25 Factors That Affect Auto Insurance Premiums

Here are truths and facts about auto insurance pricing. It's good to know.

There are a lot of factors that affect how much you pay for auto insurance. Some of these factors are in your control, some are not. Auto insurance companies use a process called underwriting to take your information, assess the risk they believe you present, and then quote a premium. While insurance companies do not all use the exact same criteria in the exact same way to determine insurance cost, there are common factors that all car insurance companies use. Here are 25 of them.

1. Age: Age is a big factor in auto insurance premiums. If you are under 25, expect to pay more. While premiums for men under 25 are significantly higher than premiums from women in the same age group, all other factors being equal, both can expect to pay in excess of 100% more than an adult base rate. And at the other end of the age spectrum, rates can go up as you enter your golden years.

2. Gender: Particularly for younger drivers, men can expect to pay significantly more than women.

3. Driving Record: Your driving record is obviously important to assessing insurance risk. Some insurance companies go back as far as five years. However, as any past accidents or violations age, your premiums can come down.

4. Type of Vehicle: The type of car or truck you drive impacts premiums in a couple of ways. More expensive cars that cost more to repair send premiums higher. And some cars are more or less prone to accidents. For more details, check out our list of the most and least expensive cars to insure.

5. Age of Vehicle: this factor relates to vehicle type. As a car or truck ages, its value declines and premiums go down as well. Of course, inflation can cause other factors in the premium to go up. Also, some really old cars my lack safety features that may affect the premium. But all things being equal, an older car generally will be less costly to insure.

6. Credit Score and History: Study after study shows a high correlation between credit scores and claims history. On average, those with lower credit scores have a higher rate of claims. Just another reason to improve your credit score.

7. Marital Status: Apparently, married people are, on average, more stable and less accident prone. Just another benefit of marriage!

8. Where You Live: There are several things going on with your geography. First, some locations are just more expensive than others. It will cost more to repair a car in northern New Jersey than it will in the middle of Ohio. Also, some locations are more accident prone than others due to traffic congestion and patterns.

9. Claims History: It should go without saying that your auto insurance claims in the past will be factored into your premiums. The good news is that if you go long enough without a claim, some insurance carriers will put you into a category that keeps you from being dropped because of claims. After more than 25 years with Nationwide, I’m in that category, so my agent tells me.

10. Criminal Record: When you do the crime, you must do the time. And that can mean higher premiums depending on just what crime(s) you’ve been convicted of.

11. Other Insurance: Most insurance carriers will offer multiple policy discounts. If you get your auto, life, and home owner’s insurance from the same carrier, for example, you should see a discounted rate.
12. Miles Driven Each Year: Some insurance carriers offer low mileage discounts. We recently wrote about car insurance by the mile. While that option is not available in most states, low mileage discounts are.
13. Car Alarm: Simple enough. Car alarms reduce the risk of theft, thus lowering premiums. Having lived in Boston for three years, though, I can tell you that against the right thief, they are not much of a deterrent.
14. Occupation: Insurance companies will factor in what you do for a living. The data indicates that some occupations, and being unemployed, can increase the risk of claims.
15. Education: Generally, the more education you have, the lower your premiums. Keep in mind that not all carriers use the same underwriting criteria. So exactly how something like education will impact premiums is difficult to determine, but it is a factor.

16. School Grades: As I’ve told my two children, maintaining at least a 3.0 can shave $100 to $200 a year off of the insurance premiums for teenagers. If my kids don’t maintain at least a 3.0, they will pay the difference!

17. Driving Distance to Work: If you drive a short distance to work each day, you can probably save a few bucks on premiums.

18. Multiple Vehicles & Drivers: This is a tricky one. With more than one car, you can get a multiple car discount with most insurance companies. But as my agent recently told me, with teenage drivers, more cars can cost you on a per car basis. Why? With a family of four and two cars, the parents can be designated as the primary drivers of both cars, keeping premiums down. Get a third or even fourth car, and now the teenagers are viewed as primary drivers, and rates per car go up.

19. Current Insurance & Premiums: Insurance carriers don’t like to see gaps in coverage. If you’ve been with the same insurance company for a number of years and are looking to change, your history with your existing carrier will count in your favor when you compare rate quotes.

20. Years of Driving Experience: Another obvious factor. With more experience, the risk you present goes down, all other things being equal.

21. Business Use of the Vehicle: If you use the vehicle for business, the nature of your business and the vehicle’s use will be a big factor in your premiums.
22. Driver Training: Under various circumstances, driver training classes can reduce your premiums. In some instances, driver training is required due to past infractions.
23. Resident Student Discount: This is one my insurance agent told me about as we discussed the cost of insuring my two teenagers. Basically, if your child goes off to school without a car and more than 100 miles away, you can get a break on your premiums. If they do take a car with them, you still may get a lower premium depending on the location of the school
24. Completion of a state-approved senior driver defensive course: For those enjoying the golden years, you may be able to get a discount if you take a course designed for seniors and defensive driving.
25. Safety feature discount: This usually gets factored in automatically based on the car you insure, but safety features (think air bags, for example), can reduce the cost of insurance.

If you’d like to compare auto quotes to see if you can lower your cost, check out insurance.com.

Article courtesy of DoughRokker

An Angel Walked by Highway 109

Poem that will give you goose bumps..............

A drunk man in an Oldsmobile
They said had run the light
That caused the six-car pileup
On 109 that night.

When broken bodies lay about
And blood was everywhere,
The sirens screamed out eulogies,
For death was in the air.

A mother, trapped inside her car,
Was heard above the noise;
Her plaintive plea near split the air:
Oh, God, please spare my boys!"

She fought to loose her pinned hands;
She struggled to get free,
But mangled metal held her fast
In grim captivity.

Her frightened eyes then focused
On where the back seat once had been,
But all she saw was broken glass and
Two children's seats crushed in.

Her twins were nowhere to be seen;
She did not hear them cry,
And then she prayed they'd been thrown free,
Oh, God, don't let them die!"

Then firemen came and cut her loose,
But when they searched the back,
They found therein no little boys,
But the seat belts were intact.

They thought the woman had gone mad
And was travelling alone,
But when they turned to question her,
They discovered she was gone.

Policemen saw her running wild
And screaming above the noise
In beseeching supplication,
Please help me find my boys!

They're four years old and wear blue shirts;
Their jeans are blue to match."
One cop spoke up, "They're in my car,
And they don't have a scratch.

They said their daddy put them there
And gave them each a cone,
Then told them both to wait for Mom
To come and take them home.

I've searched the area high and low,
But I can't find their dad.
He must have fled the scene,
I guess, and that is very bad."

The mother hugged the twins and said,
While wiping at a tear,
He could not flee the scene, you see,
For he's been dead a year."

The cop just looked confused and asked,
Now, how can that be true?"
The boys said, "Mommy, Daddy came
And left a kiss for you."

He told us not to worry
And that you would be all right,
And then he put us in this car with
The pretty, flashing light.

We wanted him to stay with us,
Because we miss him so,
But Mommy, he just hugged us tight
And said he had to go.

He said someday we'd understand
And told us not to fuss,
And he said to tell you, Mommy,
He's watching over us."

The mother knew without a doubt.
That what they spoke was true,
For she recalled their dad's last words,
I will watch over you."

The firemen's notes could not explain
The twisted, mangled car,
And how the three of them escaped
Without a single scar.

But on the cop's report was scribed,
In print so very fine,
An angel walked the beat tonight
on Hwy. 109

Health News: Smart Balance vs: I Can't Believe It's Not Butter

What we all need to know regarding Butter. For our overall health - here's an article from AssociatedContent that compares I can't Believe It's Not Butter and Smart Balance.

Most foodies would agree that butter, a popular and delicious addition to any dish whether that be toast, sautéed chicken or mashed potatoes, is a tough recipe ingredient to replace. Butter substitutes have bee around for decades, most notably margarine and oleo. These days, you will have better luck finding oleo in crossword puzzles instead of supermarket shelves. But all is not lost to those of us who want the great taste of butter without the damage to the heart and hips. Smart Balance and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter are the closest substitutes you will get to the real thing. Still there are similarities and differences with regard to taste and health respectively that distinguish these brands from other substitutes and each other.

In comparing Smart Balance and I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, the latter certainly has the edge in longevity. For the past few decades, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter has profited greatly from television and print commercial campaigns willing to poke fun at itself with stars like Fabio along for the ride. Television advertising for Smart Balance is not in heavy circulation. Both brands have insightful websites, www.smartbalance.com and www.tasteyoulove.com.

Unlike Smart Balance whose products include microwave popcorn and peanut butter, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter has retained its primary focus; versions of its original, light and fat free substitutes. People know what they are getting with I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter. The loyalty the company has shown to its customers in dedicating itself to being the best brand of its type has been financially rewarding. Oh and there are health benefits, too. That said those benefits lean more in favor of Smart Balance.

Nutrition labels confirm that a serving of butter is 1 tablespoon (14 grams) and that it contains 11 grams of fat and 100 calories. The same serving in the Smart Balance buttery spread contains 9 grams of fat and 80
calories. I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter is made up of 10 grams of fat and 90 calories. The light and fat free spreads for each brand have no trans fat. Growing evidence has shown that trans fats are more damaging than saturated fat in that it actually can raise the LDL "bad" cholesterol and lower the HDL "good" cholesterol in blood. While the statistics for both spreads are comparable and healthier than butter, Smart Balance can be part of a vegetarian diet. In fact Smart Balance Lite is vegan, a rarity among butter spreads.

Interestingly the aforementioned strength of I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter, their sole concentration of creating delicious butter based products, is contrary to Smart Balance’s strength, their ability to market other food categories. Putting out vegetable oils and cheeses as well as butter substitutes gives them a sizable edge in terms of being the more health conscious brand.

Prices vary from store to store but generally I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter is the better buy ranging anywhere from $1 to $2 cheaper than Smart Balance. Also, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter is easier to find since Smart Balance is sold mainly at organic and Whole Foods chains.

All things considered, I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter and Smart Balance are satisfying alternatives to butter. The brands distinguish themselves in the areas of promotion, health and price. For a chuckle as you smear, go for I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter If you would like to burn a few more calories on the treadmill, try Smart Balance. Buy I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter to save some dough. But choose either as an appetizing substitute.

My personal opinion: I choose "Smart Balance." Though the difference is only 1 gram of fat and 10 calories per 1 tablespoon if you add them overtime however, that's a lot. In one year or 365 days, you are talking about a difference of 365 grams of fat and 3650 calories per tablespoon of butter. That is if you only consume 1 tablespoon a day.

Yes, Smart Balance is more expensive by a dollar or so - but I think it's worth it! if It affects our overall health. It's a price I am willing to pay.

However, there are manufacturers coupon you can watch out for.

Have a great and a HEALTHY weekend!

Do You Like Funny Stuff Part 2

It's mid/late Friday afternoon in CAL. Time for us to get a laugh and put a smile in our day. Let loose a bit... Get some tea or your favorite soda...... sit back... relax... and have a laugh or two....

Let'S GO! What are you waiting for?

It's on me - FOR FREE! Care of YouTube.

7 Most Effective Exercises

Wonderful article - Experts say exercise the smart way...

Experts offer their favorite moves for making the most of your workout time.
By Barbara Russi Sarnataro
WebMD Feature
Reviewed by Matthew Hoffman, MD

Experts say there is no magic to exercise: You get out of it what you put in. That doesn't mean you have to work out for hours each day. It just means you need to work smart.

That said, experts agree that not all exercises are created equal. Some are simply more efficient than others, whether they target multiple muscle groups, are suitable for a wide variety of fitness levels, or help you burn calories more effectively.

So what are the best exercises? We posed this question to four fitness experts and compiled a list of their favorites.

1. Walking

Any exercise program should include cardiovascular exercise, which strengthens the heart and burns calories. And walking is something you can do anywhere, anytime, with no equipment other than a good pair of shoes.

It's not just for beginners, either: Even the very fit can get a good workout from walking.

"Doing a brisk walk can burn up to 500 calories per hour," says Robert Gotlin, DO, director of orthopaedic and sports rehabilitation at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York. Since it takes 3,500 calories to lose a pound, you could expect to lose a pound for every seven hours you walk, if you did nothing else.

Don't go from the sofa to walking an hour day, though. Richard Cotton, a spokesman for the American Council on Exercise, says beginners should start by walking five to -10 minutes at a time, gradually moving up to at least 30 minutes per session.

"Don't add more than five minutes at a time," he says. Another tip: It's better to lengthen your walks before boosting your speed or incline.

2. Interval training

Whether you're a beginner or an exercise veteran, a walker or an aerobic dancer, adding interval training to your cardiovascular workout will boost your fitness level and help you lose weight.

"Varying your pace throughout the exercise session stimulates the aerobic system to adapt," says Cotton. "The more power the aerobic system has, the more capacity you have to burn calories."

The way to do it is to push the intensity or pace for a minute or two, then back off for anywhere from two to -10 minutes (depending on how long your total workout will be, and how much time you need to recover). Continue doing this throughout the workout.

3. Squats

Strength training is essential, the experts say. "The more muscular fitness you have," says Cotton, "the greater the capacity you have to burn calories."
And our experts tended to favor strength-training exercises that target multiple muscle groups. Squats, which work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteals, are an excellent example.

"They give you the best bang for the buck because they use the most muscle groups at once," says Oldsmar, Fla., trainer David Petersen.
Form is key, though, warns Petersen.

"What makes an exercise functional is how you perform the exercise," he says. "If you have bad technique, it's no longer functional."

For perfect form, keep feet shoulder-width apart and back straight. Bend knees and lower your rear, says Cotton: "The knee should remain over the ankle as much as possible."

"Think of how you sit down in a chair, only the chair's not there," suggests Gotlin.

Physical therapist Adam Rufa, of Cicero, N.Y., says practicing with a real chair can help.

"Start by working on getting in and out of a real chair properly," he says. Once you've mastered that, try just tapping the chair with your bottom, then coming back up. Then do the same motion without the chair.

Gotlin sees lots of patients with knee pain, and says quadriceps weakness is the cause much of the time. If you feel pain going down stairs, he says, strengthening your quads with squats may very well help.

4. Lunges

Like squats, lunges work all the major muscles of the lower body: gluteals, quadriceps, and hamstrings.

A lunge is a great exercise because it mimics life, it mimics walking," only exaggerated, says Petersen.

Lunges are a bit more advanced than squats, says Cotton, helping to improve your balance as well.

Here's how to do them right: Take a big step forward, keeping your spine in a neutral position. Bend your front knee to approximately 90 degrees, focusing on keeping weight on the back toes and dropping the knee of your back leg toward the floor.

Petersen suggests that you imagine sitting on your back foot. "The trailing leg is the one you need to sit down on," he says.

To make a lunge even more functional, says Rufa, try stepping not just forward, but back and out to each side.

"Life is not linear, it's multiplanar," says Rufa. And the better they prepare you for the various positions you'll move in during the course of a day, the more useful exercises are.

5. Push-ups

If done correctly, the push-up can strengthen the chest, shoulders, triceps, and even the core trunk muscles, all at one time.

"I'm very much into planking exercises, almost yoga-type moves," says Petersen. "Anytime you have the pelvis and the core [abdominals and back] in a suspended position, you have to rely on your own adherent strength to stabilize you."

Push-ups can be done at any level of fitness, says Cotton: "For someone who is at a more beginning level, start by pushing from the kitchen-counter height. Then work your way to a desk, a chair, the floor with bent knees, and, finally, the floor on your toes."

Here's how to do a perfect push-up: From a face-down position, place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Place your toes or knees on the floor, and try to create a perfect diagonal with your body, from the shoulders to the knees or feet. Keep the glutes [rear-end muscles] and abdominals engaged. Then lower and lift your body by bending and straightening your elbows, keeping your torso stable throughout.

There are always ways to make it harder, says Rufa. Once your form is perfect, try what he calls the "T-stabilization" push-up: Get into push-up position, then do your push-ups with one arm raised out to the side, balancing on the remaining three limbs without rotating your hips.

6. Abdominal Crunches

Who doesn't want firm, flat abs? Experts say that when done correctly, the familiar crunch (along with its variations) is a good choice to target them.

For a standard crunch, says Cotton, begin lying on your back with feet flat on the floor and fingertips supporting your head. Press your low back down and begin the exercise by contracting abdominals and peeling first your head (tucking your chin slightly), then your neck, shoulders, and upper back off the floor.

Be careful not to pull your neck forward by sticking the chin out; don't hold your breath, and keep elbows out of your line of vision to keep chest and shoulders open.

For his part, Petersen teaches his clients to do crunches with their feet off the floor and knees bent. He says that with feet kept on the floor, many people tend to arch the back and engage the hip flexors.

"Crunches can be excellent, but if they're not done correctly, with the back arching, they can actually weaken the abdominals," Petersen says.

To work the obliques (the muscles on the sides of your waist), says Cotton, take the standard crunch and rotate the spine toward one side as you curl off the floor.

"Twist before you come up," he says. "It's really important that the twist comes first because then it's the obliques that are actually getting you up."

But keep in mind that you won't get a flat stomach with crunches alone, says Cotton. Burning belly fat requires the well-known formula: using up more calories than you take in.

"Crunches work the ab muscles; [they're] not to be mistaken as exercise that burns the fat over the abdominals," he says. "That's the biggest myth in exercise going."

7. Bent-over Row

Talk about bang for the buck: This exercise works all the major muscles of the upper back, as well as the biceps.

Here's how to do it with good form. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, then bend knees and flex forward at the hips. (If you have trouble doing this exercise standing up, support your weight by sitting on an incline bench, facing backward.) Tilt your pelvis slightly forward, engage the abdominals, and extend your upper spine to add support. Hold dumbbells or barbell beneath the shoulders with hands about shoulder-width apart. Flex your elbows, and lift both hands toward the sides of your body. Pause, then slowly lower hands to the starting position. (Beginners should perform the move without weights.)
Technique

These seven exercises are excellent, efficient choices, the experts say. But with just about any strength or resistance exercise, says Petersen, the question is not so much whether the exercise works as how well you execute.

"Done with good technique, all exercises do what they're supposed to do," says Petersen.

The trouble is that poor form can change the whole exercise, putting emphasis or even strain on different areas than intended. This can hurt, rather than help you.

So especially if you're a beginner, it's a good idea to seek the advice of a fitness trainer - whether it's a personal trainer or a trainer at your gym -- to be sure your form is safe and correct.

Best Lasagna Recipe - Chateau Montelena Red

This is such a great and yummy Lasagna recipe. Personally, I think it's one of the best I have ever tried! One thing I would do differently is add more of the cheese and a tad more of the sauce on the preparation. But overall, this is a fantastic recipe.

I would match it with a Chateau Montelena. Any year will do - my favorite red. Or you can do a 2006 or 2007 Robert Stemmler

Thanks to John Chandler of Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

* 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
* 3/4 pound lean ground beef
* 1/2 cup minced onion
* 2 cloves garlic, crushed
* 1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
* 2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
* 2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
* 1/2 cup water
* 2 tablespoons white sugar
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
* 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
* 1 tablespoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
* 12 lasagna noodles
* 16 ounces ricotta cheese
* 1 egg
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 pound mozzarella cheese, sliced
* 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 tablespoon salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook lasagna noodles in boiling water for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain noodles, and rinse with cold water. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, remaining parsley, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

4. To assemble, spread 1 1/2 cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Arrange 6 noodles lengthwise over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese slices. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil: to prevent sticking, either spray foil with cooking spray, or make sure the foil does not touch the cheese.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

Sugary Beverages = High Blood Pressure?

Today's article talks about the relationship between sugary sweetened beverages and high blood pressure. They say that knowledge is power. I think it only becomes power when knowledge is used. What we know isn't enough - it's what we do with what we know. You can either stop drinking those type of beverages, or at least cut back on it.

Sugary drinks may raise blood pressure, according to a study - latimes.com