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For more than 10 years, California’s Low Cost Auto Insurance Program (CLCA) has been providing auto insurance coverage for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to afford it. In October 2011, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a new law that should make it much easier for low-income drivers to get this special coverage — by making it available online.
When you’re dissatisfied with a product, you’ll probably want the company you purchased it from to pay you back. This is common practice with businesses that offer tangible products like clothing or electronics, as long as you return them. But compensating unsatisfied customers is less common with businesses offering services — like auto insurance companies.
California Gov. Jerry Brown recently vetoed a bill that would have made drivers pay a higher price for texting behind the wheel. In August, the state’s legislature passed Senate Bill 28, which would have more than doubled the fines for those caught texting while driving. Brown vetoed the bill in September.
If red-light cameras reduce accidents, they should mean lower insurance rates as well, according to leaders from two Florida communities. Juno Beach has passed a measure and Pembroke Pines is considering a measure calling for lower insurance rates for their drivers because those two cities have red-light cameras. Community leaders argue that these cameras reduce the number of insurance claims — and auto insurance companies should pass those savings on to their residents.
Crawford Frazer
July and August are the biggest months for auto theft, according to a news release from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) and security company LoJack. Much of the problem is that thieves are clever. But, according to the release, some car owners are making things too easy.
Insurance companies are losing millions of dollars every because some of their customers are getting discounts they don’t deserve, according to a recent study by insurance analytics company Quality Planning. In order to get cost breaks, vehicle owners are fraudulently claiming that they’re using cars like BMWs and Porsches as farm vehicles.
Researchers have found that helmets save lives, and many motorcycle riders agree that they’re more than just an accessory. Yet not all agree with motorcycle helmet laws.
A valid driver’s license is required for purchasing auto insurance. And a valid driver’s license, in turn, usually requires proof of legal residency. This system raises questions when it comes to illegal immigrants: Should they be able to get auto insurance? And, if not, what happens when they drive anyway, cause an accident and can’t pay for the damages?
Utah is unique in that creates a path for illegal immigrants to get covered. It allows drivers who can’t prove legal presence in the state to get “driving privilege cards” — which then can be used to buy insurance.
Police and fire departments often are on the scene within minutes of a crash. Yet this rapid response costs money — money that some cash-strapped cities are attempting to get back in the form of accident response fees. These fees are called “crash taxes” by those who oppose them.
Crawford Frazer
If you don’t carry auto insurance to protect those you hit, is it fair to expect another driver’s insurance to cover you? This is the question that some states have addressed through “no pay, no play” laws.
