rating calculation compares the actual losses for the individual employer with the expected losses for the average employer in the same industry and same state with the same amount of payroll. <br /> <br /> An experience modifier of 1.00 represents an employer whose actual losses closely matched the expected losses for their business. If the actual losses were greater than the expected losses, the experience modifier would be greater than 1.00; conversely a modifier less than 1.00 means that actual losses were less than expected. <br /> <br /> Since no two employers in the same industry will have the same claims histories, the experience modifier calculation is designed so that the employer with the greater claims pays more for workers&rsquo; compensation. Through this system, employers have a financial incentive to improve the safety of the workplace. The chart below shows the significant impact that the experience modifier has on the actual premium an employer pays for insurance:<strong><br /> </strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="415" style="width: 311pt; margin-left: 61.1pt; border-collapse: collapse;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 71pt; border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Manual Premium</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 48pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Exp Mod</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Discount/Surcharge</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: 1pt 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: solid solid solid none; border-color: windowtext black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Modified <br /> Premium</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 71pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$62,106 </p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 48pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">.73</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$16,769 Discount</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$45,337 </p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 71pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$62,106 </p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 48pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">1.00</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">No Impact</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$62,106 </p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 13.5pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 71pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 13.5pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$62,106 </p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 48pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 13.5pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">1.43</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 13.5pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$26,706 Surcharge</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 96pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color black windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 13.5pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">$88,812 </p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The last aspect of the experience rating modifier that impacts the calculation is the frequency of claims. The formula places a higher penalty on an employer who has 10 injuries costing $5,000 each versus an employer who has one injury costing $50,000. Although the ultimate expense may be the same, the employer with one claim is considered a much better risk. A history of frequent losses normally implies there are poor safety standards in place and little management commitment to improving safety. In Texas, as in most states, large claims are &ldquo;capped&rdquo; so that the amount that exceeds the cap is not counted at all in the calculation. The current cap in Texas is $107,000. This capping process reduces the penalty to the employer when there are &ldquo;shock&rdquo; losses. <br /> <br /> The examples below show the impact of losses on the experience modification calculation as well as the impact of frequency versus severity in the calculation.</p> &nbsp; <br /> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="428" style="width: 321.25pt; margin-left: 55.85pt; border-collapse: collapse;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 321.25pt; border: 1pt solid windowtext; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="10"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Example #1 Hypothetical Account</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 321.25pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="10"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Claims History</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p><strong>Claims</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Policy Yr</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Actual</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Primary</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>Under $2000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;01</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">5,660</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">5,660</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>Under $2000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;02</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">5,303</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">5,303</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>Under $2000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;03</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">3,018</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">3,018</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>#51261701</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;01</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">3,267</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">3,267</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">Lost Time Claim</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>BJM3976</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;03</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">72,848</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">5,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">Lost Time Claim</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>BJM9986</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;03</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">4,708</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">4,708</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">Lost Time Claim</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 75.8pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.65pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 41.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">94,804</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.5pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: right;">26,956</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 97.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 321.25pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="10"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Premium Calculation</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 68.9pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p><strong>Class Code</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>3628</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 46.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: right;"><strong>8742</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: right;"><strong>8810</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 35.85pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mod</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Adj Prem</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 68.9pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>Est Payroll</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">1,000,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 46.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: right;">100,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: right;">1,400,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 35.85pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 68.9pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>Divide/100</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">10,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 46.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: right;">1,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: right;">14,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 35.85pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 68.9pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>Prem Rate</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">3.50</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 46.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: right;">0.75</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: right;">0.36</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 35.85pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 68.9pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>Premium</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">35,000</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 46.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: right;">750</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: right;">5,040</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 35.85pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 68.9pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 46.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="2"> <p>&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.6pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="3"> <p style="text-align: right;"><strong>40,790</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 35.85pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>1.275</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 56.35pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>52,007</strong></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> <br /> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="423" style="width: 317pt; margin-left: 58.1pt; border-collapse: collapse;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 317pt; border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: windowtext black windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="4"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Example #2 - What IF there had been no Lost Time Claims?</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Premium</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mod</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Adj Prem</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">Example #1</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>40,790</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>1.275</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>52,007</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">Example #2</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>40,790</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>.80</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>32,632</strong></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <p>&nbsp;</p> <table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" border="0" width="423" style="width: 317pt; margin-left: 58.1pt; border-collapse: collapse;"> <tbody> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td align="center" valign="bottom" style="width: 317pt; border-width: 1pt; border-style: solid; border-color: windowtext black windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;" colspan="4"> <strong>Example #3 - What IF instead of three lost-time injuries, <br /> there was only one but the total loss was the same?</strong> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Premium</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Mod</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>Adj Prem</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">Example #1</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>40,790</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>1.275</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>52,007</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">Example #2&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>&nbsp;<strong>40,790</strong></strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><strong>.80</strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><strong>32,632</strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> </td> </tr> <tr style="height: 12.75pt;"> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 100.95pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt; border-style: none solid solid; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext; -moz-border-top-colors: none; -moz-border-right-colors: none; -moz-border-bottom-colors: none; -moz-border-left-colors: none; -moz-border-image: none; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;">Example #2</p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 82.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong>40,790</strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 49.3pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><strong>1.120</strong></strong></p> </td> <td valign="bottom" style="width: 84.45pt; border-width: medium 1pt 1pt medium; border-style: none solid solid none; border-color: -moz-use-text-color windowtext windowtext -moz-use-text-color; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 12.75pt; white-space: nowrap;"> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><strong>45,684</strong></strong></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <br /> <p>&nbsp;Remember, experience modifiers are not arbitrary numbers assigned by the insurance carrier; they are calculations based on the employer&rsquo;s actual losses. You can reward yourself and your business by implementing safety programs that will reduce losses.</p> <br /> This article was derived from an article written by Jan Kearbey, CIC, CISR, CPIW, CWCP, Director of Education &amp; Production for Service Lloyds Insurance Company of Austin, <strong>Texas</strong>, and was originally printed in Service Lloyds Connection Volume II, Issue 3.<br /> <br /> This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content. Please read your insurance policy. If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply. The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,800 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.<br /> <br /> <strong>Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong></strong> for a free <strong><a title="Bryan College Station Business Insurance" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/business/default.aspx">College Station business insurance</a></strong> quote or visit our <a title="Office Beal Insurance Agency" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/locations.aspx">office</a>.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: #ffffff;">JG</span>urn:uuid:c2a73fc3-15bb-4f4c-a0a2-7e4a61802ec8<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000010892134XSmall.jpg' align='left' />Theft is an unfortunate fact of life. Luckily, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from being the victim of theft and from the financial effects of being a victim. The first step is to guard yourself against it; this is done through prev...Wed, 18 Jan 2012 18:29:46 -0600<p><img alt="Theft Protection" style="width: 300px; height: 205px; float: left; margin-right: 7px;" src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000010892134XSmall.jpg" />Theft is an unfortunate fact of life. Luckily, there are steps you can take to protect yourself from being the victim of theft and from the financial effects of being a victim. The first step is to guard yourself against it; this is done through preventative measures that may differ depending on what you are protecting.</p> <p>Theft Prevention</p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; list-style-type: disc;"> </ul> Vehicle: Ensure that would-be thieves do not have easy entry into your vehicle by always locking your doors and not keeping keys in the vehicle or in a wheel well. Keep windows rolled up at least enough that a hand or arm cannot snake in. You can also invest in alarms and other anti-theft devices.<br /> <br /> Home: Keep your doors and windows locked and your windows closed when you are not at home. Use wood to block the track on closed sliding glass doors and install bars when necessary. Shore up any easy points of entry such as doggy doors and place locks on fence gates, when possible. You can also invest in monitored or unmonitored alarm and theft detection devices. Placing stickers and signs around your home that you have a theft detection system can also help minimize your risk. Be careful not to create any fire escape route hazards in your effort to protect your home against theft. <ul style="margin-top: 0in; list-style-type: disc;"> </ul> <p>Theft Protection</p> <p>You cannot guarantee that you will never be the victim of theft, no matter how many preventative measures you take, so the second step is to protect yourself from theft through insurance. For your vehicle, having comprehensive coverage not only protects you from vehicle loss through theft, it also protects you against the expense of damages caused by vandalism. </p> <p>In your home, guarding yourself against theft requires a bit more effort on your part. Thieves like to grab light, easy, valuable items, so you&rsquo;ll need to make sure your home insurance limits are adequate to cover expensive jewelry, art, and antiques and other items that are attractive to thieves. If you live in an apartment, townhouse or condo, you have no protection against theft unless you have an insurance policy to cover your contents.</p> <p>We have all the tools you need to get your insurance plan in place and to protect you from the financial damages that theft and vandalism can cause. Give us a call today to get your policy application process started.</p> <p>Beal Insurance, a <strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/">Bryan Insurance agency</a></strong>, is here to ensure that your home and vehicle is properly protected. Contact Beal Insurance to get a free <strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/default.aspx">College Station Insurance</a></strong> / <strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/default.aspx">Bryan Insurance</a></strong> quote today!</p>urn:uuid:05b98f9e-d5f3-4afa-9526-da4d027c6976<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000008194202Small.jpg' align='left' />Lowering Your Health Insurance Bill A health insurance policy is one of the most important tools to have if you want to live a long life. The easy and affordable access to preventative treatment that health insurance gives is vital to the early detec...Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:12:25 -0600<p><strong><img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000008194202Small.jpg" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; float: left; margin-right: 7px;" alt="Health Insurance" />Lowering Your Health Insurance Bill</strong></p> <p>A health insurance policy is one of the most important tools to have if you want to live a long life. The easy and affordable access to preventative treatment that health insurance gives is vital to the early detection of many curable and treatable diseases. Health insurance also grants the ability to get emergency treatment after an accident or serious illness which can help stave off infection and complications that result in overall health deterioration.</p> <p>One of the best things about health insurance is that you can adjust how much you spend on healthcare costs by taking a few specific steps, such as: </p> <p style="text-indent: -0.25in;">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>Eating healthy:</em> A nutritious, well-balanced diet can help improve your health while reducing your likelihood of getting certain diseases. </p> <p style="text-indent: -0.25in;">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>Exercising:</em> Like a good diet, exercise can help keep your health and weight in check. </p> <p style="text-indent: -0.25in;">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>Taking your medications:</em> Your prescription medication is meant to help your body&rsquo;s fight for wellness. It can improve your health and make your blood tests and diagnostic numbers &nbsp;look better than they otherwise would. </p> <p style="text-indent: -0.25in;">o&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <em>Getting screened:</em> Early detection of potential health problems can lead to early treatment&mdash;which can make the difference between life and death for some patients. </p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.25in;">&nbsp;</p> <p>Not only do the above steps help your health, they also help to:</p> <ul style="margin-top: 0in; list-style-type: disc;"> <li><em>Reduce your health insurance premiums:</em> When the underwriters of your insurance policy look at your health history, they will see more positive information if you take the above steps than they would if you did not. This may allow you to fall under a less expensive premium category than you otherwise would. </li> <li><em>Reduce your out-of-pocket expenses:</em> If you choose a policy with a deductible, then you have a potentially steep self-insurance responsibility. The healthier you are, and the earlier you detect health problems, the less money you may need to spend on medical treatments within your deductible. </li> <li><em>Continue your insurability:</em> You have a better chance of remaining insurable if you keep your health in check. Without insurability, you could be required to pay all of your medical treatment costs out-of-pocket and without the benefit of insurer negotiated prices. </li> </ul> <p>Your health is the most important asset that you have and protecting it with affordable health insurance is like icing on the cake when you also focus on preserving it through exercise, eating healthy, taking medications and early screening. If you&rsquo;re curious about health insurance rates and how affordable a policy can be for you and your family, contact us and we&rsquo;ll work through your options with you. </p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Contact us at (979) 268-1500</span> for a free<strong> </strong><strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/health/default.aspx"><strong>Texas Health Insurance</strong></a></strong><strong> </strong>quote or visit our<strong> </strong><a title="Office Beal Insurance Agency" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/locations.aspx">office</a><strong>.</strong></p>urn:uuid:bff34ef2-7435-4780-86bf-ed674616bee7<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/Bryan%20College%20Station%20Insurance%20Policy.jpg' align='left' />Every day there is some personal accounting task for you to worry about. Did you pay the power bill? How about the cable bill? Got the life insurance paid up? What about home insurance, auto and disability? Oh, and don&rsquo;t forget to take care of ...Thu, 17 Nov 2011 10:48:41 -0600<p><img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/Bryan%20College%20Station%20Insurance%20Policy.jpg" style="float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Bryan College Station Insurance Policy" />Every day there is some personal accounting task for you to worry about. Did you pay the power bill? How about the cable bill? Got the life insurance paid up? What about <strong>home insurance</strong>, <strong>auto</strong> and disability? Oh, and don&rsquo;t forget to take care of the cell phone bill.</p> <p>Honestly, it&rsquo;s enough to make even the most energetic people tired. Balancing work, family needs and&mdash;wait for it&mdash;personal time along with all of these bills all while tracking the associated paperwork isn&rsquo;t just difficult, it&rsquo;s practically miserable. </p> <p>In the interest of making your life easier while still allowing you to pay and organize your insurance arsenal effectively, here are a few simple ways to manage all the various policies and premiums you have. </p> <h2>Premium Organization</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Automate renewals:</strong> When you automate your premium payments, you allow the insurance company to take money from your bank account without any work from you. You can choose to automate through the insurance company&rsquo;s Automated Clearing House (ACH) program or through your bank&rsquo;s bill pay system. Be aware that the bank may charge you for this service. Make sure that you always have enough in the account to allow the payment to go through without incident so that you can avoid insufficient funds charges or lapses due to late payment. </li> <li><strong>Use one insurer:</strong> When you bundle your insurance policies, you may be able to send premium payments to one address, making it easier to manage your monthly budget. It is important that you not assume that your insurer will allow you to send all payments to the same address or in a single envelope, so talk to your agent before you begin doing so. </li> </ul> <strong> </strong> <h2>Policy Organization</h2> <ul> <li><strong>Make digital copies accessible from remote computers: </strong>Having insurance policies accessible is important, since you may want to reference the document and determine what is and isn&rsquo;t covered after an incident. It will also make it easier to make claims when you have your policy available. Keeping your policies on your computer as a digital document can really simplify policy storage. Accessing them through the insurer&rsquo;s website allows you even more flexibility.</li> <li><strong>Keep physical copies in safe place: </strong>A hard copy of your policies should be in a safe place that is away from your home so that you can access it after an insurable incident. </li> </ul> <p>When you work with our agency to design your insurance coverage, we will help you determine which payment and policy storage options will work best for you. <br /> <br /> At <em>Beal Insurance Agency</em>, we have been serving the Brazos Valley and beyond for 65 years. We specialize in<a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx" title=" Bryan, College Station home insurance"><strong>&nbsp;Bryan, College Station home insurance</strong></a><strong></strong> as well as <strong>car, life &amp; health, business &amp; commercial insurance in surrounding areas of Central Texas</strong>. Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> for a free <strong>Texas insurance</strong> quote or visit our office.</p>urn:uuid:7339a79b-13de-4282-8587-39e5f1f848bb<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/college-station-car-insurance-texas.jpg' align='left' />When searching for cheap car insurance, it pays to know the facts. Don&rsquo;t rely on your neighbor or co-worker for insurance information. Here are the truths every driver should know. 1. "No-fault insurance means it's not my fault!" No-fault car i...Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:05:28 -0500<p><img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/college-station-car-insurance-texas.jpg" style="float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" alt="Car Insurance Myths in College Station Texas" />When searching for <strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan-College Station car insurance">cheap car insurance</a></strong>, it pays to know the facts. Don&rsquo;t rely on your neighbor or co-worker for insurance information. Here are the truths every driver should know.</p> <h2><strong>1. "No-fault insurance means it's not my fault!"</strong></h2> <p><em>No-fault car insurance</em> varies by state, but usually requires your car insurance company to pay medical expenses and lost wages for injuries due to a car accident, regardless of who is at fault.</p> <p>"After an accident, no-fault insurance lets all parties get payment for their immediate medical needs while their insurance companies are deciding amongst themselves which company is going to pay for the accident," says Michael Petrarca, an assistant vice president at Amica Mutual Insurance Co. in Lincoln, R.I.</p> <p>If you caused the wreck, it doesn't mean you're off the hook. The insurance companies will decide who's to blame, and that party would be responsible for repairs and other damages, he says.</p> <h2><strong>2. "The color of my car affects my insurance rate."</strong></h2> <p>Auto insurance companies set rates based on the safety features of a vehicle and how much it costs to repair or replace the vehicle (among other factors about the driver). But the color of the car doesn't factor into the premium, says Petrarca.</p> <p>"Some makes and models generate more claims than others, and they're rated accordingly, but the color of a vehicle means nothing," he says.</p> <h2><strong>3. "My friend borrowed my car, so he's responsible for damages."</strong></h2> <p>If you give someone permission to drive your car and that person crashes, it will be your insurance &ndash; not your friend's policy &ndash; that covers the damages, says Rebecca Doran, a senior corporate underwriter with Amica.</p> <p>"For a personal auto policy, the insurance is generally going to follow the car, and not the driver. So if I lend a vehicle to my brother, and he gets in an accident, it would go through my insurance company," she says.</p> <p>However, if your <strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/" title="Bryan College Station Car Insurance">car insurance</a></strong> coverage is maxed out, your friend's policy can be tapped for the remainder of damages, Doran says.</p> <h2><strong>4. "My auto insurance company can cancel my policy at any time."</strong></h2> <p>State regulations prohibit insurance companies from dropping you in the middle of your policy term unless the insurer has adequate grounds to do so, says Petrarca. Such grounds may include non-payment or fraud.</p> <p>However, if you're paying your premiums on time and have a valid driver's license, you have little to worry about, he says.</p> <p>"While there are reasons companies can cancel insurance policies, they can't necessarily do it at any time," he says.</p> <h2><strong>5. "A more expensive car costs more to insure."</strong></h2> <p>Car insurance companies look at the &ldquo;loss history&rdquo; of your vehicle &ndash; meaning how many claims they&rsquo;ve paid on that model&mdash;along with how much it might cost to repair or replace your car, not its sales price, when determining how much to charge you for collision and comprehensive coverage.</p> <p>In fact, some mid-priced vehicles may have higher insurance premiums if they have a high loss history and cost more to repair than expensive ones.<strong> </strong></p> <p>"A $30,000 sports car could have costlier claims than a $50,000 SUV, so the sports car could cost more to insure," says Sal Orso, an assistant vice president of casualty underwriting for Chartis Insurance's private client group in New York<strong>.</strong></p> <h2><strong>6. "I got a ticket, so my car insurance rates will skyrocket."</strong></h2> <p>A ticket doesn't automatically mean an increase in rates, Doran says. In fact, if the ticket was minor and you have an otherwise clean record, your premium may not increase, she says.</p> <p>"It depends on the situation, and how many infractions you've had in the recent past. Ask your insurance company if you're unsure," says Doran.</p> <h2><strong>7. "I don't need comprehensive insurance for theft, because thieves don't steal old cars."</strong></h2> <p>In reality, many criminals are attracted to older, trustworthy, popular vehicles, such as a Honda Accord or Toyota Camry, says Doran. Because of the popularity of these cars, there's a large demand for their parts. When thieves steal the cars, they can strip the parts and sell them, she says.</p> <p>"On the other hand, if you steal a $70,000 Mercedes, there wouldn't be as much of a demand for the parts," Doran says.</p> <h2><strong>8. "The laptop in my car is covered by my auto insurance policy."</strong></h2> <p>Personal property, such as a laptop or cell phone, isn't covered under an <em>auto insurance policy</em>, says Petrarca. Those items might be covered by <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan College Station Home Insurance"><strong>home insurance</strong></a>, but a claim would be subject to your deductible.</p> <h2><strong>9. "I recently paid my insurance premium, so I won't need a new policy for my new car."</strong></h2> <p>Whenever you buy a new car, your insurance company will have to issue a new policy, regardless of when you paid for the previous policy, says Dick Luedke, a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance in Bloomington, Ill.</p> <h2><strong>10. "My personal auto insurance covers both my personal and business use of my car."</strong></h2> <p>If you're hauling supplies or otherwise performing business duties in your vehicle, you have to insure your auto for business use, says Luedke.<br /> <br /> <span style="color: #7f7f7f;">(Source: Insurance.com)<br /> <br /> <span style="color: #000000;"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Contact us at (979) 268-1500</span> for a free</span><strong> <strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan - College Station Auto Insurance">College Station auto insurance</a></strong> </strong><span style="color: #000000;">quote or visit our</span><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/locations.aspx" title="Office Beal Insurance Agency">office</a><strong>.<br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> </strong></span></p>urn:uuid:0ca9a681-cc46-43e1-bae5-8e5d647cc2af<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/fender_bender.jpg' align='left' />Most car insurance claims aren&rsquo;t related to gruesome morning rush-hour accidents, incredible winter storms, and the occasional adventurous tree branch. There are actually only five types of incidents that make up a large part of car insurance c...Wed, 12 Oct 2011 09:48:14 -0500<p><img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/fender_bender.jpg" style="float: right; margin-left: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" alt="Fender Bender" />Most car insurance claims aren&rsquo;t related to gruesome morning rush-hour accidents, incredible winter storms, and the occasional adventurous tree branch. There are actually only five types of incidents that make up a large part of car insurance claims and many of them are based on ordinary, everyday events.</p> <ol> <li style="margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Parking lot damage:</strong> Make sure your shopping cart is safely put away after you do your weekly shopping because damage that occurs in parking lots are common causes for car insurance claims. But it&rsquo;s not just rolling carts causing problems; some people park too close and scratch your car doors with theirs are also to blame. You can prevent this by parking away from other cars and shop entrances.</li> <li style="margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Windshield Cracks:</strong> While driving your daily commute, various different types of rubble may come flying towards your car windshield. A common occurrence is when rocks crack or shatter windshields. Unfortunately there is no way to avoid this as you drive, but you can at least make sure your driveway is clear so there is one less way to sustain this kind of damage. </li> <li style="margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Vandalism:</strong> Vandalism can come in various shapes and sizes. Everything from your car being keyed on a dare, to adults enjoying the creation of mayhem, the likelihood that your car will get vandalized is high. It can help to use a car alarm that triggers when a person gets too near&mdash;but the best protection is parking your car in an enclosed space. </li> <li style="margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Rear-End Collisions:</strong> It doesn&rsquo;t matter how cautious you are, if the person behind you is driving too close to you or is not paying attention to the road, then you could get hit from behind. You too may not be paying attention while you drive, and it could be you that does the hitting. This is one of the most frequent types of car claim incidents, and can be easily avoided when drivers maintain a safe distance from the cars in front of them, make sure their brake lights are working, and pay attention to the road. </li> <li style="margin-top: 10px;"><strong>Theft:</strong> Whether you have the latest luxury vehicle or just a regular old car, it&rsquo;s completely feasible that it might be stolen by professional car thieves or kids looking for a joyride. To avoid theft of your car, be sure to always lock your doors, park under streetlights wherever possible, and invest in an anti-theft device like a car alarm or steering wheel clamp.&nbsp; </li> </ol> If you're experienced any of the claims above&nbsp;<strong></strong> or if you'd like to get a <a title="Car insurance quote" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx">College Station/Bryan car insurance quote</a> then give us a call today at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong>.urn:uuid:715c7c18-9152-4ca3-af8d-490e1befbe72<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000010641551XSmall.jpg' align='left' />Previously a vehicle owner in the State of Texas is required, at a minimum, to carry the following limits of coverage on their car insurance policy: $25,000 Bodily injury for each injured person with a minimum of $50,000 cumulative for multiple-...Mon, 12 Sep 2011 10:44:36 -0500<p><img src="http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000010641551XSmall.jpg" style="width: 225px; height: 150px; float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" alt="Car Accident" />Previously a vehicle owner in the State of Texas is required, at a minimum, to carry the following limits of coverage on their car insurance policy:</p> <ul> <li>$25,000 Bodily injury for each injured person with a minimum of $50,000 cumulative for multiple-person injury accidents.</li> <li>$25,000 Property damage liability for property damage caused by an accident. </li> </ul> <p>With medical bills costs escalating, you will notice that those numbers are awry of current medical expense levels. That is why the state of Texas increased its minimum car liability limits on January 1, 2011. The new limits will require you to have at least:</p> <ul> <li>$30,000 bodily injury for each person injured with a minimum cumulative limit of $60,000 per accident. </li> <li>The $25,000 property damage limit will remain the same.</li> </ul> <p>Having the legally required liability minimums on your car insurance helps to guarantee that people who are injured or suffer from property damage after an accident are compensated. But the legal minimums do not automatically give you all the insurance coverage that you might need. </p> <p>For example, if you are driving a car with three people inside and you have an accident, $60,000 may cover the treatment for two passengers&rsquo; injuries, but it may not cover any of the medical expenses for the third. If you responsible for the accident, then you are liable for the additional medical expenses not covered by the policy.</p> <p>The property damage minimum of $25,000 may not be enough if you cause an accident that involves a luxury car or other property like someone&rsquo;s home. And again, without enough insurance coverage, you will be liable for making the payments that exceed your insurance policy&rsquo;s limit.</p> Working with an <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/employees.aspx" title="Beal Employees">insurance agent</a> will allow you to determine what the most reasonable policy limits really are for your area and amounts that can adequately protect your assets. Call us today to get a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Quote form">Texas car insurance</a> quote at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong>.urn:uuid:46d06927-564a-48c9-a4c4-02f0ac422626<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000002938512Small.jpg' align='left' />To get an accurate claim history on consumers, many insurance companies use a service called CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), a centralized database that provides a seven year history of auto and homeowner insurance claims.&nbsp; The ...Thu, 25 Aug 2011 11:41:21 -0500<img alt="College Station Auto &amp; Home Insurance" style="width: 312px; height: 210px; float: right; margin: 5px 0px 5px 7px;" src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000002938512Small.jpg" />To get an accurate <strong>claim history</strong> on consumers, many insurance companies use a service called <strong>CLUE </strong>(Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), a centralized database that provides a seven year history of <a title="College Station Auto &amp; Home Insurance" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/">auto and homeowner insurance</a> claims.&nbsp; The CLUE database enables homeowner and auto insurance companies to exchange your claim history. This database is maintained by a consumer reporting agency called ChoicePoint. <p>Information provided on the reports include the date of the loss, the type of loss, the name of the insurance company, policy number, the amount paid, and other general information.&nbsp; As with any report that is collected by a consumer reporting agency, you have the right to obtain a free copy annually.&nbsp; Information on how to obtain your <strong>CLUE</strong> report can be found on the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.choicetrust.com/servlet/com.kx.cs.servlets.CsServlet?channel=welcome&amp;subchannel=clue">CLUE Reports website</a>.&nbsp; </p> <p>Your insurance premiums are determined by the information provided on these reports, therefore, it is recommended to check them periodically.&nbsp; In the event you find a discrepancy on your report, you have the right by law to dispute it.&nbsp; Checking your CLUE report prior to shopping for or insurance coverage will give you the time needed to fix any discrepancies before purchasing an <strong>insurance policy</strong>.<br /> <br /> To learn more about&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan College Station Auto Insurance">College Station auto insurance</a> or <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan College Station home insurance">College Station home insurance</a> <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Contact us</span></strong> at <strong>(979) 268-1500.</strong></p>urn:uuid:1579c190-077f-4d12-b4e8-274381ad8459<img src='../img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000013029608Small.jpg' align='left' />Should I purchase the Loss Damage Waiver offered by the rental agent when I rent a vehicle? This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently.&nbsp; Whether you rent a vehicle for personal use while on vacation, or as a substitute...Tue, 23 Aug 2011 11:12:03 -0500<h2><strong>Should I purchase the Loss Damage Waiver offered by the rental agent when I rent a vehicle?</strong> </h2> <h2><strong><strong><img alt="Bryan - College Station Rental Car Insurance" style="width: 302px; height: 200px; float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" src="../img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000013029608Small.jpg" /></strong></strong></h2> <p>This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently.&nbsp; Whether you rent a vehicle for personal use while on vacation, or as a substitute while your vehicle is out of commission for repair or service, or for business use while out of town, there comes that time when you&rsquo;re standing at the <strong>rental car </strong>counter and the agent asks the inevitable question:&nbsp; &ldquo;Do you want to buy our loss damage waiver (or our <strong><a title="Bryan - College Station Insurance" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/">insurance</a> </strong>coverage)?&rdquo;</p> <p>Most loss damage waiver (LDW) fees are outrageous.&nbsp; Sometimes they cost more than the daily rental fee itself.&nbsp; But are they worth the additional cost?&nbsp; The answer may depend on your tolerance for risk and inconvenience.&nbsp; You must decide if the extra cost is reasonable, considering the potential for an uninsured loss should something happen to the vehicle during the term of the rental contract, and the resulting inconvenience of dealing with the rental company and your insurance company to satisfy the rental company&rsquo;s demands.</p> <p>First, you should know that the LDW is not actually an <strong>insurance policy</strong>.&nbsp; It is a waiver of the rental company&rsquo;s requirement in the rental contract that you bring the vehicle back in the same condition as when it left their lot.&nbsp; Most rental contracts make you responsible for <strong>any</strong> damage to the vehicle, including theft and weather-related damage.&nbsp; When you purchase the LDW, the rental company is removing that provision from the contract on a conditional basis.&nbsp; </p> <p>If you don&rsquo;t purchase the LDW and the vehicle is damaged, here are some of the costs for which you could be held responsible under the rental contract:</p> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal;" start="1"> <li>Cost to repair damage to the vehicle, or the full value of the vehicle if it is a total loss</li> </ol> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal;" start="2"> <li>&ldquo;Diminished value&rdquo; of the vehicle &ndash; the difference between what the vehicle was worth before the accident and what it is worth after repairs have been made</li> </ol> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal;" start="3"> <li>&ldquo;Loss of use&rdquo; &ndash; the amount of money the rental company loses on rental fees while the vehicle is out of service for repair or replacement</li> </ol> <ol style="list-style-type: decimal;" start="4"> <li>Administrative or loss-related expenses incurred by the rental company, such as fees for towing, appraisal, and claims adjustment, plus general office expenses for handling the paperwork</li> </ol> <p>Whether all or any of these costs are covered by your personal auto policy depends on several factors.&nbsp; One big factor is the type of personal auto policy you have purchased.&nbsp; Insurance companies sell different policies in Texas and the coverage and exclusions are not the same from one company to the next.&nbsp; Some companies sell a policy that covers damage to the rented vehicle in the liability section of the policy, while others sell a policy that covers damage to the rented vehicle in the physical damage section.&nbsp; Each type of policy is discussed separately below.&nbsp; </p> <p>We encourage you to ask your agent which type of policy you have, because as you will see, the differences are significant.</p> <h3><strong>Reasons to purchase the Loss Damage Waiver when you have a policy that covers damage to the rental vehicle in the liability section: </strong></h3> <h4><strong>1.&nbsp; Your limit of liability may not be sufficient to satisfy the rental company&rsquo;s demands.</strong></h4> <p>Coverage for damage to the <strong>rental car </strong>and related costs are provided by the property damage liability section of your personal auto policy.&nbsp; If the property damage limit of liability is not sufficient to cover the value of the vehicle you rent, plus pay for any other costs the rental company demands, you will be personally responsible for the costs that exceed what your insurance company has to pay.</p> <h4><strong>2.&nbsp; Your policy may exclude rented pickups and vans used for business purposes.</strong></h4> <p>If you rent a pickup or van for business purposes, your personal auto policy may not provide coverage at all.&nbsp; Some insurance companies consider an SUV to be a pickup or van, and may therefore not cover any damages arising out of the use of an SUV rented for business purposes.</p> <h4><strong>3.&nbsp; Your premium may go up or your policy may not be renewed if you have an at-fault accident.</strong></h4> <p>You are driving an unfamiliar vehicle in unfamiliar territory.&nbsp; If you have an at-fault accident while driving the rented vehicle, your insurance company may hold it against you &ndash; with a premium surcharge or perhaps even non-renewal.</p> <h4><strong>4.&nbsp; Your line of credit may be adversely affected.</strong></h4> <p>If you don&rsquo;t buy the LDW, the rental company will probably ring up an estimated damage amount on your credit card, pending notification to and settlement by your insurance company.&nbsp; </p> <h4><strong>5.&nbsp; You may suffer a huge inconvenience.</strong></h4> <p>When you have purchased the LDW, you can bring a damaged vehicle back to the rental company, throw the keys on the counter, and walk away.&nbsp; When you haven&rsquo;t purchased the LDW, you may have to spend a significant amount of time dealing with the rental company and your insurance company.</p> <h3><strong>Reasons to purchase the Loss Damage Waiver when you have policy that covers damage to the rental vehicle in the physical damage section: </strong></h3> <h4><strong>1.&nbsp; Your policy may not cover damage to the rental vehicle at all.</strong></h4> <p>Coverage for damage to the rental vehicle and related costs are provided by the physical damage section of your personal auto policy &ndash; <strong>IF</strong> your policy provides physical damage coverage on at least one of your covered vehicles.</p> <h4><strong>2.&nbsp; Your insurance company may not pay the entire amount demanded by the rental company.</strong></h4> <p>When your policy provides physical damage coverage on one of your covered vehicles, the policy covers damage to a rented vehicle.&nbsp; The amount payable by the insurance company is the lesser of the &ldquo;actual cash value&rdquo; of the vehicle or the amount &ldquo;necessary&rdquo; to repair or replace the vehicle, minus your deductible.&nbsp; In addition, the policy covers &ldquo;loss of use&rdquo; with a daily limit (usually as low as $20 per day) and a maximum limit (usually $600), and there is usually a 1- or 2-day waiting period before the policy will begin to pay these expenses.&nbsp; Because of all these limitations, you may become personally responsible for:</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.1in;">&sect; The amount demanded by the rental company to repair or replace the vehicle in excess of &ldquo;actual cash value&rdquo; or the amount &ldquo;necessary&rdquo; to repair or replace;</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.1in;">&sect; The amount of your deductible;</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.1in;">&sect; The amount demanded by the rental company for &ldquo;loss of use&rdquo; in excess of the daily and maximum limits payable by your insurance company;</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.1in;">&sect; The amount demanded by the rental company for &ldquo;diminished value&rdquo; of the vehicle, even after the repairs are complete;</p> <p style="margin-left: 0.5in; text-indent: -0.1in;">&sect; The amount demanded by the rental company for administrative or other loss-related expenses.</p> <p><strong>3.&nbsp; Your policy may exclude some electronic equipment.</strong></p> <p>Your policy may exclude loss to some electronic equipment that receives or transmits audio, visual or data signals.&nbsp; If you rent a vehicle equipped with a GPS receiver, for example, your policy may not cover it.</p> <h4><strong>4.&nbsp; Your premium may go up or your policy may not be renewed if you have an at-fault accident.</strong></h4> <p>You are driving an unfamiliar vehicle in unfamiliar territory.&nbsp; If you have an at-fault accident while driving the rented vehicle, your insurance company may hold it against you &ndash; with a premium surcharge or perhaps even non-renewal.</p> <h4><strong>5.&nbsp; Your line of credit may be adversely affected.</strong></h4> <p>If you don&rsquo;t buy the LDW, the rental company will probably ring up an estimated damage amount on your credit card, pending notification to and settlement by your insurance company.&nbsp; </p> <h4><strong>6.&nbsp; You may suffer a huge inconvenience.</strong></h4> <p>When you have purchased the LDW, you can bring a damaged vehicle back to the rental company, throw the keys on the counter, and walk away.&nbsp; When you haven&rsquo;t purchased the LDW, you may have to spend a significant amount of time dealing with the rental company and your insurance company.</p> <h3><strong>Bottom Line</strong></h3> <p><strong>We recommend that you buy the Loss Damage Waiver from the rental company.</strong></p> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #7f7f7f;">This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content.&nbsp; Please read your insurance policy.&nbsp; If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply.&nbsp; The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,800 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.<br /> <br /> <br /> </span> <strong>Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong></strong> for a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan - College Station Auto Insurance">College Station auto insurance</a> quote or visit our <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/locations.aspx" title="Office Beal Insurance Agency">office</a>.urn:uuid:bedb71db-7294-4286-91f2-e743d7a09290<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/building_insurance.jpg' align='left' />I recently learned that the city building code requires automatic fire sprinklers for a building like mine. Will my property insurance pay for installation of a sprinkler system? Your commercial property insurance policy responds only when your bui...Thu, 28 Jul 2011 17:57:02 -0500<h2>I recently learned that the city building code requires automatic fire sprinklers for a building like mine. Will my property insurance pay for installation of a sprinkler system? </h2> <br /> Your <a title="Business &amp; Commercial Insurance" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/business/default.aspx">commercial property insurance policy</a> responds only when your building is damaged by a covered cause of loss, so it won&rsquo;t help you pay the cost to install sprinklers or comply with other building code requirements right now.<br /> <br /> Fortunately, however, the city building code probably includes a &ldquo;grandfather&rdquo; provision that says you don&rsquo;t have to retrofit your building to comply with current codes unless and until your building is damaged by some catastrophe. If that happens, your property insurance may help pay the additional costs you incur to rebuild or repair your building to meet current codes. <br /> <br /> Local building codes are updated periodically and may have changed significantly since your building was constructed. If your building is badly damaged, the building officials in your community may require you to rebuild it to meet new building codes.&nbsp; Some communities require you to demolish undamaged parts of the building if they determine the damage exceeds a certain percentage of its value, usually 50 percent. <br /> <br /> Most commercial insurance policies will only pay enough to replace your building as it existed at the time of the loss. Some policies cover the extra expense of rebuilding to code, but only up to a certain dollar amount like $10,000 or a certain percentage of the limit like 5 percent.&nbsp; Most insurance companies offer an additional limit for building code coverage for an additional premium. &nbsp;<br /> <br /> To fully cover the additional costs related to required building code enforcement, you must add the necessary amount to the limit of insurance and purchase additional coverage &ndash; commonly called &ldquo;ordinance and law&rdquo; coverage &ndash; if offered by the insurance company. <br /> <br /> <strong>How much additional insurance do you need?</strong><br /> <br /> <img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/building_insurance.jpg" style="width: 248px; height: 158px; float: left; margin-right: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" alt="Building" />The only way to begin the process of determining that is to consult with a local architect or general contractor, or meet with the fire marshal and/or the building code official in the city where your building is located. <br /> <br /> Many city governments follow the &ldquo;universal&rdquo; building code established by the International Code Council (ICC). The ICC code was implemented in 2000, so some cities may instead be following an older set of code established by the Building Officials and Code Administrators (BOCA), the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), the Southern Building Code Congress International (SBCCI), or the Council of American Building Officials (CABO). And that&rsquo;s just the building code. There are separate codes for electrical, plumbing and mechanical (heating and air conditioning). <br /> <br /> Codes are not necessarily consistent throughout a city. The code for one neighborhood may be different from the code applicable to a neighborhood eight blocks away! <br /> <br /> To make matters more complicated, growing cities and towns can annex new territories into their city limits at any time. Buildings within those annexed areas that were constructed years ago can be forced to comply with the city building codes. <br /> <br /> Whose job is it to determine the proper amount of insurance needed to cover current building codes?&nbsp; Ultimately it is your responsibility to establish the value of your property and select the amount of insurance for your policy.&nbsp; We can help with that decision and explain what you can do to avoid an unpleasant surprise after a loss.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #7f7f7f;">This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content. Some of the content for this article was reproduced with permission by the Insurance Information Institute (<a href="http://www.iii.org" target="_blank" title="III.org"><span style="font-size: 0.9em;">www.iii.org</span></a>).&nbsp; Please read your insurance policy. If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply. The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,700 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.</span> <p><a href="/contact.aspx" title="Contact">Contact</a> us for additional information on building code coverage. At Beal Insurance Agency, we have been serving the Bryan/College Station area and beyond for 65 years. We specialize in all lines of personal and commercial insurance, as well as life and health products for your family or business. Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> for a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/business/bop_quote.aspx">business insurance quote</a> or visit our office.</p>urn:uuid:30cb3979-6887-4ac8-8cbe-f951dc719ffd<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000008138853XSmall.jpg' align='left' />It is quite usual for insurance companies to insure homes for more than the market value.&nbsp; This often poses questions from homeowners &ldquo;Why is my house being insured for more than it is worth?&rdquo;&nbsp; Before determining how much to ins...Thu, 28 Jul 2011 15:42:35 -0500<p><img alt="Bryan - College Station Home Insurance" style="width: 250px; height: 170px; float: right; margin-top: 5px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000008138853XSmall.jpg" />It is quite usual for insurance companies to <strong><a title="Home Insurance" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx">insure homes</a> </strong>for more than the market value.<span>&nbsp; </span>This often poses questions from homeowners &ldquo;Why is my house being insured for more than it is worth?&rdquo;<span>&nbsp; </span>Before determining how much to insure a house for though, it must be decided how the insurance company will value the house if there is a claim.<span>&nbsp; </span>One method offered is to value the property at <strong>Replacement Cost</strong>, which as the name indicates, is intended to pay to replace the property, without regard to the original or current purchase price.<span>&nbsp; </span></p> <p>In most circumstances, the <strong>Replacement Cost</strong> option is going to result in a higher claim payment than if the property was insured at its current value.<span>&nbsp; </span>An insurance company is only obligated to pay up to the limit of insurance; consequently, the house must be insured for more than it is worth.<span>&nbsp; </span>In order to obtain Replacement Cost Coverage, the house will need to be insured for the amount it would cost to replace it.<span>&nbsp; </span></p> <p>Most property depreciates in value over time.<span>&nbsp; </span>A DVD/CD player set would not be sold today for the same price it was purchased for ten years ago; it would be sold for less, most likely much less than the original purchase price.<span>&nbsp; </span>A policy containing a replacement cost provision would pay today&rsquo;s cost of a new DVD/CD player of like kind and quality which would be more than if the policy only paid for the value of the ten-year old DVD/CD player.</p> <p>On a larger scale, the cost to rebuild or replace an entire house could be significantly more than the house was purchased for or could be currently sold for.<span>&nbsp; </span>Even for a house built this year, the cost to rebuild it very easily could differ from the original cost.<span>&nbsp; </span>There are several factors to consider when making an effort to measure the cost of replacing a house, such as:<span>&nbsp; </span></p> <ul> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>No economies of scale<span>&nbsp; </span></li> <li><span style="font-family: symbol;"></span>Cost of preparing the house to be rebuilt</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Increase in labor costs due to high demand, as in the event of a catastrophic event</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Increase in material costs, possibly due to shortages or discontinued</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Access to the house site may be limited or obstructed</li> </ul> <p>There are numerous methods used to estimate the replacement cost of a house. <span>&nbsp;</span>Some of the factors insurance companies use are:</p> <ul> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Building materials</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Type of foundation</li> <li><span style="font-family: symbol;"></span>Square footage</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Location of the home</li> <li> <span style="font-family: symbol;"></span>Attached or detached garages</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Fireplace</li> <li><span style="font: 7pt times new roman;"></span>Number of rooms and baths</li> <li><span style="font-family: symbol;"></span>Upgrades</li> </ul> <strong>Replacement Cost Coverage </strong>is an option every homeowner should consider.<span>&nbsp; </span>Obtaining this coverage will require the house be insured at the estimated Replacement Cost value, which typically is a higher amount than the market value.<span>&nbsp; </span>With the limit of insurance being higher, the premium will also be higher.<span>&nbsp; </span>Definitely no one wants to pay more for insurance, but the difference in a claim payment could be several thousands of dollars. <span>&nbsp; <br /> <br /> To learn more about Replacement Cost or <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan &ndash; College Station">Bryan - College Station Home Insurance</a> contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> or get a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan - College Station Home Insurnace Quote">home insurance quote.</a><br /> </span>urn:uuid:edfbf74d-792a-4482-86b4-182ad5704e34<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000007292669XSmall.jpg' align='left' />Most of the people on the planet are interested in getting a bargain, and that goes for insurance shoppers as well as other types of bargain hunters. If you are ready to shop around, there are a few discount opportunities you should be aware of. ...Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:36:35 -0500<p>Most of the people on the planet are interested in getting a bargain, and that goes for <strong>insurance</strong> shoppers as well as other types of bargain hunters. If you are ready to shop around, there are a few discount opportunities you should be aware of.</p> <ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in; list-style-type: decimal;"> <li><strong><img alt="" style="width: 300px; height: 200px; float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 7px;" src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000007292669XSmall.jpg" />Safe driving courses:</strong> Being a safe driver is vital to you and your family because it limits your risk of accident&mdash;but it&rsquo;s also important to your insurance company for the same reason. When you take a safe driving course you not only gain the skills that allow you to become a better driver, but you also show your insurance company that you are serious about being one. This decreases the amount of claims you are likely to have and makes you a less expensive risk for <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/default.aspx" title="Auto Insurance"><strong>auto insurance</strong></a><strong></strong> companies. How do they reward you? With a discount. </li> <li><strong>Multi-policy discounts: </strong>If you have multiple vehicles and people to insure with a single insurance company, you may be able to get a discount when you do. If you have a home and a car, or a car and a recreational automobile to insure and you do so with one company, you may be eligible for discounts. </li> <li><strong>Paid-in-full discounts:</strong> You can pay your Insurance policy premiums can be paid monthly, quarterly, semi-annually and annually. Because insurance companies can earn more money on an annual premium paid-in-full at the start of the term, they often offer financial incentives for you to do so. </li> <li><strong>Good student discounts</strong>: Insurance companies love to reward good behavior&mdash;because those clients who behave in that manner generally present less risk from an insurer&rsquo;s perspective. High school students with good grades may find that their auto insurance company offers small discounts when they keep their GPA above a certain level. </li> <li><strong>EFT discounts: </strong>Paying your insurance premiums directly from your bank account isn&rsquo;t just an easy way to get your insurance policy paid, it&rsquo;s a cost-effective way. You will have one less check to write each month and your insurance company may offer you a discount for doing so. </li> </ol> <p>When talking to your agent about insurance policy options, make sure to discuss all of the relevant discount opportunities and ask your agent about any other discount that he or she may know&mdash;after all, any discount is a good discount.&nbsp; </p> <h2>Bryan &ndash; College Station, Texas</h2> <p>The twin cities of <strong>Bryan and College Station</strong> are also known as <strong>B/CS.</strong> The cities have gained recognition as one of the top 10 best small metro areas for relocating families in the United States and one of the top places to live. With a combined population of over 170,000, B/CS has many of the amenities of a large city while maintaining a small town atmosphere. Local unemployment hovers around three to four percent as of May 2008, among the lowest in the state of Texas, and cost of living is very affordable.</p> <p>Texas A&amp;M is a major part of the economy of Bryan-College Station. B/CS is located in east central Texas, approximately equidistant from three of the 10 largest cities in the United States. </p> <p><a title="Beal Insurance Agency" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/default.aspx"></a><a title="Beal Insurance Agency" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/default.aspx">Beal Insurance Agency</a>, Inc has been <strong>serving the needs of Texas drivers since 1946</strong>.&nbsp; There are many options when it comes to auto insurance and our agency can help tailor a policy to fit your specific needs. </p> <p>While experienced enough to place and handle the most complex of risks, we consider our strength to be the personal service we pride ourselves on providing to our clients. Each of our clients is treated as an individual -- not just initially, but on an on-going basis. Our objective is to offer our clients the best possible professional insurance service available.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Contact us</span> at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong></strong> for a free <a title="Auto Insurance" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx"></a><a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx" title="Bryan - College Station Auto insurance quote">auto insurance quote</a> or visit our <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/locations.aspx" title="Office Beal Insurance Agency">office</a>.<strong></strong></p>urn:uuid:7244f93c-a167-4039-b639-93d4ae382573<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000003916009XSmall.jpg' align='left' />If you have a business manufacturing, selling, or serving alcohol, then you need to obtain liquor liability insurance as most general liability policies will not cover the exposures you face.&nbsp; Liquor liability protects your business against dama...Tue, 14 Jun 2011 15:33:59 -0500<img alt="Party in the Club" style="width: 250px; height: 166px; float: right; margin-right: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" src="http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000003916009XSmall.jpg" />If you have a business manufacturing, selling, or serving alcohol, then you need to obtain <a title="Quote Form" href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/business/general_liability_quote.aspx">liquor liability insurance</a> as most general liability policies will not cover the exposures you face.&nbsp; <strong>Liquor liability protects your business against damage or destruction claimed as a result of a customer of your business becoming inebriated and hurting themselves or others.</strong>&nbsp; Liquor liability coverage may be sold as an add-on to a commercial liability policy or as a separate liability policy. <br /> <br /> The premium on this type of policy can be expensive.&nbsp; It is estimated that only about a third of businesses that should have this coverage actually have it, in part because of misconceptions that exist in the hospitality industry with regards to the industry's liability risks for drunken patrons. <br /> <br /> Important factors to discuss with your agent when considering the purchase of a liquor liability policy: <ul> <li><strong>Assault and Battery Coverage</strong> &ndash; Most claims against bars and eating places are the results of physical fights. Find a policy that includes coverage for assault and battery claims. </li> <li><strong>Defense Costs</strong> &ndash; Many times it&rsquo;s not the actual cost of the claim that is damaging, but the legal costs involved in defending the claim.&nbsp; Some policies will deduct the defense costs from the total limit provided by the policy.&nbsp; Find a policy that pays for defense costs in addition to the policy limit.&nbsp; If one is unavailable, then consider the legal costs when figuring out what your limit amount should be. </li> <li><strong>Employees Included</strong> &ndash; It is common for employees to drink despite the rules. Insurers know this and sometimes exclude employees from coverage. Be sure that employees are covered as patrons.</li> </ul> Keep in mind that liquor liability insurance will not provide coverage for claims when liquor is supplied in contradiction to what the law permits.<br /> <br /> Contact us at <strong>(877) 807-1509</strong> for a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/business/default.aspx">Texas business insurance</a> quote or visit our office.urn:uuid:1a836cb2-bb04-41aa-b7f1-59e62435b2a4<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/credit-rating.jpg' align='left' />Why does my credit rating affect how much my insurance costs? This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. There have been a number of studies in Texas and other states that have shown a direct relationship between credit ...Thu, 09 Jun 2011 14:54:30 -0500<h2>Why does my credit rating affect how much my insurance costs?</h2> <img alt="Credit Rating" style="float: left; margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" src="http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/credit-rating.jpg" /> <br /> This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. <br /> <br /> There have been a number of studies in Texas and other states that have shown a direct relationship between credit and claims. The state of Texas allows credit as a rating factor because the impact of credit can be proven like other factors including prior claims, driving experience or the age of a home. <br /> <br /> For example, we know that more young drivers will have accidents than experienced drivers. Even though not every young driver will have an accident, they all pay more for insurance. And everyone else pays less.&nbsp; The same is true when credit ratings are used to develop premium for auto and homeowners policies.&nbsp; Those with good credit ratings typically pay less for their policies.<br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #7f7f7f;">This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content. Please read your insurance policy. If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply. The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,800 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.</span> <br /> <br /> Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> for a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx">Texas car insurance</a> quote or visit our office.urn:uuid:4825ec92-671b-47ec-a4af-9f9ac8055ece<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000001893139XSmall.jpg' align='left' />Why do I have to carry so much insurance on my home? This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. For one thing, we believe you should have an amount of insurance that is sufficient to rebuild your home &ndash; probably your ...Wed, 25 May 2011 18:03:21 -0500<h2>Why do I have to carry so much insurance on my home?</h2> <p><img style="width: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; float: right; margin-left: 10px;" alt="Home Insurance" src="/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000001893139XSmall.jpg" />This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. </p> <p>For one thing, we believe you should have an amount of insurance that is sufficient to rebuild your home &ndash; probably your largest investment &ndash; in the event it is totally destroyed by a fire or tornado.&nbsp; </p> <p>In addition, your policy contains what is called an <strong>insurance-to-value provision</strong>.&nbsp; This is essentially an agreement between you and the insurance company.&nbsp; In exchange for your agreement to insure your home for at least a specified percentage of its replacement value, the company <strong>agrees to issue the policy for a lower premium</strong> than it would charge for a policy without this provision.&nbsp; After a loss &ndash; even a small loss &ndash; if the amount of insurance on your home isn&rsquo;t sufficient to satisfy your part of the agreement, then the insurance company can reduce the amount it would normally pay.&nbsp; </p> <p>While it is your responsibility to establish the value of your property and select the amount of insurance for your policy, <strong>we can help</strong> with that decision and explain what you can do to <strong>avoid a loss penalty</strong>.</p> <p><span style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #7f7f7f;">This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content. Please read your insurance policy. If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply. The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,800 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.</span></p> <p>At Beal Insurance Agency, we have been serving the Brazos Valley and beyond for 65 years. We specialize in all lines of personal and commercial insurance, as well as life and health products for your family or business. Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> for a free <a href="/homeowners/insurance_quote.aspx">homeowners insurance</a> quote or visit our office.</p>urn:uuid:45af03e2-1074-45ac-919c-9d33e498fdc8<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000008885771XSmall.jpg' align='left' />My son is leaving home to attend college this fall.&nbsp; Will my auto and homeowners insurance policies cover him while at college? This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. When college students move from home to their...Tue, 17 May 2011 09:26:56 -0500<h2>My son is leaving home to attend college this fall.&nbsp; Will my auto and homeowners insurance policies cover him while at college?</h2> <br /> <img src="/img/%7Ewww.bealinsurance.com/iStock_000008885771XSmall.jpg" style="width: 250px; float: left; margin-right: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid;" alt="College age driver" />This is a great question, and one that our customers ask frequently. <br /> <br /> When college students move from home to their home-away-from-home - a rented dorm or apartment &ndash; insurance issues can arise and should be addressed before they leave home.<br /> <br /> One key question that arises in discussing these issues is whether the student is still considered a resident of your household.&nbsp; This is a legal question, but your homeowners and auto policies both contain provisions that apply the broadest coverage available in those policies to persons who are legally considered residents of your household.<br /> <br /> It is generally accepted that students living away from home while attending college are residents of their parents' household. Based on previous Texas court decisions, the real test is whether the absence of a person from the household is intended to be permanent or only temporary - whether there is physical absence coupled with intent not to return. This leaves a great deal of room for interpretation. There may be borderline cases that require you to think about alternatives. For example, it may be difficult to consider a 23-year-old graduate student living in an apartment year-round to be a resident of your household.<br /> <br /> <strong>Homeowners Policy</strong><br /> <br /> Your <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/homeowners/default.aspx" title="Home Insurance">homeowners policy</a> covers personal property owned or used by a resident of your household while the property is located anywhere in the world.<br /> <br /> However, most policies limit the amount of coverage on personal property to 10 percent of the amount shown on the policy for personal property, when the property is located at another residence away from the home address. <br /> <br /> Look at your policy and find the limit provided for personal property.&nbsp; Take 10 percent of that amount, and then think about the items your student has taken to college:&nbsp; clothes, TV, computer, other electronics, furniture, and household items.&nbsp; How much would it cost to replace all those items if they were all lost at the same time in a fire or other catastrophe? <br /> <br /> In addition to the dollar limitation, some policies don&rsquo;t cover theft of personal property from the student's residence, except while the student is temporarily living there. This is a definite problem, especially when the apartment is owned, or rented for a 12-month term, and the student comes home for the summer.<br /> <br /> Your homeowners policy also provides liability coverage in case a family member is legally liable for another person&rsquo;s injury or damage to another person&rsquo;s property.&nbsp; This coverage clearly applies to accidents at home or away from home, but some policies limit the coverage when an accident occurs at an owned or rented residence other than the family home.&nbsp; Some insurance companies offer liability coverage at separate residences for an additional cost.<br /> <br /> After all of the above information is considered, it's easy to see there are potential coverage gaps in your homeowners policy when a student leaves home for college. That&rsquo;s why we recommend that you purchase a separate tenant or renter&rsquo;s homeowners policy for the student's residence, whether it is an apartment or a dorm room.&nbsp; The cost of such a policy is small compared to the benefits it provides.&nbsp; <br /> <strong><br /> Automobile Policy</strong><br /> <br /> If your student takes one of your family vehicles to college, the coverage provided by your family <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/default.aspx" title="Car Insurance">automobile policy</a> follows the vehicle anywhere in the United States and Canada.&nbsp; This includes coverage for damage to the vehicle itself (if you have purchased such coverage on that vehicle) as well as liability coverage for injury or damage to other persons or property.<br /> <br /> If your student doesn&rsquo;t take a vehicle to college, some coverage under your policy may still apply if they are riding in or even driving a vehicle belonging to someone else.<br /> <br /> <strong>Students Who Are Not Legal Residents of Your Household</strong><br /> <br /> Coverage complications can arise on your homeowners or auto policy if your student for whatever reason is not considered a legal resident of your household, as was mentioned in the first part of this article.&nbsp; We encourage you to discuss your personal situation with us and your attorney.&nbsp; To be safe, we will likely recommend separate homeowners and auto policies for the student. <br /> <br /> <span style="font-size: 0.9em; color: #7f7f7f;">This article was prepared and made available to your agent by the Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, which is solely responsible for its content. Please read your insurance policy. If there is any conflict between the information in this article and the actual terms and conditions of your policy, the terms and conditions of your policy will apply. The Independent Insurance Agents of Texas is a non-profit association of more than 1,800 insurance agencies in Texas, dedicated to helping its members succeed, in part by providing technical resources that explain insurance policies sold to their customers.</span><br /> <br /> At Beal Insurance Agency, we have been serving the Brazos Valley and beyond for 65 years. We specialize in all lines of personal and commercial insurance, as well as life and health products for your family or business. Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> for a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx">Texas car insurance</a> quote or visit our office.urn:uuid:86c4a4d6-dfcf-41b5-8bd6-22d9c768b13e<img src='http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/red_cars.jpg' align='left' />What is auto insurance? Auto insurance protects you against financial loss if you have an accident. It is a contract between you and the insurance company. You agree to pay the premium and the insurance company agrees to pay your losses as defined in...Thu, 17 Mar 2011 16:29:41 -0500<p><strong><img alt="Cars in Traffic" style="float: right; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 7px;" src="http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/red_cars.jpg" />What is auto insurance?<br /> </strong>Auto insurance protects you against financial loss if you have an accident. It is a contract between you and the insurance company. You agree to pay the premium and the insurance company agrees to pay your losses as defined in your policy.<br /> <br /> Auto insurance provides property, liability and medical coverage:</p> <ul> <li type="disc">Property coverage pays for damage to or theft of your car. </li> <li type="disc">Liability coverage pays for your legal responsibility to others for bodily injury or property damage. </li> <li type="disc">Medical coverage pays for the cost of treating injuries, rehabilitation and sometimes lost wages and funeral expenses. </li> </ul> An auto insurance policy is comprised of six different kinds of coverage. Most states require you to buy some, but not all, of these coverages. If you're financing a car, your lender may also have requirements.<br /> <br /> Most auto policies are for six months&nbsp;or a year. Your insurance company should notify you by mail when it's time to renew the policy and to pay your premium.<br /> <br /> <strong>Texas</strong><br /> Texas is the second-largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States. The name, meaning "friends" or "allies" in Caddo, was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in East Texas. Located in the South Central United States, Texas is bordered by Mexico to the south, New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles, and a growing population of 25.1 million residents.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.bealinsurance.com/img/~www.bealinsurance.com/state_capital_austin.jpg" style="float: left; margin-right: 7px;" alt="State Capital - Austin" />Houston is the largest city in Texas and the fourth-largest in the United States, while San Antonio is the second largest in the state and seventh largest in the United States. Dallas&ndash;Fort Worth and Greater Houston are the fourth and sixth largest United States metropolitan areas, respectively. Other major cities include El Paso and Austin&mdash;the state capital. Texas is nicknamed the Lone Star State to signify Texas as an independent republic and as a reminder of the state's struggle for independence from Mexico. The "Lone Star" can be found on the Texas State Flag and on the Texas State Seal today.<br /> <br /> Due to its size and geologic features such as the Balcones Fault, Texas contains diverse landscapes that resemble both the American South and Southwest. Although Texas is popularly associated with the Southwestern deserts, less than 10% of the land area is desert. Most of the population centers are located in areas of former prairies, grasslands, forests, and the coastline. Traveling from east to west, one can observe terrain that ranges from coastal swamps and piney woods, to rolling plains and rugged hills, and finally the desert and mountains of the Big Bend.<br /> <br /> At Beal Insurance Agency, we have been serving the Brazos Valley and beyond for 65 years. We specialize in all lines of personal and commercial insurance, as well as life and health products for your family or business. Contact us at <strong>(979) 268-1500</strong> for a free <a href="http://www.bealinsurance.com/automobile/car_insurance_quote.aspx">Texas car insurance</a> quote or visit our office.<br /> <br /> (Source: <a target="_blank" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas">Wikipedia.org</a>)