Meet Justin Case (Though He Doesn't Really Exist): More Advertisers Are Choosing "Average Joe" Actors Over Celebrities
Posted 2:51 PM Jul-18-2009
Jul. 18--Justin Case has a cubicle on the fourth floor of SafeAuto's headquarters building in Columbus. On his desk are a gumball machine, coffee mug, photo of Justin with a few friends -- and a note reminding him of a 4:30 meeting. "I'm shocked that people actually call SafeAuto and ask for Justin Case," McCarthy said....

 EDITORIAL: Weekly Wrap: Building Bridges, Closing Doors
Posted 8:51 AM Jul-18-2009
Jul. 18--Brief opinions about events of the past week: Merit: For the N.C. Department of Transportation and contractor Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, who are completing a rebuild of the Morganton Road bridge over the All American Freeway on schedule. Demerit: For Maxton's town board, which forced out Town Manager Katrina Tatum without stating any reasons for her ouster. Merit: For state Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, who negotiated a lawsuit settlement with the insurance industry that will lead to refunds for about a million North Carolina drivers....

 Hurghada on the The Red [...] ; LATEDEALS
Posted 2:51 AM Jul-18-2009
Hurghada on the The Red Sea Riviera from pounds 383.Seven nights bed and breakfast at the Three Corners Empire Hotel.Costa Brava from pounds 392 - Departing Glasgow on July 28....

 J.D. Power and Associates Reports:Appeal of Newly Launched Models Improves Dramatically in 2009 ; Volkswagen Receives Four Segment-Level Awards; Ford, Honda, Mercedes- Benz and Nissan Receive Two Each
Posted 4:50 PM Jul-17-2009
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The automotive industry achieves a three-year high in appeal for new and redesigned models, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study(SM) released today. Seven of these models have received segment-level awards.In addition, seven all-new and redesigned models rank highest in their respective segments, including the Dodge Challenger, Ford F-150 (in a tie), Ford Flex, Hyundai Genesis, Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen CC and Volkswagen Tiguan....

 GEICO: Are You Covered for Road Trips to Mexico and Canada?
Posted 12:50 PM Jul-17-2009
Road trips can define the summer season for many travelers, and if youare planning a trip to Mexico or Canada, there are some importantinsurance details GEICO would like you to know:Driving in Mexico requires an additional auto insurance policybecause your U.S. auto policy is not valid in Mexico. "If you find yourself involved in an accident, it must be reportedwhile you are still in Mexico," said John Zinno, assistant vicepresident of GEICO's property agency....

 The Hidden Dangers of Fleet Risk Management
Posted 4:50 AM Jul-17-2009
This is likely because most of us operate under the assumption that no claim will be in excess of our business auto policy or our personal auto policy. The risks related to third-party trucking and employee use of personal vehicles for business purposes were addressed at the Construction Financial Management Association's (CFMA) annual conference at a session titled Fleet Risk Management - The Hidden Dangers, given by Greg Stefan of Arch Insurance Group (gstefan@ archinsurance.com).As you know, any claim that involves these policies results in increases in losses due to attorney defense costs and possibly actual payments to plaintiffs....

 Seeking to Avoid Significant Premium Increases Through Benefit Cuts, Auto Insurers Raise Rates Anyway, Ahead of Government Decision
Posted 2:50 PM Jul-16-2009
TORONTO, July 16 /CNW/ - Auto insurers in Ontario have been pressing Finance Minister Dwight Duncan for financial relief in the form of reduced benefits for accident victims, warning that premiums would rise dramatically if they didn't get what they wanted. Now the insurers have decided to jack rates anyway, even though the provincial government has yet to decide on a proposal that would reduce their claims costs by millions of dollars a year by lowering the cap on medical and rehabilitation benefits. "It would seem that the insurance companies have decided not to wait for Minister Duncan's decision," says Colleen Boyce, a spokesperson for the Alliance of Community Medical and Rehabilitation Providers....

 A Refund? Glad You Asked
Posted 10:50 AM Jul-16-2009
Jul. 16--Here are answers to common questions about the auto insurance deal announced Wednesday: The actual savings between the new rate and what the insurers sought differ by region, customer and insurer. The rates regulated by the state are the maximum rates auto insurers can charge....

 J.D. Power and Associates Reports:Appeal of Newly Launched Models Improves Dramatically in 2009
Posted 10:50 AM Jul-16-2009
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The automotive industry achieves a three-year high in appeal for new and redesigned models, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study(SM) released today. Seven of these models have received segment-level awards.In addition, seven all-new and redesigned models rank highest in their respective segments, including the Dodge Challenger, Ford F-150 (in a tie), Ford Flex, Hyundai Genesis, Nissan Maxima, Volkswagen CC and Volkswagen Tiguan....

 Infinity Property and Casualty to Announce Second Quarter 2009 Results
Posted 10:50 AM Jul-16-2009
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Infinity Property and Casualty Corporation expects to release its second quarter 2009 results on Thursday, August 6, 2009 before the market opens. The earnings release will be available shortly thereafter on Infinity's website at http://www.ipacc.com/.In connection with its earnings release, Infinity will hold a conference call to discuss the second quarter 2009 results on Thursday, August 6, 2009 at 11:00 am ET....

 1 Million to Get Insurance Refund: Auto Rates Will Fall and Be Frozen Until 2011, Thanks to an Out-of- Court Settlement.
Posted 10:50 AM Jul-16-2009
Jul. 16--Here's a rare bright spot for consumers: An estimated 1 million auto insurance policyholders across the state are due more than $50 million in refunds. And they'll freeze premiums until at least 2011. That's the bottom line of an agreement announced Wednesday between Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin and the N.C. Rate Bureau, which represents 144 auto insurers....

 1 Million N.C. Drivers to Get Refunds
Posted 6:49 AM Jul-16-2009
Jul. 16--RALEIGH -- North Carolina drivers are about to get refunds and rate reductions on their car insurance, state Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin said Wednesday. In a news release, Goodwin said he negotiated the reduction to settle a lawsuit with the insurance industry over prices. About 1 million customers will get an average refund of $50, said spokeswoman Johanna Royo of Goodwin's office....

 Pay-As-You-Drive Car Insurance in California Unveiled
Posted 6:49 AM Jul-16-2009
LOS ANGELES, July 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Commissioner Poizner of California's Department of Insurance has proposed revised regulations that will give insurance companies the ability to offer consumers coverage plans that are paid for by the mile. Under the revised regulations insurers will also be able to offer discounts for those that opt to purchase a mileage verification policy. There is also a device which can be placed in the customer's vehicle to monitor miles driven; however, regulations prohibit insurers from using these devices to obtain the location of a driver....

 N.J. Drivers to Pay More for Insurance ; Blame High Cost of Personal-Injury Claims
Posted 3:49 PM Jul-15-2009
Many New Jersey drivers will pay more for auto insurance when they renew this year as insurers try to offset the rising cost of health-care claims.Since Allstate New Jersey Insurance Co. announced in February it was seeking state approval for a 15.4 percent increase, nine more carriers -- including Geico Group, Progressive Garden State Insurance Co., and Travelers Auto Insurance Co. of New Jersey -- have received permission to raise premiums by 2.9 percent to 7 percent.Geico, which raised its rates last month by 6.9 percent, insures more than 700,000 vehicles in New Jersey....

 Be Smart Buying Coverage for Auto
Posted 12:49 PM Jul-15-2009
Dear Action Line: Last Tuesday's column on auto insurance realities for first-time car owners got the attention of my 17-year- old. The Oklahoma Insurance Department's Web site offers a must-read for young people or any first-time buyers of a first auto insurance policy. It's also wise to guard your good driving record -- no moving violations, no accidents and certainly no "driving while intoxicated" situations....

 Quarterly Car Insurance Study By Kanetix.Ca Shows Rates Quoted Decreased 2.4% in Ontario
Posted 4:48 PM Jul-14-2009
TORONTO, July 14 /CNW/ - Today, Kanetix(R) (www.kanetix.ca), Canada's online marketplace for insurance quotes and mortgage rates, released the results of its quarterly car insurance premium study. The study, designed to spot and highlight the pricing trends of car insurance quotes in Ontario, identified a 2.4 per cent decrease in the average of the lowest rates quoted for auto insurance in Q2 2009 compared to Q2 2008. While the findings appear to run counter to industry trends that suggest car insurance is on the rise, the Kanetix study is a reflection of not only changes in rates but also changes in the purchasing behaviours and demographics of insurance shoppers....

 Ontario Market Penetration Continues; New Allstate Insurance Agency Open for Business in National Capital Region
Posted 1:48 PM Jul-14-2009
NEPEAN, ON, July 14 /CNW/ - Today, Chris Kiah, President and CEO, Christianne Dostie, Executive Vice President, and Tim Currie, Assistant Vice President, Allstate Canada, celebrated the official grand opening of the new Ottawa Southwest Allstate Insurance Agency (AIA). Yesterday, the Allstate officials took part in a charity golf tournament in support of Juvenile Diabetes, in which Allstate was a co-sponsor. "Yesterday, we supported a most worthy cause because Allstate believes in good corporate citizenship where we strengthen the communities where we live and do business....

 Farmers Insurance Closes Acquisition of AIG's US Personal Auto Group
Posted 10:48 AM Jul-14-2009
The Farmers Insurance Group of Companies has completed the acquisition of American International Group's US personal auto group, which includes 21st Century Insurance.As a result of the acquisition, American International Group's (AIG's) US personal auto insurance business has been sold to Farmers Group, a subsidiary of Zurich Financial Services Group. Farmers Group then sold the underlying insurance entities to the Farmers Exchanges, which Farmers Group manages but does not own, for approximately $1.4 billion....

 Local Insurance Innovators Help Drivers Remove the Complexity of Managed Competition
Posted 8:48 AM Jul-14-2009
As one of the first local companies to eagerly embrace auto insurancederegulation in Massachusetts, today Next Generation Insurance Group(NGI) announces the launch of MassDrive Direct Auto Insurance. MassDrive's innovative service was created to help consumersfind significant savings opportunities by removing the confusion anddoing the detailed homework required as a result of the newlycompetitive marketplace.MassDrive believes that there are still manyopportunities for Massachusetts customers to save but it is critical tofind an agent or company that thoroughly understands the new regulationsand discount opportunities....

 Allstate Study Ranks Buffalo As Less Safe for Accidents: Report Aims to Uplift Local Driving Habits
Posted 8:48 AM Jul-14-2009
Jul. 14--Drivers in Buffalo are more likely to experience an accident than in other cities of upstate New York or other parts of the country on average, though not as much so as in New York City or Yonkers, according to a new study by insurer Allstate Corp. The study found that the average driver in Buffalo will suffer a car collision every 8.5 years, making drivers here 17.5 percent more likely to experience an accident than the national average. Nationwide, the average driver has an accident every 10 years, according to Allstate data....

 Report: Valley Motorists Are Safest in Texas
Posted 4:48 PM Jul-13-2009
Jul. 13--Hector Farias feels safer driving big city roads rather than traveling the Rio Grande Valley streets, but the numbers say otherwise. Known for its resilient economy, among other less-than-savory distinctions, the Valley can claim one more title: two of the safest cities to drive in Texas. Brownsville and McAllen bested all other large Texas cities on Allstate Insurance Co.'s fourth-annual America's Best Drivers Report....

 Shunts Shock
Posted 2:47 AM Jul-13-2009
ROAD accidents are decreasing - but the number of rear-end shunts is on the increase.The shunts - where drivers go into the back of the vehicle in front - now account for almost a quarter of all road accidents, figures from car insurance company Admiral found.These accidents are costing the insurance industry more than pounds 500million a year, with around 10 per cent of shunts resulting in whiplash injuries....

 Erie Insurance Named in 2009 Ward's 50 Top Performing Insurance Companies
Posted 3:45 PM Jul-10-2009
ERIE, Pa., July 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Erie Insurance is once again being recognized on the list of Ward's 50 Group of top performing insurance companies. This is the 19th consecutive year Ward Group has conducted the analysis, and ERIE has been on the national list 12 times.The Ward's 50 award analyzes the financial performance of 3,000 property and casualty companies and 800 life-health insurance companies and recognizes the top performers for achieving outstanding financial results in safety and consistency over a five-year period (2004-2008)....

 Staveley Head: Young Drivers Give Insurance Companies a Headache
Posted 8:45 AM Jul-10-2009
Drivers under 21 are frequently horrified by the huge premiums quoted by insurance companies when they buy their first car. Drivers under 21 years of age have far more accidents than their more experienced elders.A spokesman for Staveley Head, one of the UK's leading motor trade insurance providers said "These premiums are not arrived at arbitrarily....

 Hughes Insurance Support 'Redlined' Newry Motorists Who Are Refused Motor Insurance
Posted 2:45 AM Jul-10-2009
Hughes Insurance, the largest independent broker for car insurance in Northern Ireland, has recorded a number of incidents where motorists have had their insurance policy renewal declined by their existing provider. The incidents indicate that certain insurance providers are 'redlining' specific areas in Northern Ireland - including Newry. Paul Bodell, Branch Manager of Hughes Insurance commented: "We can confirm we have had concerned individuals approaching Hughes Insurance Newry looking for motor insurance cover, as their original provider has declined their renewal - indicating they are withdrawing services from the area....