Auto Insurance News Archive for March, 2010

• North Dakota Auto Insurance Rates are the Lowest in US

  by Jeanny Hopper

  Grand Forks Herald of North Dakota reported on March 23, 2010 that the state had the lowest auto insurance costs in the United States. The newspaper cited a report of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners or NAIC, released in December, 2009. According to the report, the average auto insurance premiums paid by drivers of North Dakota was around $511.79 in 2007, which was the most recent data collected by the NAIC. The report revealed that the national average of annual auto insurance premiums were $794.98. The report of NAIC showed that Washington D.C. headed the list in the cost … (more) March 31, 2010

• Illinois Police Enforce Strict Traffic Regulations, Arrest 24

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  The Daily Gazette in Sterling, Illinois reported on March 28, 2010 that the state police authorities head been tightening the enforcement of traffic law compliance. The police department had named the exercise as Operation COPS. This exercise is a traffic safety program that had been utilized in various parts of the United States regularly. The Illinois State Police Department had partnered with the Sheriff’s Department of Whiteside County and the police departments of Sterling and Rock Falls to continue this program in the state. The aim of the Operation COPS is reducing the number of accidents, saving lives of drivers … (more) March 30, 2010

• Auto Recalls Unlikely to Affect Auto Insurance Premiums

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Pennsylvania Insurance Commissioner, Joel Ario, commented on the recent auto recalls, PRNewswire-USNewswire reported on March 15, 2010. The Commissioner explained that the auto recalls might not impact auto insurance coverage. At the same time, he advised auto owners to respond promptly to the recall notices issued by the vehicle manufacturers. The Commissioner pointed out that fresh information about safety problems in certain cars were surfacing nearly every week, increasing the concerns of auto owners and other car users about the safety of cars and the impact of such recalls on their auto insurance premiums. He revealed that insurance companies would … (more) March 29, 2010

• AG Coakley Caught in Between Two Sides in Auto Insurance Dispute

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Being in the middle of a legal dispute over Boston State’s competitive automobile insurance system is a tight spot to be in. That is precisely where Attorney General Martha Coakley is – defending the Patrick administration which she accused of as “playing favorites” in setting auto insurance legislations. A lawsuit has been filed that claims that some of the auto insurance rules provide favorable lee-ways for national companies, including Progressive Insurance and Geico, among others. Since the Attorney General, incidentally on a campaign trail for a US senate seat, is also on the side of defending consumer rights, she is … (more) March 28, 2010

• Car Surfing and Other Risky Driving Behaviours and Stunts Associated with Teenage Drivers

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Car surfing is a dangerous past time usually performed by teenagers.  Being young and reckless many teenagers are thrill seekers and are known to engage in extremely risky endeavours.  With car surfing, a person or a group of individuals hangs on to the hood of a car, while it is in motion.   Just recently, a group of youngsters were apprehended by police for car surfing. The driver, an 18 year old male is now facing criminal charges and would most probably have his auto insurance premium hiked following the incident. According to police reports, the male driver was seen behind … (more) March 27, 2010

• Tips on How to Save Money on Auto Insurance

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Auto insurance is essential for all car owners.  In most cases, it is illegal to drive without insurance.  However, due to the prevailing weak economic conditions a lot of people opt not to get one, endangering not only themselves but also other motorists as well.  They may in the short run be able to save up on money, but they may find the consequences too steep if ever they get into an accident.  Some people would just get insurance for the sake of registering their car then would stop their premium payments once they get their registration.   These conditions sadly … (more) March 26, 2010

• Cost Of Car Insurance Cramming Up. How To Lower That Your Rate

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  If you live in Arizona, you are probably paying a very expensive car insurance rate. It is being ranked as the 14th highest in the nation today. However, there are little things you can do which will effectively lower down your current costs. One producer from ABC15 was notified that her insurance premium will be subjected to an increase of about $100, from $140 to $240 monthly, which is equivalent to 70 percent. The insurance company told her that the increase is necessary because of the minor accident she had in her driving record. After running a quick online check … (more) March 25, 2010

• Top 7 Deadly Mistakes In Driving

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  In 2007, around 40,000 people were killed due to vehicle crashes according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Even the “good” drivers suffered from these lethal mistakes at times. Swerving or not staying on their own lane has been identified as the most lethal driving mistake made by American drivers. More than 15,000 people died in crashes by simply drifting off to the next lane or completely running off the road, according to NHTSA’s statistics report for 2007. Speeding or driving above the maximum speed limit, racing or fast driving where the road conditions does not warrant its safety … (more) March 24, 2010

• A New Variable In Motor Vehicle Insurance

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Getting motor vehicle insurance these days is not that easy anymore. This is because many insurance companies have now adopted more stringent application requirements. Years before, when applying for motor vehicle insurance, all that is required is the name of the applicant, his age, civil status, home and work address, and the vehicle type being insured. Based on these rather limited details, an application is scrutinized accordingly. This is no longer the procedure observed by modern-day insurers. There is now more information being requested from every single applicant for car coverage. For starters, the emerging trend in car insurance circles … (more) March 23, 2010

• Georgia Drivers Urged to Consider Part Replacement Insurance Coverage

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  In the event of a severe road mishap, any smart driver would be concerned about the damage caused to their cars as well as how these cars would be repaired. With broken or dented fenders, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts and after-market parts (AMP) are in the middle of a tug-of-war for any customer’s concern over durability and price. Executive director of the Georgia Insurance Information Service, David Colmans, explains that since a majority of car owners express concern regarding what their auto insurance policy may say about repair, it would always be wise to take the initiative and to … (more) March 22, 2010

• Elderly Drivers Pose Real Risks

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  According to a recent police report, a car driven by an elderly woman crashed at a garage in La Playa, California which resulted to significant damage to property and caused serious injuries to the driver and her lady passenger.  Both women are well into their 90s and are now presently undergoing treatment at a local hospital.  If not for the arrival of fire fighters, the driver would have not immediately gotten out of the car as her injuries prevented her from moving out the vehicle.  It is believed that because of this incident, it is highly likely that the driver … (more) March 21, 2010

• Fraud Causes Auto Premiums To Shoot Up

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  A mother and daughter from California who are suspected to have connived to file a fraudulent claims report was arrested recently and are now facing charges in court. Mary Patino, 62 and her daughter Lisa Sedillo, 31 were arrested by police following inconsistencies in their statements with the circumstances in the place of the supposed accident. edillo recently was involved in a car accident, where she was also suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.  Police who arrived at the scene saw Sedillo a few meters from where the hit and run incident happened.  This circumstance led them into … (more) March 20, 2010

• Efforts to promote auto insurance more effective in 2010

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Legislative actions in most states have proven to be not that effective when it comes to decreasing the number of uninsured motorists. It was only until the first two months of 2010 that movements to promote the public safety while on the road have been more precisely executed and real positive results started to be more evident. The efforts by the mentioned states led to positive results. A recent study made by Insurance Research Council showed that the percentage of uninsured drivers in the US went down from 14.9% to 13.5%. The Council takes into account the number of insurance … (more) March 19, 2010

• Recent Study Shows ‘No Fault’ Insurance Faulty

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  According to the recent study conducted by RAND Corporation, a nonprofit organization, found out that no-fault auto insurance failed to deliver its promises in lowering premiums and court expenses. Its recent decline in terms of popularity among consumers has proven that this insurance scheme is indeed problematic. The study confirmed that this insurance scheme has dramatically increased the court costs because of the rising price of medical claims. Initially, this was formulated to keep down the compensation costs for persons involved in road mishaps by keeping these cases out of the court. James M. Anderson, a RAND researcher and author … (more) March 18, 2010

• Auto Insurance Coverage in Brooklyn

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Residents of Brooklyn, Alabama are required to purchase an auto insurance policy to legally drive in this state. This city is actually no exception to the rule and if you are a resident here, you must shell out some money to have yourself and your vehicle covered. Securing an insurance card can get really expensive, but if you consider this an investment for the future, then this could be your best option. Premiums do not come cheap, but find ways to lessen your rate while still being minimally and sufficiently covered. The first thing you need to find out is … (more) March 17, 2010

• Car Safety Innovations That Are Expected to Reduce Insurance Costs

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  Mercedes Benz, a luxury automobile brand known for cutting edge automotive technology is now developing technologies that can make driving safer, ultimately causing a dramatic reduction in serious injuries and deaths due to collisions.  Its new prototype named Experimental Safety Vehicle is packed with innovative safety features that have never before been seen in the automotive industry, which can initiate a downward movement in auto coverage costs. The car in essence becomes a massive airbag before a collision to prevent serious injuries to the driver and passengers. Basically the car has built-in video cameras and sensors around its chassis that … (more) March 16, 2010

• New Bill Can Take Uninsured Drivers off Oklahoma Roads

  by Jeanny Hopper
  

  New legislation that has recently been approved in the House of Congress can discourage or deter uninsured Oklahoma drivers from hitting the road.  With the new bill, drivers who get pulled over by police officers and upon verification are found not to have auto coverage can have their vehicles towed.  This new law is the brainchild of Oklahoma representative, Steve Martin, who has received numerous requests and appeals in the past from constituents to institute measures to protect insured drivers from drivers without auto insurance policies. In addition, the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety has equipped all patrol cars with … (more) March 15, 2010