Brokers can help save lives this long weekend by reminding their clients of safe driving practices through social media, according to a Colorado producer.
Nearly 400 people will lose their lives in holiday traffic this Labor Day weekend and another 42,200 will be injured due to auto collisions, the National Safety Council estimates. With auto insurer AAA predicting that 34.1m Americans will drive more than 50 miles this weekend, it highlights the need for some proper preventative measures.
Eric Johnson, a producer at Denver-based brokerage CRS Insurance recommends that brokers ensure their clients are aware of safe driving recommendations via social media platforms like Twitter. Good practices recommended by organizations like AAA and the NSC including:
Johnson added that ensuring clients have the right policies in place is also critical in case the worst happens.
“More than likely, folks will get into a car accident at some point in their lives,” said Johnson. “Our role as independent agents is to make sure they have a policy that represents their best interest.”
Often, Johnson says, clients want to opt for an inexpensive auto insurance policy that satisfies legal demands but not financially responsible limits.
“Very rarely do you get into a car accident were there’s only $25,000 in damage, and when you have bodily injury, those costs shoot past insurance limits very quickly,” he said.
Of course, when the unthinkable does happen, a broker is an indispensable resource for clients as they attempt to negotiate claims with carriers.
“The benefit of going through a broker is that you have your own advocate,” said Johnson. “We step in to fill that gap between what the insurer offers and what the insured feels they deserve. We tell them what to do, what not do, and what to say and what not to say.”
