Rental Car Reimbursement 101

by | Calcas Connection, Consider This | 8 comments

When something happens to your vehicle, it’s an unexpected and unappreciated disruption to your life. We often take for granted the convenience our vehicle provides – until it is out of commission following an accident or other covered claim. That’s why you need rental car reimbursement.

Rental car reimbursement, also known as rental car coverage or transportation expense, is a wonderful feature of your auto insurance. When added to your policy that already has collision and comprehensive, it pays the cost of renting a vehicle until repairs from a covered accident or loss are completed on your ride.

Did you know?

  • Insurance will only reimburse you for the daily rental rate. Other expenses, such as the cost of gas or security deposit for the car, are typically your responsibility.
  • The rental car company can bill the insurer directly if you choose one that partners with your insurer.
  • Lower rental rates are available to those involved in an accident, but you must let the rental agent know that you are renting due to an accident.
  • There are typically two types of parameters for reimbursing your temporary rental: a daily rate and a per-claim limit.
  • Choosing the right amount of rental reimbursement is important. Some insureds may need only the minimum coverage amount while others may need more.

If you have a large family that requires a larger SUV or van to commute to work, school and all of the extracurricular events your family participates in, then you should consider a higher amount of rental car reimbursement.  Also, take into account where you live. What are the going rates for a rental car, truck or SUV that would fit your needs should your personal vehicle be out of commission for a number of days? Be sure you have the limits that make sense for your needs.

An accident is disruptive enough; having the right rental reimbursement coverage will save you time, money and headaches while you’re getting your vehicle back on the road.

TAKEAWAY:

A California Casualty advisor is ready to give you a policy review, make sure that you have comprehensive and collision coverage, and check the amount you have for rental car reimbursement. Give a call today at 1.800.800.9410 option 3, or visit www.calcas.com/customer-service.

From A Child’s Perspective

by | Behind the Scenes, Calcas Connection | 0 comments

This Behind the Scenes has a different angle than in previous issues. Instead of highlighting what we do, we want to take a moment to show you an inspiring project that highlights what you do.

California Casualty has worked with first responder groups for decades. As your insurance provider, we know you as fathers, mothers, sisters and brothers – real people who dedicate themselves to making a difference for the world we live in.

To invite others to share our admiration for all that you do, we recently launched a video series that captures a behind-the-scenes look at those in uniform. Filmed by Wide Awake Films, the uplifting videos feature heartwarming interactions between first responders and children in their community.

In A Day With Law Enforcement, two kids, Jayden and Giselle, got the chance of a lifetime – spending a day meeting and riding with police officers. The videos highlight the interactions that broke down preconceived notions, and allowed the children to view police officers as real people.

“They were really nice…when you actually get to meet a cop – actually meet them – like others say, ‘you never judge a book by its cover,’” said Jayden.

“They’re just trying to do their job and they are putting their life on the line,” added Giselle.

In the other series, A Day With Firefighters, viewers are treated to 8-year-old Journey’s incredible day riding in a fire truck, meeting firefighters – from recruits to the fire chief – and showing his stop-drop-and-roll move.

“I think if I got to do what he did today when I was eight years old, it would have opened my eyes,” said one firefighter. “The community is only as good as the people who protect and service it…we all have a part in making our community a good place to live. It was a rewarding day for the both of us.”

“They have to be very brave because they are close to the fire and stuff,” said Journey.  “Today was a very good day,” he added.

“We’ve worked with first responders for 50 years and are proud to give a glimpse of the people making a real difference for our communities,” said California Casualty Social Media Manager, Demian Tallman.

So far, there have been almost 367,000 views of the videos. You can see for yourself how Jayden and Giselle felt after their day-in-the-life at https://mycalcas.com/leoheroesvideo/.

You can also watch Journey’s great day with his firefighter friends at https://mycalcas.com/2019/04/ffheroes/.

TAKEAWAY:

We invite you to see our extensive video library, which offers insurance resources and highlights the professions we serve, at https://www.youtube.com/user/CalCasInsurance/videos.

6 Free Professional Development Resources for Educators

by | Educators | 0 comments

Professional Development Resources for EducatorsAccumulating professional development hours for re-certification can be expensive, especially if your district doesn’t provide the professional development resources for you or offer monetary reimbursement for coursework. You already spent enough of your own money on your classroom, so why spend more on professional development? No need to worry! There are online resources that offer free professional development in the form of webinars, webcasts, and modules. Many of these resources will also provide you with a certificate upon completion. Let the FREE professional learning commence!

6 Free Online PD Resources:

ShareMyLesson.com – ShareMyLesson.com offers a virtual collection of free, on-demand and live webinars while you earn professional development credit. ShareMyLesson has an “expansive library of science, math, social studies, English language arts and health-related resources.”

EdWeb.net – EdWeb.net is a online community for educators and has live and on-demand professional development webinars. Upon successful completion of the live or recorded webinar and a quiz, attendees will earn professional credit.

TeachersFirst.com – Free, virtual workshops for educators. When you participate in a live session, you are eligible to receive a certificate of completion. TeachersFirst also has archived sessions you may watch for free, but no professional development certificate is awarded.

LOC.gov – The Library of Congress offers self-paced, interactive teacher modules geared toward helping teachers learn how to use the resources available on the Library website. Each module is about one hour.

SimpleK12.com – “Professional Development In Your Pajamas.” SimpleK12 is a teacher learning community that also offers free on-demand and live webinars, among other educational resources, for teachers.

SciLearn.com – Scientific Learning provides free online webinars featuring “practical, neuroscience-based techniques to promote student learning.” You can watch a pre-recorded session or register to attend a live webinar. All sessions are about one hour.

*Teacher Tip – Check out the websites of the publishers of your textbooks. Many times, publishers offer free professional development to go along with your adopted resource, particularly if the resource has an online access feature.  

Paradise Intermediate School (PINT) School Lounge Makeover – The Reveal

by | Educators, News | 0 comments

Paradise School Lounge Makeoverparadise school lounge makeover

Paradise School Lounge Makeover

Paradise School Lounge Makeover

Paradise School Lounge Makeover

“This brings hope. Helping us build back is really important. To makeover this space means a lot to everyone.”

That’s was the reaction from David Smith, president of the Teachers Association of Paradise as the staff at Paradise Intermediate School (PINT) was treated to their new school lounge makeover from California Casualty.

The Camp Fire damaged PINT, forcing it to find a temporary home in a former hardware store, 25 miles away in Chico. Thirty-five PINT employees lost homes in the fire. The hardware building still has aisles and overhanging merchandise signs, but the teachers, administrators and support staff have done the best that they can under the circumstances. paradise school lounge makeover

Understanding the incredible stress that PINT administrators, instructors and support personnel have endured, California Casualty, which provides auto and home insurance to CTA and ACSA members, donated a School Lounge Makeover® to offer a more soothing, useful area for PINT employees to take a break, relax and recharge. To keep the warehouse leasable, designers were limited in what they could do.

EON Office designers have been working on the project for months and revealed the finishing touches. The updated lounge has new paint, comfortable furniture, coffee station, dining areas, tables and other accessories, such as artwork, book cases and rugs, to offer a more comfortable and calming environment. It is designed to be relocated to the school in Paradise when repairs there are completed.

“Thank you California Casualty. This school lounge is definitely an uplift, and a much more inviting space,” said PINT electives instructor, Heather Brown. Paradise Intermediate School Lounge Makeover

Educators can learn more about California Casualty’s School Lounge Makeover and enter for one at their school at www.schoolloungemakeover.com.

8 Simple Ways to Appreciate Teachers (When You Are One)

8 Simple Ways to Appreciate Teachers (When You Are One)

by | Educators | 0 comments

I know, I know. You don’t need someone to tell you how to appreciate teachers when you ARE the teacher; you know how to appreciate your own kind. But have you really attempted to show your support and appreciation for your fellow teachers in your building? If you have, then you’re way ahead of me. If not, then read on.

In the midst of our busy school day, we sometimes forget that there are simple ways we can show our colleagues that we care about and support them. We often need to be reminded that it doesn’t hurt to demonstrate our respect and appreciation for those with whom we spend our days. Teacher Appreciation Week is the perfect time to turn your thoughts into action!

As National Teacher Appreciation Week and National Teacher Day approach, consider showing your coworkers a little love with some of these simple ideas.

appreciate teachers

Ask for Advice

Soliciting advice from coworkers demonstrates respect. It can also be flattering for the advice-giver. Confide in someone whom you trust and pick their brain. You might like what they have to say and you’ve stroked their ego in the process.

 

Get Together

Spend time together with other teachers outside of school. Just being present with your fellow teachers sends the message that you care about and support them. Go out for a happy hour drink and appetizers. You might be surprised what you can learn about each other outside of work.

 

Collaborate

Working together on a common project or idea can help strengthen relationships. You don’t have to immerse yourself into a complicated, time-consuming task. Start small, like how to assess students at the end of a lesson, or what the next hallway bulletin board will look like.

appreciate teachers

Be “Friends”

No, you don’t have to be besties with all of the teachers in your building. This day in age, simply being “friends” on social media can mean a lot to someone. Many of us post about our personal lives. In many cases, our coworkers have no idea who we are outside of the school day. Getting a glimpse into one another’s personal lives can impact our perspectives of each other in a positive way.

 

Get Personal

Interact as much as possible with teachers in your building during the school day. Rather than shooting someone a quick email, go see them in person. If you don’t have time for a personal visit, call them on the phone. Tone in an email can often be perceived differently by the reader than what was intended by the writer. Avoid confusion, and its nasty aftermath, with a simple phone call or visit.

 

Offer to Help

Think of ways you can help your neighboring teacher. Maybe it’s making copies, or watching their class for a few minutes while they take a leisurely restroom break? They will appreciate the favor, and you’ve just earned yourself a few brownie points!

 

Bring A Teacher Their Favorite Drink

This one’s easy, but costs a few bucks. Find out one of your colleague’s favorite drinks and surprise them with it at school. Hopefully they’ll appreciate the gesture and you’ll feel good about paying it forward (and buying that second drink for yourself)!

 

Compliment A Coworker

Give a fellow teacher a genuine compliment about their teaching. Also inform your administrator and superintendent using specific examples. This doesn’t happen often enough. Don’t let great teachers go unnoticed!

 

Thank A Teacher

Join in NEAs 2019 “Thank A Teacher Campaign.” Post on social media using hashtag #ThankATeacher.

 

What do you do to show support and appreciation for the teachers with whom you work?