What To Do If Your Car Is Stolen

According to the FBI, during every 40-second period of 2009, one vehicle was stolen. And while some areas of the country are more prone to incidents of vehicle theft than others, this is still not a comforting average.
It’s more than possible that you could be one of the lucky few who never have to deal with auto theft, but just in case you do end up a stolen vehicle statistic, here are some tips to help you react to the situation properly.

• Note your surroundings: Take a moment to look around and take note of what you see. Is there broken glass around or other evidence of a break in? Your insurance company may wish to know this before they get a copy of the police report. But remember, look—don’t touch.
• Go to a safe area: If you are exposed to the elements or traffic, you may want to get to a safe, sheltered area before you call the policy to report the crime. Just make sure you stay near the location so you can show the police where you car was before it was stolen.
• Call the police: Have your driver’s license, license plate, a list of all the items in your car, available.
• Call your agent or insurance company: Your agent, or insurance company, will want to know many of the same details as the police ask you for. They will also want to know that you have already called the police to report the theft, so be sure to call them after you have.
• Call your lender: If you have an outstanding loan on the vehicle then your lender is just as exposed to risk as you are. Call them to let them know that the vehicle has been stolen and that you have reported it to both your insurer and the police.

As always, a good offense is the best defense. Make sure to have your car equipped with the appropriate anti-theft mechanisms and always follow safe vehicle storage techniques.
Be sure to check with your Oxford Insurance Group agent for tips on keeping your Chicago Auto Insurance rates low.

Auto Coverage for Your Teen's Part-Time Job

It’s a rite of passage when a teenager gets their first part-time job. As their parent, you're happy because hopefully they'll learn how to manage money and develop some measure of responsibility. Unfortunately, a positive experience for your teen could become a negative one for you if they use the family car to perform their job.


For many teenagers, getting a part-time job means delivering pizzas or newspapers, working as a crew member for a landscaping company, or driving for a van service. One of the requirements for employment is that they have their own means of transportation, but what if that transportation is your family car?


Even though your car is insured under a personal auto insurance policy, if your child gets into an accident at work you could be surprised with a claim denial. For this reason, it’s important that you immediately notify your carrier when your child starts driving the family car for work. The insurer will likely charge you an extra premium, but it's a small price to pay should your child get into an accident on the job. You should also find out whether there are any policy exclusions that might be applicable.


Many insurance carriers are reluctant to cover your teen if they use the family car for these typical part-time jobs because they often carry a great deal of risk. These jobs require the car be driven to different locations and at various times of the day and night. Because there are so many variables, it becomes extremely difficult for the insurer to adequately price the policy to cover the risk they are underwriting.


You may find that you have to purchase a commercial auto policy, which could be more expensive than your personal automobile policy. A commercial policy provides coverage for situations encountered while conducting business that aren’t normally covered under personal auto policies.


Although it may cost more, a commercial auto insurance policy is worthwhile if your child intends to stay at their job for any length of time. Many students keep the same part-time job throughout their high school and college years because it fits their schedule. If that is the case, be sure that your teen is covered during the time they are employed.


Make sure your teen is covered by your Chicago Auto Insurance with Oxford Insurance Group today.

5 Ways to Get Your Teen to Drive Better

Every parent goes through the five stages of grief once they realize their precious teenage son or daughter is about to start driving. When faced with the image of your one-time newborn sitting behind the wheel and making life and death decisions with their driving, it is natural to experience an onslaught of difficult emotions that can adversely affect the way you react to the situation. But the best way to deal with your concerns over your teen driver is to try to influence their behavior behind the wheel in a reasonable manner. Here are four tips to help you give your teen the tools and incentive to drive better.

Be an example: If you do all the things you ask your kids not to do behind the wheel, you can’t expect them to take you seriously. It doesn’t matter that you are a more experienced driver than they are, teenagers don’t always reason on those terms. Instead, lead by example and observe all the same rules that you want them to follow. Doing so will help them respect you and your rules more and will encourage them to follow those rules even when you aren’t around.

Reward good behavior: Safe driving should not need any more rewards than the reward of being accident-free, but with teens you do sometimes have to offer incentives in order to help them avoid making costly mistakes. Reward your teen in small ways when they act appropriately and exercise good decision making skills behind the wheel. Some teens also respond well to rewards systems that allows them to anticipate a certain reward if they avoid accidents and bad driving behavior for a pre-determined amount of time.

Educate your teen: It’s not always enough to tell your teen driver not to do something, sometimes you also need to teach them why they shouldn’t do it. That often makes a greater difference than just telling them to avoid X, Y or Z. So find teaching materials that show your teen why certain activities and decisions don’t mix well with driving.

Give consequences: Just as good behavior should be rewarded, bad behavior should have consequences. Let your teen know before they take the keys what consequences they will face for certain behavior. But remember, consequences only work when you stick by them, so be sure you are prepared to enforce them.

Encourage your teen to make A’s and B’s in school: Most Chicago car insurance companies offer a nice discount for teens who keep at least a B average in high school or college. College kids typically need to take at least twelve credit hours to be eligible for the discount
If you treat your teen’s driving privileges as a privilege and work to communicate with them through positive feedback and consequences, you can influence your teen’s driving without drama, resistance or stress.

Make sure your Chicago Auto Insurance agent is there for you in the event of an accident. Contact us at Oxford Auto Insurance today!