Ohio Train-Vehicle Crashes
Auto Insurance, Car Insurance, Ohio Insurance

Ohio Car Insurance Rates May Increase

by admin

Post Date 6/24/2013 – Ohio car insurance rates may increase for 71 vehicle-train crashes which occurred  last year.  The data  was collected and reported by the Ohio Public Utilities Commission. 10%  of these 71 crashes resulted in the death to 9 people, 20% in severe injuries. The report also showed that more than 50% of these crashes occurred  at railroad crossings.  Even though these railroad crossings had active warning devices,  the motorists still drove through the crossings damaging both the vehicles and train.  Since these accidents were at-fault, the drivers can expect for their Ohio car insurance rates to increase.

Ohio car insurance rates and at fault accidents go hand and hand

2012 statistics show nearly 30% of these vehicles-train crashes involve cars stopped on crossings while 25% had motorists going through the train crossing without stopping. 20% of those crashes are result of the motorists driving around railroad crossing gates. 28% percent of the crashes are incidents wherein the motorist’s vehicle hit a train.  The highest percentage of the driver’s involved in the vehicle-train crashes are men from the ages of 16-19 and 20-29. Each age bracket had 6 male drivers involved in the accident. Many of the collisions transpired during night time when they were under the impression the trains were not running.

Although some drivers may see their ohio car insurance rates go up, drivers in Wood county topped the list recording 5 vehicle-train crashes last year while 20 other counties had only one incident each. Despite the number of crashes,  the  Ohio PUC statistics show vehicle crashes on Ohio’s highway-rail grade crossings had declined since the 1980s. Ohio has 5,300 miles of rail tracks and 5,800 of public railroad crossings. The Ohio PUC is the state agency tasked in ensuring the safety of the state’s railroad tracks through railroad inspections and safety upgrades. In 2012, a total of 543 safety upgrades were ordered in the entire state which includes the installation of gates and lights, upgrades on circuits and closings, and supplemental assistance upgrades.

Ohio Train-Vehicle Crashes

Auto Insurance, Flood Insurance, Homeowner's Insurance, New Jersey Insurance

New Jersey Homeowners Grants Now Available

by InsureDirect_Staff_1

New Jersey Relief FundPost Date June 7, 2013 – New Jersey Homeowners devastated by Superstorm Sandy are now eligible for Grants to help rebuild and repair their homes. The state of New Jersey recently begun accepting grant applications for those New Jersey homeowners who were affected by the storm in 2012. The grants are intended to assist NJ homeowners in rebuilding their homes which found themselves without flood insurance. Funds available for these grants is only a chunk of the nearly $2 billion dollars in federal aid sent to New Jersey to assist it in dealing with the damages that were not paid for by insurance payouts or other state programs. This federal disaster aid that was approved by  Congress amounts to $60 billion dollars.  The amount available to New Jersey Homeowners will be  nearly 6 billion dollars.

New Jersey Homeowners help for Superstorm Sandy now available

NJ Governor Chris Christie announced that New Jersey Homeowners eligible for the grants will not receive direct payments from the state.  All payments will be directed to the building contractor whom will be doing the work.  Further; eligible payments are only for those repair and rebuilding costs implemented by approved firms. All eligible New Jersey Homeowners can apply for a grant.  The maximum amount per NJ Homeowner $150,000. The amount will cover expenses for rebuilding or raising a primary home to the 1978 minimum height outlined in the national flood policy underwriting requirements.

The grant applications began  the last week of May.  The New Jersey agency responsible for the application process is the Department of Community Affairs (DCA).   Grants will not be on the “first-come, first-served” basis but will be authorized by need.  Low and moderate income New Jersey homeowners whose homes had substantial damage due to the October storm will come first. A DCA spokesperson said that the grant applications which will be received on or before June 30 will then be randomly process and assess base on factors such as income, level of damage, and areas of highest impact.