ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 10, 1996 TAG: 9601100051
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-6 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: Marketplace
SOURCE: MEGAN SCHNABEL
You assured your boss you'd make it in to work, despite the snow. Your office is, after all, less than a mile away, and the main roads weren't looking too bad.
But just after you've skidded into the rear end of a car that's stopped at the next intersection, you realize that maybe you should have walked to work.
This might be a good time to review procedures for filing auto insurance claims. As you - and the rest of Southwest Virginia - return to the roads after the weekend snowstorm, keep in mind these tips from the Better Business Bureau:
Always have on hand your company's claim service card with your agent's name and phone number and your policy identification number.
Call the police immediately after an accident. Ask the officer when the accident report will be filed and how you can get a copy.
Notify your insurance agent immediately, even if you're far from home and even if someone else caused the accident. Ask your agent what forms you'll need to support your claim.
Be familiar with your insurance company's policy regarding qualified repair shops and preinspections.
Get the name of the other driver and his address and telephone number; his license plate number and state; his insurance company name, policy number and telephone number; and the names and addresses of all passengers and witnesses.
Make notes describing the accident: vehicles involved, speeds, setting, weather, traffic, signs, conditions. Take photographs if possible.
Don't make oral or written statements as to responsibility or blame.
Don't tell others involved in the accident how much liability insurance you carry.
Don't accept offers to settle for payment on the spot without thinking about it carefully. You may be held liable later for the same damage.
Even without 3-foot snowfalls, winter can be brutal on car batteries. If you tried to start your car and heard that dreaded RRRhhhh ... RRRhhhh ... rrr
The Exide Corp., manufacturer of several brands of car batteries, recommends considering these four factors when shopping for a new battery:
Battery size. Before you buy a battery, determine the battery "group" size your car requires. This usually can be found in your car owner's manual or in battery catalogs wherever batteries are sold.
Starting power. This is determined by the number of cold cranking amps (CCA), which is a measure of how much current, in amps, a fully charged battery can deliver continuously to the engines for 30 seconds of cranking in 0 degree weather.
Don't be confused by a higher rating on a cranking amp (CA). The CA rating typically is much higher than CCA because it is measured at 32 degrees rather than 0 degrees.
Obtain the CCA requirement from the retailer's battery catalog. The higher the CCA, the higher the price of the battery. Resist the temptation to buy a battery with an unnecessarily high CCA rating. The added power likely will cost more and have little benefit, unless you live in an extremely cold climate.
Ship/date code. Like milk, batteries have limited shelf life. The longer they sit in the store, the more power they lose. To find out how long a battery has been sitting there, read its two-digit date code sticker. Most codes start with the letter, which represents the month: A for January, B for February and so on. The digit indicates the year: 5 for 1995. Look for a battery that has been on the shelf for less than six months.
Reliable retailers and brand names. Select a battery made by a reputable company that will honor its warranty.
And what to do with the dead battery? Many auto parts retailers, including Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone accept them, usually without charge.
LENGTH: Medium: 88 lines ILLUSTRATION: GRAPHIC: Chart by staff: Cold weather car tips. color.by CNB