Risk Management 101: Auto Risk Assessment Checklist for Your Business

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The risk associated with motor vehicles is a different type of risk than that of a home. The first thing that makes it a bigger risk is that almost the only way vehicles are useful are when they are in transit. You didn’t buy a car just to stare at it; you bought it to get you where you need to go, which unfortunately exposes you to other people trying to accomplish the same goal with sometimes disastrous results.

Some perils on the road include, but are not limited to:

• – Collisions with other vehicles
• – Hitting an animal
• – Falling objects
• – Extreme weather conditions

Some of these things are avoidable, simply by making sure you’re aware of your surroundings and focused solely on the road. However, you’re always in danger of someone else failing to do the same.

While you can’t control the actions of other drivers on the road, you can always work to minimize the risks you face as a driver by asking yourself the following.

✔ Do you own more than one vehicle?

More than one vehicle on the road simultaneously definitely increases the possibility of an accident or claim. You’re at a greater risk for something to go wrong with multiple household drivers and vehicles. However, when it comes to price, we at InsureYourCompany.com always make sure to shop for the best premiums and incorporate discounts like the multi-car discount or any personal auto insurance quote we do.

✔ Do you always use your turn signals, brake with enough time, and make sure to turn your headlights on at the appropriate times?

Making sure you’re properly signaling and visible on the road is a great way to ensure there isn’t any confusion between yourself and other drivers that could lead to an accident.

✔ Do you drive the speed limit?

The speed limit is set for a specific reason, but if we’re being honest, many people speed when driving, which can result in unnecessary accidents and excessive damage. Your chance of getting hurt or hurting someone else increases exponentially due to high-speed collisions, which can result in a lawsuit.

✔ Do you talk on the phone, text, or play around with your music while you drive?

Being distracted while driving is the best way to cause a collision, so if you’d like to avoid thousands of dollars in damage and a sharp increase in yourinsurance rates, stay off the phone and set your playlist ahead of time.

✔ Do you let other people borrow your car?

One of the most unfair exposures to risk is trusting someone with your car, only to find out they got into a fender bender or hit a stationary object and left you to deal with the fallout. Try to minimize the amount of times you let people drive your vehicle unless they’re already listed on your policy as a driver anyway.

✔ Do you have any young drivers in your household?

Young drivers, due to their inexperience, are more prone to get into accidents, but you can’t exactly keep them off the road. Your risk is certainly greater with young drivers in your house, but a good way to make sure you’re covered is to get a personal umbrella policy, which covers excess liability in increments of $1,000,000. If, for any reason, your inexperienced driver causes an accident, you have extra liability to cover yourself in the event of a lawsuit. In general, a personal liability umbrella is a great idea to have but especially useful when you have higher risks you’re unable to reduce.

✔ Do you live in a highly populated, congested area?

If you live in or near an area like New York City, you’re used to a lot of traffic. It’s a busy place and chances are that if you own a car, you’re probably hyperaware of how overcrowded the streets can get. A good way to minimize your risk when you have to travel around a densely populated area is to take public transportation when possible.

✔ Do you drive through a lot of heavily wooded areas?

Taking the back roads can be very scenic, but also puts you at risk for some woodland creatures to wander into the road and surprise you. While it’s unfortunate to injure a small animal while driving, it becomes an even bigger deal when the animal is a deer or something large. Hitting an animal in your vehicle can cause a large amount of damage and inconvenience, so for your sake and the sake of local wildlife, slow down as you navigate through densely wooded areas to ensure that you have enough time to stop if something runs out in front of you.

✔ Do you take your vehicle for regularly scheduled maintenance?

Regularly scheduled maintenance is the same as going to an annual check-up at the doctor. It can help to identify problems as they’re starting and acts as a preventative measure against issue that could arise from improper maintenance. Getting your oil changed, your tires rotated, and your vehicle inspected at the dealership or mechanic can prevent a problematic breakdown or malfunction while driving that could lead to an accident.

How can we help you manage the everyday risks you face?

At InsureYourCompany.com, we pride ourselves in taking the necessary preemptive measures to protect your home, vehicles, loved ones, and businesses through our extensive knowledge of risk management. If any of the above questions made you start to consider your own coverage a little more closely, why not just ask our experts? It’s what we do every day, and we’ll be able to give you an honest answer to your questions and make recommendations based on the risks you’re exposed to.

Contact us today for a free risk assessment and any one of our licensed agents will be glad to help you with all of your insurance needs.