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Minnesota Trucking Related Fatalities: Lowest in 10 Years

Continuing a downward trend, cars and trucks collided less often in Minnesota during the past year than any year in the last decade.

According to statistics reported in the latest edition of Minnesota Motor Vehicle Crash Facts, published by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, the number of truck-related fatalities has trended downward from 94 in 1999 to 58 in 2009 showing a 38.2% decrease.

This is the lowest number in 10 years.

The safety report for the last year shows the trend continues with a 26.5% decrease of fatal crashes from 2008 to 2009. "Preventing crashes is the number one priority of every professional truck driver," said John Hausladen, president of the Minnesota Trucking Association. "This data is welcome news and a real encouragement to our on-going safety efforts. Most people don't realize that the safest drivers on the road are truck drivers." The Minnesota Trucking Association (MTA) has advanced a number of safety initiatives in recent years, including the recent "Keep Both Hands on the Wheel" safety campaign encouraging drivers to put down the cell phones and focus on driving. The MTA has been a key partner in the state's Towards Zero Deaths initiative and actively lobbied to pass the state's primary seatbelt law in 2009. In the past, the organization has also called for a national maximum 65 mile per hour speed limit for all vehicles.

Complete report from the Minnesota Office of Traffic Safety here!


DECLARATION
Part of a property or liability insurance policy that states the name and address of policyholder, property insured, its location and description, the policy period, premiums, and supplemental information. Referred to as the "dec page."
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The amount of loss paid by the policyholder. Either a specified dollar amount, a percentage of the claim amount, or a specified amount of time that must elapse before benefits are paid. The bigger the deductible, the lower the premium charged for the same coverage.
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An employee benefit plan under which the employer sets up benefit accounts and contributions are made to it by the employer and by the employee. The employer usually matches the employee's contribution up to a stated limit.
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Customer assets that are held in a checking account. Funds can be readily withdrawn by check, "on demand."
DEMUTUALIZATION
The conversion of insurance companies from mutual companies owned by their policyholders into publicly-traded stock companies.
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Financial institution that obtains its funds mainly through deposits from the public. Includes commercial banks, savings and loan associations, savings banks, and credit unions.
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In insurance, reducing regulatory control over insurance rates and forms. Commercial insurance for businesses of a certain size has been deregulated in many states.
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The idea that a vehicle loses value after it has been damaged in an accident and repaired.
DIRECT PREMIUMS
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Method of selling insurance directly to the insured through an insurance company's own employees, through the mail, or via the Internet. This is in lieu of using captive or exclusive agents.
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Insurance companies that sell directly to the public using exclusive agents or their own employees, through the mail, or via Internet. Large insurers, whether predominately direct writers or agency companies, are increasingly using many different channels to sell insurance. In reinsurance, denotes reinsurers that deal directly with the insurance companies they reinsure without using a broker.
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Money returned to policyholders from an insurance company's earnings. Considered a partial premium refund rather than a taxable distribution, reflecting the difference between the premium charged and actual losses. Many life insurance policies and some property/casualty policies pay dividends to their owners. Life insurance policies that pay dividends are called participating policies.
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