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Esurance Policyholder Newsletter | Summer 2007
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Dear Policyholder,
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With summer here, you may be embarking on a travel adventure or thinking ahead to
next year's trip. With that in mind, we've provided some
road-worthy travel tips, including information about renting cars and environmentally
friendly travel.
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Regarding our latest environmental initiatives, I am pleased to announce
that Esurance was a sponsor of Live Earth. The U.S. concert, one of several that
took place on every continent in the world on July 7, 2007, heightened awareness
about ways we can solve the problem of climate change. Esurance is offsetting the
CO2 from those who drove to the U.S. concert, and we also
are working with the event's organizers on several climate protection initiatives
over the course of the next year.
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Of course, helping our environment is not a new topic to you. We were delighted
to receive so many suggestions about environmental non-profits from you after our
spring newsletter. As a result of your efforts, Esurance
has now endowed 4 new environmental non-profits that help our communities in a variety
of ways.
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Thank you, as always, for your enthusiasm and your support. Without you,
we would not have more than 450,000 policyholders across 28 states, nor would we
be able to make such tangible contributions to improving our communities.
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No matter where this season takes you, on behalf of everyone here at Esurance, I
wish you safe travels.
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Best regards,
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Gary C. Tolman
Esurance President & CEO
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Table of Contents
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Featured Article
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Esurance Happenings
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Other Insurance
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Green Org Contest
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You Asked for It
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Did you know...
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Managing your Esurance policy is
easy. You can update your policy
online 24/7 by logging into mypolicy.esurance.com. |
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• Print your insurance cards
• Update your contact info
• Add a car or driver
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And much more— whenever it's convenient for you!
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Featured Article
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Traveling the World with Our World in Mind
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When we visit strikingly beautiful places, we're often inspired to do
more to protect our planet. But often, the plane trip we took to get there and our
practices after we arrive only add to the problem.
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Without any universal rules on ecotourism, it's still up to us to
determine if the places we stay, the sites we see, and the way we
travel are gentler to the environment than traditional tourism.
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Sometimes, being an environmentally responsible tourist can be difficult or just
plain confusing. However, even just one step— like
filling out that hotel comment card with a "green" recommendation—
is a step in the right direction.
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Getting there
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While traveling by train, bus, or car is less harmful
to the environment than traveling by plane, flying
might be your only realistic option. If that's the case,
try to book a non-stop flight as most of the harmful emissions are produced during
take-off and landing.
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If you're renting a car, check to see if there are any green options, such as hybrids.
Rental car companies are offering more fuel-efficient and
low-emission vehicles in response to record gas prices and increased concern about
global
warming among consumers.
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Ask questions
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As popularity in ecotourism grows, so does the practice of green-washing. This is
when a
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destination falsely markets itself as eco-friendly. Though these places may open
your eyes to our planet's diverse beauty, their actions can do more harm than good.
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Before you book your "green" vacation, find out what sustainable measures your resort
or hotel
has adopted. Also, take a look at how the property is heated (solar is preferred)
and how waste
water is treated. Caribbean hotels, for example, have been singled out for destroying
coral and
other wildlife by pumping waste out to sea.
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• Let guests opt out of fresh daily linens and towels
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• Use eco-friendly cleaning products and unbleached, recycled paper
products
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• Use refillable toiletry dispensers
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• Compost/donate food leftovers
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• Use compact fluorescent light bulbs
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• Offer email invoices instead of paper
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• And of course, recycle!
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Source: The Live Earth Global Warming Survival Handbook
by David de Rothschild.
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It's also important to recognize the
cultural impact of ecotourism, so be sure
to ask how many local people the
organization employs, and at what level
of management.
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Take the initiative
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While packing for your trip, discard store packaging in case your place of lodging
doesn't recycle.
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During your stay, make sure you turn
down the heat or AC when you're not in
the room and try to resist the temptation
of long showers. And remember to fill
out that comment card before you leave.
The more we demand "green" practices,
the better our chance at creating more
eco-friendly places to see (and protect!).
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Table of Contents | Back to Top
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Esurance Happenings
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The Road to Change Starts Here
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On 7.7.07, Esurance joined Live Earth in inspiring over 2
billion people worldwide to take simple steps to lead a more energy-efficient lifestyle.
The organization put on 9 concerts across all 7 continents, and Esurance was a proud
sponsor of the U.S. event.
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Although the concert has already passed, the quest for
change has only begun. The concerts marked the beginning
of a multi-year campaign to drive individuals, corporations,
and governments to take action to solve the climate crisis.
Find out more at www.liveearth.org. |
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In addition to our partnership with Live Earth, Esurance has been working to reduce
our global footprint:
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• We're excited to work with the Carbon Fund to neutralize
the electricity use in our offices across the U.S.
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• In Washington State, Esurance helped make the Sasquatch!
Music Festival a certified carbon neutral event for
the first time
in its history.
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• For a list of all the great organizations we work with, visit
our Environment page. |
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By choosing Esurance as your auto insurance company, you're also doing your part
for the environment. Esurance policyholders have helped save thousands of trees
by
buying their auto insurance online and using electronic documents (we also plant
trees to offset the paper our company does use).
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What's your global footprint?
Measure your everyday CO 2 use and find solutions to reduce
your carbon footprint
by using our Esurance Live
Impact calculator.
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Small steps make a big impact! Esurance and Live Earth have teamed up to equip you
with green driving tips:
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• Stop the engine— Sitting
idle for just 10 seconds uses more gas and produces
more CO2 emissions than simply turning
the engine off
and then on again.
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• Check the tire pressure— Pump up and pump less. Properly
inflated tires can improve gas mileage
enough to earn a free tank of
gas every year!
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• Share your ride— The
average commuter
produces a 3.4 ton cloud of
CO2 a year. Carpool and
cut that figure in half.
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• Make the shift— Hybrids get roughly 10 to 20 more
miles
per gallon than their
conventional brothers and
put gas money back into your pocket. If possible, switch
to
a Hybrid.
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Table of Contents | Back to Top
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Other Insurance
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Homeowners Insurance
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Great news! In some states, we now offer a multi-line discount to policyholders
who also buy homeowners insurance through the
Esurance Homeowners Insurance Program (EHIP). Get a quote to see
if you qualify, and be sure to check back often as more states become eligible for
this discount! |
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It's easy to switch to EHIP. You don't have to wait for your current policy
to expire. Coverage provided by the program is rated "A Prime" by Demotech.
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Renters Insurance
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Can you afford to replace your plasma TV, laptop, or other valuables if
your apartment gets ripped off? Many renters are not aware that their landlord's
insurance policy won't cover the loss of their clothes,
furniture, or other items if they're stolen or damaged.
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Fortunately, renters insurance is more affordable than you think!
Renters insurance also helps protect items that are stolen from your
car. Protect your stuff and save with renters insurance from
the
Esurance Homeowners Insurance Program. |
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Motorcycle Insurance
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You asked for it. We delivered! For those of you who love to feel the wind
in your hair and the freedom of the open road, we now offer motorcycle insurance
through the Esurance Motorcycle Insurance Program.
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Health Insurance
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Even if you already have health insurance through your employer, you
owe it to yourself to see if other, more affordable options are available
for you or your loved ones.
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With Esurance's trusted partner, eHealthInsurance, you can
compare multiple quotes online and find coverage that fits
your needs! |
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Life Insurance
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Let's talk about life insurance. No, it's not the most upbeat subject, but
it's an important one. Whether you're just starting out or have spent
years building a secure, comfortable life for your loved ones, life
insurance is a worthwhile investment for your family's future.
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Esurance is proud to work with our trusted partner, EFinancial, to bring
you life insurance quotes from top-rated companies. |
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Table of Contents | Back to Top
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Green Org Contest
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And the Winners Are...
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Our "Favorite Green Org" contest garnered our biggest response to date! It's encouraging
to see that so many of you share our passion for the environment, which made it
hard to choose just 4 winners.
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While many of you made convincing arguments for your personal favorite, we think
the organizations we chose will truly benefit from our support.
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Congratulations to our winners:
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► Anna, Venice, CA— Tree Musketeers
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► Barbara, Campbell, CA— Don Edwards San Francisco
Bay National Wildlife Refuge
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► Christy, Windsor, CT— Scenic Hudson
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► Jeremiah, Longmont, CO— Eco-Cycle
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Each non-profit will receive $5,000 to help further its cause. Although we couldn't
donate to all the organizations recommended, we hope to form relationships with
more of them in the future. In fact, all your organizations deserve a shout out
for their hard work and commitment to making the world greener!
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What's your global footprint?
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Table of Contents | Back to Top
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You Asked for It
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Rental Car Insurance
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Thinking of renting a car this summer? Along with deciding what kind of car to rent
(we recommend a
fuel-efficient compact or hybrid), you'll also have to
decide whether to buy extra auto insurance.
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Before you rent a car, it's a good idea to understand the charges for which you
might be responsible if the car is damaged. Some rental companies may charge for
replacement costs, diminished resale value, or lost
rental income while the car is being repaired.
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If you carry liability, comprehensive, and collision
coverage on your policy and plan on driving in the U.S.
or Canada, your existing coverage should transfer to
your rental car with the same limits and deductibles.
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However, you may want to consider buying additional
auto insurance from the rental company if you want to increase your limits or if
you're missing a particular coverage like comprehensive or collision.
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If you're traveling outside the U.S. or Canada, you'll
need to call your rental car company to find out the
auto insurance requirements for that particular
country. In Mexico, for instance, the government
requires Mexican auto insurance for all vehicles driven
into or rented in Mexico.
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And finally, don't leave home without a copy of your
auto insurance card. If you need a duplicate copy, you
can get one by logging into your Esurance account
anytime.
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Table of Contents | Back to Top
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Fun Survey Time
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Summer Travels: The Roads (and Stories) We've Left Behind
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Whether for a long weekend or for the entire
summer, many of us have endured hours on the
road in the quest to visit family, friends, or famous landmarks. So we're curious
to hear the craziest or most dangerous thing you've seen other drivers do
on the road.
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This will take just a few minutes, and we promise
we'll share with you the strangest stories in our
next newsletter.
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Table of Contents | Back to Top
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