Million Motorists Teeter on the Brink
Thursday, March 29, 2007
More than a million motorists are now just one conviction from losing licences. As many as 16 per cent have penalty points for speeding, research from car insurance company Direct Line found. Direct Line said with the proliferation of speed cameras, drivers have paid out more than pounds 300 million in fines in three years....

 News Briefs: Points Penalty
Thursday, March 29, 2007
MORE than a million motorists are now just one conviction away from losing their driving licences, it was revealed today. As many as 16% of drivers currently have penalty points on their licences for speeding, research from car insurance company Direct Line found.(c) 2007 Liverpool Echo....

 Editorial ; Gov Should Drive Real Auto Reform
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Say what you will about Gov. Mitt Romney, but when it came to reforming the state's dysfunctional auto insurance system his administration tried everything to get the state in gear.Unfortunately, it looks like the Patrick administration may just idle in neutral.A group appointed by Gov. Deval Patrick to study the state's auto insurance system, which has lost dozens of carriers over the past 15 years, has recommended no groundbreaking changes in the way rates are set or high risk drivers are assigned to insurance carriers....

 No-Fault Law's Fate a Source of Hospital Anxiety
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Mar. 25--The prospect of an auto insurance law fading into history is triggering financial heartache among Florida hospitals. The hospitals rely on mandatory medical coverage provided by auto insurers to help pay for care provided to accident victims, especially those without health insurance. The Florida No-Fault law, scheduled to expire in October, requires drivers to purchase Personal Injury Protection, which pays up to a maximum of $10,000, regardless of fault, for injuries caused in an automobile crash....

 Lawmakers Split on Caveman Insurance Rights
Monday, March 26, 2007
A caveman may or may not be smart enough to apply for Geico auto insurance, but if he wants the chance to buy a policy it would help to have a college degree. Some folks in Trenton are pushing legislation to prevent that from mattering, but a bill mandating changes in auto insurance underwriting has hit the wall.The state Senate Commerce Committee met last week to consider S- 1714, a bill that would prohibit using education and occupation as rating factors in selling auto insurance in New Jersey....

 Return of the Insurance Broker ; Websites Are No Good at Finding Specialist Policies. Try the Old Route, Says David Prosser
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Remember insurance brokers, that mysterious breed of financial adviser who used to maintain offices on every high street? New technology and the modernisation of the financial services industry were supposed to spell the end for these middlemen, whose job it was to search the market for the best deals on insurance. Brokers, however, are making a comeback, particularly in the motor insurance market....

 New Discount for Online Auto Insurance Shoppers
Saturday, March 24, 2007
VISTA, Calif., March 23 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- As part of its ongoing commitment to providing high-quality auto insurance at affordable rates, Unitrin Direct is offering an instant $50 discount in 17 states for customers who use Esignature, a convenient online service that lets you sign policy documents at http://www.unitrindirect.com/.The Esignature discount is automatically deducted from the car insurance rate when customers get a free, no obligation online quote by going to the "Get A Quote" box at http://www.unitrindirect.com/ and typing in their zip code. The auto insurance company offers another savings of $25 at the first policy renewal....

 Tip of the Day
Friday, March 23, 2007
BEAT the bulge by holding your own 'no car' day. Try leaving your motor at home and walk, cycle or use public transport instead. If thousands of us take up the challenge we'll burn off calories, cut pollution, ease congestion and, if you reduce your mileage enough, pave the way for cheaper car insurance....

 Call GEICO's Fraud Hotline and Help Crack Down on Phony Claims
Friday, March 23, 2007
Even though insurance professionals like GEICO's Special Investigations Unit already save the insurance buying public millions and millions of dollars each year by preventing and exposing false claims, GEICO is stepping up the battle against insurance fraud by activating a new national fraud hotline.The GEICO Fraud Hotline number is 1-800-824-5404 ext. "If any customer feels they or someone they know has been a victim of these illegal activities, GEICO encourages them to call the GEICO Fraud Hotline and report their suspicions," said Seth Ingall, vice president of GEICO's claims division....

 Insurance Federation Calls for Return to Point System
Friday, March 23, 2007
According to "Jordan Times", with 98,049 road accidents recorded last year resulting in 885 deaths, the Jordan Insurance Federation (JIF) said this week it wants auto insurance premiums linked to the number of traffic violations committed by drivers. According to JIF Chairman Abdul Salam Tarawneh, the 1998 point system should be reactivated to raise insurance premiums for drivers convicted of traffic violations. Drivers who have no violations would benefit from reduced premiums....

 State Farm Cuts Auto Rates By 5.4% First Coast Drivers Can Expect Even Bigger Savings of Up to 10%.
Friday, March 23, 2007
State Farm auto insurance customers can expect a 5.4 percent statewide average decline in premiums - with First Coast customers enjoying savings of up to about 10 percent.The lower rates, which will go into effect Monday, represent an annual savings of $135 million to the company's Florida customers.State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., which bills itself as the largest auto insurer in the Sunshine State, said it covers one in every five cars insured in Florida....

 South Korean Trade Studied: U.S. Carmakers Hear Reassurance
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Mar. 21--WASHINGTON -- A federal official said Tuesday that a proposed trade agreement with South Korea would address some concerns of Detroit automakers, but suggested the benefits for Korean automakers would be limited because of their plans to boost U.S. production. Levin and other lawmakers warned the administration that if a South Korean deal does not address automobiles, agricultural products and a number of other goods, it will not get through Congress. If completed, a deal would be the largest U.S. trade pact since the North American Free Trade Agreement in 1993....

 MONEY: DEALS ON WHEELS ; AUTO Direct GET IT RIGHT FIRST TIME
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Q My car insurance is due for renewal, how can I ensure that I'm getting the best deal? A With so much competition in the car insurance market these days, it does pay to get quotes from lots of different companies when your policy is due for renewal. Don't presume that your current insurer is giving you the best deal....

 GEICO Philanthropic Foundation Grant to Fund Driver's Education Programs in Florida
Thursday, March 22, 2007
LAKELAND, Fla., Mar. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- A grant from the GEICO Philanthropic Foundation will help students at eight Florida high schools practice safe driving techniques through the use of driving simulators. The GEICO Philanthropic Foundation's grant to the Florida Safety Council is helping fund the state's driver's education program. The Florida Safety Council is also responsible for the Roadwise Programs....

 State Farm Cuts Auto Rates By 5.4 Percent
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Mar. 21--State Farm auto insurance customers can expect a 5.4 percent statewide average decline in premiums -- with First Coast customers enjoying savings of up to about 10 percent. The lower rates, which will go into effect Monday, represent an annual savings of $135 million to the company's Florida customers. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co., which bills itself as the largest auto insurer in the Sunshine State, said it covers one in every five cars insured in Florida....

 RECORD Money: Pick a Policy to Suit Your Needs ; CASE STUDY...
Thursday, March 22, 2007
TO GIVE any claim you make the best chance of success when you choose critical illness insurance, don't buy on the basis of price alone.David Thomson, of Bestdealinsurance.co.uk, says: "You shouldn't choose the cheapest policy - buy the best contract you can afford.If you pick the wrong one, it's like the difference between buying fully comprehensive and third-party car insurance."...

 EDITORIAL: Safer Roads for Everyone
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Mar. 20--Every time you hop in the car to go to work, fetch groceries or pick up the kids, you're sharing the road with thousands of unlicensed, uninsured drivers. They can't get a license or insurance because they're living here illegally, but they need to get to work, fetch groceries and pick up their kids too. This week, the Illinois House is expected to vote on a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants to drive legally....

 Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. Announces Fourth Quarter and Year 2006 Earnings Results
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
FORT WORTH, Texas, March 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Hallmark Financial Services, Inc. today reported quarterly net income of $4.7 million for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2006, representing a 63% increase from the $2.9 million in net income for the fourth quarter of 2005. During the year ended December 31, 2006, Hallmark recorded $9.6 million of interest expense from amortization attributable to the deemed discount on convertible promissory notes issued in January 2006, and converted to common stock during the second quarter of 2006. In the absence of this non-cash expense, the Company's net income for the year ended December 31, 2006, would have been $15.3 million, representing a 66% increase over fiscal 2005, and its diluted earnings per share would have been $0.89 for the year ended December 31, 2006....

 Cash Points
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
AS WORLD stock markets rattle and roll, is it time to lock your money in the latest Keydata Secure Income Plan Issue 7 from financial advisor Baronworth, based in llford, Essex? The money can be trucked into ISAs for 2006/7 and 2007/8, and is available for ISA and PEP transfers, with no initial charges an an early investment bonus of 4% on lump sums invested before April 25. The Plan promises 7.7% annual income fixed for seven years, or 7.5% annual income fixed for five years, without the risks of equities or corporate bonds....

 A BRAND New Independent Car
Sunday, March 18, 2007
A BRAND new independent car insurance comparison site promises to take the pain out of marshalling online quotes. Type in your details and you'll get an email with the cheapest premium. More at www.gocompare.com...

 City Drivers' Drink Shame ; MOTORING: Second to Bristol in Convictions League
Saturday, March 17, 2007
BIRMINGHAM drivers have come second only to those in Bristol in a drink-driving convictions league of shame. And the convictions are leading to a higher level of insurance premiums in the region. They also show that Birmingham is also home to high levels of car thefts (6.36 per 1,000 people) and car accidents (4.12 per 1,000 people), ranking fifth and fourth respectively But the premiums of motorists in the region could be higher if drivers filed claims for 100 per cent of thefts and accidents....

 Think Small on Vehicle Insurance ; PERSONAL FINANCE
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Small players in the car insurance market have beaten big brand names in competitiveness over the past year, a study shows. The top 10 consistently competitive motor insurers in 2006 includes online insurers and relative newcomers, according to price comparison service moneysupermarket.com. Its analysis of more than three million premiums quoted through its car insurance channel last year shows that online insurer swiftcover.com returned the cheapest average annual premium at 276 pounds....

 TRAVEL: Florida for Pounds 159
Saturday, March 17, 2007
THE worst of the winter may be over, I hope, but who could resist the allure of the easy life Florida. And who in their right mind would say no to a trip to the Sun shine State with prices starting from as little as pounds 159. Depart on the April 12 and that's exactly what you'll pay for two weeks from as little as pounds 159 per person....

 State Farm Auto Policyholders to Get Dividends
Friday, March 16, 2007
State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Co. announced Thursday that its policyholders in Oklahoma will receive dividends totaling $21.4 million. State Farm vehicle 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. Although the amounts will vary significantly, the average dividend per vehicle in Oklahoma is $38....

 AssuranceAmerica Corporation Announces Approval to Write Insurance in Its 12th State -- Arizona
Friday, March 16, 2007
Atlanta based AssuranceAmerica Corporation (OTCBB:ASAM) today announced that AssuranceAmerica Insurance Company has been approved by the Arizona Dept of Insurance to write automobile insurance in that state. We believe Arizona is the 10th largest state for the sale of non-standard automobile insurance.In announcing Arizona's approval, Lawrence (Bud) Stumbaugh, President and CEO of AssuranceAmerica said, "This is positive news for at least two reasons....