A moving violation can be a serious mistake or a minor one. In many situations, your auto insurance provider is there to help you through mistakes you might make. However, there are some situations where it can become difficult to obtain auto insurance. If you are labeled a high-risk driver, it may be hard to obtain car insurance or affordable plans. There are several things to keep in mind in this situation.

Can You Be Denied?

Most states have requirements that those who operate a motor vehicle (or own one) must have auto insurance in place. This is required for nearly all drivers. However, car insurance providers are able to deny individuals coverage if the driver is too high of a risk to insure. It can be hard to obtain insurance if you have such a label because the risk of another mistake, accident or moving violation is high.

By definition, a high-risk driver is someone who has a higher potential of filing a claim at some time in the future. Insurers view these individuals as high risk and costly, therefore charging a significant amount more to cover individuals, or simply denying coverage altogether. There are many reasons for this outcome, including a DUI/DWI conviction, illegal street racing, excessive speeding, reckless driving, driving without licensing and traffic violations in which a person died or got seriously injured.

What Should You Do?

If you are a high-risk driver, you will need to work to minimize such risks going forward. More so, if you find a policy that offers coverage to you, be sure to do everything you can to reduce your points. In some cases, you may be able to take a driving course to reduce your points. You may need to obtain an SR-22 as well, which generally is a requirement by the department of motor vehicles. Most people can find a policy available to them, though it can be expensive and hard to do without the help of an independent insurance agent. The right auto insurance provider is likely available even for high-risk drivers.

Drivers who miss between one to two hours of the recommended seven hours of sleep nearly double their risk of a crash, according to research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

If you don’t get at least seven hours of sleep, sleep deprivation could cause you to get into an accident. The AAA Foundation found that sleep-deprived drivers had a steadily increasing risk of being involved in a collision in comparison to drivers who slept for the recommended seven hours or more before getting behind the wheel:

• Six to seven hours of sleep: 1.3 times the crash risk
• Five to six hours of sleep: 1.9 times the crash risk
• Four to five hours of sleep: 4.3 times the crash risk
• Less than four hours of sleep: 11.5 times the crash risk

Sleep deprivation similar to being drunk

Sleep deprivation can seriously impair your ability to drive. In fact, the study found that drivers who get less than five hours of sleep share the same crash risk as someone who is driving over the legal limit for alcohol.

“You cannot miss sleep and still expect to be able to safely function behind the wheel,” said Dr. David Yang, executive director for the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our new research shows that a driver who has slept for less than five hours has a crash risk comparable to someone driving drunk.”

One in three adults sleep less than seven hours a day

While 97 per cent of drivers told the AAA Foundation they viewed drowsy driving as a completely unacceptable behaviour, nearly one in three admitted that in the month leading up to the survey, they drove when they were so tired, they had a hard time keeping their eyes open.

“Managing a healthy work-life balance can be difficult and far too often we sacrifice our sleep as a result,” said Jake Nelson, director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research for AAA. “Failing to maintain a healthy sleep schedule could mean putting yourself or others on the road at risk.”

No matter how much you open your windows or how loud you turn up your radio, you can’t trick your body into staying awake. In fact, you could easily fall asleep behind the wheel without even realizing it.

And while caffeine can make you more alert, the effects usually wear off quickly if you’re sleep deprived. Coffee or other stimulants cannot substitute sleep, and the AAA urges drivers to prioritize getting plenty of sleep (at least seven hours) into their daily schedules.

Signs that you are drowsy

When you are drowsy or tired, you are less alert and your reaction time is impacted. The Ontario Ministry of Transportation notes eight signs that you are too tired to drive:

• You have difficulty keeping your eyes open.
• Your head keeps tilting forward despite your efforts to keep your eyes on the road.
• Your mind keeps wandering and you can’t seem to concentrate.
• You yawn frequently.
• You can’t remember details about the last few kilometres you have travelled.
• You are missing traffic lights and signals.
• Your vehicle drifts into the next lane and you have to jerk it back into your lane.
• You have drifted off the road and narrowly avoided a crash.

Penalties for drowsy driving

Though there appears to be no specific law in Canada that targets driving while fatigued, you could easily catch the eye of the police if you’re driving while drowsy—even if you’re not involved in a collision. If you’re not able to stay in your lane, or if you run a red light or make an unsafe lane change, you can end up with a ticket.

And while tickets come with a one-time fine, they can also affect your auto insurance premiums for years to come, as they stay on your driving record for at least three years.

Then, of course, if you’re involved a collision, the penalties for driving while fatigued are more serious. You could be charged with dangerous driving, careless driving or even criminal negligence.

Don’t risk it; get the sleep you need to drive safely behind the wheel.

Installing a home security system is essential in order for you to protect your home, family, and valuable possessions. Having a home security system installed affords you the peace of mind you need in order to live without fear for your home’s safety.

However one of the most important things you need to consider when installing a home security system is the type of monitoring plan you wish to have. Here are a few things you should know when you’re trying to find the best monitoring plan for your home security system.

What is Monitoring?

To put it simply, monitoring refers to the way in which your home security system communicates with a device or center which monitors the information it is receiving. Essentially, a monitoring center processes the information to determine what action or steps need to be taken in the event of a security breach.

Types of Monitoring

When it comes to monitoring for home security systems there are generally two different types of monitoring methods: personal and professional. Personal monitoring is very rare and is usually carried out when you’ve purchased and installed a lower grade home security system. This type of monitoring involves all of the information from the home security system being redirected to you directly. That means you have to keep a vigilant eye on what is happening in your home in order to keep on top of things.

If your attention slips and something happens during that time, nothing can be done because you were the monitoring center so to speak. It was your responsibility to identify a threat and report it to the relevant authorities.

As you can see, this type of monitoring is very cumbersome on the homeowner and can prove to be grossly ineffective in most cases.

The other method of monitoring is professional. This means that the alarm company is the one keeping a tab on all the signals that your house is emitting. If there is a security breach or threat, the alarm company will inform the relevant authorities and help will be sent to your home right away. Alarm companies pride themselves on having fast response times which is what makes them so attractive to customers. The faster the response time, the less likely it is that you and your family will incur serious harm, damage, or losses.

Things to Keep in Mind When Looking for a Monitoring Plan

With respect to monitoring plans, they are typically divided into two broad categories: basic and advanced/interactive. The two different plans differ in how much control you are afforded. The general features of the two plans are outlined below.

Basic Monitoring Plans

If you’ve just gotten a home security system, basic monitoring packages are a great way to start out. This is especially true in today’s day and age because now, the more advanced packages require smartphone and tablet use. If you don’t have a smartphone, basic monitoring is perfect for you.

Advanced and Interactive Plans

These plans are a little bit more complex and give you the chance to be more involved with the monitoring process. If you want to be kept in the loop with everything that’s happening in and around your home, these sorts of monitoring plans keep you updated via your smartphone or tablet. You can expect to get texts and alerts as to the status of your home, remote access to various home security features, as well as access to the cameras and sensors if there are any.

What to Expect from any Monitoring Plan

Generally, all monitoring plans have certain key features. Some of these include:

• 24/7 monitoring and surveillance of your property for everything from break-ins to the state of the environment. This means that your monitoring system is also keeping an eye out for things like excess carbon monoxide, water levels, and smoke.
• Primary contacts – These are generally two numbers which the alarm company calls first in the event of a security breach or problem.
• Secondary contacts – If they can’t get in touch with your primary contacts, the company will attempt to get in touch with your secondary contacts. You can give up to five numbers as secondary contacts.
• Cellular connection – This is the means by which your alarm system forms a connection to the monitoring service. It uses cellular connections as opposed to landlines which aren’t very reliable. A landline can be cut by a burglar to try to cut you off from protection. Cellular connections don’t require wires and are therefore a more reliable way to connect to your monitoring service.

How to Choose Which Monitoring Plan is Best for you

Choosing which monitoring plan is best for you involves a consideration of your personal preferences and circumstances. For instance, are you looking to have more control over what’s happening inside your home when you’re not around or are you comfortable with giving that responsibility solely to the monitoring service?

There are certain cases and situations in which a more interactive/advanced system would be more effective. These include:

• When your kids are at home alone
• If you’re going on vacation and want to keep tabs on the house
• If your elderly parents are living with you and you want to monitor them

In these cases, being able to see and know what’s happening at home while you’re away is very beneficial.

As you can see, what monitoring plan you end up choosing largely depend upon what degree of control you want over the surveillance of your home. If you’re looking to be more involved, an advanced plan is best for you; if not, you can easily settle for a basic plan.

A great and fun summer activity for the family is a road trip. Even though road trips are fun, frustration and stress often accompany families while out on the road. Make certain that you keep the following tips in mind to help make your family’s road trip a good one:

The best possible thing you can do to get ready for a road trip is to get the family car in the best shape possible. Give the car a proper tune-up so that you don’t have to worry about the car breaking down while you are out on the road. Make sure that you have an auto warranty for your car so that the maintenance and repairs that need to be performed on your car will not drain your wallet.

In addition, make sure that you plan ahead for the trip so that your family is prepared and knows exactly where you are going and what you are doing. This can alleviate stress and help make the trip go smoothly. Also, invest in a GPS that will help you get to your planned destinations with ease.

Though you can plan for road trips, you cannot always predict when you will run into problems such as road construction or traffic. These things are almost inevitable so make sure that you relax and do not stress out so that you and your family can have a good time on your road trip.

A vehicle’s power train consists of all of the parts that make it run. This includes parts such as the drive train, the engine, and the transmission. It is a big system that is made up of numerous moving parts. If any part in the power train system fails, there is a greater chance that your car will not actually get you to your destination. A vehicle’s power train features and engine specs are essential to making the car run.

A powertrain warranty covers the powertrain components if they are defective or damaged during a certain period of time. Therefore, the manufacturer will pay to replace or repair the components that are faulty. The powertrain warranty generally has a mileage or year (whichever arrives first) period of coverage and this expires when the allotted period is up. This auto warranty usually lasts for a longer period of time than other manufacturer warranties such as the bumper-to-bumper warranty.

Powertrain warranty coverage usually does not include parts that wear like the boots and CV joints, clutches, and other parts that have a short lifespan and that need to be replaced regularly.

It has been reported that a variety of companies and marketing firms have been making unsolicited calls to offer customers an automotive extended warranty. When a customer is told that the warranty is about to expire, if they are not educated to the warranty business or their vehicles coverage may sometimes believe anything a telemarketing agent says. Unfortunately, in almost every case they are creating this information out of thin air with the hope that they can scare or pressure a customer into purchasing warranty coverage for their vehicle. This is obviously a dishonest practice but is borderline illegal as well.

It is also been reported that a variety of third-party companies have been sending a postcard a flyer in the mail with the same general information hoping to coax a customer into calling them so they can attempt to sell them warranty coverage. This process is a high-pressure process, usually involving several levels of sales professionals to try and close the deal.

What these companies never tell you is that in many cases, your car may still be covered by an existing warranty as they have no knowledge of the vehicle’s actual existing warranty status.

Also, there are many levels of warranty coverage that are available that are generally not explained in clear detail to a customer. They simply sign you up, collect your money, and then send you documentation later where you find out there are many loopholes that would allow a claim to be denied. This is assuming the company even has a claims department and any legitimacy at all.

In most cases, you may have simply given money for a product that either doesn’t exist or is not an actual insurance company product.

If the company does have any legitimacy, not having an underwriter simply means that in the event that they have any type of claims activity at all, they can easily be wiped out as they very rarely leave much money in a claims fund to protect the consumer.

The bottom line is a customer’s best option is to reach out to a legitimate warranty provider that is directly underwritten by a US-based, “A” rated carrier. The other option, of course, is to visit a local dealership and find out what they are offering. The downside to this is that dealerships are generally 50-100% more expensive the same level of coverage you can get in the automotive warranty aftermarket.

The bottom line is you will almost never hear a radio ad or receive a notice by mail from any legitimate warranty company so buyer beware!

If you are looking for warranty coverage a great place to start would be www.amezones.com where you can get wholesale pricing for the industry’s highest level of coverage.

There are no excuses for poor customer service from your home security provider. These are the people in charge of protecting you. From setup to maintenance, your provider can alter your home security experience for better or worse.

Below, we overview the tailored services, maintenance routines and communication methods to look for in a provider.

Great Customer Service’s Impact on Home Security Setup

A trusted provider optimizes your home security to fit your budget and lifestyle. Home security is not a one-size-fits-all solution. With add-ons and connection challenges, select a provider who goes the extra mile to tailor a system to your needs.

Are you an empty nester needing more security while you travel (like automatic lights to make it appear you’re home)? Do you have a full house in need of more smart home features (such as smart locks when people outnumber keys)? Whatever your lifestyle, a great home security provider ensures your equipment is personalized to fit your needs and is willing to talk about new equipment with you. AMEZones home security is worthless if it doesn’t meet your lifestyle or if you don’t understand how to operate it properly.

Routine Maintenance is a Must

Home security is a wise investment, especially if routine maintenance is built into your package. Maintenance visits ensure functioning, up-to-date technology. The best vendors have annual inspections to prevent gaps in your home security.

During an inspection, your technician should perform controlled tests on the system to check transmitted signals to the monitoring center, batteries, and connections. Most importantly, they should repair damaged or malfunctioning parts for you.

If you experience false alarms or system malfunctions, it’s vital you get immediate assistance to remedy. Don’t settle for a provider who doesn’t respond to your issues and concerns.

Speak to a Real Representative or Technician

Chatbots to answer questions are on the rise. But what if you need to speak to an actual person? Choose a provider that offers access to trained technicians. This ensures you aren’t left scrambling to fix issues on your own. Search for providers with local branches instead of huge corporate-wide customer service centers with long wait times. This way, you are more likely to get a quick, helpful response from a REAL person.

Too many healthy, young adults, skipping health insurance sounds like a fantastic idea. Health insurance is confusing, downright expensive, and doesn’t feel like it’s worth the cost, especially if you don’t need frequent medical care.

The problem, though, with not having health insurance coverage is you never know when a catastrophic accident or illness may strike. Without health insurance coverage to protect you from skyrocketing medical costs, you can quickly end up in serious financial trouble.

The bigger problem, I believe, for many young adults when it comes to getting covered is that they just don’t know where to start.

Where do I even go to get a health insurance plan? 

Is there anybody I can talk to?

How long am I allowed stay on my parent’s plan?

Should I get coverage through my job or an individual plan?

So, instead of just telling you “Hey! You need to get covered. It’s the right thing to do!” and leaving it at that, we’re going to help educate you on the different options available to you as a young adult getting started in this big scary world of health care.

Health Insurance Through Your Employer

Many employers offer health coverage to employees as a benefit of employment. In addition, the ACA currently requires certain large employers (with over 50 full-time equivalent employees) to provide affordable, minimum value health coverage to their full-time employees working over 30 hours per week.

Keep in mind that the above could change under President Trump’s plan to repeal and replace the ACA, although historically most large groups have always offered benefits as a recruitment and retention tool.

There are several advantages of choosing an employer-based health plan:

• The risk is spread among the entire group so plan premiums are usually lower.
• Your employer may also cover part of the premium cost.
• You may be able to choose from a number of different plans, depending on the choices offered by your employer.
• Participants in group health plans are also covered by federal benefits laws, which guarantee things like special enrollment rights and protection from discrimination based on your health status.

Enrollment in an employer-based plan generally occurs through two regular opportunities: an initial enrollment period when you are hired (or first become eligible) and an annual open enrollment period. In many cases, the only exception to these enrollment rules is if you qualify for a special enrollment period (SEP).

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law that requires employers to provide a SEP of at least 30 days following one of these situations:

• Loss of eligibility for other coverage (such as turning 26 and losing coverage on your parent’s plan).
• Getting married or divorced.
• Having or adopting children.
• Becoming eligible or losing eligibility for Medicaid.

If you’re interested in learning about your job-based coverage options, the best person to speak with is your company’s HR representative.

Health Insurance Through Your Parent’s Plan

Quite often, young adults are able to be covered under a parent’s health plan until the age of 26. If your parent’s plan offers dependent coverage, you are eligible until you turn 26, whether or not you are married, living with your parents, eligible for coverage through your own employer, financially dependent on your parent or are a student. However, it is up to your parents whether you can be covered under his or her plan.

One advantage of being enrolled in your parent’s plan is that you don’t have to shop for coverage. 

Finding your own health coverage can be an intimidating and confusing process. If you’re already familiar with the benefits and medical providers you have access to under your parent’s plan, it can be stressful to seek out new providers.

Another advantage is that the premium cost may be lower than the cost of coverage you would get on your own.

The coverage you get through your parent’s plan may be less expensive per person than individual plans, and, if there are already other dependents on your parent’s plan, adding you may not cost them anything at all.

Better yet, If you live near your parents, you can avoid paying the expensive out-of-network rates you may face if you were living far away.

Remaining on your parent’s plan has its fair share of disadvantages. 

Many employer-based plans stop providing coverage for young adults on their parent’s plan during the month of their 26th birthday leaving you high and dry to find a new plan elsewhere.

Another disadvantage is that, because policyholders receive a comprehensive summary of benefits, your parents may potentially get more information about your health care than you would like. If you prefer privacy or independence, you should consider seeking coverage on your own.

Also, if you are planning to get married or have a baby, your own dependents aren't eligible for coverage under your parent’s plan.

In order to best prepare for your future, you should consider one-day finding health insurance for you and your family.

Health Insurance Through the Marketplace

The Marketplace allows individuals to compare health insurance options and purchase coverage online. Some people are even able to receive subsidies to help pay for premiums and out-of-pocket expenses.

However, you will not be eligible for subsidies if you were offered health insurance (for example, by your employer or a spouse or parent’s plan) that was affordable and covered at least an average of 60 percent of health care costs. Even without subsidies, you may be able to find a health insurance option that fits your budget.

In addition to comprehensive health insurance coverage, you may be eligible for a “catastrophic plan.” These plans are available only to those under 30 years of age and generally have very low premiums and very high deductibles. Although this type of plan covers only the most essential health needs in order to fulfill the ACA requirements, the main purpose of this plan is to protect you from the substantial medical costs that can be incurred from a serious accident or illness.

Marketplace enrollment is only available during an annual open enrollment period unless you qualify for a SEP. The rules for SEPs in the Marketplace differ from those that apply to employer-based plans.

Health Insurance Through an Individual Plan

Many health insurance companies offer individual plans off of the Health Insurance Marketplace (otherwise known as Healthcare.gov). Obtaining health insurance through a third party may be the best fit for you if you know exactly what you want. Because this option is not a group health plan, individual health insurance may be more expensive than other options.

The level and quality of the coverage will vary, depending on the specific policy. Typically, higher quality plans come with higher premiums.

In addition, carriers may limit enrollment to specific times during the year, similar to the Marketplace.

Health Insurance Through Medicaid

Medicaid is a program that is designed to help provide health coverage to low-income adults. Medicaid does not have a specific open enrollment period, which means that you may apply at any time.

We’d be happy to help get you off on the right foot on your health insurance journey. If you’re in Florida and in the market for a Florida Blue plan, we can help you narrow down your choices and get you enrolled – at no additional cost.