One of the major highlights at a customer appreciation weekend sponsored late last month by ABC Companies, Van Hool, Caterpillar and a group of industry vendors was a series of panel discussions on coach financing, mechanical issues and insurance.
Melissa Brady, a claims specialist at Lancer Insurance Co., and Michelle Silvestro, marketing manager and assistant vice president at National Interstate Insurance, had - mostly - encouraging things to say during their presentations on insurance issues.
According to Ms. Silvestro, the insurance industry has largely stabilized from the post-9/11 meltdown that created havoc among reinsurers. Reinsurance is that huge sector of the insurance industry where insurance company risks are assumed by other companies in return for part of the premium paid by the insured. Reinsurance enables insurance companies to provide coverage that would be too great for any one company to assume. The net effect of the reinsurance system is oftentimes to reduce the cost of insurance for policyholders.
As a result of the progress made by reinsurers, Ms. Silvestro said operators should expect to see single-digit premium increases instead of the 30, 40 and 50 percent increases that have been commonplace during the past three or four years.
Still, insurance premiums will remain under pressure, says Ms. Silvestro, until there is genuine tort reform in the U.S. She noted that demands made in lawsuits stemming from crashes continue to far outpace the general rate of inflation.
Ms. Brady offered a litany of things operators can do to reduce their insurance premiums and cut losses. No. 1 on her hit parade was driver-related issues - hiring, training, pre-trip inspections, maintaining logs and the like.
She said it was critical that drivers be educated to always:
· Wait for all passengers to be seated before pulling away from the curb.
· Use an approved step-stool for assisting passengers with the bottom step.
· Be at the door when passengers are loading and unloading to provide assistance if needed.
· Remind passengers before stopping to remain seated until the coach has come to a complete stop at the destination.
· Play the passenger safety video if you have one.
Having a passenger safety video and not playing it could be a big factor with a jury in a trial following a crash, Ms. Brady noted.
"The key," said Ms. Brady, "is to be consistent. That's true whether you have written or unwritten policies. Your drivers should know what to do every time."
A watchout: If a passenger slips and falls and complains about pain or injury, the driver should assist the passenger to the extent the passenger requests assistance, and encourage the individual to see a doctor. However, the driver should not apologize. An apology can be construed as an admission of liability.
As Ms. Silvestro said, the key to staying out of trouble is doing everything right and making sure all of your safety ducks are in a row.