ICW Group Enhances Corporate Strategy to Further Drive Agent/Broker Success
Monday, June 29, 2009
ICW Group Insurance Companies, a top super regional carrier providingworkers' compensation, surety, earthquake and personal and business autoinsurance, has launched a new enterprise-wide business initiative moresingularly focused on helping its Agent and Broker customers strengthentheir all important client relationships. ICW Group's strategy wasdeveloped collaboratively, encompassing feedback from its Agents andBrokers on what they look for from an insurance carrier and what's mostimportant to their success. Helping Agents and Brokers continue to be valued as "Trusted Advisors"by their clients consistently emerged as a high level success driverthroughout ICW Group's extensive research....

 Pay-By-the-Mile Insurance Targets Green Drivers
Monday, June 29, 2009
PORTLAND Jeffrey Lang is hoping the time is finally right to change how drivers pay for car insurance. For years the president of Portland-based Gales Creek Insurance Services has lobbied lawmakers and insurance companies to make the shift to pay-by-the-mile auto insurance. But six years after the Oregon Legislature began offering tax credits for mileage-based programs, not one insurance company has signed up enough drivers to qualify....

 Entrepreneurs: Books, Web Site Help Lawyer Grow Practice
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Jun. 28--If you get in a car accident and contact Billings attorney Solomon Neuhardt about filing a lawsuit, he might tell you to find another attorney. "Each year, we accept a limited number of accident cases from the hundreds of people who ask us to represent them," says Neuhardt. "Sometimes the best advice you can get when you're thinking about a lawsuit is that you do not have a claim that can be won," Neuhardt says in his accident book....

 Arguments Cause 1/3 of Minor Motoring Accidents
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Arguments in the car contribute to thousands of minor motoring accidents each year, according to Swinton, the UK's leading high street insurance retailer.A survey of 2,000 Swinton customers found that 'carguments' caused 27% of minor bumps and scrapes in UK during 2008 and a further 3% of more serious motoring accidents.The poll found the top five source of 'carguments' to be:...

 Uninsured Drivers Eyed: State Examines Red-Light Camera Option
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Jun. 27--Uninsured motorists in Ohio could have more to worry about than being pulled over by a police officer. Ohio Department of Public Safety officials have held discussions with executives of a company in Michigan that sniffs out uninsured drivers by providing an instant link between police, red-light cameras and databases of insurance-policy holders. State officials have discussed the idea with InsureNet, of Novi, Mich., which bills itself as the only company that provides instant electronic insurance verification....

 Rain and Hail L.L.C. And Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company Announce Alliance
Friday, June 26, 2009
Rain and Hail L.L.C. ("Rain and Hail") and Farm Bureau Mutual InsuranceCompany (FBMIC) today announced that Rain and Hail will service FBMICcrop insurance business beginning with the 2010 crop season.Under the agreement between the parties Rain and Hail will be theManaging General Agent for Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company policieswritten on Western Agricultural Insurance Company paper, and willperform all aspects of servicing the Multiple Peril Crop Insurance,Livestock, Crop Hail and specialty crop insurance products written bythe FBMIC captive and independent agency forces.Finalization of the arrangement is contingent upon receipt ofappropriate regulatory approvals....

 Auto Insurance Rates Climbing in Arizona: In 2008, Average Increase Was 3.72%, Up From 0.32%
Friday, June 26, 2009
Jun. 26--Many insurance providers are revving up auto insurance rates across Arizona, continuing an upward trend that began last year. According to the Arizona Department of Insurance, 77.46 percent of insurers that have reported auto insurance rate changes this year either have or are increasing their rates. The highest percentage increases are Colorado Casualty Insurance Co., a Liberty Mutual Group company, up 30.20 percent, and Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Co., a USAA company, up 30.10 percent....

 Urban League's Camp Atwater Kicks Off 88th Year of Fun in the Sun
Friday, June 26, 2009
Summer fun and youth development for inner-city children is the heart ofand soul of Urban League's Camp Atwater, which GEICO will be a part ofwhen it kicks off its 88th camping season this summer inNorth Brookfield, Mass.Each summer, Camp Atwater brings together children aged eight to fifteenyears old from all over the Northeast to provide them with a sleep-awaycamp adventure that combines recreational fun with academic activities.The experiences at Camp Atwater not only help build character, but alsoexpand their educational horizons....

 Auto Insurance Rates Climbing in Arizona
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Jun. 25--Many insurance providers are revving up auto insurance rates across Arizona, continuing an upward trend that began last year. According to the Arizona Department of Insurance, 77.46 percent of insurers that have reported auto insurance rate changes this year either have or are increasing their rates. The highest percentage increases are Colorado Casualty Insurance Co., a Liberty Mutual Group company, up 30.20 percent, and Garrison Property and Casualty Insurance Co., a USAA company, up 30.10 percent....

 Erie Insurance Wins Top Award
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Jun. 25--Erie-based Erie Insurance has been ranked for the second year in a row as the nation's top insurance company for satisfying new buyers, according to J.D. Power and Associates. A study by J.D. Power focused on the purchase behaviors and satisfaction of buyers who shopped for a new auto insurance company. Using a 1,000-point scale, J.D. Power gave Erie Insurance a score of 893....

 Media Release: Insurance Australia Group
Thursday, June 25, 2009
MEDIA RELEASE INSURANCE AUSTRALIA GROU This is a media release - distributed by AAP MediaNet.It's what consumers say, and it's being addressed by Australia's newest online car insurer, The Buzz.The Buzz (www.thebuzzinsurance.com.au) is part of Insurance Australia Group (IAG) and the first car insurer to be built entirely from the feedback of Australian internet consumers....

 Hit By an Uninsured Motorist? Get Help With Auto Insurance Claim Questions
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
SOLON, Ohio, June 24 /PRNewswire/ -- Nationally, almost 15% of drivers don't have auto insurance -- and in some states it's as high as 25%! So, Uninsured Motorist coverage is one of the most important parts of your policy. Does UM/UIM cover property damage in hit-and-run accidents?...

 Direct General Auto Insurance Research Indicates High "Intent to Drive" Among Uninsured Motorists
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
In a recent survey conducted by Direct General, theNashville-based auto insurance provider, 36 percent of consumers*reported that they will continue to drive even if they are unable tokeep their car insurance. With the approaching July 4thholiday weekend and more cars on the road as a result, the company isurging consumers to think twice about driving while uninsured or withoutadequate auto insurance coverage.According to Direct General, part of the challenge for consumersis that standard insurance companies will not write auto insurancepolicies for drivers who don't currently have insurance, have low creditratings or lapsed payments....

 Auto Insurance Rates Rose in '08 After '07 Drop
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Jun. 24--Arizona auto insurers have raised rates overall since the start of 2008 after cutting overall rates in 2007, data from the state Department of Insurance show. So far this year, insurers have filed rate changes averaging an increase of 3.8 percent, on an unweighted basis, according to a Star analysis of state data. Reasons for rate increases vary by company but are mainly a reflection of each company's loss experience and rising costs, said Ron Williams, executive director of the Arizona Insurance Council, a nonprofit industry group....

 J.D. Power Survey Ranks The Hartford High And Travelers Low: INSURANCE
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Jun. 24--The Hartford ranked third in the nation and Travelers came in 17th in a survey of customer satisfaction when shopping for auto insurance released Tuesday by J.D. Power and Associates. The Hartford Financial Services Group scored 889 points on a 1,000-point scale, just below Erie Insurance at 893 and American Family at 891, which came in first and second place, respectively. Survey results can be viewed online at jdpower.com; click on "press releases" for the 2009 Insurance Shopping Study....

 Erie Insurance Earns Top J.D. Power and Associates Customer Satisfaction Award Two Years in a Row
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
ERIE, Pa., June 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Erie Insurance has earned J.D. Power and Associates' award for "Highest in Customer Satisfaction with the Auto Insurance Shopping Experience." This award recognizes the top rankings in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Insurance Shopping Study(SM), which evaluates the experience of customers purchasing a new auto insurance policy.The 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Insurance Shopping Study examines the purchase behaviors and overall satisfaction of buyers who shop for a new auto insurance company....

 Inspiring Customers on Their Terms: New Allstate Insurance Agencies Open for Business in Cornwall and Kanata
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Strengthening relationships with consumers, one customer at a time CORNWALL, ON, June 23 /CNW/ - Today, Tim Currie, Assistant Vice President, Allstate Canada, was on hand for the official grand opening of a new Allstate Insurance Agency in Cornwall, Ontario. Earlier in the day, Currie was in the national capital region, opening a new agency in Kanata, Ontario....

 J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Erie Insurance Ranks Highest in New Buyer Satisfaction With the Auto Insurance Purchase Experience for a Second Consecutive Year
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
The Number of Customers Shopping for New Insurance Providers DeclinesWith a score of 893 on a 1,000-point scale, Erie Insurance ranks highest and performs well across all three factors driving satisfaction--distribution channel, price and policy offerings. "For customers to be especially satisfied with their insurer during the shopping experience, it's important for them to think about how they prefer to be served - by a local agent, a centralized call center, a Web site or some combination of these three channels," said Jeremy Bowler, senior director of the insurance practice at J.D. Power and Associates....

 Insurers Cover Pets Hurt in Crashes
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Jun. 23--Car insurance is going to the dogs. At least three major insurance companies now offer coverage for pets injured or killed in vehicle accidents while a passenger, according to the Insurance Information Institute. Progressive, the nation's fourth-largest insurer with 10.4 million policies, was the first to provide the coverage, starting in 2007, said company spokeswoman Miriam Deitcher....

 J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Embattled U.S. Automakers Make Substantial Gains in Initial Quality, Outpacing Industry-Wide Improvement
Monday, June 22, 2009
Overall, the industry average for initial quality is 108 problems per 100 vehicles (PP100) in 2009, down from 118 PP100 in 2008. Lower PP100 scores indicate a lower rate of problem incidences and higher quality."Even in the face of unprecedented challenges, the Detroit automakers are keeping their focus on designing and building high-quality vehicles, which is a precondition for long-term success," said David Sargent, vice president of automotive research at J.D. Power and Associates....

 UK Motorists Spend Two Hours On Average Searching for Car Insurance Quote
Monday, June 22, 2009
MANCHESTER, England, June 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The average UK motorist spends two hours searching online for a car insurance quote, according to a survey by Swinton, the UK's leading high street retailer of car insurance.This is the first time in five years that has seen this trend change, and Swinton is attributing the turn around on financial pressures caused by the recession.Steve Chelton, Insurer Development Manager, for Swinton said: "The increased use and availability of the internet has had a massive impact on the car insurance industry....

 A Regulator Hailed, Not Pilloried
Monday, June 22, 2009
Jun. 22--Regulators of financial-services companies don't get much respect these days, not since some of the businesses they were supposed to oversee nearly pushed the economy over a cliff. But state insurance regulator Don Bryan is an exception. New Jersey's longtime director of insurance in the Department of Banking and Insurance is being hailed by industry and consumer advocates alike as an unsung hero as he prepares to retire at the end of the month....

 Charges Tossed Vs. WTKK Host
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Conservative radio host Michael Graham won't get his day in court, but he vowed to continue his battle on behalf of Bay State drivers after prosecutors dismissed motor vehicle charges against him.Graham, also an op-ed Herald columnist, was arrested in Framingham in February for running a red light and driving with a revoked license. Registrar Rachel Kaprielian had sent Graham a letter in October saying she planned to suspend his license in 30 days unless he cleared up a car insurance violation in Virginia, where his license already had been revoked....

 Correction: June 20, 2009
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Jun. 21----State Farm's last auto insurance rate increase in Texas was for 2.8 percent in October 2008. An article on Page D1 of Friday's business section included two different figures.Copyright (c) 2009, Houston Chronicle...

 Don Bryan, New Jersey Director of Insurance, Set to Retire
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Jun. 20--Over the last 27 years, information storage at the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance has changed from stacks of 10-inch-thick paper packets to an online database. Ten department commissioners, and countless insurance companies, have come and gone. But of all the changes in the years Don Bryan has served in the department, one stands out: the revitalization of the auto insurance industry, once considered a puzzle with no solution....