Auto Insurance News Archive for June, 2009

Car Insurance for Elderly Costly
by Jeanny Hopper

Elderly drivers in the state of Massachusetts risk losing a privileged discount in car insurance bills because of a rash of car accidents involving drivers over 75 years of age. Senior drivers were involved in five horrific car crashes in Massachusetts these past few weeks, further adding to the speculation that senior drivers could be stripped of their 25 percent discount in car insurance bills. The Automobile Insurers Bureau of Massachusetts said that it is currently studying the possibility of removing the coveted discount because of the accidents. Although the study has not yet officially concluded, the bureau has already … (more) June 30, 2009
Car Insurance Companies Lobbying for Cheap Parts Legislation
by Jeanny Hopper

A new bill filed in Congress is now pitting some car repair shops and car parts manufacturers with auto insurance companies. H.R. 3059, known as the “Access to Repair Parts Act” is the brainchild of Representative Zoe Lofgren (D) of San Jose. If passed into law, U.S. could see the entry of more imported spare parts for vehicles. However, the parts specified in the bill only include collision parts like hoods, fenders, doors, and windshields. So, what’s the fuss with this bill? Well, the specified car parts are mostly purchased by insurance companies, and not by consumers. The labor for … (more) June 29, 2009
New Jersey Teen Car Insurance Costly
by Jeanny Hopper

A new report from Insurance.com states that the state of New Jersey is the second-most expensive state for teen car insurance. The Ratewatch report released earlier this month used date compiled from records submitted by various insurance companies.
Saving Money with Teen Car Insurance
by Jeanny Hopper

More and more teenagers are taking to the roads today. And as new drivers, they are considered high-risk motorists by many car insurance providers.
Wisconsin Inches towards Mandatory Car Insurance
by Jeanny Hopper

Wisconsin, one of only two states that don’t require drivers to carry car insurance, is finally one step closer to making car insurance mandatory for its residents. This year’s state budget includes a measure requiring drivers to purchase liability insurance for their vehicles. The state has had a history of turning down proposals for mandatory insurance for motorists since the 1970’s. The presence of reluctant drivers forced the insurance industry to block the measures with companies unwilling to deal with uninterested motorists. Racine Democrat Senator John Lehman says that the inclusion of a measure in the state’s budget send a … (more) June 27, 2009
California to Approve Prepaid Insurance by Fall
by Jeanny Hopper

The State of California is set to offer authorize insurance companies the chance to offer new “pay-as-you-drive” insurance policies. With this new system, drivers may soon be able to pay premiums based on the number of miles they drive. State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner released a set of revised regulations allowing insurance companies to sell policies by the mile and drivers to buy insured “miles”. This would effectively let consumers save more money for driving less. Poizner says that the regulations can expand insurance options for many motorists and allow a more liberated market to come up with incentives for … (more) June 27, 2009
More Americans Dropping Auto Insurance Coverage
by Jeanny Hopper

The current economic downturn is forcing more and more U.S. motorists to forgo their car insurance coverage to save money. This was the conclusion of a series of surveys conducted by various private enterprises and insurance institutes.
Car Insurance Company Progressive Awarded Voice of the Customer Award
by Jeanny Hopper

Who says it doesn’t pay to be nice? Progressive, one of the nation’s foremost car insurance companies was chosen as one of the recipients of the prestigious Forrester Research’s Voice of the Customer Award recently in New York. The awards were presented to the three deserving companies at the Forrester Research’s Customer Experience Forum. Some forty well-known companies from different fields submitted their entries for the awards. The companies came from various industries like retail, financial services, health care, technology, and travel. The companies which represented leading brands, were judged according to the way they collect, interpret, analyze, and react … (more) June 27, 2009
Research Shows Uninsured Drivers Have “High Intent to Drive”
by Jeanny Hopper

Direct General, one of the nation’s largest car insurance providers, recently released alarming information about the country’s uninsured motorists, revealing a high percentage of drivers with the intention to drive despite their lack of insurance. The Nashville-based auto insurance company reported that 36 percent of drivers interviewed said they would continue to drive even when they have no insurance. The figures are significant especially with the July 4th holiday weekend fast approaching, meaning more cars on the roads and a higher possibility of accidents. Even when driving without insurance is illegal in most states, about a third of respondents said … (more) June 27, 2009
Auto Insurance Company Launches New Ad Campaign
by Jeanny Hopper

Direct General, one of the nation’s largest car insurance providers, has recently embarked on an extensive marketing campaign geared towards low-income prospective clients. The Nashville-based company sought the help of Cramer-Krasselt/New York with its recent ad campaign, making use of the July 4th holiday weekend and the summer holiday season to reach out to potential policy holders. Direct General’s campaign was conceived in light of new data from a survey conducted by the company on the willingness of drivers to drive despite the absence of insurance. A research by the company revealed that up to 39 percent of motorists said … (more) June 27, 2009
National Corvette Museum to Offer Insurance for Collectors
by Jeanny Hopper

Even vintage cars need protection. The National Corvette Museum recently announced that it will be offering special car insurance policies to collection car owners and other limited use vehicles. The museum has teamed up with the NCM Insurance Agency to provide special coverage for collection cars rarely driven on the nation’s roads. Corvette owners can avail of the special insurance policy if they drive their vehicles occasionally to events, club meetings, and special trips. They can also get the special insurance as long as they drive less than 1000, 2000, or 6000 miles per year. A portion of the money … (more) June 24, 2009
AAA Warns Against Cutting Back on Insurance
by Jeanny Hopper

AAA Warns Against Cutting Back on Insurance The AAA is warning residents in the state of Virginia that the organization is seeing troubling patterns with many motorists trying to cut back on their expenses. The automobile club and insurance provider says that more and more policy holders are skimping out on car insurance deductibles which reduces the coverage offered by many insurance companies. As a result, even minor accidents can result to costly repairs and a tarnished driving record. The auto association says that with the summer months finally arriving, more drivers and their families are taking to the road. … (more) June 24, 2009
Cyclists Call for Insurance vs. Negligent Drivers
by Jeanny Hopper

Cycling enthusiasts are calling for new insurance regulations to protect cyclists from underinsured and uninsured drivers in the event of accidents. Bob Mionske, a well-known cycling lawyer, criticized lenient insurance regulations of some states in cases where vehicles and cyclists were involved in violent crashes. In his blog “Road Rights”, Mionske said that while the law requires motorists to be insured, the minimum liability coverage is usually very low. For an example, he mentioned the state of Ohio where the liability coverage is just $12,500. As a result, Mionske explained, cyclists whose injuries exceed the minimum liability coverage of negligent … (more) June 23, 2009
Humorous Online NY Driving Course to Help Lower Insurance Costs
by Jeanny Hopper

Apparently in New York, safe driving is something to laugh about. A new online defensive driver education course created in collaboration with a comedy club is making the rounds with interested drivers. Called Improv Aware Driver, the course was designed by the National Point and Insurance Reduction Course and the famous Improv Comedy Club. The online program makes use of humor to impart important safety lessons to motorists. Drivers need to take the course online and when they finish the program, they can avail of a compulsory 10 percent three-year insurance discount. Aside from the markdown, motorists can also get … (more) June 23, 2009
Texas Launches New System to Nab Uninsured Drivers
by Jeanny Hopper

A new statewide database system is set to help law enforcers catch uninsured drivers during routine traffic stops and inspections. The system, called TexasSure, can readily be accessed by any local officer or highway trooper to check on the insurance status of drivers pulled over. Drivers found not to be uninsured can then issued a fine ranging upwards to $350 almost immediately. State officials estimate that some 4 million Texas motorists do not carry insurance. That would amount to roughly 20 percent – or one out of every five – of the total number of drivers in the state. Worse, … (more) June 23, 2009
Bad Economy Forcing Dallas Motorists to Commit Insurance Scams
by Jeanny Hopper

With the current state of the nation’s economy still in the red, more and more car owners in Dallas are resorting to desperate and illegal means to get rid of their cars and claim insurance money. Known as “owner give up”, the insurance fraud scam is alarming criminal lawyers and police officials in Dallas. Drivers abandon their vehicles and in some cases, destroy them, to claim insurance money. Texas ranked second out of all the states for probable owner give-up cases with 353 reported incidents. The data was collected from January 2004 to March 2008, and excludes recent months when … (more) June 23, 2009
Nevada Ranked 9th Most Expensive State for Car Insurance
by Jeanny Hopper

An article in The Las Vegas Sun, a local newspaper based in Nevada, claims that Nevadans are paying for higher premium rates than most Americans. According to the Sun’s analysis, state residents shell out more than $1,000 per vehicle year in and year out, based on 2006 data. The state effectively ranks 9th across the country with the figures an estimated 23 percent higher than the national average. Other high-cost states like New York and New Jersey have placed higher than Nevada. According to some industry players and state officials, the high insurance rates are the result of failed public … (more) June 23, 2009