State Farm(R) Announces $21.6 Million Alabama Auto Policyholder Dividend
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, the largest insurer of autos in Alabama and in the nation, announced today its auto insurance policyholders in Alabama will receive dividends totaling $21.6 million.Alabama policyholders will receive 8.3 percent of their semi-annual premium. Those policyholders receiving less than $15 will be credited to their State Farm renewal premium....

 State Farm(R) Announces $45.3 Million South Carolina Auto Policyholder Dividend
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
COLUMBIA, S.C., March 1 /PRNewswire/ -- State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, the largest insurer of autos in South Carolina and in the nation, announced today its auto insurance policyholders in South Carolina will receive dividends totaling $45.3 million.State Farm Mutual policyholders in 46 states, the District of Columbia and the Canadian province of New Brunswick will receive a total of $1.25 billion in the company's latest policyholder dividend declaration, approved by the State Farm Mutual board of directors.South Carolina policyholders will receive 17.9 percent of their semi- annual premium....

 Geico Accused of Job, Education Bias on Rates ; Auto Insurer Denies Favoring Professionals With Higher Degrees
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
TRENTON A group of consumer and minority advocates Wednesday accused Geico, the state's third-largest auto insurer, of unfairly quoting higher rates to motorists who lack college degrees and work blue-collar jobs.The company facing similar criticism in other states and a federal class-action lawsuit over the same issue said it uses the information in combination with 23 other factors to calculate annual premiums."No single factor is ever used exclusively or even primarily to determine a rate."...

 State Farm Policyholders to Get Refund
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
Mar. 1--BLOOMINGTON -- People with car insurance through State Farm Insurance Cos. While reporting a $5.32 billion profit Thursday, State Farm said it will pay about $1.25 billion in dividends to auto customers in the U.S. and New Brunswick, Canada. "The last time we issued a dividend was 2000," said State Farm spokesman Dick Luedke....

 State Farm Policyholders in Idaho to Receive Dividends Totalling $7.7 Million
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
Mar. 1--State Farm policyholders in Idaho will receive dividends totaling $7.7 million, according to State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., the largest automobile insurer in the nation. State Farm policyholders in 46 states, the District of Columbia and the Canadian province of New Brunswick will receive a total of $1.25 billion in the company's latest policyholder dividend declaration, approved by the State Farm Mutual board of directors. Idaho policyholders will receive 16.5 percent of their semi-annual premium....

 State Farm to Pay Dividend of About $15 Per Vehicle
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
Mar. 1--State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. said it will pay its Michigan policyholders an annual dividend totaling $18.8 million. The Portage-based auto insurer said Michigan policyholders will get 3.4% of their semi-annual premium. The company, which is also the largest insurer of autos in the country with policyholders in 46 states and the District of Columbia, also said the average dividend per vehicle will be about $15 in Michigan....

 EDITORIAL: The Installment Plan
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
Mar. 2--It's time lawmakers mustered some serious outrage at the ridiculously high finance charges -- amounting to hundreds of dollars in some cases -- that a typical low-income Maryland driver has to pay for car insurance. Under legislation heard yesterday by the House Economic Matters Committee, the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund would be allowed to charge its customers on an installment basis. MAIF, a quasi-public state agency, is Maryland's insurer of last resort....

 Payday for State Farm Clients
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-02-2007
Mar. 2--State Farm, the state's largest auto insurer, will pay $91 million in dividends to policyholders in Texas, an average of about $32 per insured vehicle. The dividend amounts to 7.9 percent of a six-month premium per vehicle. Customers with less than $15 due will receive a credit, State Farm said....

 Insurer Widens Teen-Driver Monitoring Program
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-01-2007
Feb. 28--American Family Insurance is expanding its experimental Teen Safe Driver Program today to automobile insurance customers in Wisconsin, Indiana and Minnesota. Based on technology provided by DriveCam Inc., the program uses a video camera to record risky behavior by teen drivers. Installation and use of the cameras are free for a year to any of the company's auto insurance customers with teen drivers in the three states....

 One-Year Tuition Plan for L-Drivers
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-01-2007
CAR insurers yesterday called for a minimum oneyear tuition period for learner drivers to save lives on the roads.They also want to limit passengers for young newly qualified drivers to cut the death toll.Nick Starling, director of the Association of British Insurers, called for the change when he spoke to the Commons transport select committee....

 Seat-Belt Vote May Be Costly
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-01-2007
Gerald Kearns congratulates Rep. Carl Wimmer for his work to stop the bill requiring Utah drivers to wear safety belts (Readers' Forum, Feb. 24). That may be a reasonable interpretation of Mr. Wimmer's vote, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was the best vote. If I am licensed to drive in Utah, my required auto insurance costs are based on the potential cost of any accident I might cause....

 GEICO Names Geri Lanier Assistant Vice President
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-01-2007
GEICO's board of directors recently named Geraldine Lanier of Gaithersburg, Md., an assistant vice president at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md.Lanier will have general responsibility for human resource matters with specific responsibility for its human relations and employment services areas. Lanier began her career at GEICO in 1970 in the underwriting department, serving in a variety of capacities until becoming Maryland reunderwriting manager in 1986....

 GEICO Continues to Create Careers in Coralville
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-01-2007
GEICO's local office is bringing some good news to the Coralville, Iowa, area as it actively recruits for new associates in the region.Currently employing over 300 associates, GEICO is looking to hire 100 people during 2007 for positions in sales and service. GEICO is has openings for entry-level, and experienced professionals to fill these positions....

 Hispanic Organizations Strongly Support HB 767
Posted 8:03 AM Mar-01-2007
BALTIMORE, Feb. 28 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Business Association of Baltimore, The Montgomery County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the US Hispanic Youth Entrepreneur Education organization support Maryland House of Delegates Marvin Holmes' sponsored House Bill 767. However, by law MAIF is not permitted to offer installment plans so customers must pay the full premium up front which is difficult if not impossible for most seeking coverage through MAIF. In fact, 96% of MAIF policies are written with premium financing....

 Erie Indemnity Company Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2006 Results
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
Key points for the fourth quarter 2006:Net income totaled $45.5 million, a 3.1 percent increase from $44.2million for the same period in 2005. Net income, excluding net realized gains on investments and relatedfederal income taxes, increased 5.7 percent to $.69 per share in thefourth quarter of 2006, from $.65 per share, for the same period oneyear ago....

 Infinity Partners With PHH Arval and Environmental Defense to Go 'Climate Neutral'
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
Infinity is the latest participant in the innovative PHH GreenFleet program that was developed jointly by PHH Arval and Environmental Defense in an effort to reduce operating costs, improve efficiency, and cut greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle fleets. "Infinity's participation in PHH GreenFleet is only one part of our company's overall greening initiative," said Jim Gober, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer. Working with PHH and Environmental Defense has helped us meet this goal."...

 GEICO Names Rich Guertin Vice President
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
GEICO recently named Richard Guertin of Beltsville, Md., vice president of Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO), with responsibility for business process reviews at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md.GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fourth largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. GEICO is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies....

 GEICO Names Franklin Silva Assistant Vice President
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
GEICO's board of directors recently named Franklin Silva as assistant vice president at the company's San Diego regional office in Poway, Ca. Silva currently serves as sales process coordinator at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md.In 1993, Silva began his GEICO career as an insurance counselor at the company's Macon, Ga., office....

 GEICO Names Dan Schechter Vice President of Staff Development
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
GEICO's board of directors recently announced that Daniel Schechter of Potomac, Md. has been elected vice president of GEICO, in charge of staff development. He had served as staff development assistant vice president since 1994.Schechter, originally from Queens, N.Y., joined GEICO in 1984 as an intern, became manager of selection systems in 1985, then served as director of training and development from 1990 to 1994....

 GEICO Names Bill DeGrocco Assistant Vice President for Auto Damage Claims at the Company's Home Office
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
GEICO's board of directors recently announced that William DeGrocco has been elected assistant vice president of GEICO, with responsibility for auto damage claims at the company's headquarters in Chevy Chase, Md. He has served as director of the same operation since 2006.DeGrocco began his GEICO career as a mail messenger in the company's Woodbury, N.Y., office in 1973 and began claims training that same year. He advanced through the auto damage (AD) ranks and became regional AD director in 1987, then regional liability director and, later, personal injury protection director before assuming his duties at the company's headquarters in 2006....

 GEICO Names Kirk La Assistant Vice President
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
GEICO's board of directors recently announced that Kirk La of Virginia Beach has been elected assistant vice president of GEICO with responsibility for underwriting, policy sales and policy service at GEICO's Virginia Beach, Va. regional operations center. Originally from Salem, Ore., La began his career with GEICO while a student at Mercer University in Georgia. In 2003, Kirk assumed the role of director of GEICO's Motorcycle and Powersports Division overseeing sales, service, claims, product development and underwriting....

 Insurance Ruling Benefits Rural, Urban Drivers
Posted 8:09 AM Feb-27-2007
Do you live in the central city? Wherever you live in California, a ruling last week by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Loren McMaster will save you money.Back in 1988, voters approved Proposition 103, which was supposed to bar auto insurance pricing based on ZIP codes....

 Smith Bros. Tower to Carry State Auto Name
Posted 8:02 AM Feb-24-2007
Feb. 23--State Auto Insurance Co. is claiming the water tower on top of the Smith Bros. Hardware Building as its own. The Downtown Commission yesterday approved State Auto's proposal to display its blue-and-white logo on the black, rooftop water tower that is the Downtown structure's trademark. Easily seen by drivers on I-670, the tower has carried the logo of tenants and owners since the building was renovated in 1998....

 Corsa's Got It All Covered
Posted 8:02 AM Feb-24-2007
CAR insurance bills can be an expensive annual headache - but not for New Corsa buyers! In a type of deal not seen in the motor industry before Vauxhall is offering buyers three years' fully comprehensive insurance for a oneoff payment of just pounds 399. The package is available to all drivers aged between 21-80 on the best-selling Club models, or 23-80 on the sportier SXi variants of the stylish hatchback....

 The Essentials: TWO in Five Motorists
Posted 8:02 AM Feb-23-2007
TWO in five motorists would pay more for a "green" car but want tax breaks and cheaper insurance in return. A total of 41% said they would be willing to fork out more for a low-emission vehicle, a survey from Virgin Money Car Insurance found. Around 6%would be willing to pay between 11%and 30%more, but asked what factors would make them go green, most picked cuts in road tax and lower insurance premiums....