Something Positive during COVID-19 - Auto Insurance refunds

[Top_Fuel]

State Farm released this statement...

With schools and businesses closed, and orders to shelter in our homes proliferating, we know our auto insurance policyholders are driving much less than anticipated,” State Farm said. “We are closely monitoring our automobile insurance loss trends and are considering how best to take this into account and return value to our auto insurance policyholders. We expect a decision in this regard by the end of the week.

Translation: We are dragging our feet while we figure out how to give customers back the least amount of money possible.

[Mirageman38]

Here is the email from Geico we got today. Looks like it's 15% off the whole thing even if you are a new customer. Maybe I will get $45 It blows my mind the average policy is $2000 a year from Geico.

As part of GEICO's ongoing efforts to assist customers during this unprecedented time, we are announcing The GEICO Giveback which provides a 15 percent credit to all auto and motorcycle customers as policies come up for renewal, between April 8, 2020 and October 7, 2020. This credit will also apply to any new policies purchased during this period as part of our commitment to protecting the wellbeing of our customers.
Current customers can expect to see the credit when they renew. Customers do not need to take any action to receive this credit.
The credits are expected to average $150 per auto policy and $30 per motorcycle policy. With roughly 18 million auto policies and 1 million motorcycle policies in force, we are proudly providing a total benefit of approximately $2.5 billion to our customers.
Last month, we announced that we're pausing cancellations of coverage due to non-payment or policy expiration through April 30, 2020 or later as directed by your state. Beyond that, we are committed to offering maximum flexibility to policyholders who need special payment options. And to ensure you continue to receive the 24/7 service you've come to expect, we've also transitioned nearly all of our associates to work from home.
Thank you for being part of the GEICO family. We value you and your business, and want to continue providing excellent support. We will continue to keep you updated.

Sincerely,
Todd Combs, President and CEO

[MacClyver]

As far as deer whistles go, I think removing your muffler would work better!

I've drove by a couple deer with no muffler or resonator, surprisingly they don't seem to want to run in the opposite direction. They just stand there "like a deer in the headlights".

[Fummins]

I don't remember having many deer run in front of me when I had my fummins. Mind you I never really paid much attention and didn't care if one did as it wouldn't have been turned into road pizza. Unless of course it was hit while jumping 5'-6' in the air, which in that case could have kinda sucked for me. They tend to go through windshields pretty easily then kick the crap out of you while trying to get out.

[Mark]

State Farm released this statement...

Translation: We are dragging our feet while we figure out how to give customers back the least amount of money possible.

I agree! It may appear to be a nice gesture on their part, but the auto insurance industry will profit from claims going down dramatically during these times.

The articles on the topic make it sound wonderful, but it's just cheap PR for the insurance companies. Insurance companies aren't obligated to do anything in response to all this. Then again, we are not obligated to purchase auto insurance from them either.

If someone feels they are getting a great refund, I hope they share it! In the meantime, I'm not holding my breath.

[Mark]

I've drove by a couple deer with no muffler or resonator, surprisingly they don't seem to want to run in the opposite direction. They just stand there "like a deer in the headlights".

Bottom line - Deer are unpredictable. Best method of avoiding a deer collision is slow down in areas where deer are likely to cross. I live about 10 miles from town. I have about 4 spots that I instinctively let up on the gas & slow down while driving at night. They are the same spots I see dead deer lying along the edge of the road. No matter how careful you are it can still happen.

How to Avoid Hitting a Deer - shared by Consumer Reports

Slow down. Watch for deer especially around dawn and between the hours of 6 p.m. and 9 p.m., when they're most active.

Be aware. Look out for deer-crossing signs and wooded areas where animals are likely to travel. If you travel the same route to and from work every day, you may find deer consistently grazing in the same fields. Make a mental note of when and where you regularly see the animals.

Be alert. If you see an animal on the side of the road, slow down. At night when traffic permits, put on your high beams for improved visibility.

Brake, don’t swerve. Swerving to avoid an animal can put you at risk for hitting another vehicle or losing control of your car. It can also confuse the animal as to which way to go. Instead, just slow down as quickly and safely as you can. Your odds for surviving an accident are better when hitting an animal than hitting another car.

Assume they have friends. The “where there’s one, there’s usually more” often holds true. Deer travel in groups, so if you see one run across the road, expect others to follow.

Don’t rely on deer whistles. These are aftermarket devices that some drivers put on their front bumpers to scare off animals. But animal behavior remains unpredictable, even if you use one of these.

Buckle up. A seat belt is your best defense for minimizing your risk in a crash. An Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study found that 60 percent of the people killed in animal-vehicle collisions weren’t wearing their seat belts.

[dspace9]

You're points are bang on Mark. Drive slower especially nighttime driving. You could roll your car swerving. It does confuse the animal, you as an animal its almost instinctual to both brake and swerve.

Not sure if deer whistles are a gimmick, I take your opinion seriously though. But I find my Mirage makes a wind whistling noise anyways eh, plus lots of engine noise, while driving at highway speeds.

Ya don't rely on deer whistles, as though they can make you invisible. Or any F350 can have a deer fly into the windshield as any Mirage can. Not to be morbid scenario but it's true. I have had a big buck stop in its tracks in front of my Mirage so I know all about deer lol. I avoid deer hotspots but only know my local ones.