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On December 31, 2012, the California Department of Insurance received approval for the adoption of amendments to regulations which govern written estimates of auto repairs and non-original equipment manufacturer (non-OEM) replacement crash parts. The amendments will become effective on January 30, 2013. Insurers will be required to comply with the amendments in handling claims on and after March 30, 2013.

The amended version of subsections (f) and (g) of regulatory section 2695.8 is attached here.

The amendments to subsection (f) require an insurer’s written estimate of an auto repair to comply with standards described in regulations that are applicable to auto body repair shops. The subsection (f) amendments also specify requirements for adjustments that an insurer makes to a repair shop’s estimates.

The amendments to subsection (g) require an insurer that specifies the use of non-OEM replacement crash parts to provide a written disclosure that it warrants that those parts are at least equal to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) parts in terms of kind, quality, safety, fit, and performance. The subsection (g) amendments also require an insurer that becomes aware that a non-OEM replacement crash part is not equal to the OEM part to immediately cease specifying the use of the part. In addition, the subsection (g) amendments require an insurer to pay costs related to the removal and replacement of non-OEM parts.

Insurers objected to the amendments at the public hearing on the amendments and in written submissions to the Department of Insurance.

Insurers argued that the department lacked the authority to impose auto body repair shop regulations on insurers. Insurer representatives also contended that the regulatory provision that an insurer must warrant a non-OEM part is inconsistent with a Business & Professions Code statute which explains that non-OEM parts warranties are provided by the manufacturer or distributor of the parts. Insurers pointed out that the amendments would be harmful to the public because the amendments’ restriction on the use of non-OEM parts will lessen competition in repair parts and will lead to higher repair costs.

Barger & Wolen will continue to track the developments of these new regulations.

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By Penny Gusner

Published January 14, 2013

CarInsurance.com

Question:  Within the last year, I received two traffic tickets and was at-fault for an auto accident.   What do you think will happen with my license (I'm in California)?  And what about my car insurance? Do you think these things will increase my rates?

Answer: In general, multiple tickets and accidents will cause your auto insurance rates to spike.  It doesn't help that yours were in such a short period of time. It's even possible that your current car insurance company will now consider you to be such a high-risk driver it will force you to look elsewhere for coverage by not renewing your policy.

Car insurance companies' rating systems vary -- which is how there are competitive prices available to all types of drivers -- but your driving record is a major rating factors to all insurers.

Some auto insurance providers won't raise your rates after a single minor traffic ticket, but simply take away any safe or good driver discounts you had. Other car insurance companies up your premiums by 10 to 20% (or more) after a first moving violation.  (See “Tickets that don't raise your insurance rates”)

Normally, a second ticket is frowned upon much more by auto insurers.  You're starting to show a pattern of risky driving behavior and thus rates may go up as much as 40% for that second ticket.

Your car insurance costs could go up even more if you were convicted of a major violation, such as careless driving or a DUI, due to the riskier nature of the offense.  It's pretty simple: The more of a risk you pose as a driver, the more you are going to pay in auto insurance premiums. (See “What a big ticket does to your car insurance”)

Now let's add in your at-fault accident. One car accident on your record can affect rates by 10% to 40%. Add this to the rate hike for tickets and your rates could be increased considerably - and keep in mind that the surcharges you receive will continue for the next three to five years. 

Since surcharge schedules vary from one insurer to the next, you need to comparison shop to find the insurer that is priced the best for your particular rating factors.

If your auto insurance company will keep you, then maybe it will have the cheapest car insurance premiums, but it's very possible that another insurer will instead.  Car insurance quotes for even high-risk drivers will differ by hundreds, if not thousands of dollars.

For example, we compared quotes for a 35-year-old male in Oakland. With a clean driving record, the cheapest quote for liability coverage only was $604 a year. With two minor speeding tickets and an accident, the quotes ranged from $1,086 to $1,588 a year.

As for your driver's license, it depends upon your state's laws if your privileges will be suspended due to the multiple moving violations and accident on your record.  In California, drivers receive one point for at-fault collisions and minor traffic convictions.  For major traffic violations, such as reckless driving, hit-and-run or DUI, you receive two points. 

If you receive four points in 12 months or six points in 24 months, in California, then you're considered a negligent operator by the state and lose your license. The California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) says this includes at least a six-month suspension and a full year of probation.  If you are worried about losing your license, contact the DMV to find out your point total. 

If you get another ticket, see if you are eligible to take a defense driving course to keep the ticket and points off your driving record, which may keep the offense unknown to your insurance company.

The original article can be found at CarInsurance.com:
Two tickets and a wreck: What to expect

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Jodi Arias/Myspace(PHOENIX) -- Jodi Arias lulled her ex-boyfriend into a vulnerable position by having sex with him and taking sexy photos of him in the shower, catching him off-guard when she attacked him with a knife, prosecutors argued Thursday.

Prosecutor Juan Martinez said Thursday that Arias drove to Travis Alexander's home with the intent of killing him, taking with her a gun and a knife and then sleeping with him before killing him.

"When she got there, she got engaged in whatever conduct she engaged him, and then began to attack him," Martinez said, referring to earlier evidence that the pair had sex in Alexander's home and took nude photos of one another.

"After she had, in a manner of speaking, lulled him to sleep, had him in a very vulnerable position kneeling down in that shower, it is the state's position that she stabbed him first," he said. "Once she began stabbing, it's not a situation where she stopped. She killed him three times over."

Martinez made the argument to prove that there was premeditation and aggravating factors attached to the felony murder charge Arias is facing, and to support the prosecution's bid for the death penalty. The prosecution rested its case Thursday, on the ninth day of the trial in Maricopa County, Ariz.

The defense will begin presenting evidence on Jan. 29 to support its claim that Arias killed Alexander in self-defense. After the prosecution rested its case, the defense petitioned for the case to be dismissed, a common tactic for defense attorneys at the middle point of the trial.

In this case, defense attorney Kirk Nurmi focused his argument on having the felony murder charge tossed because, he argued, the prosecution did not prove aggravating factors such as premeditation or burglary. If Judge Sherry Stephens agrees, Arias may not face the death penalty if convicted.

The prosecution ended its case with testimony from a mutual friend of Arias and Alexander, Leslie Udy, a Mormon who worked at the same company as the pair and was friendly with both of them.

Udy testified that 24 hours after Arias is believed to have killed Alexander, Arias arrived in Utah and the two women had long talks about Arias's relationship with Alexander.

"We actually sat in the parking lot for awhile, probably close to an hour. She was acting like Jodi, the same Jodi I'd always talked to and knew," Udy said. " We talked a little bit about photography, and we talked about Travis. She said that they weren't together anymore which I kind of already knew, but that they would always be friends."

Arias never mentioned going to Arizona the day before or having a confrontation with Alexander in which she ended up killing him. In fact, Udy said, Arias seemed perfectly normal.

"She said that Travis had tried to get her to come to Arizona and she had told him no because she was trying to create some separation there," Udy said. "She indicated they would always be best friends."

Arias, dressed in a green sweater in the courtroom and not wearing glasses for the first time during the trial, cried during Udy's testimony. At one point, the prosecution showed Udy the photos that Arias and Alexander took of one another, naked on Alexander's bed, in the hours before Alexander was killed. Udy said she had never known that side of Arias or Alexander.

Arias, 32, told police several stories before admitting that she killed Alexander and claimed self-defense. Her diary excerpts obtained by ABC News show that she also lied to herself in the weeks after the killing.

The page of diary entries, found in court motions, was seized by police from Arias' bedroom in her grandparents' California home. The entries are dated from June 10 through June 13, 2008, days after Alexander was shot and stabbed to death on June 4. His body was found by friends on June 9.

The page begins "... that Travis is dead. What happened?!? Travis, what is this?"

The next entry is dated June 11 and said in part, "Last night was so hard... I wanted so badly to call Travis, but knowing he wouldn't answer was too much to bear. And knowing he wasn't calling me anytime soon was just killing me. I broke down as I climbed into bed and just cried and cried and cried until I fell asleep."

Testimony in her murder trial that cited her phone records showed that Arias did call Alexander four times after she killed him and as late as June 15. The first call was just hours after he died and one call lasted 16 minutes, which Verizon official Jody Citizen suggested indicated Arias was listening to Alexander's messages and possibly deleting her own messages to him.

On June 12, Arias wrote to her diary, "It just feels like he hasn't called me in too long. I hear him singing. I hear him laugh."

And in the final entry on the page, Arias wrote on June 13 that she sent 13 white irises to Alexander's grandmother, who she called "Mums."

"Travis always told me he liked the name Iris for a girl...If I ever have a son I'll name him Alexander," she wrote.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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Health Reform Proving a ‘Lifeline’ for the Uninsurable

Posted: Jan 18, 2013

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. - After having had private health insurance since he was 24 years old, Doug Ogden noticed in 2009 that his premiums “were spiking at a crazy rate,” pricing him out of the market. That aside, he said, Blue Shield was chipping away at his benefits, “decreasing coverage dramatically.”

“I was getting little value for what I was paying,” he asserted.

So Ogden dropped his Blue Shield coverage and went on his partner’s employer-based group insurance plan.

Five years earlier, though, Ogden, a small business owner, had been diagnosed with central sleep apnea, a condition that if left untreated could lead to such serious medical conditions as heart disease and strokes.

Then in 2010, his partner lost his job, and Ogden found himself uninsured. Worse, he found himself uninsurable because of his pre-existing health condition. (Insurance companies currently can deny with impunity people with pre-existing conditions.)

Pre-Existing Condition Plan Available Now

“I frantically went online looking for options, and found that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) had phased in the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan” (PCIP) in October 2010, said Ogden, now 50.

Knowing that the major changes under the ACA wouldn’t completely kick in until Jan. 1, 2014, Congress included provisions that would take effect quickly. Among these bridges to full implementation of the health care reforms, PCIP was created to protect at least some patients from being denied coverage before 2014.

Starting next year, ACA will prohibit all insurance companies from refusing coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. In the meantime, though, PCIP guarantees access to insurance for United States citizens who have pre-existing conditions and have been uninsured for at least six months.

To prevent people with private health insurance from switching to the less costly PCIP, the health reform law put in the six-month requirement provision, said Jeanie Esajian of the Managed Risk Medical Insurance Board (MRMIB), the California agency that administers the PCIP.

Some of the PCIP programs are run by the federal government and some by the states. Applicants need only show a letter from a doctor stating they have had a medical condition in the past year.

“It was so easy to sign up for the program,” observed Ogden. He added, “There was nothing automated about the process. Real people explained everything to me. And the paperwork was simple.”

PCIP Limited, Eligibility Unclear

The Congressional Budget Office originally estimated that 250,000 would sign up for PCIP by 2013 nationwide. But as of May 2012, only about 58,000 had done so.

California, the first state to implement the PCIP, currently has the highest enrollment in the nation with 15,263, followed by Florida and Texas.

The Golden State’s health administrators first estimated that California’s $761 million federal allotment for the plan through 2013 would allow enrollment of 23,000 people with pre-existing health conditions.

This federal subsidy helped to keep premiums enrollees must pay affordable. But low initial enrollment in the plan forced the state to request federal approval to lower the monthly rates for beneficiaries.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) approved that change in 2011, and enrollment grew. But the cost of claims for care under the plan turned out to be $3,100 -- almost triple the original estimate of $1,100.

Currently, Californians enrolled in PCIP pay an average of $565 per month. Depending on the individual, the current monthly premiums can be as low as $127 or as high as $652 per month (reduced from the original high of $1,003).

In order to cover the additional costs, HHS authorized a $118 million increase in California’s PCIP funding for 2012. Esajian said that although the funding for 2013 is “not yet public,” MRMIB will continue to enroll all who apply this year.

It is unclear how many Californians are eligible for the program. The California Endowment estimates the figure as high as 6.5 million, while other health care agencies say the numbers could be between 200,000 and 400,000.

Esajian, of the state’s managed-risk insurance board, said the higher estimates don’t take into account limitations restricting who can qualify for the new program.

California’s PCIP enrollees don’t reflect the states changing demographics. Of those currently enrolled, more than half are white. Of the rest, 9.2 percent are Asian and Pacific Islander, 8.3 percent Latino, 2.8 percent African American, 0.3 percent native American and Alaska Natives and the remainder, 22 percent, are of unknown ethnicity.

Information in English and Spanish

Early in 2012, the MRMIB agency began campaigning and advertising in English and Spanish. PCIP information on the board’s website is now in both languages.

Ogden is paying a monthly premium of $381 for his PCIP coverage, with a $1,500 deductible, an amount he views as not exactly low.

But “it’s certainly more affordable than what I was paying for private insurance, which was north of $700, and the number of doctors in the PCIP network is quite large,” Ogden said. He noted, “For me, PCIP is a life saver.”

“I have auto insurance and earthquake insurance,” he went on. “To not have health insurance was the most frightening thing.”

This report was made possible with funding from The California Endowment, and was produced as part of New America Media’s series on the Affordable Care Act.

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Americans are so wedded to the road that they don't define distance in miles – they do it in hours, with the general assumption that you can tick off one mile a minute on the interstate network. The US is designed to allow someone in Bangor, Maine, who decides to visit a pal in San Diego, California, to get into a car and drive – as expeditiously or adventurously as they like. You can take advantage of the low cost of car rental to create your own road movie – exploring the Great Outdoors of the south west US in wide screen, or New England in close-up. You escape the restrictions of public transport – skeletal or non-existent in much of the US – and gain the freedom of the open road.

You could single-mindedly set about ticking off the natural phenomena of the Rockies, or the best theme parks in Florida. Or you can see how the serendipity of the road unwinds, exploring rural backwaters in Louisiana or Michigan. Every fly-drive trip is different, but some basic principles apply. Pre-booking a car in the UK is almost always the best policy and securing a proper fly-drive package is better still.

Virgin Holidays (0844 557 4321; virginholidays.co.uk) has an excellent online fly-drive search option, with appetising prices. A week's holiday, picking up and dropping off at McCarran airport in Las Vegas on the first Saturday in August, with non-stop flights from Gatwick, a four-door saloon from Alamo and fully inclusive insurance, costs just £1,073pp based on two travelling. Knowing you have the right level of insurance means you can safely decline all the salesperson's extras. (For comparison, Virgin's ordinary economy air fare alone on those dates is £960 – meaning use of a $20,000 vehicle costs you just £16 per person per day.) And although Americans gripe about the cost of "gas", it only costs about 50p a litre.

Numerous tour operators offer deals for accommodation plus car hire. Trailfinders has a nine-day "Rhythms of the South" trip from New Orleans to Nashville with a B&B stay at the Heartbreak Hotel, Memphis and a stop in Natchez for £959pp, based on two travelling (valid to 24 March). Western & Oriental (020-7666 1234; westernoriental.com) has a one-week "Canyon Adventure" in Utah, Arizona and Colorado for £1,201 with flights, car and hotels.

If you prefer to make your own arrangements, consider using a car-rental broker rather than going direct to the hire firms. Holiday Autos (0800 093 3111; holidayautos.co.uk) can negotiate excellent prices and, in my experience, offers good customer service when things go awry. A one-week, one-way rental from Miami airport to Orlando airport in May costs £144 for the "Max" option, which is really everything you need: unlimited mileage (standard in the USA), airport fee, breakdown assistance, collision damage waiver, environmental tax, state taxes, supplementary liability insurance, theft waiver, third-party liability insurance and loss damage waiver. Oh, and a full tank of petrol. Pack a family of four in, and the cost for a week of Floridian exploration works out barely a fiver per person per day.

One-way rentals have plenty of appeal: while the road trip from Boston to Miami along US Route 1 constitutes a fascinating drive, it is not necessarily a journey you would want to make on a return basis. Rental firms can charge punitive sums – normally payable locally, in dollars – for the privilege of dropping off a car in a different state. For that Boston-Miami run, Holiday Autos quotes a very reasonable £168 for a car for a week, but warns you must hand over another $500 to drop it off. Even across a single state line, you can expect to be charged.

Finally, on a long latitudinal trip, always go west: as time zones change, this extends the days.

Mother roads

Route 66, from Chicago to the Pacific at Santa Monica, State Route 1 on California's coast, and Route 61 along the Mississippi from Minnesota to New Orleans – all resonate. Before you book, however, make sure expectations are realistic. On Route 66, just a few scenic byways remain. Titan Travel (0800 988 5823; titantravel.co.uk) has a 17-day coach tour, at £2,295 with flights on BA or Virgin, hotels and stops in St Louis, Amarillo and Albuquerque. California's State Route 1 is an ideal connection between LA with San Francisco, on a spectacular route. The best stretch of Highway 61 is through Mississippi, where it earned the name "The Blues Highway".

In the heart of Texas

Texas exemplifies why America is made for fly-drive. Start in the east, at Houston and explore the spectacular San Jacinto Monument, Space Center Houston and the beaches of Galveston. The capital, Austin, three hours west, is more diverse, tolerant and relaxed. For early Texan history, aim south to San Antonio, home to the Alamo. From here, go north to the Hill Country or west to Big Bend National Park, above. On ba.com, you can book a fly-drive week with non-stop flights between Heathrow and Houston, departing 1 June, for £670 based on two sharing. If you join BA's Executive Club, which is free, you qualify for a second driver free.

Mind how you go

Fly-drive should be carefree and good value, but pitfalls await the unwary. Car-rental clerks are often on commission for selling extras so, if you have an all-inclusive deal, resist them. Beware strange practices such as overtaking on the inside on freeways. The "Stop" sign is sacrosanct, as is the school bus when loading or unloading. Each state has its speed limits, typically 60-75mph on freeways and rural highways, 25mph or less in town.

Network US

The railroad may have built America, but in the 21st century its lifeblood flows along the highways that mesh, mesmerically, across the nation. So, before you choose your itinerary, it helps to understand how the US road system works. The foundations comprise the "Interstate and Defense Highways", prefixed I-, providing the postwar network that still carries most long-distance traffic. East-west highways end in zero, and range from I-10 – at times scraping the Mexican border – to I-90, the route threading close to the Canadian frontier, and the longest interstate in the country. North-south interstates are suffixed with a five, from I-5 in the west to I-95 in the east.

If you were to choose only one interstate, make it I-80 – it runs between George Washington Bridge, New York City, and downtown San Francisco, some 2,900 miles. You pass the Crossroads of America (where it meets I-75 in Ohio), Salt Lake City and the Bonneville Salt Flats, and California's capital, Sacramento. BA, United and Virgin Atlantic offer "open-jaw" tickets, to New York, non-stop from Heathrow, and back via San Francisco.

Something special

A Ferrari F430 Spider has a top speed of 199mph. You can rent one from Hertz (via its US website, hertz.com) in Miami on Independence Day, 4 July, for $1,500 (£1,000) for 24 hours. You get 75 free miles, after which you pay $3 (£2) per mile.

Bon Voyage (0800 360 3012; bon-voyage.co.uk) has a nine-day guided Wild West motorcycle trip from 23 May for £2,665. It takes in Death Valley, Yosemite and California State Route 1.

For a more sedate trip, try a motor home (RV), especially if you plan to take in the national parks. Established specialist Cruise America (001 480 464 7300; cruise america.com) has a week's "Intermediate" RV rental (sleeps six), picking up in Denver on 3 August for $1,253 (£835). No mileage is included, so each mile costs $0.42, adding £140 for a 500-mile trip. Look out also for relocation deals, such as Chicago to California, departing April/May.

Free Ride

The driveaway concept is simple: a vehicle owner who doesn't fancy the trek asks an agency to find a stranger willing to drive thousands of miles, while they fly – ideal for travellers with plenty of time but limited cash.

Overseas visitors are favoured by companies such as Auto Driveaway (001 703 360 8250; autodriveaway.com). The Virginia-based firm currently lists a saloon from Seattle to Maryland and an SUV from Nashville to Arizona. You need to be 23 or over, with a clean driving record. Expect to be fingerprinted and to leave a $350 (£233) deposit. You pay for all the fuel, apart from the first tank.

You are given some leeway on the length of time you are allowed and the maximum mileage you may drive. On a driveaway from Miami to Oregon, direct distance 3,500 miles, I was allowed 3,750 miles within 10 days.

If you exceed the mileage, your deposit is in jeopardy and if you fail to deliver on time your liberty is threatened – the police will start looking for you.

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Gun safety in the home hasn't been discussed much in the recent national conversation on gun violence, but the head of the nation's largest homeowners and auto insurance company acknowledges that it could be.

Edward B. Rust Jr., CEO and chairman of the board of State Farm Mutual Insurance Co., said this week that gun ownership "could be among a multitude of things" considered among the risk factors used by insurance companies to determine the cost of homeowners insurance policies. "But," he added, "whether someone owns a gun doesn't necessarily make them a risk. . . . The bigger debate is, Are people competent in gun ownership?"

Rust made his comments following a panel discussion at a forum for property and casualty insurers held at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York on Monday.

In recent weeks, some commentators have suggested that insurance could play a role in mitigating gun violence. Insurers could offer discounts for gun owners who indicated they use gun locks and other safety features, suggests Marsha N. Cohen, a law professor at the University of California Hastings College of the Law. Another option: Consumers would have to show proof of coverage before buying guns.

Accidents represent just 2.6 percent of all gun fatalities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But that figure rose by 37 percent, from 1.9 percent, from 2010 to 2011.

State Farm does not specifically ask applicants whether they own firearms, says Jeff McCollum, a company spokesman. In most states, the company's standard homeowners policy covers up to $2,500 of loss if guns are stolen or destroyed. Owners of expensive collectible guns can buy a separate "personal articles policy" for the value of what they own.

State Farm does not give special discounts for people who use gun locks and other safety devices, McCollum said. The company sells policies in every state and has 20 to 25 percent of the homeowners and auto insurance market. (Check our buying guide and Ratings for homeowners insurance.)

Rust seemed reluctant to insert himself or the industry in the gun-violence debate. He acknowledged that "compliance and safety" had to be part of people's thinking about guns. But, he said, while there was a need for a "healthy debate" on the subject, insurers weren't geared up to police policyholders on whether they're taking proper gun-safety measures in the home. "It's like seat belt laws," he said. "Wearing a seat belt can mitigate injuries. But we can't pull everyone over to make sure they're wearing a belt."

—Tobie Stanger

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This post comes from Michele Lerner at partner site Insurance.com.

Cars that jiggle you awake or alert you when you drive out of your lane represent just the beginning of technological changes that will make car accidents less common and, eventually, change how car insurance is priced, bought and sold, say industry analysts.

The recent article in Insurance & Technology magazine "The reshaping of auto insurance," penned by Marik Brockman and Anand Rao of PricewaterhouseCoopers, reviews several trends that they believe will significantly transform the way car insurance works.

These trends include:

Risk shifting

Advanced technologies such as telematics, vehicle-to-vehicle communication, lane detection systems and automatic braking will shift responsibility for accidents from driver error to mechanical malfunction.

"In turn, this would shift the key buyer from the end-consumer to the car manufacturer, and fundamentally change the entire value chain, from product definition to pricing, marketing, distribution, underwriting, service, and claims," says the report. In this scenario, carriers would sell policies either at the dealership, or perhaps try to increase market share by "co-marketing with the manufacturer and/or dealer," says the report.

Risk sharing

Social networking creates new pools of drivers to share group discounts.

"There are new carriers that combine social networking with insurance by connecting customers to form insurance networks that promise significantly lower premiums. These carriers claim that their models allow insurers to access new customers virally, decrease process costs and reduce claim ratios," the report says. While, on the one hand, this represents the potential for lower rates for more groups, it also could make insurance more affordable for some and therefore lead to more insured drivers, say the authors.

Risk slicing

The growth of car-sharing will mean that more car insurance policies will follow a pay-per-use model instead of 24/7 coverage.

The North American car-sharing market could surpass 4.4 million members and $3 billion by 2016, the report says, citing Frost & Sullivan research published in March 2012. More low-frequency drivers likely equates to at least some reduction in individual premiums.

"However, this scenario does not necessarily represent only lost premiums," says the report. "Most of the people who do not choose to own cars will need to rent them at least occasionally; accordingly, car sharing can expand the market for alternative buyers of insurance."

Risk reduction

Driverless cars will require an entirely new model of insurance coverage, based on the vehicle rather than the driver.

"Unlike the above scenarios that represent significant change but not necessarily extreme disruption to the insurance industry, driverless cars equipped with the latest awareness technologies could completely change the industry as we know it," says the report.

Google's driverless vehicles have logged more than 300,000 miles without an accident. Driverless cars are now legal on California roadways, and Google's U.S. spending on advocacy of driverless vehicles exceeded $9 million in just the first half of 2012, according to the report.

Changes coming . . . eventually

Based on these technological changes, Brockman, a partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, says he anticipates that many of the larger companies that provide auto insurance now will develop innovative insurance products that will be similar to product liability coverage.

"Some of the larger insurance companies already have a commercial insurance business, so we expect them to find creative ways to offer auto insurance for different types of vehicles, drivers and devices," says Brockman.

Insurance technology analyst Donald Light said in a blog post on the report: "If and when liability for many accidents shifts to the manufacturers of the automobiles (and/or the on-board equipment), it is likely that the frequency of accidents will be significantly lower, leading to lower losses, and lower premiums for auto insurers. So change is coming for auto insurers in terms of business and operating models. The big question is how quickly."

Robert Hunter, the director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America, forecasts that individuals eventually will not actually buy car insurance at all. Instead, a limited policy to pay for medical bills will come with a car purchase or lease. If an accident occurs, the insurance companies of the individual vendors will have to determine which feature failed and will be responsible for repairs or replacing the vehicle.

"It will take a long time, but I think 20 years from now car insurance will look totally different than it looks today," says Hunter. "Once driverless cars come into use there will naturally be less car accidents because the car won't get drunk or speed or get distracted by a pretty girl walking by. At that point, accidents will be caused by a manufacturing or installation error rather than driver error."

Why are so many discounts for outdated technology?

In the meantime, many vehicles already have safety features such as automatic brakes that stop your car from hitting another, rear-view cameras that prevent collisions when drivers are backing up and systems that alert you when you swerve into the wrong lane.

You may pay a lower rate if you drive a car equipped with such high-tech systems. Yet not all insurance companies offer discounts for these features, though they typically do for more outdated items such as airbags and antilock brakes.

"Insurance companies are always a little bit behind," says Hunter. "There's a bit of a herd instinct there, so most of the car insurance companies will wait for one of the big ones like State Farm to offer a discount for a particular feature before they'll do it. At the same time, these companies legitimately want to gather data and make sure this stuff really works before they start promoting them and offering discounts on them."

Brockman says some of the more advanced insurance carriers will monitor tests on auto safety features in advance and will offer their customers discounts earlier than others.

"Discounts for specific features follow a timeline that correlates with the release of a new product, followed by increasing customer adoption and increasing promotion of the product," says Brockman. "There's just a little lag time before discounts become available for new features."

More from Insurance.com and MSN Money:

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Lansing — Gov. Rick Snyder called on the Legislature in Wednesday night's State of the State address to find a way to raise $1.2 billion in additional annual funding to fix the state's crumbling roads, allow no-reason absentee voting and reform no-fault auto insurance.

He renewed previous endorsements of hiking motor vehicle registration fees and changing the 19-cents-per-gallon gas tax to a percentage tax based on the wholesale rate that can grow with inflation and rising oil prices. That would make it easier for the revenue raised to keep up with rising costs for fixing roads, bridges and railroads. He also wants to change the state's 62-year-old road funding formula.

"We can decide how long we want to argue about it, how political we want to make it, or we can just use some common sense and get it done," Snyder said.

Michigan Department of Transportation Director Kirk Steudle said getting to $1.2 billion will mean motorists will have to pay roughly $120 per vehicle more each year — either through a higher gas tax or registration fees.

Snyder also called for:

A renewed effort by the Legislature overhaul governance of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Preventing "slumlords" who don't pay property taxes or let homes fall into disrepair from buying more tax-reverted properties.

Urging the Legislature to allow residents to register to vote online and vote absentee without a reason — such as disability or being out of town — up to 45 days before Election Day. Secretary of State Ruth Johnson says she supports the effort.

Reining in auto insurance rates through a reform of Michigan's no-fault law.

Reforming campaign finance reporting so that there's more transparency about donors and more frequent reporting.

Expanding the Education Achievement Authority from running 15 failing schools in Detroit to 50 schools statewide that persistently have low test scores. Legislation to do so stalled in the Legislature last year.

In a nod to Michigan's strong automobile heritage, Snyder also called for legislation allowing testing of Google's self-driving cars. California, Florida and Nevada have greenlighted "autonomous-vehicles" and an auto-centric state like Michigan should be next,Snyder said.

"We're the car state, we should catch up," the Republican governor said.

Snyder opened his nearly one-hour speech by touting data showing Michigan's economic fortunes are reversing after a decade of decline. Nearly 177,000 jobs have been created since August 2009, home sales were up 10 percent last year and the state population increased in 2012 for the first time since 2004, he said.

Before the address, a couple of hundred union members protested outside the Capitol over last month's passage of a controversial right-to-work law. In his address, Snyder hinted about the divisive issue, without mentioning the law by name.

"I wish it wouldn't have happened," Snyder said of the right-to-work division. "I hope we can work together, I hope we can work to avoid those kinds of situations."

Democrats said the governor's reference to speeding right-to-work legislation through the lame-duck session at the end of last year were insincere.

"The elephant in the room was right to work, and that wasn't addressed very well," Wayne County Executive Bob Ficano said after the speech.

Democrats panned Snyder's third annual address. State Sen. Coleman Young II, D-Detroit, said: "It's very rare. I'm at a loss of words. He meant well, but he was out of touch. There were no real specifics."

In calling for action on closing a road funding deficit estimated to grow to $1.6 billion next year, Snyder also proposed allowing counties to levy a separate vehicle registration fee to raise "an additional couple hundred million dollars" on top of the $1.2 billion in new state funds.

Ficano said county-by-county fees would lead to a "hodge podge" of road conditions.

"It pits counties against one another," he said.

Snyder emphasized the economic and safety benefits of having better roads — from fewer flat tires and vehicle repairs for motorists to 12,000 jobs for road construction firms and an estimated 100 fewer highway deaths annually.

"There's no price you can put on that," Snyder said.

Snyder's road funding plan lacked details on how much it would cost average drivers. Aides said he's deferring to the Legislature to formulate a plan.

"If we put a number out there, it's going to be immediately attacked," said Bill Rustem, the governor's director of strategy and policy, before the speech.

Sen. Roger Kahn, R-Saginaw, is leading efforts to draft funding proposals for raising new revenues. One proposal he has would ask voters to approve a 2-cent hike in the sales tax to raise an extra $1.5 billion for roads and eliminate gas taxes altogether.

Earlier in the day, Snyder met separately with House and Senate leaders from both parties — and the detail-less road funding pitch didn't go over well with Democrats.

"It was very vague in terms of how he wanted to raise the $1.2 billion," said House Minority Floor Leader Rudy Hobbs, D-Southfield. "On purpose, I'm sure."

Hobbs said Democrats have no appetite to raise taxes and fees on middle-class motorists at a time when taxpayers are starting absorb the GOP majority's elimination of numerous income tax breaks in 2011 to help pay for a $1.8 billion business tax cut.

"With the huge shift in taxes from corporations to the middle-class taxpayers, we're not looking to increase that burden," he said. "It's just not feasible right now."

Lawmakers will first comb the budget for places to cut before agreeing to raise taxes, said House Appropriations chairman Joe Haveman, R-Holland.

"Raising revenues isn't going to be the first thing we'll want to do out of the box," Haveman said.

Gasoline tax revenues have declined every year for a decade as motorists have switched to more fuel-efficient vehicles, hybrids or driving less because of the price of gas.

About 87 percent of state trunk line roads are rated good or fair, according to MDOT.

If no additional money is infused into the road system over the next decade, Steudle said, just 38 percent of main roads will be in good or fair condition.

Snyder now needs to sell the road funding plan to skeptical out-state legislators that better highways and byways won't just benefit urban areas, said Brad Williams, director of governmental relations for the Detroit Regional Chamber.

"It's hard to get cherries to the world if we're not keeping U.S. 31 in good condition," Williams said.

clivengood@detroitnews.com

(517) 371-3660

Detroit News Staff Writer Marisa Schultz contributed.

In a mostly upbeat speech, there were several major issues Gov. Rick Snyder did not address:
Reforming K-12 education funding
Battling crime in Detroit
Increasing natural gas exploration
Detroit's dire finances and possible appointment of an emergency financial manager
New abortion clinic regulations he approved last month

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Insurance agents getting calls from clients about lost auto-insurance cards could soon become a thing of the past as more states seek to legalize the use of electronic ID cards.

Wyoming is looking to become the latest state to adopt such a system, with legislators considering a bill that would allow motorists to use an electronic format for proof of insurance for a police stop.

Christian J. Rataj, state affairs manager for the National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies, says the association “commends the Wyoming Legislature for considering a consumer-friendly, environment-friendly, and law-enforcement-friendly proof of insurance bill that addresses the modern realities of the electronic communications age, where consumers maintain a host of important personal records on their mobile devices.”

Rataj says that one positive point in the proposed legislation (SF 87), which awaits a state Senate-committee hearing, is that it does not require insurers to offer the electronic format, instead allowing them to offer it as an option.

Alex Hageli, director, personal lines policy for the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America, says there is only one sentence in the proposed bill that is problematic. It deals with information being maintained in the state’s online-verification system. His concern is that there could be lag time between card issuance and upload to the state’s system. This could create a problem for a motorist who presents the card not knowing the information was not yet received by the state. He recommends the sentence be removed, pointing out that no other state has it.

Currently, there are six states that allow law enforcement to use electronic format as proof on insurance, says Rataj. Colorado allows its use only for motor-vehicle registration. He says legislation to allow law enforcement to use it there is pending.

Late last year, California became the latest state to allow electronic proof of insurance.

Hageli says a number of additional states are examining allowing electronic identification, which would be especially nice for people who forget to take their card with them.

“If you always have your phone with you, you always have your card with you,” says Hageli.

Besides Colorado expanding the use of the electronic card, and Wyoming’s legislation, Hageli says other states where the format is under consideration include Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Maine, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas and Washington State.

In addition to California, states that allow electronic format as proof of insurance during a traffic stop are Alabama, Arizona, Idaho, Louisiana and Minnesota.

He says the companies that he is aware of that are offering the electronic insurance card include Allstate, Liberty Mutual, and USAA. Progressive is on the verge of a roll out and GEICO is supportive of it.

A spokeswoman for State Farm says customers can access their insurance ID card through the company's Pocket Agent app.

Justin Herndon, a spokesman for Allstate, says the company does not offer an app for that purpose yet, but customers can access their ID card with their smart phone by accessing their account information.

A spokesman for Progressive says customers can view their insurance ID card on their cell phone through the company's app.

“This is one of those subjects that everyone is supportive of,” says Hageli. “It is only a matter of time before every [insurer] develops the apps.” 

Update: 5:43 p.m. EST with company information from State Farm, Allstate and Progressive.

AppId is over the quota AppId is over the quota 

 Tomas Venancio, 47, right, joins others at a news conference at La Placita Olvera in downtown Los Angeles to announce community actions to push for driver's licenses for illegal immigrants in California. (Mel Melcon / Los Angeles Times / January 10, 2013)

Unlicensed drivers in California — the vast majority of whom are illegal immigrants — are nearly three times as likely to cause a fatal crash as licensed drivers, according to a study by the Department of Motor Vehicles.

The report suggests that merely meeting the modest requirements necessary to get a license — passing a written exam and driving test — could improve road safety and help reduce the several thousand fatalities that occur in the state each year.

FOR THE RECORD:
Unlicensed drivers: A Jan. 16 article in Section A about unlicensed drivers incorrectly attributed to a Department of Motor Vehicles study the statement that the vast majority of those drivers are illegal immigrants. While true, according to the office of Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville), the fact was not included in the study.

"If you don't hold people accountable to acceptable standards, then we get people that aren't prepared and don't have the skill set," said Tyler Izen, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League.

The recently released DMV report is the agency's first significant analysis of unlicensed drivers in 15 years and adds fuel to the debate over whether illegal immigrants should be eligible for licenses.

Immigrant rights groups say that granting such licenses would reduce fatalities and costly uninsured motorist claims. Insurance companies paid out $634 million in claims for collisions related to uninsured motorists in 2009, according to the most recent data from the state.

It "really goes against public safety because the current law forces people who would otherwise be properly licensed to drive without one," said Angela Sanbrano, board president for the Central American Resource Center in Los Angeles.

Critics, however, argue that giving licenses to undocumented immigrants merely rewards illegal activity.

"One study shouldn't trump the obvious — if you don't want illegal aliens in the country, why do you want to encourage them to be on the roads?" said Bob Dane, spokesman for the Washington-based Federation for American Immigration Reform. "It just defies common sense."

The DMV report looked at 23 years of data on fatal accidents. Its conclusions were similar to the last such report in 1997, which looked at accident data from 1987 to 1992. The latest report was also the first analysis since a 1994 change in the state law that required all licensed drivers show proof of legal residency, which significantly increased the number of unlicensed drivers.

Rough estimates put the number of unlicensed drivers at about 2 million, compared with the approximately 24 million licensed drivers.

Many of the unlicensed motorists say they would get licenses if they could.

Maria Galvan, a 42-year-old illegal immigrant in Los Angeles, said she has little choice but to drive to work, pick up groceries and take her daughters to school.

"We need driver's licenses to be comfortable and be trusted and follow the law," Galvan said.

Repeated legislative efforts to allow illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses have been met with stiff resistance.

Former Assemblyman Gil Cedillo (D-Los Angeles) tried unsuccessfully nine times to get a law passed.

But the political winds may be changing.

Last year, Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law allowing some illegal immigrants who qualify for a new federal work permit program to get driver's licenses.

Los Angeles City Councilman Ed Reyes said it was time to offer that opportunity to all illegal immigrants in California.

"No matter who is behind the wheel, they need to be prepared and understand the rules of the road," Reyes said. "That's a significant issue when you live in a city that has a culture driven by cars."

Assemblyman Luis Alejo (D-Watsonville) introduced a bill last week that would provide driver's licenses to anyone who can show they pay taxes, regardless of their immigration status.

Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck and L.A. County Sheriff Lee Baca said last year that they were in favor of such a measure.

Supporters point out that granting licenses to illegal immigrants also could reduce the number of hit-and-run accidents. Unlicensed drivers leave crash scenes at significantly higher rates than licensed drivers, according to a 2011 national report from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety.

"I suspect that the reason people hit-and-run is they are afraid of the consequences," said Izen, the police union president. "Maybe if they had a driver's license, they wouldn't run."

There is budding support around the country for expanding the pool of licensed drivers.

In Illinois, a bill to allow special licenses for illegal immigrants passed the state Legislature this week, and Gov. Pat Quinn has pledged to sign it. Washington and New Mexico already have similar laws.

But Dane, of the immigration-reform group said the effects of granting driver's licenses go beyond just allowing people to legally drive. Licenses provide a legal foothold for residency, he said. They add another benefit that legitimizes the presence of illegal immigrants.

"It's a gold-plated membership card into society," Dane said.

The report also has added to the controversy over the Los Angeles Police Commission's policy change last year that eased car impound rules on unlicensed drivers.

Unlicensed drivers stopped over minor traffic infractions no longer have their cars automatically impounded for 30 days. If the driver can show that he or she has auto insurance, valid identification and no previous citations for unlicensed driving, the car will be released.

The L.A. police union filed suit to block the policy change last year, saying it would put dangerous drivers back on the road sooner. The new DMV research proves their point, Izen said.

"It is our hope that in the new year, the DMV study will be the impetus for city officials to revisit this issue and show that they are serious about putting public safety first," he said.

ben.poston@latimes.com

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
Initiative Measure On Next Ballot Will Give California The Power To Review And Reject Health Insurance Companies' Unreasonable Rate Hikes

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jan. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Anthem Blue Cross plans to go ahead with a 10.6% average annual health insurance rate hike on small business owners, despite the fact that an examination by California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones found the rate increase to be unreasonable and unsupportable, the Insurance Commissioner announced today. An initiative measure that will appear on the next general election ballot would give California the authority to publicly review rate increases, and reject those that are excessive. Unlike most states, California law allows unreasonable rate increases to take effect.

"Health insurance rates have risen five times greater than the rate of inflation over the last decade, by 153%," said Jamie Court , president of Consumer Watchdog. "It's outrageous that California, unlike most other states, can't protect patients from unreasonable health insurance rate hikes."

The federal health reform law requires review of some rate increases. However it fails to give states the power to reject rate increases that the data show are excessive or unreasonable. The law relies on the bully pulpit to shame health insurance companies into reducing unreasonable rates, a strategy that has proven ineffective, said Consumer Watchdog.

"Reviewing rate hikes isn't enough when health insurance companies can simply laugh off findings that the facts don't support their unreasonable increases. California families and businesses will continue to be burdened with excessive double-digit hikes until we have the power to say 'No' when health insurers set prices unreasonably high," said Carmen Balber , executive director of Consumer Watchdog.

This month's unreasonable rate increase by Anthem Blue Cross is not the first to take effect in California, or across the country, because federal insurance regulators and regulators in around 15 states lack the power to say no when a rate hike is too high. In April, Aetna imposed an 8% rate increase on California small business customers despite the Insurance Commissioner's finding that it was unreasonable. Anthem Blue Cross imposed an average 16% rate hike on 120,000 Californians with individual policies the prior year, despite the fact that the Department of Managed Health Care determined that the increase was unreasonable. This spring, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services examination found that rate hikes in at least nine states were unreasonable, yet health insurance companies went ahead with the increases because HHS did not have the power to stop them.

Insurance reform law Proposition 103 regulates auto, home and business insurance rates in California, and requires insurers to open their books, publicly justify and get approval for rate increases before they take effect. That law, Proposition 103, was enacted by the voters in 1988 and has saved California drivers $62 billion on their auto insurance premiums. An initiative measure that has qualified for the 2014 general election ballot would extend Prop 103's requirements for fair insurance pricing for the three lines of insurance that Californians must purchase, either by law or necessity – auto, homeowners and health.

Visit our website at: http://www.ConsumerWatchdog.org

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

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http://www.consumerwatchdog.org

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Statement as issued Thursday by the inaugural committee:

WASHINGTON – Today, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced eight Americans who have been selected as Citizen Co-Chairs for the Inauguration of President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden. Each of these remarkable Americans reflect the core values of this Administration and the theme of the 57th Presidential Inauguration: Our People. Our Future. Naming Citizen Co-Chairs is a new Inaugural tradition that President Obama and Vice President Biden decided to launch to honor all of the Americans who can relate to the stories of these co-chairs.

“Every day, I’m inspired by the determination, grit, and resilience of the American people,” said President Barack Obama. “The stories of these extraordinary men and women highlight both the progress we’ve made and how much we have left to do. They remind us that when we live up to the example set by the American people, there is no limit to how bright our future can be.”

“The National Inaugural Citizen Co-Chairs were chosen for their extraordinary contributions to their communities,” said PIC Executive Director David Cusack. “Whether co-founding a non-profit to help rebuild homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina or serving bravely in our armed forces, each of these women and men reminds us that the strength of America comes from the strength of its people.”

Each Co-Chair will play an important role in the Inaugural ceremonies. On Saturday, January 19, they will join Americans in all 50 states and participate in the National Day of Service. On Inauguration Day, the Co-Chairs will take part in the Inaugural Parade, riding on the “Our People, Our Future” float, and attend the Inaugural Ball.

Full List of National Inaugural Citizen Co-Chairs:

Ida Edwards, Virginia

Ida Edwards is a retired nurse and advocate of President Obama’s healthcare reform. As someone who lived through the Civil Rights Movement in Virginia, she seeks to remind those around her about both how far we have come and the work we have left to do. Her and her husband, who both worked from high school through retirement, live in Petersburg, Virginia.

Erica Chain, California

At 27 years old, Erica was diagnosed with a life-threatening brain tumor. She applied to every health insurance provider she could think of, but was denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition. Thanks to the Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan (PCIP) under the Affordable Care Act, Erica was able to get access to treatment. Due to PCIP, Erica was able to get the surgery she needed in order to stay alive and the rehab to reach a full recovery. Erica works at Rock Health and Silicon Valley Bank-Analytics to support the digital health and venture eco-system and resides in San Francisco, California.

Lily Griego, Colorado

Lily is a single mother working two jobs. Thanks to Pell Grants, financial aid, and Lily’s hard work, her son has been able to attend college.

Kenyetta Jones, Ohio

Kenyetta is a 27-year veteran at the General Motors Powertrain Plant in Toledo, OH, and is a mother of two college-aged daughters. Kenyetta was laid off for 13 months during the economic downturn in 2009, but she never gave up hope that she would get back to work. After a year without full-time employment, Kenyetta was notified that she would be returning to work because of the President’s intervention to rescue the auto industry.

Liz McCartney, Louisiana

Liz McCartney is the co-founder of the St. Bernard Project (SBP), a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide disaster-impacted communities with a prompt, efficient and predictable path to recovery. Liz and her husband launched SBP, initially a post Katrina home rebuilding program, when they moved from Washington, DC to New Orleans in 2006. SPB has rebuilt hundreds of homes in New Orleans and in Joplin, Missouri through its affiliate Rebuild Joplin. SBP has recruited over 70,000 volunteers and AmeriCorps members since inception to support its efforts. SBP is also working closely with stakeholders in New York and New Jersey to help rebuild communities devastated by Superstorm Sandy. SBP’s co-founders have received numerous awards and recognition for their work. In 2008, Liz was awarded the Hero of the Year award by CNN Heroes. In 2011, she was recognized as a White House Champion of Change.

Rob Hach, Iowa

Rob and his wife Tara started Anemometry Specialists, a small business, 10 years ago in the renewable energy field in Alta, IA. Rob has been involved in the wind energy business since 1994, learning the ropes from some of the early pioneers of the wind energy industry. Rob has grown his business over this past decade and now has 31 employees. Anemometry Specialists was named the Iowa Small Business of the Year in 2010.

David Hall, Washington, DC

Following in the footsteps of his father and stepfather, David joined the Air Force in March 1996. He was promoted to Staff Sergeant and graduated as a distinguished graduate from Airman Leadership School. After reenlisting for another four years, he applied for Air Force ROTC and was selected under the Professional Officer Course – Early Release Program. He was excited to receive a pilot slot but was dis-enrolled for “homosexual conduct” in August 2002 after a fellow cadet told his commanders that he is gay. Following the Air Force, David worked on the successful repeal of DADT through Out Serve – SLDN.

Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Morris, Iowa

Petty Officer Second Class Taylor Morris is currently assigned to the Navy Safe Harbor Wounded Warrior Program at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. While assigned to Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) Mobile Unit 12 based out of Joint Base Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina, Morris was injured by an IED blast during his first deployment to Afghanistan. His injuries resulted in the amputation of both of his legs, his left arm and his right hand. Petty Officer Morris is the recipient of the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star.

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota

Now that 2013 is officially here, so is a new California auto insurance law that will make it a bit easier for drivers who are required to prove their coverage to the police when they have been pulled over.

The hope is that it will make it much faster and easier for drivers to be able to prove that they have auto insurance when they are pulled over or even when they are driving through a DUI checkpoint and other times in which they need to provide proof of coverage. It should also help to overcome the issue of finding a copy of the proof, only it is not the most recent edition.

The mobile device user would be required to store the proof of auto insurance on his or her smartphone or tablet. Then, when it is needed, it can be used as proof of coverage instead of having to find the printed document. At the moment, there has already been a great deal of positive interest in this additional form of proving that a policy has been purchased. Some drivers are now hoping that it will become possible to store a digital driver’s license on the devices, as well.

Though that option is not yet available, the smartphone proof of auto insurance should help to considerably boost convenience. State Farm is already offering this option to its customers. To use it, they must download the insurer’s app. Once that has been installed, they can then use the “auto” section to view the policy card. What is displayed is the current proof of insurance and is legally acceptable to show to police.

According to State Farm agent David Chacon, when asked about this new proof of auto insurance, “The easiest convenience, I think, is you always forget to put your new insurance card in your glove box, so this way it is always updated and ready to go.”

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
January 17, 2013
Warriors New Arena Architect To Host Students At California Academy Of Sciences Today
Build San Francisco Institute Students to Meet AECOM Architect, Participate in Esurance Green Mob

The Golden State Warriors and Esurance announced today they will host 25 high school students with the Build San Francisco Institute on a visit to the California Academy of Sciences (455 Concourse Drive, San Francisco CA 94505) on Thursday, January 17 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. AECOM Architect Michael Laviano, one of the designers tasked with creating the team’s planned sports and entertainment complex on Piers 30-32, will speak to the students about his experience with major design projects and the importance of environmentally responsible design and construction.

Esurance, the direct-to-consumer personal car insurance company is the official auto insurance and multi-property provider of the Golden State Warriors. They will discuss with the students the importance of green initiatives for the San Francisco Bay Area, as part of Esurance’s ongoing commitment to the local community and the environment. Students will also be welcomed by California Academy of Sciences staff and given the Green Building and Architecture Tour of the building and have a chance to eat lunch with Cal Academy staff, Michael Laviano, Esurance and Warriors representatives.

On August 26, 2012, the Warriors announced that the San Francisco-based AECOM office, along with Snøhetta, would serve as the architect group for the team’s planned sports and entertainment complex on the waterfront at Piers 30-32. For more information on the Warriors’ San Francisco arena development project, please visit warriors.com/sf.

The 2012-13 NBA season marks the fifth year in which the Warriors have partnered with Esurance to present their signature Green Mob, highlighting the company’s ongoing commitment to the community and the environment. Earlier this year, the Warriors and Esurance hosted a “Go Green” Green Mob event with a BART ride from the Oakland City Center to San Francisco’s Embarcadero Station where the group moved through the Embarcadero Station and down Market Street encouraging the public to use environmentally conscious transportation in the Bay Area.

)

Now add in your accident to blame. A car accident on your record can affect rates from 10% to 40%. Add to this the rate hike for tickets and rates could be increased considerably-and keep in mind that the price increases you receive will continue for the next three to five years.

Since charge times vary from one insurer to the next, you need to comparison shop to find the insurer that is the best price for your particular evaluation factors.

If your auto insurance company will, then maybe it will have auto insurance premiums cheaper but it is very likely that another insurer instead.  Auto insurance quotes for high-risk drivers also will differ by hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

For example, we compared quotes for a male 35-year-old in Oakland. With a clean driving record, the cheapest quote for the coverage of liability was only $604 a year. With two speeding tickets and a minor accident, quotes ranged from $ 1,086 to $ 1,588 per year.

Regarding your licence, it depends on your state laws if the privileges will be suspended due to multiple violations and moving accident on your record.  In California, drivers receive a point for collisions and minor traffic convictions.  For more traffic violations, such as reckless driving, hit and run and DUI, you receive two points.

If you receive four points in 12 months or six months, 24 points in California, then you are considered a negligent operator by the State and lose its license. The California Department of motor vehicles (DMV) says this includes at least a suspension of six months and a year of probation.  If you're worried about losing your license, contact the DMV to find out your point total.

If you get another ticket, see if you are eligible to take a defensive driving course to keep ticket and points off your driving record, which can keep the crime unknown to your insurance company.

The original article can be found at CarInsurance.com:

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