According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), summer and early fall are the most dangerous times of the year to be on the road. Americans drive more miles during the summer months than other times during the year. The IIHS also reports that fatal crashes are more prevalent on weekends and in the late afternoon and evenings.

This increased summer traffic adds to your chances of windshield damage, warns the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI). “Traffic congestion has been cited as a reason why the number of auto accidents have been going up and it also can increase the chance for vehicle windshields to be damaged by rocks and other debris.” PCI also warns consumers of fraud involving windshield repairs and replacements. The warning is specific to Florida but is beneficial to travelers across the nation.

A cracked or damaged windshield is often covered by your auto insurance policy, even if you’re traveling out of state. In this scenario, your insurance company will work with a nearby company to have your windshield repaired as quickly as possible. According to PCI’s assistant vice president of personal lines policy, Bob Passmore, some of these auto glass repair shops will try to convince consumers to sign over their insurance benefits. These shops are not affiliated with your insurance company, and they may exaggerate the glass claim. They will then sue your insurance company, often without the policyholder’s knowledge. PCI is seeing an increase in the number of these types of fraudulent claims in states like Florida.

What precautions can you take to avoid auto glass fraud? PCI recommends consumers beware of any glass repair shop representatives who approach them at local car washes, gas stations, parking lots, or even at home.

These representatives will often offer to waive deductibles, give cash rebates, gift cards, and more.
They claim the possibility of a “free” windshield replacement by working with your insurance company.
Consumers should call their insurer before signing any documents, even electronically.

“That scheme ultimately drives up auto insurance rates and the overall costs of auto glass repair services,” states Passmore. Be prepared and be cautious as you travel this summer and fall.

Resources

http://www.iihs.org/iihs/sr/statusreport/article/52/3/2

http://www.pciaa.net/pciwebsite/cms/content/viewpage?sitePageId=49740

This blog entry is created for informational purposes only. Any viewpoint or sponsorship of outside parties involved in the blog entry does not necessarily represent Goodville's stance as a company. The blog should not be used as a substitute for professional advice.

Goodville Mutual Celebrates End of Construction with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

August 15, 2017

NEW HOLLAND, PA - On Tuesday, August 15, 2017, at noon, Goodville Mutual Casualty Company held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for its newly constructed and recently renovated headquarters in New Holland, Pennsylvania. The ceremony celebrated the conclusion of a year-long construction project which doubled the size of Goodville’s previous headquarters, providing an additional 20,000 square feet of office space.

Those in attendance included Goodville employees and the Board of Directors, representatives from Warfel Construction Company, Cornerstone Design-Architects, and C.S. Davidson, Inc., and the New Holland Mayor Wilbur G. Horning.

From left to right, President of Cornerstone Design-Architects Dale R. Yoder, New Holland Mayor Wilbur Horning, President and CEO of Goodville Mutual David Gautsche, Goodville Mutual Board Chairman Jim Harder, and President of Warfel Construction Company Matt Hartzler standing in front of the new Goodville Mutual entrance.

Goodville Mutual broke ground on June 27, 2016, marking the beginning of construction on a new building as well as renovations to the previous building in New Holland. The architect of the project was Cornerstone Design-Architects of Lancaster, PA, and the construction manager for this project was Warfel Construction Company in East Petersburg, PA.

President and CEO, David Gautsche, emphasized the importance of this larger facility. “Goodville has been part of the Lancaster County community for over 90 years and have been fortunate to grow consistently throughout those years. With a larger facility, Goodville will be able to continue providing employees an exceptional work environment and policyholders, agents, and the community with outstanding products and experience.”

Founded in 1926, Goodville Mutual provides quality comprehensive property and casualty insurance products through professional independent agents in eight states. Visit Goodville’s website for more information: www.goodville.com.

Does a driver with a learner's permit have auto insurance coverage?

August 30, 2017

Do you have a driver in your household with a learner’s permit? This is an exciting time for the new driver! This can also be an unsettling time for parents of the new driver. One thing you shouldn’t have to stress over is auto insurance coverage while your young driver is behind the wheel.

Does a driver with a learner’s permit have auto insurance coverage?

With a Goodville auto policy there is automatic coverage for a driver with a learner’s permit as long as:

The driver qualifies as an insured on the policy, i.e. is a member of the insured’s household, and
A parent, guardian or in some states a 21 year old licensed driver is required to be with them while driving.

You should report the new driver to your insurance agent right away to verify they are covered in the case of an accident.

What happens when the new driver becomes licensed?

Once the child is at least 16 years of age and licensed, or they are still on a permit and a parent or guardian is not required to be in the vehicle with the permit holder, we will list the child on the parents’ policy as a driver. This means that we will start charging a premium for the driver on the parents’ policy because they are now a recognized, legal driver.

Call your local agent to get full details on how drivers with learner’s permits can affect your auto insurance coverage.

Also check out the graduated driver licensing (GDL) requirements for your state on the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) website. According to the IIHS, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have a GDL system in place, which consists of laws to reduce the crash risk of young drivers by ensuring that teens build up driving experience under lower-risk conditions.

Goodville Staff Member Earns AIAF Designation

August 31, 2017

This week one of our Goodville Mutual employees passed her final exam to earn her Associate in Insurance Accounting and Finance (AIAF) designation. Alyson Leaman, Goodville Mutual’s Controller, earned the AIAF designation, which provides her with in-depth knowledge of insurance accounting, finance, and risk management.

The AIAF designation is awarded by The Institutes, and to earn the title, professionals must pass a series of several exams. The Institutes website refers to the AIAF as the “premier designation for all finance and accounting professionals”.

Goodville has an ongoing commitment to grow the knowledge and skills of our staff, and we are proud of this accomplishment by Alyson. Congratulations Alyson!