As stated in the article, “The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) survey found the most common car-related, money-saving lifestyle changes consumers made in the last 12 months that could impact their car insurance were:

• Nearly 40% of respondents are driving less overall and/or taking public transportation more frequently.
• Close to 20% of car owners traded in a vehicle for a lower-priced model or got rid of a second vehicle entirely.
• Almost 20% of drivers have reduced or cancelled their car insurance for immediate financial relief.
• Many consumers relocated over the past year.

Here are the five trends and their effects on auto insurance premiums that were identified in the survey:

• Relocation
• Where insureds live can impact premium, depending on crime statistics in the area. Garage versus street parking can also impact premium.
• Moving to another state can affect costs as states vary in their minimum liability, and perhaps no-fault, coverage requirements—some allow injured parties to sue for damages and others are no-fault states.
• Changing Vehicles
• Whether purchasing a less expensive car, looking for a hybrid to save on gas, paying off a current vehicle, or purchasing a “starter” car for a teenage driver, insureds should expect car insurance rate changes. The make and model of a car affects a premium.
• A car with a lower resale value is usually cheaper to insurance because collision and comprehensive coverages cost less.
• Changing Jobs
• Some consumers now have a longer or shorter commute after turning to occupations they could do from home, or relocating a job.
• Others chose to stop payment or cancel car insurance. Causing an accident without adequate insurance protection could have devastating financial consequences in the event of an accident. Further, this decision will likely result in higher costs if insurance is reinstated in the future. When coverage is allowed to lapse, customers lose renewal/continuous coverage discounts, and when they choose to reinstate the policy, the insurer may consider them a higher risk.
• Driving Less
• Since a car insurance premium is partially based on annual mileage, driving less equals paying less. According to the NAIC survey, almost 40 percent of consumers drove fewer miles in the past year choosing instead to carpool, walk or take public transportation more frequently.
• Damaged Credit Score
• Whether consumers have fallen behind on bills or made a purchase they could not afford later, financial decisions that affect credit-based insurance scores may impact insurance rates.
• Most states allow insurers to use certain elements of credit history as one of several factors to predict the likelihood of future losses.
• Having a poor credit-based insurance score can result in higher premiums or, in some cases, the inability to secure insurance through some carriers.

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• The Department urgers motorists to check their tire pressure before long trips and to inspect tires periodically.
• Motorists should also be aware that aging tires and hot weather can be a potentially deadly combination, as older tires are more susceptible to heat stress, especially if they are not properly inflated.
• Motorists should check the tire sidewall to see how old their tires are, and to check with the tire manufacturer or the vehicle owner’s manual for recommendations on how often to change tires.
• Properly inflated tires will also improve a vehicle’s fuel economy and help stretch the family dollar at the gas station

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Here are the important facts from the article:

• The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and its state and local law enforcement partners conducted the inspections.
• The strike force issued out-of-service citations to 127 drivers and 315 vehicles during the unannounced inspections that took place from May 1-15.
• In addition to the strike force inspections, FMCSA and state safety investigators initiated 38 full safety compliance reviews on commercial passenger bus companies. These reviews determine a passenger carrier’s safety rating.
• Over the past five years, FMCSA has doubled the number of unannounced bus safety inspection and comprehensive safety reviews of the nation’s estimated 4,000 passenger bus companies.
• Roadside safety inspections of motorcoaches jumped from 12,991 in 2005 to 25,703 in 2010, while compliance reviews rose from 457 in 2005 to 1,042 in 2010.

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Schumer said, “Rental car agencies appear more interested in reaping profit by keeping recalled vehicles on the road then they do with ensuring the safety of individuals and families who are driving their cars.” As stated in the article, Schumer also said “the law is needed because of serious crashes in recent years involving rental cars under recalls. He said car rental agencies must be held to the same standard as automobile dealerships that don’t lease cars for longer terms until a problem identified in a recall is fixed.”

Here are some important facts from the article:

• The American Car Rental Association said its two-tiered system would make sure unsafe cars aren’t rented but also wouldn’t keep cars off the road unnecessarily.
• The association said neither manufacturers nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gives clear direction on which recalls pose a serious risk that must be fixed before a car can be operated.
• According to the association’s website, “Currently all vehicle owners, including rental companies, must decide whether to continue to operate vehicles subject to a recall based on the information provided by the manufacturer and the NHTSA in the recall notice.”

Schumer also said that all recalled vehicles should be off the road until they’re fixed. He also said, “The latest proposal by car rental companies to create a vague double-standard that defines some recalled cars as safe and others as dangerous allows these companies to shirk their responsibility to consumers’ safety.” According to the article, Schumer also said a consumer who rents a car, unlike a private owner, won’t be notified that the car is under recall.

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Here are some important facts from the article:

• With more than 450 deaths and billions of dollars in damage in the past month alone, regulators are calling for more education about the importance of homeowners insurance and further efforts to make it affordable and available to all. But whether to buy it is still considered a personal choice and there’s no push to mandate it federally.
• The fallout is on stark display in Mississippi and Arkansas, 2 of the 7 Southern states battered last month by twisters. Mississippi ranks second in the nation for the percentage of homes without insurance covering wind damage yet 4^th on the list of states that have had the most tornadoes touch down in the past five years. Arkansas ranks fourth for uninsured homes and 10^th for being tornado prone, according to the AP’s analysis.
• States with the highest rates of uninsured homeowners also tend to have a higher incidence of homes without mortgages, meaning owners don’t have to answer to banks requiring coverage. The uninsured can turn to aid groups and the deferral government for relief – but often not for full compensation.
• Poverty and an abundance of older homes that can be difficult to insure contribute to high rates of no insurance. In tough economic times, the temptation to forgo insurance is real.
• Many people don’t qualify for insurance if their homes are in high-risk areas, or they have trouble affording a policy to cover wind damage because of high costs associated with home value, aging construction and building codes, Arkansas Insurance Commissioner Jay Bradford said.
• Nationally, roughly 4 percent of owner-occupied homes lack homeowners, or hazard, insurance, according to the latest industry estimates. By the numbers vary substantially by region.
• The South has the highest rate of homes without hazard insurance, at 17.4 percent, according to the AP analysis. This is followed by the Northeast at 12.2 percent, the Midwest at 8.4 percent and the West at 3.3 percent.
• The highest death toll from tornadoes in the past month was in Alabama, which is at the national average for homes without insurance and ranks third for frequency of tornadoes. North Dakota tops the uninsured list and ranks 16^th on the tornado-prone list.

Here are some facts from the analysis done by The AP:

• The AP analyzed data compiled by the Insurance Information Institute and the U.S. Census Bureau. AP relied on 2008 figures because those were the most recent for which comparisons could be made, and it’s unlikely the numbers would have fluctuated much in the past three years, said industry expert Robert P. Hartwig.
• About 30% of owner-occupied homes in Arkansas and Mississippi lack hazard insurance policies, according to the AP analysis, which reviewed data from all 50 states except Florida, where data was incomplete.
• By law, the Federal Emergency Management Agency can provide up to $30,300 in grants for home repairs, rental assistance and other disaster-related losses in residentially declared disaster areas. But that may not cover the cost to rebuild.
• Insured homeowners can still qualify for FEMA aid, but the assistance is reduced by the amount of the insurance settlement.
• Homeowners also may be eligible for low-interest loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA). Unlike the FEMA program, the SBA money must be repaid, and if the loan is over a certain amount the agency will take a lien against the property until the money is repaid.
• FEMA has already registered more than 100,000 individuals and families in the tornado-affected states for assistance and approved tens of millions of dollars for individual assistance to cover temporary housing, home repairs and other needs.
• According to Census data, Mississippi and Arkansas have higher-than-usual rates of homes without mortgages – about 41 percent of owner-occupied homes in Arkansas and 43 percent in Mississippi. The national average is under a third of all owner-occupied homes.

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Here are some facts about the safety ratings:

• The ratings are based on performance in front, side, rollover, and rear impact evaluations.
• Cars that earn the top rating of good in each test and have available electronic stability control (ESC) qualify for top safety pick.
• Winners are the 2012 Ford Focus and Honda Civic, along with the 2011 Hyundai Elantra, Lexus CT 200h hybrid, Nissan Juke, and Toyota Prius hybrid.

According to the article, “the IIHS began awarding top safety picks for the 2006 model year with less stringent criteria than today. Then only three small cars earned the designation (Honda Civic, Saab 9-2X, and Subaru Impreza). Now 22 small models, including those the Institute tested previously, earn the award with tougher requirements including a roof strength test, an ESC requirement to help drivers avoid crashes, and a higher bar for rear impact protection.”

David Zuby, the institute’s chief research officer said that lightweight cars “don’t protect their occupants as well as bigger, heavier ones. Even though fuel prices sometimes defy gravity, the laws of physics always are in effect for cars. That’s why it’s important that the crashworthiness designs of smaller cars be as good as possible. The new ratings demonstrate that small cars are much safer than they used to be.”

The article also mentioned, “Small cars used to have the least safety equipment. Now all have standard side airbags, and in this group all but the Caliber, SX4, and Versa have standard ESC for preventing many kinds of crashes. Auto manufacturers put ESC on cars and SUVs after research by the IIHS and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration demonstrated the effectiveness of this feature. An IIHS study found that ESC reduces fatal single-vehicle crashes by up to 50 percent. The government will require standard ESC on all new vehicles, starting with 2012 models.”

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Here are some important facts from the article:

• Coakley said her office arrived at the $1 billion figure after reviewing information from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and Automobile Insurers Bureau (AIB).
• Coakley claims businesses overpaid by $150 million per year between 2004 and 2010 – a total overcharge of about $1 billion dollars.
• During the same period, 2004-2010, Coakley said rates were high by at least 21.6 percent.

Coakley also said, in her letter to Commissioner Joseph Murphy, “These inflated commercial auto premiums impact virtually every industry in Massachusetts – from manufacturing, trucking, and construction to sales and services. The added costs limit the ability of businesses to invest in Massachusetts and cost Massachusetts residents thousands of jobs. The problem is especially acute for small businesses, who ability to create jobs is impaired by excessive rates.”

One important fact, as mentioned in the article is that Massachusetts law allows the commissioner to reduce commercial automobile insurance premiums that are deemed excessive.

This is very important to the state of Massachusetts, as mentioned by Coakley, since these high premiums effect every industry in the state.

For more information regarding Business Insurance Worcester MA and Auto Insurance Worcester MA, contact us today!

The article states that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) report compares information from law enforcement agencies for the period of January 2010 to June 2010 with the same period in 2009. Here are the FBI’s findings for January through June, 2010:

• Property Crime
• Property crime was down 2.8 percent nationwide for the first six months of 2010 compared with data for the same months of 2009.
• Motor vehicle theft dropped 9.7 percent, larceny-theft fell 2.3 percent, and burglary decreased 1.4 percent.
• Property crime declined in all four regions, with a 3.6 percent decreased in the South, a 3.1 percent decrease in the West, a 2.5 decrease in the Midwest, and a 0.2 percent decrease in the Northeast.
• Cities with 500,000 to 999,999 inhabitants experienced a 4.8 percent drop in property crime. In non-metropolitan counties, property crime increased 1.0 percent, but it decreased 2.4 percent in metropolitan counties.
• Arson
• Arson offenses, which are tracked separately from other property crimes, decreased 14.6 percent nationwide.
• By population group, the largest decline in the number of arson offenses (17.2 percent) was in cities with populations of 50,000 to 99,999 residents.
• Arson also fell in metropolitan counties by 21.6 percent and in nonmetropolitan counties by 19.4 percent.
• Law enforcement agencies in all four regions reported fewer arsons, including of 17.6 percent in the West, 14.3 percent in the South, 12.6 percent in the Midwest, and 10.2 percent in the Northeast.
• Violent Crime
• From January to June 2010, all four of the offense types in the violent crime category declined nationwide when compared with data for the same time period in 2009. Robbery fell 10.7 percent, murder was down 7.1 percent, forcible rape declined 6.2 percent, and aggravated assault decreased 3.9 percent.
• Violent crime declined in all city groups, with the largest decrease, 8.3 percent, in cities with populations of 500,000 to 999,999 persons. Violent crime was also down in both nonmetropolitan and metropolitan counties, with declines of 7.6 percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.
• For the six-month comparison period, violent crime fell in all four regions of the nation: 7.8 percent in the South, 7.2 percent in both the Midwest and the West, 0.2 percent in the Northeast. The Northeast was the only region to experience an increase in murders, 5.7 percent. Murders declined in the other three regions – 12.0 percent in the South, 7.1 percent in the West, and 6.3 percent in the Midwest.

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The article said, “The Insurance Research Council (IRC) survey found that requiring insurance companies, rather than the individuals involved in an accident, to pay accident response fees had little impact on the level of support for accident response fees.”

Here are some important facts from the article regarding accident response fees:

• Lawmakers in a dozen states have enacted legislation prohibiting local governments from imposing accident response fees. Several more have debated similar legislation.
• The insurance industry generally opposes local response fees.
• When told that requiring insurance companies to pay accident fees could mean higher auto insurance costs, 69% of survey respondents disagreed with the idea of local governments charging accident response fees.

The senior vice president of the IRC, Elizabeth Sprinkel, said, “Efforts to fund emergency response services through accident response fees stand in direct conflict with the fundamental notion that certain government services should be paid for by all taxpayers – not just those who are unlucky enough to actually need the services.”

Here is some information regarding the study done by the IRC:

• The study, Public Attitude Monitor 2011, Accident Response Fees, was based on telephone interviews with 1,012 adults countrywide conducted in January 2011 by the market research firm Harris Interactive.
• The IRC results track with another survey by Harris Interactive for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America that also found these fees unpopular.
  • In that survey, 3 out of 4 adults (76 percent) said they believe their taxes cover the time and services provided by emergency response providers following a traffic accident and additional accident response fees charged by local governments are not necessary.
  • The IRC found only one group, individuals between 18 and 24 years of age, whose members were more likely to agree than disagree with the imposition of accident response fees. For all other age, education, and income groups, more respondents disagreed than agreed with the idea of accident response fees.

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Here is how it will work:

• During the transaction, the customer will be asked to provide his/her license or FID number.
• The customer must then complete the rest of the transaction and pay the duplicate registration fee.
• If the license/FID number provided by the customer matches the RMV’s records, the customer will be provided with a PDF version of the duplicate registration.
• If the license/FID number is not provided or does not match, a duplicate registration will be mailed to the address on file.
• When a customer provides a license/FID number and is provided with a PDF version of the duplicate registration, he/she must print this out; the customer will not be given the option of having a duplicate registration mailed to him/her.

Here are two important questions people may have:

• What if the customer has a problem printing the registration?
• If a customer has a problem printing the registration and no longer has the PDF file, he/she can return to the Duplicate Registration transaction and, on the screen immediately after accepting the terms and conditions, a “Trouble Downloading Your Registration?” button will appear in the upper-right corner of the screen. When the customer clicks on this button, he/she will be asked to re-enter his/her information and will then be provided again with the PDF version of the duplicate registration.
• What is the customer is unable to print the registration?
• If the customer is unable to print the registration, he/she should call the RMV Telephone Center at 617-351-4500 to request that a copy of the registration be mailed to him/her (at no additional fee).

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