Damage caused by a pothole: who is liable?

If you drive your car through a pothole, you risk damage to the wheel and axle. In the event of damage, the question arises whether the public body responsible for maintenance must pay for the repair.

The most important facts in brief

  • Depending on the type of road, the local authority, the state or the federal government is responsible for road maintenance.
  • Anyone who wants to hold the building owner liable due to pothole damage must prove that the owner has violated his duty to ensure traffic safety.

When to expect potholes particularly frequently?

There is a high risk of damage to the car due to potholes, especially at the end of the winter season, when the asphalt can become brittle due to the interaction of frost, moisture and road salt. The resulting cracks allow further water to penetrate, which at temperatures below freezing can cause the road surface, which has already become unstable, to crack open. Within a short period of time, the notorious potholes are caused by the stress of road traffic.

Which additional insurance makes sense?

The motor vehicle liability is, as the name suggests, an insurance for vehicle owners in Germany is mandatory. The fully and partially comprehensive insurance are voluntary supplementary insurance with which you are actually already well covered, or?

But there are other additional insurances like the foreign damage protection, the passenger accident insurance, the protection letter or the malorcapolice, which should close gaps to the above mentioned insurances! Do you need the so-called additional insurances or. Private insurance? This category should clarify which additional insurances are useful, which ones you need and which ones you can do without!

Change of employer – what employees should bear in mind when changing their health insurance provider.

If you change your employer, you have to think about a number of things. Often the person concerned has to train a successor at the previous employer himself. At the new workplace, many things are different from what you are used to. Who thinks about the health insurance? What is important to remember? What opportunities can be associated with a change of employer?

Change of employer - what employees should bear in mind when changing their health insurance provider.

The annual income limit is important when changing employer

Whether an employee can take out statutory health insurance or not is a matter for the employer. must or private, depends first on the income level. Only those who have a regular annual income above 53.550 EUR (2014) is not subject to compulsory insurance in the statutory health insurance (GKV). He can insure himself privately.

A stair lift in a family home often removes insurmountable obstacles

A stair lift in a family home often removes insurmountable obstacles

When joints and muscles won’t cooperate, stairs become an insurmountable obstacle. With the help of a stair lift, elderly people effortlessly master every step and remain independent at home longer.

Structural requirements for stair type and stair shape

The form of the stages does not play a major role in terms of installation requirements. Whether straight stairs, curved stairs or differently shaped stairs: the stair lift can be installed on almost any type of staircase, as the handrail adapts individually to the respective stair situation.

Is the stove also off? This helps against the uncertainty

Is the stove also off? This helps against the uncertainty

Is the stove off? I have turned off the iron? Is the iron in the bath unplugged? The answer in most cases is yes. Nevertheless, many people are plagued by a feeling of insecurity when they leave their apartment or house. Some people even go back and look again. There are, however, for little money a few useful helpers, for the forgetful – and to reduce the real residual risk. An overview:

The herdwachter:

You take the pot off the stove, but forget to turn the stove off. Or the pot with the boiling tea water is completely forgotten on it. Or you accidentally turn the switch when passing by. Anyone who believes that such things do not happen after all should take note of the figures from the institute for loss prevention and loss research of the public insurers:
39 percent of all house fires start in the kitchen. Half of them occur at the stove – and almost all of them are caused by human error. Two out of three stove fires are caused by an accidentally switched on appliance.

Animal bites on the car and its consequences

Animal bites on the car and its consequences

Few animals are as demonized by motorists as the marten. A visit of this predator in the engine compartment of your own car can have costly consequences. We clarify.

According to the German Insurance Association (GDV), in 2018, about 198.000 insurance claims for damage to vehicles caused by marten bites have been reported, resulting in total costs of 69 million euros. Although the marten family also includes otters and beavers, the majority of damage is caused by the "real martens" such as the stone marten. The small predators are native to all of Central Europe and used to be found primarily in the countryside, but are now venturing into urban parks and outlying areas as well. This advance of martens has inevitably led to an increasing number of bites on vehicles since the 1980s.

Is $1 million enough for retirement?

Is $1 million enough for retirement?

For some of them, retiring with $1 million in savings may be profitable. But does a nest egg of that size really mean you'll live out your retirement on the easy street? As it turns out, not necessarily.

The good news is that if you have financial assets in the seven figures, you are significantly better off than most Americans. According to a survey by the National Institute on Retirement, the average household just a few years away from retirement has only 14.500 dollars put away. That number jumps to $104, 000 for the 55 to 64 age group with retirement accounts, but it's still far from $1 million.

How does a gps tracker for hotel vehicles work and what advantages does it offer??

With a car GPS tracker, you can monitor your hotel vehicle in real time by installing a receiver compatible with terrestrial positioning technology in your car. This solution is becoming increasingly popular, as it offers several advantages for security and savings on your liability insurance.

These devices are particularly powerful today and also offer a range of additional functions such as telematics and emergency assistance. Let’s find out how the GPS car tracker works, what it is used for and why it is worth choosing it for your car.

We ask around: how are shipping companies reacting to switzerland’s testing regime??

Since the 4. December 2021 stricter entry regulations apply in Switzerland. The quarantine list has been dropped, but a negative PCR test, which must not be older than 72h, must be presented on return from all countries. Between the 4. and 7. Day must be made in addition another PCR or antigen test and transmitted to the cantonal authority. Elaborate, costly, and depending on the trip, disproportionate. But how do the shipping companies react to the new testing regime of Switzerland? We have asked.

Costa and TUI Cruises help guests get a PCR test for the return trip.

At Costa Cruises we received the following response to our inquiry: "Yes, on board of Costa ships guests can book a coronatest with a nasopharyngeal swab (antigen rapid test or molecular PCR test). The tests are subject to a fee (PCR test: 40 € per passenger) and are carried out before disembarking on board so that the test result is available in time. So Costa makes it easier for guests who need a negative test result to return home.