The Allstate Blog » Jen

Golden Opportunity? Get Your Jewelry Reappraised

Jen — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:00:56 +0000

When my grandmother passed away last year, I inherited part of her jewelry collection. While some pieces are treasured family heirlooms, others reflect my grandmother’s taste for the eccentric, flashy and – I’m sorry to say –slightly tawdry. (Sorry, Grandma, but we have different styles!) Assured by family members that it was OK to sell these pieces (we've all seen those billboards and late-night TV commercials advertising gold resale), I needed a jewelry appraisal to determine their value. My appraiser told me that recent skyrocketing gold prices may have substantially increased the values of my jewelry. Which is why many insurance carriers recommend an appraisal every three to five years; routinely getting appraisals helps ensure that your policy is providing adequate personal property coverage.

Get a Fair Jewelry Appraisal

So, where can you find an appraiser? Unfortunately, just working in the jewelry industry doesn't make someone a fair or accurate appraiser. Be wary of jewelers without accreditation or those who work out of temporary mobile offices. Instead, choose an appraiser licensed by your state’s licensing board. The appraiser should also be an accredited member of a nationally recognized appraisal organization, such as The American Society of Appraisers, the Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Gemological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A). Ask to see credentials, and confirm that they are still valid. Any reputable appraiser will charge a flat fee for his or her service. Never agree to a percentage fee based on the jewelry’s value. Not only is a percentage fee unethical, but it may result in an inflated assessment for your pieces. Once you receive your appraisal, you should review your homeowners or renters insurance policy. A typical policy includes personal property protection that covers the loss of your belongings if they’re stolen or damaged. But many categories of coverage - like jewelry - have set a maximum dollar limit your insurance carrier will pay if an item is lost or stolen. If you have valuable jewelry, such as an engagement ring or other recently appraised gold pieces, it makes sense to review your coverage limits and make sure they're enough. I ultimately discovered that my grandmother’s gold jewelry was of some value, and I decided to keep her pieces rather than sell them. Gold prices may still have room to rise. And who knows? Maybe my style will change over time, too!

The Go-Nowhere Generation: For Teens, Facebook Trumps Driving

Jen — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 10:00:41 +0000

For many teenagers of the past, turning 16 was more than just a rite of passage; it meant freedom. The thrill of holding that small, shiny piece of plastic: a driver’s license. And while parents were (understandably) reluctant to turn over the car keys, that license was synonymous with independence. Even if the furthest place many teens drove each day was to the high school and back home, that little sliver of plastic represented a boundless future of travel and possibility. Road trips, Route 66, the Pacific Coast Highway: the future was calling! Despite the excitement I felt as a new driver, my friends and I were part of a dying trend. Over the last three decades, the rate at which teenagers obtain driver’s licenses has sharply declined. According to a study by the University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute, in the early 1980s, 80 percent of teenagers had a license by age 18. As of 2008, that number had decreased to 65 percent.

Recent estimates suggest that the number of teenagers with driver’s licenses continues to fall.

A 2011 report by the Connecticut DMV estimated that less than half of all 17-year-olds had a license, a decline of nearly 10 percent in just three years. A combination of factors may be to blame. Studies show that today’s youth are more risk adverse than previous generations, in part due to coming of age during a challenging state of the economy. And those sky-high gas prices sure don’t help. And thanks to high teenage traffic fatalities, fewer parents are willing to be new car buyers for their teenagers. Are stricter teenage licensing requirements also to blame? In response to high teenage traffic fatalities, an increasing number of states are instituting strict driver education and licensing programs. When I got my license, all I had to do was pass a basic driving test, complete a classroom workshop and be 16 years old. Today, teenagers in the state of Virginia are required to complete a certain number of hours driving with adult supervision and be at least 16 years, 3 months. Other states are far stricter. Maryland, for example, requires all teenagers to complete its “Rookie Driving” course. Drivers are issued provisional licenses upon successfully completing at least 60 hours of supervised driving with their parents, 10 hours of which must occur during the dawn/dusk hours. Provisional drivers are also not allowed to have passengers under the age of 18, unless they are siblings or accompanied by a supervising adult.

These restrictions are designed to reduce accidents by increasing experience.

While the current state of the economy and even stricter driving laws are pushing back the age at which teenagers obtain a license, the real culprit may be Facebook. A recent article in the New York Times posited that social networking and technology are reducing teenagers’ desire to have a driver’s license. The University of Michigan’s Transportation Research Institute found a correlation between time spent on Facebook and the Internet and a delay in getting a license. “More time on Facebook probably means less time on the road,” Michael Sivak, a professor at theUniversityofMichigan, told the New York Times. Thanks to all the driving restrictions, teenagers are more excited about the latest smartphone rather than a driver’s license. According to automobile safety expert David Preusser, a license is simply not as valuable as it once was. Preusser told the Hartford Courant last year that “Licenses are not as valuable … It's somewhat less desirable, so fewer kids are going after it."

Tell us: What do you think is responsible for the decline in teenagers with driver’s licenses?

Chasing the Eye of the Storm with Technology

Jen — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 16:44:50 +0000

There’s something about a strong wind that can be kind of intriguing, and tornados add to the visual mystique. Movies like “The Wizard of Oz” and “Twister” played on our obsession with the natural disaster, and more recently, television shows like the Discovery Channel’s "Storm Chasers" have given us an inside look at how professionals track and document a storm. When storm chasers see tornados tearing across states like Kansas and Oklahoma, they provide crucial information to emergency workers, law enforcement and the National Weather Service. To get the job done, storm chasers need rugged vehicles that are equipped to handle the worst conditions Mother Nature can throw at them.

For most of us, natural disasters usually mean it’s time to batten down the hatches, but storm chasers take measures to the extreme, ensuring that their vehicles are equipped to keep them as safe as possible in the eye of the storm.

Weather Warriors

Many professional storm chasing vehicles are based on trucks or SUVs, and the amount of safety and tech that goes into designing a purpose-built storm chaser is not for the faint of heart. Examples seen on the Discovery Channel, such as the Dominator 2 and TIV2 (Tornado Intercept Vehicle) include heavy modifications that rival that of armored cars. High winds can cause powerful, dangerous debris to fly through the air. As a safety measure, both the Dominator 2 and TIV2 feature a bulletproof body shell and windows that feature thick polycarbonate (Lexan) and plated glass. Both vehicles are also equipped with different systems to help combat heavy winds, which could send them flying through the air. The Dominator 2 has a hydraulic suspension system and spikes which will lower and anchor it to the ground. TIV2’s high ground clearance, however, means that it can’t mimic the Dominator 2’s low-rider moves. Instead, it features a sliding armored-panel system that lowers to the ground, which keeps wind from getting underneath. Although both vehicles are equipped to take on natural disasters, the Dominator 2 started as a GMC Yukon, while TIV2 was built onto a Dodge 3500 truck. Along with a healthy dollop of armor, most storm chasing vehicles are equipped with advanced gear that helps meteorologists and professional chasers track and document storms. Vehicles often feature a rooftop bubble or turret, which allows storm chasers to shoot video, and many also carry a removable probe that can be left in a tornado’s path. These probes can be packed with a camera and other weather instruments, which will collect data about the storm. Advanced storm chasing vehicles also include a radar system, which is usually mounted to the rear roof of the vehicle. These systems are similar to the Doppler radar systems that your meteorologist uses on the local news. On storm chasing vehicles, radar is crucial to getting immediate, on-the-spot weather information. Other add-ons like an instrument mast that can measure wind speed, temperature and humidity, are also common on storm chasing vehicles. For most of us, natural disasters usually mean it’s time to batten down the hatches, but storm chasers take measures to the extreme, ensuring that their vehicles are equipped to keep them as safe as possible in the eye of the storm.

Sources: The Wall Street Journal http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304331204577352180788089746.html?mod=googlenews_wsj http://blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2010/10/13/storm-chasers-star-reed-timmer-on-building-a-custom-tornado-car/

The Discovery Channel http://dsc.discovery.com/tv/storm-chasers/vehicles/vehicles.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oINf7LCgfK4&feature=player_embedded http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vie-qc7KKeA&feature=relmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7amebbviPs&feature=relmfu

How Stuff Works http://science.howstuffworks.com/nature/climate-weather/storms/storm-chaser2.htm

About.com http://www.stormchase.us/Articles/WhatsTheIdeal.html

Photo courtesy boxofficeboredome.com

A Trucker’s Tips for Road Trips

Jen — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:06:34 +0000

Are you gearing up for your summertime road trip and don’t know where to begin? Who better to give these tips than the ultimate road warrior – a semi-truck driver! I spoke with Larry Tonne, who has been driving trucks cross-country for over 10 years, to get the best tips and tricks for taking the perfect road trip. Whether you’re driving across the state or across the country, these suggestions will surely come in handy!

Go beyond GPS

A GPS can only get you so far when it comes to planning your route. Larry recommends double-checking your route with Google Earth so you can see the streets and landmarks of where you’re heading. It can also help you get a better idea if your destination is close to an expressway, in the middle of an urban area or past hard-to-navigate bridges or streets. Knowing your route ahead of time can also help you calculate how long it will take you to get from Point A to Point B. For instance, when you’re out West, you can travel further in less time as those states have higher speed limits and less congestion than when traveling on the East coast.

Avoid rough terrain

When traveling westward, Larry also recommends taking the Southern route across the U.S. The mountain-heavy states like Colorado and Utah can be rough on your car’s transmission and brakes. (On the Southern route you’re also less likely to run into inclement weather when traveling during the fall and winter months.) Additionally, it can help you save gas as your car will not be working as hard to go up and down steep roads.

Knowing your route ahead of time can also help you calculate how long it will take you to get from Point A to Point B. For instance, when you’re out West, you can travel further in less time as those states have higher speed limits and less congestion than when traveling on the East coast.

Find the safest spots to pull over

If you absolutely must pull over on the interstate and cannot wait for the next rest stop or gas station, make sure to at least wait for the next exit. Once there, continue back on to the entrance ramp and then pull over. Larry says that the exit ramp is the worst place to pull over, especially in bad weather. If the visibility is poor, drivers behind you will want to follow your lights and can easily run right into you. If you still can’t make it to an exit, get to somewhere that is at least a full lane off the highway so you don’t accidentally get sideswiped by drifters.

Give yourself a break

Legally, Larry has to take a 30 minute break every 8 hours, but he says he usually goes 2.5 to 3 hours and then takes a short breather. If you’re driving in extreme weather, take more frequent breaks as your body will be tense from the concentrated driving.

Arrive before five

“Get while the gettin’s good,” says Larry. He prefers to leave early in the morning so he can arrive at his destination while it’s still light out. Driving during the daytime makes it easier to navigate unfamiliar cities upon arrival. Ideally, you’ll want to plan on entering a city before evening hours and exiting in the early morning to avoid any rush-hour gridlock.

Leaving early can also help in case you encounter any setbacks – a flat tire, road closures and any emergencies – planning for the “just-in-case” scenarios will give you a little extra time on the back end. If nothing happens and you arrive at your destination early, you have some spare time to explore your new surroundings, and what could be wrong with that? Taking these tips from a proven road warrior can help to ensure your safety on the roadways this summer. Which of these suggestions will you be using on your next road trip?

Practice Parking Lot Safety

Jen — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 14:06:34 +0000

Turning off the road and arriving at your destination can be a relief. Once you’re in a parking lot, you’re traveling more slowly, so the logic follows that your risk of an accident goes down. However, being in a parking lot is no reason to let your guard down. In fact, parking lots have a number of hazards you need to be aware of.

A study by the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers Association found that 20 percent of insurance claims were related to accidents in parking lots. In a typical parking lot, you’re facing two major challenges: limited visibility and distraction. An empty parking lot may have great visibility, but fill the lot with cars and you’ve got a maze to navigate. Not only does a full lot make it tough for cars in the aisles to see hazards, but cars that are trying to enter or exit parking spaces have their outward visibility severely compromised by the cars parked around them.

20 percent of insurance claims were related to accidents in parking lots.

Distraction is another major risk in parking lots. Think of all the things people do right when they get in their cars: adjust the radio station, pull out their cell phones and arrange any items they may be carrying. Because they feel safe in parking lots, people will often do these things while their cars are moving, taking their attention away from their driving. Then there are the pedestrians in the parking lots. They may be talking or texting on phones, focused on walking to wherever they’re going, trying to corral kids or they simply may not be paying attention. As risky as parking lots are, there are a number of things you can do to try and manage that risk. Drive slowly in parking lot aisles to give yourself extra time to react to changing conditions, like a car backing out of a space or a child running into the aisle from between cars. Adjust your seat, mirrors and radio and make any calls you need to make before you leave your parking space. Don’t engage in distracting behaviors while the car is moving. If you’re considering buying a new car, you may want to consider cars with features like a rearview camera, park assist system or cross traffic alert system to help you maneuver in tight spaces and alert you to hazards around you car. If you’re walking in a parking lot, stay to the sides of the aisle and stay alert to cars that may be entering or leaving parking spaces. Don’t talk on the phone or use headphones to listen to music until you’re out of the parking lot, and always hold hands with small children who are with you. An accident in a parking lot may not have quite the dramatic potential as an accident on the freeway, but it can still be quite serious and even deadly. Even a minor fender bender in a parking lot could prove to be costly in terms of money and aggravation. Staying alert and being aware of the risks that come with driving in parking lots can help keep you safe and lower your chances of having an accident.

Deconstructing High Gas Prices

Jen — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 14:06:34 +0000

Every driver has been there: you pull up to the pump, swipe your credit card and then recoil from the final cost of filling up your tank.

Our wallets are feeling the strain of increased fuel costs, but what exactly are we paying for when our cars guzzle up gallons of gas? And how does the rising price of gas spill over into the costs of other products?

The Basics

Ken Cohen at Exxon Mobile's Perspectives blog breaks down exactly what we're paying for in a gallon of gasoline, beginning with the cost of raw materials. As you might expect, the cost of crude oil is the biggest single expense in a gallon of gas. That Perspectives post breaks down the component costs of a gallon of gas that costs $3.27. (According to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge, as of this writing, the current average is up to $3.83). Of that amount, a hefty $2.55 goes toward crude oil, which then needs to be refined. That's why in the long term, the biggest hope for mitigating gas costs is innovations in fuel-efficient vehicles. Of course, you could just sit at home all day doing nothing and save big. But for those who need to head out onto the open road, fuel efficient vehicles are the best bet for your wallet. Per that Perspectives post, the cost of covering taxes amounts to (on average) another 39 cents, while distributing and marketing the product adds 33 cents to the price tag.

The Trickle Down Effect

The shipping industry feels the pinch more than most, and the increased cost of fuel is often passed on to consumers.

Rising gas costs don't just affect us at the pump. The shipping industry feels the pinch more than most, and the increased cost of fuel is often passed on to consumers. Brandon Gale of Retail Shipping Associates told the New York Times last year that the clock was ticking on how long it would be before high gas prices filtered down to customers. UPS spokesperson Dan McMackin went a step further, directly telling the International Business Times that high gas costs were reflected in the increased prices of their services. You're paying more to get a package delivered than you were a few years ago, and that increase is mostly due to the price hikes at your local gas station. Moreover, stores that now need to pay more to get their products shipped - everything from groceries to electronics - raise prices in turn to recoup those costs. It's not all bad news: a recent Forbes report claims we’re in better shape to withstand rising gas prices this year, citing a strengthening economy and a recovering job market to help soften the blow. Still, those eBay bargains you're eyeing will be pricey to ship.

Take a Look Around

To get an idea of how much you're paying for gas relative to other products, it's worth using this comparison tool provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Here, the average consumer price for a number of products is provided, including a gallon of gas, a loaf of bread, a dozen eggs, and even a whole chicken. According to that data, a gallon of milk cost an average of $3.499 in March 2012, compared to $3.868 for a gallon of regular unleaded in the same month. Unfortunately you can't (yet) power your vehicle by milk. In contrast to those figures, residents of Seattle pay less than a penny per gallon of water according to this report on the state's public utilities. Now all we have to do is wait for the first water-fueled car to come along so we can take to the highway with a lot less stress on our minds.

Space Age Technology Invades Everyday Life

Jen — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:06:34 +0000

Those childhood fantasies you had of zipping up a spacesuit and heading out to explore the galaxy may soon be within reach. The Space Shuttle program has officially been retired, but Richard Branson is leading the way in giving the public a chance to take sub-orbital spaceflights via his Virgin Galactic craft. Anyone with enough disposable income to spend on such a trip is likely to have one important word on his or her mind: safety. Is it really feasible for space flight to become as routine as the airplanes that shoot into the skies every day? How are these new spacecraft being tested? The answers may surprise you, as they lie in a symbiotic relationship that's existed for many years between spectacular space machinery and ordinary Earth-bound vehicles like cars, motorcycles, and boats.

Road Trip Into the Future

XCOR is a spacecraft manufacturer leading the charge into the skies and beyond. Like Branson's company, they are hoping to make civilian spaceflight nearly as routine as reading the morning paper. But when it came time to test out parts for its Lynx Suborbital Spacecraft, the company brought the project back down to Earth. Instead of taking to the skies, XCOR fitted a Triumph motorcycle with key propulsion parts and sent a rider off on a huge 20-hour road trip to see how those parts held up. Could this be a sign of things to come? If you see a snowmobile zipping across the landscape at unusual speeds, it may just be testing out an important component for the new space race. Fortunately, the XCOR motorcycle test worked out just fine, so if you're looking to head up in one of their crafts, you can rest easy - although interested parties will need to shell out a cool $95,000 for the pleasure.

Star Sailing

It's not just motorcycles that are being furnished with space tech: Boats are also enjoying benefits from programs devised for interplanetary craft. In 2005, Marc Thiercelin and Eric Drouglazet pioneered the use of such technology in the Transat Jacques Vabre, international sailing contest. Their boat was equipped with solar cells, batteries and an intelligent power management system originally designed for Europe's space programs. NASA has also been involved in creating products for the high seas. A report highlights how the NASA-funded Space Alliance Technology Outreach Program (SATOP) aided Mosca Custom Boats by providing engineering assistance from a variety of partners involved in the U.S. Space Program. The idea of NASA taking to the water does make sense—after all, we've all watched lunar modules land in the ocean after the various Apollo missions. Perhaps the high seas could be lucrative territory for NASA to explore now that the Shuttle program has come to an end.

Cars in Orbit

General Motors sent the first car into space. No, really - they did. It happened in the form of the Lunar Rover that traversed the craggy surface of the moon, after going up with the Apollo 15 mission. The Rover contained a mobility system designed by GM and it didn't even get a flat tire from the harsh terrain it encountered up there. Car manufacturers have also found an Earthly use for space tech, after borrowing an idea from the International Space Station. Volkswagen's Autoeuropa factory in Palmela, Portugal uses object recognition and tracking concepts - created for the automated docking of spacecraft to the International Space Station - to help slot car parts together. Yes, that dashboard on your car really could have been carefully attached in the same way that the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) docks with the space station. It might not be the flying car you dreamed about while reading comic books as a kid—but it feels like we're getting close.

Videos Help Increase Distracted Driving Awareness

Jen — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:07:30 +0000

The Department of Transportation has declared April Distracted Driving Awareness Month. While there is a national campaign to combat distracted driving, some states have upped the ante with their own campaigns, creating engaging content and videos across the web. The California Office of Traffic Safety launched a series of 30-second videos on YouTube showing the types of distracted zombie drivers and what not to do while operating a motor vehicle. Characters include Party Zombie, Grubbin Zombie, Mobile Zombie and Day Dreamin Zombie. My personal favorite, however, is Glam Zombie. Check out her video below. The Minnesota Department of Public Safety focuses on preventing its constituency from texting while driving. The “Body Bag” series has two episodes, one with a teen who suffered the consequences of texting while driving and the other featuring a mom. The humor is dark, but the point is well made. Meanwhile, this video from the Mississippi Department of Transportation shows how just a split second of distracted driving can wreak havoc, especially within school zones. The North Carolina Department of Transportation took a different point of view in its PSA, which aired in movie theaters across the state over the winter holidays. This video shows images of banged-up cars and text stating what the driver was doing at the time of the accident. Have you seen some distracted driving videos in your state? Feel free to share them below! And don’t forget to check out our round-up of distracted driving blog posts.

Connect with me on Google+

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month

Jen — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 13:07:30 +0000

Did you know that 40 percent of 12- to 17-year-olds have been a passenger in a car that was driven by a teen driver using a cellphone in a dangerous way?* This type of distracted driving is not only practiced by almost 25 percent of teen drivers but quadruples the risk of crashing according to www.teendriversource.org. To help shed light on this unfortunate trend, the Department of Transportation has declared April Distracted Driving Awareness Month. To do our part to increase awareness, we’ve rounded up a few of our past blog posts below.

Do Dashboard Restrictions Diminish Distracted Driving?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has called for automakers to stop equipping vehicles with entertainment and navigation systems in order to combat distracted driving. Are tougher restrictions and distracted driving laws on the horizon?

Avoid Distracted Driving and Arrive Accident Free

There are many distractions while driving that call for your attention. We explored five of the most common causes for distracted driving and provided suggestions on how to avoid them.

3 Ways Parents Can Reduce Distracted Driving

Some people think that teens are more prone to distracted driving, but it’s really parents who need to be alert of their own driving behaviors. Guest Blogger Kristin Varela of MotherProof.com offers her suggestions for cutting down on bad driving habits.

Disable Your Cell Phone While Driving

If you simply can’t keep your hands off your phone while the car is in motion, there are technologies available to help curb your bad habits. We reviewed a couple of services available that disable your cellphone while your car is in motion. While multi-tasking becomes more and more of a daily routine, finding ways to curb distracted driving is a higher priority. What are some of your tips for tuning out distractions while on the road?

* U.S. Dept. of Transportation

Connect with me on Google+

6 Wacky Taxes Across the U.S.

Jen — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:09:44 +0000

Hopefully, by now, you’ve filed your taxes or are putting the finishing touches on them. You may only think about income taxes during this mid-April crunch, but, of course, there are all manners of taxation, and you could be paying for them in places you least expect. Here are six strange taxes levied across the United States.

Jock Tax – You can thank #23, Michael Jordan, for this tax on income earned by athletes, performers and their staff. Created in California in 1991 after the Chicago Bulls beat the LA Lakers in the finals, the Jock Tax is now utilized in many states with professional sports teams. So the next time Linsanity plays in L.A., he’ll be paying a 2 percent “Lincome tax” for his performance.

Playing Card Tax – Go fish! Alabama imposes this 10-cent tax on all decks of cards (specifically those with “no more than 54 cards”) purchased within the state. Retailers are also subject to a $1 to $3 license tax for selling the cards. The next time you want a deck of cards for a quick game of poker or a flashy magic trick, you may want to head to neighboring Mississippi instead.

Flush Tax – This $2.50-per-month tax addition to Maryland residents’ water bills was implemented in 2004 to help protect the Chesapeake Bay waters. Residents are literally sending their money down the toilet since wastewater contributes very little to the pollution of the bay. All and all, it’s a small price to pay for protecting the environment.

Bagel Tax – New York City isn’t trying to weed out its population of bagel shops with this tax. The city has a special tax on prepared foods, so when you have the bakery slice and shmear it for you, it’s considered prepared and taxed as such.

Holiday Taxes – Some taxes have an impact on you year-round, while others may only affect your wallet during particular times of the year, such as Halloween and Independence Day. A six-percent sales tax is levied on fireworks such as sparklers and novelties in West Virginia. And around Halloween you’ll want to avoid Iowa, Pennsylvania and New Jersey if you’re planning on making a jack-o-lantern. The tax only applies if the gourds will be used for decorative purposes, not eaten. Breathe a sigh of relief - your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie is safe!

The Century Tax – This one isn’t a tax levied, it’s a tax break (though you may have to wait awhile to get it)! If you live in New Mexico, are over 100 years-old and not a dependent, you are tax-exempt. I knew there were still some benefits to getting older!