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Two health reform bills working their way through the state Legislature still contain question marks about some of the details, but overall they represent a major milestone for Californians who buy their own health insurance, according to consumer advocates.

"We are fundamentally changing the rules that insurers play by," said Anthony Wright, executive director of Health Access California. "This is historic, groundbreaking legislation."

The two companion bills, ABx1 2 and SBx1 2, retool the laws governing California's individual insurance market to align with new regulations in the Affordable Care Act. Similar legislation was proposed and passed by the Legislature last year but vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown (D). The governor didn't want the state to make new laws based on a federal law that could be repealed if a Republican moved into the White House.

The bills, moving through committees now, are expected to be approved in both houses and signed by the governor.

"This is absolutely essential that we do this -- that we conform California law to federal law," said Betsy Imholz, director of special projects for Consumers Union.

"The changes in federal law will make a significant difference in the individual market, which has been the Wild West out here in California," Imholz said. "These bills will implement all that good stuff in the reform law -- that panoply of provisions to improve our health care system.

"These bills have a few extra California tweaks in them and we hope to get some more added over the next few weeks," Imholz said.

Geographic Regions in Spotlight

One of the California tweaks getting a lot of attention is the number of geographic regions the state should have for rating premiums.

Insurance premiums for individual purchasers -- like premiums in group plans -- are expected to continue to rise. Lawmakers and consumer advocates hope to keep the increases as low as possible, and one of the tools to do that is defining the number and characteristics of the state's geographic regions.

The two bills now call for six regions but that number -- as well as the shape and definition of the regions -- may change before the bills reach the governor's desk.

Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones has proposed a plan with 18 regions that he said will keep premium increases lower than other plans.

Covered California, the state's new insurance exchange, decided on 19 regions earlier this month. The federal government suggests that state exchanges use no more than seven rating regions.

Discussion about how many regions and how to define them dominated some of the legislative hearings on the bills last week.

"Geographic regions did occupy a large part of those hearings, which was a little frustrating to a lot of us," Imholz said.

Imholz and Wright both said the number and shape of geographic regions is important, but both stressed that maps can be redrawn if they aren't working well.

In general, consumer advocates favor fewer rating regions.

"Generally in this area, less is more for consumers," Imholz said. "In our experience with auto insurance, the more regions there were, the more opportunities there were for gaming. We don't want to come out with a number because honestly, we don't know what will work.

"Under all the formulations -- no matter which plans you look at -- some premiums are going to go up and some will go down," Imholz said. "Somebody's ox is going to be a little bit gored no matter what happens.

"There's so much uncertainty in this next year, so many moving parts and geographic regions are part of that," Imholz said.

"Are we going to get it perfect this first year? No. No way. It's not obvious in a lot of these situations what the right answer is. We have to choose a way forward, but we also have to remain flexible and be willing to change," Imholz said.

Insurers Support 19-Region Plan

Insurers, who are going to have millions of new customers in California no matter how the regions are drawn, favor Covered California's plan with 19 regions.

"Just last year, lawmakers passed, and the governor signed, legislation that created 19 rating regions for California's small group market -- extending that same rating region configuration to the individual market is a logical path forward," said Patrick Johnston, president and CEO of the California Association of Health Plans.

"Utilizing the same structure that is already in place for the small group market will help minimize rate increases for consumers and will help facilitate on-time implementation of the state's health benefit exchange."

In a prepared statement, Johnston warned that premiums could go up and insurers could be hampered in their attempts to meet deadlines for participating in Covered California if the Legislature sticks to the six-region plan.

"Reducing the rating regions to just six, as has been proposed, could trigger significant rate increases for millions of Californians who currently purchase health insurance. Reconfiguring rating regions for the individual market at this point in time would make it difficult, if not impossible, for health plans to meet the deadlines required by the state's health benefit exchange in order to open on time," Johnston said.

Consumer Advocates Point to Battles Won

Wright and Imholz said consumers won several battles along the way to getting these bills written.

"I think it's remarkable that the large bulk of these bills -- especially the groundbreaking changes like banning pre-existing conditions -- were not contested," Wright said.

The California bills, like the ACA, preclude insurers from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions.

"Of course it's predicated on the federal law, but the fact that it has gone through in California without any argument is noteworthy," Wright said.

"And the tobacco ratings not being included -- that's a win for consumers," Wright added.

The bills prohibit insurers from charging smokers or former smokers higher premiums.

Imholz said Consumers Union will be working with the state Department of Managed Health Care over the next few weeks to work out details of California's uniform disclosure regulations.

"Every plan will have to put forward a four-page summary in plain language that explains what's covered, what it will cost and what's not covered," Imholz said.

"Can you imagine? For the first time, insurers will have to say what they don't cover," Imholz said.

"California for many years under the Knox-Keene Act has had strong disclosure provisions, and we want to carry that forward with these new laws and make sure California doesn't lose some of these unique state benefits," Imholz said. "Those are the sort of nuts-and-bolts things still going on."

Insurancein Car California

Web publisher got 8 minutes has recently introduced a new Web site to help consumers shop in California to buy car insurance. Council information, discounts, and fills are in one place.

Got 8 minutes, a web publishing company, has launched a new website with news, tips and consumer information for auto insurance customers in California. Moto Rist looking for car insurance in California wants to find all kinds of information on State requirements, the types of car insurance, available discounts and savings ideas. In addition, the site features a quick quote form, allowing buyers to tap into rate offers from multiple local insurance agents and national companies in one place.

Tom Dunn, a spokesman got 8 minutes, says the site will make it easier and cheaper for California car owners to locate information and citation rate they are looking for.

"Our web development team has assembled just about anything California insurance shopper might be looking for," Mr. Dunn said, "all in one place."The site is organized to make it quick and easy for consumers to find the information they are looking for, and each page of the website has a fast, convenient web form, so buyers can compare their current Council with those more aggressive local agencies and domestic firms ".

According to Mr. Dunn, buyers who compare their advice often, even as every 4-6 months, tend to pay lower Council than those who don't compare their advice.

"The whole process takes only about eight minutes," said Mr. Dunn. "After that, the consumer wants to receive rate Quotes up to a dozen, compared with the rate that can then they are currently paying. That keeps the insurance companies honest, and it is definitely useful for the consumer. "

Mr Dunn says that it is important for buyers to get car insurance with terms and types of insurance that insurers use, as well as the specific terms of their politics, before claiming their quotes.

"The information found on the new site can help consumers better online insurance buyers become definitely them and can save money," according to Mr. Dunn. "For example, many insurance buyers are not aware of all the different kinds of discounts available to them."In many cases, if a motorist does not ask, do not get, so just know what to ask for discounts can save them money, sometimes a lot of money. "

Just some of the topics on the new site include auto insurance companies in California, articles about discounts, find car insurance types and how to buy the cheapest car insurance. Mr Dunn, said that the company will continue to add new and updated information as it becomes available.

Visit http://carinsuranceincalifornia.net/for more information.

Contact information
Name: Thomas Dunn
Organization: got 8 minutes
Phone: 585-330-4709
Email: tom@lucidpage.com
Address: Hot springs, NC

Press release distribution wire from MarketersMedia: http://marketersmedia.com/new-website-features-california-car-insurance-help-for-consumers/4985

San Diego, CA, 2/6/13-American claims Management, Inc. (ACM), a third party administrator, is now managing credits for the program of construction package by SPARTA insurance company. The program is an extension of the current commercial program offered by SPARTA in California and Texas.

Effective January 2013, ACM started to manage all aspects of the construction package program in California and Texas for SPARTA including but not limited to the subrogation services field surveys and special investigation unit.

For 20 years, ACM has handled claims for more than 4,000 contractors. "Liability of construction has been a core part of the business of ACM and are excited to bring our expertise wide complaints management contractors for the expanded program with SPARTA, said Scott Marshall, President of ACM.

SPARTA selected before ACM for its complaints management for car and commercial package in March 2010, adding later the workers ' compensation program in 2011.

Since 1988, the American claims management was that a national national independent third party claims administrator specializing in personal and commercial lines. Offering professional competence in handling complaints, ACM is committed to providing superior claims services and innovative solutions. For more information, please visit www.ACMclaims.com. ACM is a subsidiary of arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc.

Contact:
Jeffrey Dalessandro
ACM's Director of business development
JDalessandro@ACMclaims.com

Hemera/Thinkstock (TUSTIN, Calif.)--unemployed unemployment morning shooting 20-year-old went on a rampage early in Orange County, Calif., on Tuesday, killing three people and terrorizing several other motorists who shot and carjacked before taking his life, police said.

After dozens of 911 calls and receive only or they were preparing to confront him, the police suspect seen Ali Syed jump since the last vehicle stolen that morning and almost instantly shoot himself in the head with a shotgun, zone said.

Syed, a part-time student at Saddleback College, began his killing spree just hours before 5:0 am PT, in the Ladera Ranch his parents home, where he shot in the unknown woman in her 20s, according to Scott Jordan Tustin Police Chief, who briefed journalists Tuesday afternoon.

Police have not yet identified the woman or determined its report by Syed.

His parents heard the shotgun blast and called the police, while Syed fled with a rifle in their black SUV, Jordan said.

Syed led a Denny parking in nearby Tustin, California, where he confronts a driver waiting for his son the car-pool and shot the motorist through the back window of his vehicle, the Chief said.  The unidentified man was injured and remains in hospital.

The suspect then stole the car of a bystander Denny lot from and fled, according to Jordan.

Syed is believed to have driven that car only briefly before pulling into a Mobil gas station and tackle another motorist.

Syed "I won't hurt you," said driver gassing his car, according to police.  "I killed someone.  Today is my last day.  Give me the keys. "

The driver handed the keys to a BMW and Syed sped away.

From there, he pulled the car and started shooting randomly at drivers heading south on California route 55, Jordan said.

He struck three cars, seriously wounding a pilot who was struck by a bullet or a grenade in his hand and face.  That driver, who don't have a mobile phone, was able to drive the same home and call the police, Jordan said.

Syed then faced another pilot, who stopped at a stop sign

"Approached the victim at gunpoint he walked along the road and shot him, he ran three times," said the Chief.

That victim has not been identified.

Syed then pulled into parking lot shop Micro computer Center in Tustin, where he allegedly faced his final victim, later identified as 26-year-old Jeremy Lewis.

Syed killed the man and stole his truck, according to police.

Since then, "they were coming many calls and [California Highway patrol officers] got behind the stolen vehicle ... always in position to make a felony car stop," said Jordan.

Before cops had the opportunity to confront him in the city of Orange, California, Syed "released on the vehicle while it was still moving ... "[and] almost immediately came out of the vehicle, took the gun, put it to his head and killed himself," said the Chief.

Police said they do not know reasons for Syed.  They said they acted alone and what is not part of a larger conspiracy.

It is human nature to wait until the last minute to take care of business, and California lawmakers are a great example of this.

The deadline for submitting invoices in house and Senate is little more than a day away: Feb. 22.

But that so far were several pieces of legislation introduced "spot bills" are intended to be used at a later date in the legislative process to keep the language that is destined to become law.

The legislative process last year made it one of the most important insurance related bills Senate Bill 863, compensation reform bill full of workers what was signed into law by gov. Jerry Brown which came into effect in January.

Just because that bill that passed, don't expect workers ' comp to be off the table. As often happens when a major reform is passed people who fall on the wrong side of typically pressure lawmakers to come up with "fixes", and while the reform what massive there were some aspects of the new law do not touch, according to Mark Sektnan, President of the Insurance Association of California.

"We haven't even lakes, but we anticipate that," said Sektnan, who was involved with such reforms in the past and has experienced it firsthand, "which is what happens after a reform like that".

Compounding drugs can be comp workers another problem that warrants a Bill.

A compounding medicines report released earlier this month revealed effects of comp-related workers another law enacted at the start of 2012. price controls were created by Assembly Bill 378, created by the legislator Jose Solorio, D-Santa Ana, to address an increase in the use and cost of compounded drugs in workers ' comp.

But while the law, which came into force at the beginning of 2012, might have helped push drug prescriptions compounded down from 3.1 percent in 2011 to 2 percent of workers ' comp requirements in California in 2012, those seemed more compounders that have done for.

Medications compounded consumed a much larger share of workers ' compensation prescription dollars in 2012 and more than offset the impact of price controls, according to the report of the California workers ' compensation Institute.

The study shows that not only did the mix of ingredients used in exchange for aggravated drug, but the average number of ingredients, the average amount of each ingredient, and increased the average payment for ingredient, driving the average refund for these requirements the 68 per cent.

Drug compounding what is not directly addressed by the Senate Bill 863, massive overhaul workers comp bill that came into force at the beginning of 2013?? and if they want to deal with the rising costs, lawmakers probably be covered legislative correction to come up with another this year, study author CWCI suggested.

Sektnan actually believes that one or two may be convinced lawmakers to draft legislation addressing any problems that people have with SB 863, including perhaps ultra-delicate California lawyer's Association, which opposes the Bill. Are there any legislative fixes so you probably should be sought as the new law continues to be implemented and any problem with the new law smiled.

"I think people will certainly be watching and trying to improve it and ensure that it works," he said.

Larger than workers ' comp is the question of the use of opioids, however is an area that has dramatically affected workers ' comp arena, and this is something that may get even faced by legislators, Sektnan said.

Sektnan of therefore expects a Bill to finance and improve the prescription drug monitoring program. Review of use of controlled substance datatbase of the State, and evaluation system (cures), is an application tool to use for doctors to monitor patients to ensure that they are not doctor shopping to obtain pain medications such as OxyContin. Some of the cited holes in your system and lacquer are still increasing, utilization as a reason perscriptions for painkillers in workers ' comp.

"The issue of opiods is great," Sektnan said. "This is a bigger problem than just workers ' comp, but I think that workers ' comp is a critical part of it we now we are finding out there are more prescription drug deaths that there are auto accident deaths."

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Santa Ana, CA (PRWEB) February 08, 2013

A report from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) has found that more than 10 percent of the cost of medical benefits for workplace injuries that happen this year “will be for services provided more than two decades into the future,” according to the NCCI report issued in January 2013 and reported on by Occupational Health & Safety (Jan. 28, 2013).

Such news came as no surprise to Orange County workplace injury lawyer Shehzad Ahmad, California Law Associates lead attorney. “A serious workplace injury can have a serious financial impact on an injured person for decades,” Ahmad said today. “Too often, too many people only think about the short-term costs associated with a workplace injury – emergency medical care, short-term physical therapy. What they don’t realize is certain, serious workplace injuries can change someone’s life forever in an instant. They might require medical care for the rest of their lives, and people need to keep that in mind when dealing with the injured person’s employer and insurance company.”

The NCCI report states that the percentage of the cost of medical benefits for services provided more than 20 years from now “has been growing and might continue to grow,” according to the NCCI report. The study was based on services provided between Jan. 1, 2009, and April 1, 2011, and for services provided within 20 years of an injury.

Some of the other key findings in the study included that male claimants incurred about 75 percent of the costs of late-term care, “even though they represented less than 60 percent of the workforce at the time of the injury,” the NCCI report states. In addition, less than 40 percent of late-term claimants are under 60 years old, but they incur “nearly half the cost of late-term care,” NCCI reports.

And 20 to 30 years after a workplace injury, drugs, home health services, orthotic devices and supplies constitute the greatest share of the costs associated with workplace injuries than compared to the first 20 years after an injury for the same items, NCCI reports.

Medications, orthotic devices and home health care due to workplace injuries can continue to have a significant financial impact decades after an accident, according to Riverside County workers compensation lawyer Shehzad Ahmad of California Law Associates. “There’s no timetable when it comes to when someone stops suffering from a workplace injury,” Ahmad said. “A back injury or construction accident injury can literally cause pain and suffering for the rest of someone’s life. That’s why we fight so vigorously for the rights of injured workers. We understand that the compensation we secure for them today might be necessary 20 or even 30 years from now. We take a long-term approach to California workplace injuries. We’re in this for the long haul.”

About California Law Associates
For nearly two decades, California Law Associates has employed experienced, knowledgeable lawyers with more than 50 years of combined personal injury law experience. They thoroughly understand the state’s complicated personal injury laws and handle a wide variety of cases, auto accidents to workplace injuries. California Law Associates serves Orange County, Riverside County and communities throughout the Southern California area. Ahmad, lead attorney, has been practicing personal injury law since 1995. He works closely with each client to design a strategy that suits his or her unique legal needs. Attorney Ahmad has a strong track record for obtaining large, sometimes multi-million-dollar settlements or verdicts.

The law firm has its main office at 2107 N. Broadway, Suite 201, Santa Ana, CA 92706. To schedule a free consultation, contact California Law Associates at (714) 542-3377 or online at http://www.attorney4u.us/

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San Francisco, February 12, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE via COMTEX)-adverCar (TM), an innovative provider of media out-of-home (OOH), today announced that Dasher insurance, a car insurance agency in California is deploying a fleet of adverCars to raise awareness of the new location of the company in San Jose. Also, take 5 oil change quick change oil service, multi-unit, experienced great results from its recent campaign of 30 days. In both campaigns, branding company showcase ads on cars and destination where people live, work and play.

adverCar campaigns have proven to be very successful in the auto service industry-reaching car owners driving environment in captivity. complex adverCar technology platform allows the company to match the right driver with advertising campaigns designed to achieve the best possible demographic.

Neil Turner, adverCar founder and CEO commented "because of social media, people are accustomed to sharing services and favorite brands. We started at adverCar because we believe that our model takes that approval in the real world, allowing people to drive their favorite brands in and around their communities, giving • more value for their bucks radio ad, TV or billboards. Drivers make extra money, and advertisers get to know their ads are from lakes population seeking to divert, ultimately be approved by a community of peers. "

the technological platform of adverCar thus shows advertisers exactly how, when and where they are being adverCar Lakes. Reports show total impressions, parked/rush hour/time unit impressions, top 10 roadways that generated impressions, heat maps showing roads blankets, geofence showing impressions delivered near a specific location and road full coverage all covered locations list, are reported to clients of adverCar for each campaign.

On Saturday, 16 February adverCar will install a car insurance fleet Dasher in the locality of San Jose and San Francisco, which will be presented in and around Silicon Valley. The event is open to media, that is invited to participate and speak with adverCar, Dasher or adverDrivers (TM). Pilots interested can visit www.advercar.com today to qualify for a campaign.

Take oil 5 ran a successful campaign adverCar 30 days to a grand opening, which also included a $ 10 off coupon on an oil change, if customers have taken a picture of a adverCar a showcase for the brand to take 5. Because of the campaign, take 5 enjoyed a peak of ~ 425 incremental changes of oil and a 25% increase in net sales vs. control positions. In fact, the oil service company you still get new customers-directly attributed to adverCar-weeks after the campaign came off the road. Pete Frey, President and CEO of take 5 oil said, "we had our best grand opening ever and everything we did was add adverCar to our media plan."

"We find very interesting; adverCar advertising model car insurance cars themselves makes perfect sense. As we learned more about how to monitor the drivers, along with the results viewed their clients, that we had to give it a try, "said Dasher insurance President Haider Shah."We are distributing the adverCar campaign instead of radio this quarter, and we hope to see increased traffic to our SJ and, of course, enjoy a spike in paying customers. "Might just give the urgency required drivers who need to ensure that they have the right auto insurance while driving in reality."

The adverCar approach is closely focused. Regular riders-generally young and adverMoms (TM)-are paid to view a series of removable decals to their cars for a certain period of time-usually a month. Ads go where go drivers. advertisers can match a given specific leadership positions with promotion-specific zip codes, highways, supermarkets, mall parking lots, churches, Clubs, soccer fields, etc. GPS, combined with reports and statistics on the basis of Audit Bureau of traffic, advertisers earn a rich set of data on each campaign.

adverCar recently announced the initial funding to grow its team and continue to work with customers, including new companies trying to recruit, car service companies, sports teams, restaurants, political campaigns, cellular providers, residential solar, CPG companies, charities and a host of other types of businesses. This mobile advertising model was tested in 40 markets through 11 States and is designed to deliver • greater flexibility, greater specificity and more control in consumers at a huge savings cost of targeting. For other advertiser testimonials, please visit the adverCar website.

Info on adverCar

Headquartered in San Francisco, CA., adverCar is an innovative media company that provides next-gen, out-of-home (OOH) ad services using the technology platform to match advertisers with consumers who drive, viewing ads that cannot be ignored or clicked on. targeted adverCar to live, work and shop, driving people to desired behaviors. For more information, visit www.advercar.com.

Contact: Kelly Brieger | KBPR for 650 adverCar-704-1748. Kelly@kbpr.net www.advercar.com

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When Maria Barrales' children got sick, she would drive two hours south from her East Los Angeles home to the Mexican border and spend two more hours waiting to cross so she could go to an affordable doctor in Tijuana.

Now, Barrales, who does not have health insurance, can walk a couple of blocks to Garfield High School and see a modestly priced physician at a new health clinic converted from an auto shop on the school grounds.

"This is something so necessary here. A lot of people don't have insurance, and they don't have the means to go to Tijuana," she said in Spanish.

The clinic is one of 14 new "wellness centers" that the Los Angeles Unified School District is rolling out this year at schools in impoverished neighborhoods in an initiative that expands the mission of traditional school-based health centers from treating only students into one that treats the general public, too.

While a smattering of school clinics across the nation have long been open to the public, more are looking to expand their patient base to reap revenue that can subsidize the care often given for free to youngsters as well as fill a dire larger need for community health care access.

"The more folks you're seeing, the more revenue you're generating," said Tracey Schear, who oversees 26 school-based health centers for Alameda County Health Services Agency in Northern California. "We're trying to make more visits reimbursable."

About 1,800 school-based centers, which are usually run by a nonprofit or public health care provider in school-owned buildings, operate across the country. They provide a combination of primary care, mental health counseling, dental and vision screenings, and health education and prevention to youth who may have grown up with few, if any, doctor visits.

Around since the 1980s, school health clinics received a shot in the arm from the federal Affordable Care Act, which earmarked $200 million from 2010 to 2013 to build and equip more centers and expand services. With fewer than half of public schools now employing school nurses, some districts have used the money to add health centers, which have traditionally been located in high schools, at elementary and middle schools and add mental health, vision, and dental care.

The federal funding, though, does not cover operational expenses, and more providers are looking to become financially sustainable in an era of shrinking public money and increasing competition for private donations that typically fund school clinics. Some clinics have closed in recent years.

The National Assembly of School-Based Health Care is now lobbying Congress to appropriate $50 million to help centers maintain their operations, said President Linda Juszczak.

With health care reform approaching, school-community health centers are also ramping up to enroll people in public insurance programs that will become available.

"We're looking at long-term sustainable plans," said Maryjane Puffer, executive director of the Los Angeles Trust for Children's Health, a nonprofit that supports the school district's clinics.

One Los Angeles Unified school center that has served the community for a long time has been successful doing that, she noted.

About four school-based health centers have opened to the general public in California's Alameda County, and two centers under construction at schools in the Oakland Unified School District are being designed to serve the community as well as students.

2012 Referrals reach higher

DES PLAINES, Ill., Feb. 12,/PRNewswire-USNewswire 2013/– the national insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today released its analysis 2012 questionable credits (QC) referral reason.  During the period from 2010 to 2012, there what a 26.7% increase in Csf called NICB, going from 91,797 in 2010 to 116,268 in 2012, a new record.  In 2011, the total was 100,450.

Questionable claims are those claims that insurance companies of NICB Member refer to NICB for closer review and investigation based on one or more indicators of possible fraud.  A single statement can contain up to seven reasons for postponement.

The report examines six categories of cause for referral of directions: property, casualty, commercial, workers ' compensation, and various vehicle which in 2012, with those set out in 2010 and 2011.

Within the category of properties, "suspected disappearance-loss of jewels" had the highest percentage change-up 86 per cent, while suspect theft/loss (emergency vehicle) due to the higher increase in volume in 2012 from 7,152 10,680 reached in 2011.  In the category vehicle, "hail damage" with 1,505 referrals and "suspicious hit while parked" with 5,006 referrals were the reasons to postpone the first two.

In 2012, the top five States by generating more Csfs were: California (21,935), Florida (10,693), Texas (10,368) New York (9,059), Maryland (4,296).

Although there have been year Dacia in Csf, represent a small percentage of the overall claims processing.  Each year are processed requests above 56 million, making 2012 Csf just 0.20 percent of total compensation.  In addition, while suspected Csf are by definition at the moment of referral they weren't identified as definitive acts of fraud.

The full report is available here and the 2012 total QC State are here.

Anyone who has information concerning insurance fraud can report anonymously by calling toll-free 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422), SMS, keyword "fraud" to TIP411 (847411) or visit our Web site at www.nicb.org.  Or, users of iPhone or iPad can download app NICB fraud tips to make it easier to send a tip and get an answer quickly.

About the national insurance Crime Bureau: headquartered in des Plaines, ill., the NICB is the nation's leading nonprofit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training, legislative advocacy and public awareness.  The NICB is supported by more than 1,100 insurance companies property and casualty and loading organizations.  NICB member companies wrote over $339 billion in insurance came in 2011, or about 80 percent of the nation's property/casualty insurance.  That includes more than 94 per cent ($ 156 billion) personal auto insurance in the nation.  For more information visit www.nicb.org.

National insurance Crime Bureau SOURCE

RELATED LINKS
http://www.NICB.org

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State Farm, Department of Insurance, and Consumer Watchdog Agree to Pricing Changes Resulting in an Overall 12.6% Rate Cut for More than a Million Cal. Homeowners and Renters

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones , State Farm and Consumer Watchdog jointly announced a $160 million rate cut for State Farm's California homeowners insurance policyholders at a news conference today.  More than a million homeowners and approximately 250,000 renters throughout California will see their premiums lowered when their policy next renews. 

Using the public participation rules created by California's insurance reform law, Proposition 103, Consumer Watchdog challenged an original proposal by State Farm that would have left premiums higher than necessary.  In California, citizens have the power to scrutinize insurance rate proposals and bring in their own experts to ensure that companies can justify their rates. Working with Consumer Watchdog and the Department of Insurance, State Farm agreed to implement a 12.6% overall rate cut for its policies covering homes, condominiums and apartments in California.

"Twenty five years ago, California voters enacted Proposition 103 to make insurance fairer and more affordable in our state, and that initiative has saved consumers and businesses billions of dollars," said consumer advocate Douglas Heller of the nonprofit Consumer Watchdog.  "Today, those reforms are putting $160 million back in the pockets of Californians."

Companies that play by the rules can be successful in this marketplace, and consumers are better protected from excessive insurance rates in California than anywhere else in the country, according to Consumer Watchdog.  The group noted, however, that these regulatory protections do not yet apply to health insurance rates in California, which have been skyrocketing for a decade.  Consumer Watchdog Campaign, an affiliated nonprofit, is sponsoring an initiative that will be on the November 2014 ballot to apply these same insurance reform measures to companies selling health insurance policies in California.

"We have a system that is very good at keeping home and auto insurance premiums in check, but we have no way to stop health insurance companies from gouging Californians," said Heller.  "Health insurance companies deserve at least as much scrutiny as other insurers face in California."

Proposition 103:

Allows the Insurance Commissioner to ensure that the premiums Californians pay for home, auto and business insurance are appropriate and justified and to deny rate plans that are excessive; Requires insurance companies to open up their books to public review; and Gives consumers and consumer groups the power to challenge insurance companies that try to keep rates too high.Consumer Watchdog noted that approximately 85% of State Farm customers will see a premium decrease or no change in their rates but about 15% will see a small increase. As a result of the work of Department of Insurance staff and Consumer Watchdog, State Farm's new pricing system will have a limited impact on most of those policyholders who do face an increase, Consumer Watchdog said.  The group added that those receiving premium decreases vastly outnumber those facing increases, with about one million homeowners, 250,000 renters and 100,000 condominium owners seeing lower premiums as a result of this agreement.

Consumer Watchdog has used the public participation process under Proposition 103 to save auto, home and medical malpractice insurance policyholders $2.3 billion since 2003.

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

SOURCE Consumer Watchdog

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Posted by Mark Williams | February 9, 2013

By Larry Edsall

Consider yourself warned: Your pickup truck's tailgate is coveted by thieves.

"The rate of tailgate theft claims has been increasing since 2009, with an 18 percent increase projected from 2011 to 2012," according to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau.

Founded in 1912 as the National Automobile Theft Bureau to investigate vehicle thefts, for more than 20 years the NICB also has looked into various forms of automotive insurance fraud.

Its report on the theft of catalytic converters spurred a growth industry in converter security devices. Now, the theft of pickup truck tailgates has become so significant that the bureau has issued a report about them.

Because the NICB report tracks only claims made by vehicle owners to insurance companies - and therefore its numbers don't represent actual theft activity - it speculates that the numbers in the report are low. Nevertheless, between 2006 and 2009 only 23 tailgate thefts were processed nationally. The figure for 2010 was 430 and grew to 472 in 2011. Through Sept. 30, 2012, 418 claims had been made; the NICB projects the 2012 final total will be more than 550.

Among states, Texas residents reported the most tailgate thefts, followed by those living in California, Arizona, Florida and Nevada. The cities posting the most tailgate thefts were Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, Phoenix and Fresno in Northern California.

"Tailgates can be stolen in less than 30 seconds, making them prime targets of opportunity," the NICB report says. "With replacement costs reaching $1,000 or more, it makes sense for pickup owners to make their tailgates less attractive to thieves."

To make your tailgate difficult to steal, NICB recommends taking the following actions:

1. Lock your tailgate if it has a factory-installed lock. If not, an aftermarket replacement latch assembly with a lock may be available for your truck.

2. Park with your truck's tailgate as close as possible to a building or other large object that prevents the tailgate from being opened.

3. Etch the truck's vehicle identification number or a personal identification number into the tailgate. This may prevent it from being stolen or at least make it easier to recover if it is stolen.

Why do people steal tailgates?

"People want them," said Frank Scafidi, spokesman for the NICB. "If theirs gets banged up, why spend $900 or whatever they're going for if you can get one for $100 or $150?"

Scafidi also said some body shops have been known to buy stolen tailgates and use them in what he called a "two-way scam."

In that scenario, a customer goes to the body shop for truck repairs that include a replacement tailgate. The shop goes to a local pickup truck dealership and buys a new tailgate to get the invoice to turn into the insurance company, but then, according to Scafidi, "finds a part from Midnight Auto Supply and paints it up and installs it." A few weeks later, after the shop has been reimbursed by the insurance company, the new tailgate is returned to the dealership for a refund or credit.

Scafidi added that the NICB is looking into what it sees as another growing trend in automotive thefts: the third-row seats from sport utility vehicles.

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While the federal government is crowing over the increase in jobs, excited about 157,000 new jobs created in the last month, I feel it’s time to be a bit more skeptical and really break down these numbers to a state and local level because economic growth isn’t happening the way all the spin doctors seem to want us to believe.

Let’s look past the federal and corporate propaganda, and look at how this so-called economic growth affects us on the state level, the local level and personally.

These 157,000 new jobs translate roughly into about 3,140 jobs per state. In California, that means that Ventura County gained, on average, 54 new jobs!

Which means, really, that we are doing better than the rest of the state because our growth was 5/10000th of 1 percent, while the state averaged a whole lot less than that. If you translate that into a pay raise, that means someone who makes $100,000 per year just got a raise of $5, annually. Yee-haw.

In the meantime, the economy sure seems to be growing for someone.

I’ve always thought tax rates were unfair because they don’t take into account the local economics when calculating what is “wealthy” and what is not.

In Tennessee, where a three-bedroom house can rent for $800 a month, $100,000 is a lot. In Ventura, where a three-bedroom apartment rents for $2,000-plus, it’s barely middle class.

But let’s take that $5 pay raise and compare it to other things.

In the greater Los Angeles area, gas prices increased 25 cents a gallon in one week! If you use just one tank a week, you’re looking at $195 per year.

Domestic auto manufacturers admit to an average price increase of $500 to $1,000 per auto over the last year, while incentives have decreased.

Housing prices increased 25 percent in California last year alone, while salaries have continued to decrease.

We may have gained 54 new jobs, but one of Ventura County’s largest employers just laid off more than 800 workers.

My wonderful health insurance company just sent me a notice that as of April 1, I will be experiencing a 21 percent increase in premiums, “due to rising costs” while my coverage itself will decrease “slightly.”

Food prices are skyrocketing, unemployment is still high and corporations seem to think that now is the time to price gouge. Economic growth does not mean gouge the poor and middle class into penury. It doesn’t mean we should be grateful that 54 new minimum-wage jobs have been created.

The only reason the foreclosure rates have decreased is because just about everyone has lost their home already, so there aren’t any to foreclose on — homes which were snapped up at bargain prices by corporations and investment companies and rented back to our population at increasingly higher rental rates.

So, thanks to the “economic growth,” my expenses have increased by 20 percent to 30 percent, my lifestyle has decreased, my health coverage is less and if I haven’t already lost my home, I will soon.

I was recently offered $12 an hour for a job that 10 years ago I was making $25 an hour to do.

A $5 pay raise. Whoopie-ding. That won’t even buy a gallon of milk.

I’d rather have a little less “growth” and a whole lot more bang for my buck.

Posted on February 10, 2013

FoxNews.com

FILE: Dec. 27, 2012: Shown here are weapons collections in a gun buyback event in La. AP

Democratic lawmakers across the country are proposing bills for gun control in the wake of recent mass shootings, including the measurement of at least far-reaching state that might interfere with federal laws.

At least seven States have proposed such legislation. Among the latest proposals are those that require gun owners or creators to buy liability insurance to cover damages for injuries caused by their weapons.

Two California Democrats proposed that a Bill encourages owners to gun-safety classes nor attend the State Assembly last week that and their weapons to get insurance discounts.

Assembly Member Philip Ting, of San Francisco, told a local TV station which auto insurance proposal comparable to mandatory for motorists.

Last week, Democrats in the Colorado House and Senate proposed a slate of gun control bills, including one to do the manufacturers and sellers of assault-style weapons legally liable for damages caused by their firearms.

However, the second amendment scholar David Kopel told the Denver post that such a bill with 2005 would conflict with federal law that prevents manufacturers and retailers be liable for crimes committed with their products.

"However, the manufacturers and retailers can still be held responsible for damage caused by defective products, the breach of contract, criminal negligence and other actions for which they are directly responsible," he told the newspaper.

The legislator introduced bill joined survivors and relatives of victims of two mass shootings in Colorado-the attack of the 1999 Columbine High School and Aurora Cinema in 2012-as well as those of the elementary school in Newtown, Conn., resumed two months ago.

As proposed by President Obama and Senate Democrats, the Colorado plan therefore calls limit 10 rounds ammunition magazines and put people with severe mental health problem state background check database for potential gun buyers.

Republican State Sen. Greg Brophy called the extreme measure and told the newspaper the proposal was the equivalent of "holding Coors, the Distributor and the 7-Eleven from which the 12-pack of beer stolen thing responsible for the accident to drunk driving."

New York was the first to relearn opinie after the Dec. 14, 2012, shootings at the Sandy Hook elementary school in Connecticut where they were killed before 20-graders and six adults.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, last month signed into law bills that strengthened state laws on assault weapons, gun magazine capacity and reporting potential harmful behavior.

In Maryland, gov. Martin O'Malley, another potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2016, has proposed an ambitious gun-control package that includes a ban on assault weapon restrictions on visitors ' access to schools, fingerprints from gun buyers and keeping guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.

Connecticut, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania presumably have proposed similar measures.

Feb. 12, 2013, the Community Safety Foundation, funded by AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah insurance Exchange, has great collision repair Education Foundation $ 50,000 ultimate collision makeover education grant.

The grant will be great for a school of Northern California with in car collision repair program. The winning high school or a program of post collision secondary school will receive $ 50,000 worth of tools, equipment and supplies.

"In this time of dramatic cuts in educational programs of all types, we are pleased to support a technical program that leads directly to more jobs for Northern Californians and auto repair services improved for motorists," said Rose Guilbault, President Community Safety Foundation.

The final education collision makeover grant what started in 2009 to help auto repair instructors provide strong technical programs in schools. While only a school receives the subsidy, other candidates will receive Donated supplies, tools and equipment.

For more information on the grant, visit www.collisioneducationfoundation.org. The deadline to apply is May 31, 2013.

See your name in print: All comments made on this site are eligible for inclusion in the journal FenderBender. FenderBender may contact commenters for clarity or for more details.

Every year millions of cars recalled are sold to unsuspecting buyers without repairs. Vehicle history Fax auto site just completed a study that shows that in 2012 recalled vehicles repaired not only over 2 million were offered for sale online.

But that is only online and only sites CARFAX listed, so the actual number is probably higher. CARFAX singled out Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Michigan because the data shows that the number of vehicles recalled for the sale of those States went the 25 per cent last year.

How CARFAX can say that vehicles have been recalled but not repaired? Why the Feds do recall notices for some brands and models available. And producers and traders track the VIN numbers of the individual vehicles that are brought to the required correction.

The fact that recalled vehicles are offered for sale is bad news, if I do not know, but it could be good news if you do first, the bad: the definition of a federal vehicle recall is that there is a security problem with the make, model and year. Buying a vehicle subject to a recall open could mean that you are endangering yourself and your family. Two examples from just the last month: an SUV was recalled due to a problem that may cause you to roll away when parked. Another dress was recalled because a faulty sensor could cause the passenger airbag to failback to deploy.

On the other hand, if you know the car you're looking for has been recorded, you can use that as a bargaining chip in negotiations. You'll be able to get the free repair at a dealership, but can bargain over time that you are going to spend. "Before a car changes hands, there are a lot of opportunities for all concerned to check the open calls," said Larry Gamache, Director of communications at CARFAX. "However these figures are evidence that not enough is happening."

Fortunately, it is easy to control. You can try the NHTSA Web site, although it is notoriously difficult to navigate. Here is where NHTSA recall post summaries from the past six months. Government Portal for further information vehicle safety is www.SaferCar.gov. However, easier resource is itself offers the fax free auto recall: recall.carfax.com. Another free resource on auto safety recalls and is the Web site of the Institute for nonprofit insurance for highway safety.

Some legislators in California — the State with the largest population and most cars-are introducing legislation that would require sellers of recalled vehicles repaired before selling them. And last year, Sens. Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, California sponsored federal legislation to require car rental company to repair the recalled vehicles before putting them back on the road.

All this is a good reminder that if you own a vehicle, should not ignore recall notices-if you are selling or for your love. If you are the second owner, you may receive these communications, so that is another reason to use the resources above to check up on your vehicle. It only takes a few minutes but it could save a life of anguish.

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A.M. Edition

FRONT PAGE

POPE RESIGNS-LOCAL REAX: Dave Cawthon's reaction was similar to many local Catholics when hearing Monday that Pope Benedict XVI was stepping down. "I don't think anyone expected it," Cawthon said. "I had a feeling of shock, sadness ... and excitement. I'm excited about what changes the new pope might have (in mind)." The 85-year-old German-born pope said he will leave his position Feb. 28. A new pope is expected to be chosen by the end of March. Benedict was the first leader of the 1.2-billion member Roman Catholic Church to abdicate since Celestine V resigned 719 years ago in 1294.

FARM OVERVIEW: When it comes to Midwest weather, there's some truth in the old saying. If you don't like it, just wait five minutes and it will change. Heading into spring planting season, area farmers are more than ready for a change over 2012's hot, dry conditions that hurt both crop and livestock production and continue into this year.

STATE OF UNION: The American public will get a competing mix of rhetoric and imagery in President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, a speech that offers a heavy dose on the economy even as it plays out against a visual backdrop dominated by the current national debate over guns. With the millions still out of work, Obama will make a case for measures and proposals he says will boost job creation and put the economy on a more upward trajectory. Obama's emphasis underscores a White House recognition that while the president seeks to expand his agenda and build a second-term legacy, the economy remains a major public preoccupation.

THE SCOOP

O'BRIEN COLUMN: Today and tomorrow, mailboxes across the nation will be stuffed with the latest edition of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. After seeing the cover for this year's edition over the weekend, I have to wonder if it won't be delivered with a some kind of protective packaging so that young eyes don't get a full look at what's on the outside. The same thing goes when they hit the news stands. These might have to get the same treatment as Playboy gets.

WORLD/NATION

VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT: The Senate is heading toward a strong vote on broadening the reach of the Violence Against Women Act, putting pressure on the GOP-led House to come up with its own version that would be acceptable both to Senate Democrats and to female voters who abandoned Republicans in the November election.

LAPD-REVENGE KILLINGS-ONLY IN HOLLYWOOD: It wounds like the plotline to a movie: He's a former LA cop on a violent, rage-filled rampage who will stop at nothing for revenge. Instead, police say, it's the latest real-life crime story to grip Southern California, a place where fiction frequently blurs with reality and pop culture often plays larger than the truth. It's where fugitive murder suspect Christopher Dorner has gained more than 70 Facebook fan pages and even Charlie Sheen has asked the ex-police officer to give him a call.

COURTHOUSE-SHOTS FIRED: Bill Heriot says he was waiting to enter the New Castle County Courthouse on Monday morning when he saw a heavyset, middle-aged man pull out a semiautomatic pistol and fire a single shot each at two women. Heriot said the shooter then exchanged gunfire with police before falling to the floor. Authorities have not identified the victims, but say the gunman had spent years in custody battles prior to the shooting just as the courthouse was opening to the public.

BUDGET FIGHT: Just about everyone in official Washington is in agreement that big across-the-board spending cuts at the Pentagon and throughout domestic federal programs on March 1 are a bad idea. So far, however, the warring tribes in the nation's capital seem more interested in finger-pointing than problem-solving.

BRIEFLY: North Korea says it successfully detonated a miniaturized nuclear device, defying U.N. Security Council orders to shut down atomic activity or face more sanctions and international isolation; Chuck Hagel -- Republican, twice-wounded Vietnam combat veteran and former Nebraska senator -- faces his first major hurdle in his bid to become the nation's defense secretary as a bitterly divided Senate Armed Services Committee pushes toward a vote on his nomination; Snow-weary Northeasterners still digging out driveways and clearing roads from a weekend storm were hit with potential danger coming from above as well -- roofs collapsing from the weight of snow and ice along with recent rainfall; Rain and thunderstorms are likely to complicate work to clean up the debris strewn across southern Mississippi by a tornado, which left residents marveling that no one died despite the severity of the destruction; Passengers aboard a cruise vessel stranded in the Gulf of Mexico after a weekend engine fire have limited access to bathrooms, food and hot coffee, and a brand new destination: Mobile, Ala.; An ex-Navy SEAL sniper slain earlier this month at a Texas gun range will be buried; US shark attacks hit highest level since 2000, with Florida leading the way.

LOCAL

TRAFFIC COMMISSION: Quincy University has agreed to pay for two flashing pedestrian crossing signs on Chestnut between 18th and 20th Street to warn motorists of pedestrians after a student was hit by a car crossing the street last month. The signs would be similar to ones recently installed by city crews near 10th and Broadway, which Blessing Hospital bought for $3,200.

CITY COUNCIL: The Quincy City Council approved an ordinance Monday night that increased the line item for health insurance offered to aldermen by $14,147. The city now expects to spend $85,647 on health insurance for the City Council this fiscal year. City Comptroller Ann Scott said when she was putting the budget together for the fiscal year, she did not take into account additional family members who were added.

KOSTER PRELIM: A Kalamazoo, Mich., man charged with reckless homicide in the September ATV death of a Quincy woman will stand trial in August after probable cause was found during a preliminary hearing on Monday. Andrew J. Koster, 30, is charged with reckless homicide, aggravated driving under the influence and aggravated reckless driving in connection with the Sept. 14 death of 25-year-old Sarah Birsic near Clayton. He's scheduled to have a pretrial hearing Aug. 2, with the trial beginning Aug. 12 before Judge Alesia McMillen.

CURRICULUM COMMITTEE: The Seven Habits leadership curriculum being used in 28 Adams County schools continues to produce good results, the Quincy School Board's Curriculum Committee heard Monday. George Meyer, a former Quincy school superintendent who played a key role in launching the curriculum in Quincy schools, provided an update on the initiative, saying it is helping to improve test scores and causing fewer disciplinary referrals in schools where the curriculum is taken to heart.

CITY FINANCE: The Quincy Finance Committee recommended that the City Council approve a plan to refinance one bond and one loan in order to save the city more than $210,000.

COUNTY BOARD: Adams County Board members approved bids worth more than $1.2 million for aggregate, bituminous materials and other items for use in building roads.

REGION

AMBULANCE BOARD: Adams County ambulance officials are continuing to prepare for the department to take over billing operations on April 1. Paul Davis, director of the Adams County Ambulance Service, told the Ambulance Board Monday morning that the department's billing service, Intermedix, will provide the county with outstanding account and other data once the contract expires.

CANTON SIDEWALKS: The Missouri Department of Transportation announced on Monday that Canton will receive the funding through the federal Safe Routes to School program. The new ADA accessible sidewalks will begin at Seventh and Nesmith and run along Seventh, White, Sixth and Washington streets and end at the Canton R-V School campus. W.A. Anderson, Canton R-V School superintendent, estimated that a fourth of Canton's students walk to school.

PIKE COUNTY LINCOLN DAY: Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-Hinsdale, will be the keynote speaker at the Lincoln Day event coming to Pittsfield on Monday, Feb. 18.

MEDICAID-CREDIT RATING: Some Missouri lawmakers already hesitant to expand Medicaid now have a new reason to object: the potential effect on the state's debt. Republican members of the Senate Appropriations Committee raised concerns Monday that an expanded Medicaid health care program could hurt the state's stellar credit rating, making it more expensive for Missouri to issue bonds.

WORKPLACE DISCRIMINATION: Republicans are hoping the third time is a charm for a measure a Missouri House committee considered Monday that would make it harder for employees to win lawsuits alleging workplace discrimination. Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed similar legislation each of the last two years. But with a veto-proof Republican majority in both legislative chambers, the bill could have a different fate this year.

RENEWABLE ENERGY: Some Missouri environmental groups say the state's major utilities are not following renewable energy requirements. The Columbia Missourian reports that eight environmental advocacy organizations filed complaints with the Missouri Public Service Commission in late January against Ameren Missouri, Empire District Electric Co. and KCP&L.

BRIEFLY: Keokuk Area Hospital has cut almost 8 percent of its full-time jobs. Fitch Healthcare, of Oak Brook, Ill., was hired by the hospital board to help turn around the hospital's finances; A suburban St. Louis couple's $5 million donation to the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine will go toward improving research for drugs used to fight cancer in both animals and people; Former Illinois Congressman Joe Walsh wants to stop making child support payments because he is unemployed; Financial difficulties are leading an eastern Illinois school district, Neoga, to consider firing about a fifth of its teachers; The St. Louis Zoo was a popular spot last year, so attendance figures are up; The lone U.S. adoption agency accredited in Kyrgyzstan is shutting down due to financial troubles, a sudden new setback for about 15 American families battling since 2008 to complete adoptions there.

BUSINESS

FTC-CREDIT REPORT ERRORS: A government study says 20 percent of consumers had an error in a credit report issued by a major agency. The Federal Trade Commission study also says 5 percent of the consumers identified errors in their reports that could lead to them paying more for mortgages, auto loans or other financial products.

CASINO-TV GAMBLING: A New Jersey casino says it will become the first casino in the United States to let hotel guests gamble from their rooms over the TV set. Atlantic City's Borgata will offer its E-Casino to hotel guests starting Feb. 18.

DELL-ACQUISITION: Dell is trying to reassure shareholders about its proposed $24.4 billion acquisition by a group led by its founder, saying it considered a number of strategic options before agreeing to the deal.

BRIEFCASE: Insurer CNA Financial reported a loss for its fourth quarter as it dealt with claims related to Superstorm Sandy; Premium pay TV channel Starz has renewed its agreement to carry movies from Sony Pictures through films hitting theaters in 2021; U.N. agency moves to prevent aircraft batteries like one that caught fire on a Boeing 787 last month from being shipped as cargo on passenger planes; Caterpillar Inc. and police say an explosion at one of the company's southern Illinois sites where mining equipment is repaired left one worker hospitalized and heavily damaged a building.

POLICE

LOTTERY WINNER POISONED: The brother of a Chicago man poisoned with cyanide shortly after winning the lottery said he is the family member who asked authorities to reconsider the initial finding that his sibling had died of natural causes. Imtiaz Kahn said he had nightmares about his brother before his death and that his suspicions about the death lead him to push coroner's officials to conduct more test. Urooj Khan, 46, died July 20 as he was about to collect his $425,000 in Illinois State Lottery winnings.

CHICAGO VIOLENCE: Chicago Police officials say they expected to file murder charges Monday against two young men in the shooting death of a 15-year-old high school student whose death late last month just about a mile from President Barack Obama's home on the city's South Side made national headlines and thrust Chicago to the very center over the debate over gun control.

INTRUDER SHOT: A St. Louis-area woman says she shot and critically wounded an intruder because she thought he would kill her sister.

2009 MURDER-CHARGE: The estranged husband of a woman who was killed in 2009 is charged in her death.

MURDER CHARGE: A report of a northwest Missouri woman committing suicide led to a second-degree murder charge against her husband.

ST LOUIS KILLING-CHARGES: Sentencing will be in May for two men who have admitted to roles in the St. Louis shooting death of a man allegedly lured to Missouri from Texas.

ILLINOIS-CHILDREN DEAD: A judge has ordered a suburban Chicago woman accused of stabbing to death her young son and a girl she was babysitting to provide hair and saliva for DNA testing.

SHAM MARRIAGES-ARRESTS: Two Chicago-area residents have been charged in an alleged scam to arrange fake marriages to thwart immigration laws.

YOUR TOWN

MILLIONTH DONUT: Daybreak Donuts and Diner served its millionth donut on Jan. 30. Since the bakery opened on July 4, 2006, Ross has kept detailed records of how many donuts he cuts each day and what time he sells out each morning. The books shows which town events have boosted his sales. The pages notes the day-to-day weather for nearly seven years and tallies the storms and sunshine that alter his sales.

SPORTS

C-SE MARCHES ON: Big defensive stops help Central-Southeastern upset Pleasant Plains in the sectional semifinals and reach the sectional title game.

UNITY'S RUN ENDS: The Unity girls basketball team ran out of gas in the second half and couldn't make a run at a comeback in losing to Illini Bluffs in the Class 1A sectional semifinals.

GLVC NOTEBOOK: Wisconsin-Parkside is impressing everyone around the GLVC with its solid play.

###

Hemera/Thinkstock (LOS ANGELES)-the National Council for transport safety (NTSB) has launched an investigation on a tour bus accident that killed eight people and wounded dozens on a remote California Road East of Los Angeles on Sunday evening.

"The fact that there were fatalities involved, we will look at bus maintenance, bus mechanics and so on," Keith Holloway, public affairs officer of the NTSB, told ABC News. "We don't have a lot of information at this point until we have detectives enter the bus."

The bus tour, a trip organized by Tour Bus, carrying families from Tijuana, Mexico, when it crashed at about 18:30 80 miles east of Los Angeles. More than three dozen people were injured, and at least 17 were still hospitalized, including at least five in critical condition. While investigators were trying to collect personal belongings to help identify victims, crews worked through the night to retrieve the dead, said Rocky Shaw, coroner's investigator in San Bernardino County.

Investigators want to determine if he was blaming driver error or mechanical failure. The bus driver, who survived but what injured, investigators said the vehicle had brake problems.

"It seems the speed that a factor in this collision," California Highway Patrol spokesman Mario Lopez said.

It is still unclear what exactly caused the fatal collision, investigators said. Holloway said the full investigation could take up to 18 months.

"It is not unusual to investigate a bus accident. Bus operations are one of the most sought-after transportation safety improvements, "Holloway added.

The company released a statement on Facebook saying, "InterBus, tours and his team are working to support our clients and their families who unfortunately has suffered in the accident coming down from the mountains of big bear in San Valentina CA." The company added, "We deeply regret what happened."

The accident occurred when the speeding bus rear ended a Saturn sedan on mountain road, overturned and hit a Ford pickup truck, said Lopez.

Copyright ABC News Radio 2013

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Confie Seguros, un fornitore di assicurazione, personale linee ha acquisito l' Agenzia Cannello a Niagara, N.Y. e alci assicurazione in Oakland, FLA. Seguros CONFIE è una società di portfolio di ABRY Partners. Termini finanziari le acquisizioni non sono stati rilasciati.

COMUNICATO STAMPA
CONFIE Seguros, un fornitore nazionale velocemente crescente di linee personali Assicurazioni, ha annunciato oggi l'acquisizione dell'Agenzia Cannello in Niagara, NY e assicurazione di alci in Oakland, FL come parte della sua strategia per costruire fuori la sua impronta geografica.

Joe Waked, CEO di CONFIE Seguros, ha detto, "CONFIE continua a crescere la nostra piattaforma e ampliare la nostra impronta geografica con le acquisizioni di qualità, e l'aggiunta di Cannello e alci assicurazione rafforza ulteriormente la nostra presenza nei mercati di New York e in Florida dove attualmente offriamo i nostri prodotti". Entrambe le società hanno una base di cliente forte e siamo ansiosi di integrarle nella nostra operazioni per accelerare la crescita come continuiamo a costruire impronta nazionale di CONFIE."

Con queste operazioni, CONFIE Seguros continua a costruire il suo slancio nel 2012 quando ha completato 22 acquisizioni.

Seguros CONFIE ha costruito un portafoglio nazionale del broker di assicurazione auto regionale. La società è stata valutata tra i top 10 delle entrate nell'ultima classifica top 100 della rivista assicurazione delle agenzie di assicurazione e broker assicurativi globali di review di best 2012 top 20.

Circa CONFIE SegurosEstablished nel 2008, CONFIE Seguros è una società di distribuzione nazionale di assicurazione leader, California-basato principalmente focalizzata sulle esigenze assicurative dei consumatori ispanici. Il team di gestione esperto CONFIE Seguros, guidato dal CEO Joe Waked, continua a costruire il portafoglio dei CONFIE Seguros del broker di assicurazione auto regionale, e oggi ha un fatturato annuo di oltre $200 milioni con più di 300 posizioni al minuto. L'azienda ha posizioni leader di mercato in California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Washington, Oregon, New York, New Jersey e Nevada e prevede di continuare la sua espansione in quelli e altri Stati, tra cui, Illinois, Georgia e Carolina. Seguros CONFIE è una società di portfolio di ABRY Partners.

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If you believe the ads, good drivers get the best insurance rates. But a new study shows auto insurers frequently charge good drivers higher premiums than those who recently caused an accident. And it appears from this research that the safe drivers who pay more are often lower income.

How could this happen?

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), which conducted the study, says this reflects a common practice in the insurance industry of using factors such as education and occupation to rate risk.

A CFA survey in 2012 found that two-thirds of American believed considering these factors, rather than driving history was unfair.

Stephen Brobeck, CFA's executive director, calls this a "discriminatory practice" that raises the rates for low-and moderate-income drivers.

The industry rejects any notion that it discriminates in any way.

"The policies we offer are fair in every way," said Michael Barry, vice president of media relations at the Insurance Information Institute.

How CFA surveyed the marketplace

The CFA priced policies for two hypothetical customers: a high school receptionist and an executive. Both women were 30-years old, had driven for 10 years, lived on the same street in the same middle-income ZIP code.

But there were important differences.

The receptionist is single and rents an apartment. She has never had an accident or moving violation, but she was without insurance coverage for 45 days.

The executive is a married homeowner with a master's degree. Her auto insurance has never lapsed. But, she had an at-fault accident with $800 of damage within the past three years.

CFA researchers visited the websites of the five largest U.S. auto insurers – State Farm, Allstate, GEICO, Farmers and Progressive – looking for the minimum liability coverage required by that state. This was done for both women in 12 cities.

The results: Two-thirds of the 60 quotes were lower for the executive (who had an accident) than for the receptionist (who had none), often by 25 percent or more.

The Insurance Information Institute questions whether the test was fair because the receptionist had a break in insurance coverage and that could be seen as a risk factor. The Consumer Federation of America says the receptionist didn't have a car for 45 days and therefore didn't need insurance. Does that make her a riskier drive, they ask?

Why is this happening?

Insurance companies consider a variety of factors to determine the risk you pose and the price they should charge when you apply for an auto policy. Everyone agrees your age, sex, type of vehicle and driving history can help predict the likelihood that you will have an accident.

But should insurance underwriters consider your education, occupation or in some cases, your credit score? What do these socio-economic factors have to do with your ability to be a safe driver?

"These factors have been found to be actuarially sound ways to assess risk," said Michael Barry, vice president of media relations at the Insurance Information Institute. "And before they are ever used, these rating criteria are vetted by state insurance regulators who have allowed them."

The CFA says it's not fair for someone to get a better rate simply because they have more education and more income.

"Our concern is that these factors are not proven; there is no logical reason to explain why they should work," said Robert Hunter, CFA's director of insurance and former Texas Insurance Commissioner. "The insurance companies say there's a correlation and that's all they need."

Some insurance companies now consider your credit scores when setting your premiums. That doesn't sit too well with Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, who calls the practice a "blatantly unfair" way to assess risk.

"I think it's terrible," Kreidler told me. "Using a credit score in this economy? You have people who through no fault of their own have wound up with less quality credit and yet are still responsible drivers. They shouldn't pay more for auto insurance because of that."

Not in sunshine state

The California Insurance Department decides what ratings factors can be used by auto insurers to calculate auto premiums. Education, occupation and credit scores cannot be considered.

"We want rating factors that have a relationship to the risk of loss," said Joel Laucher, California's deputy insurance commissioner for rate regulation.

"You want something that's fair and fairly intuitive so people understand why there would be a price difference. It should be something the driver can control and realize how they can amend their behavior to improve their rate."

Massachusetts also restricts the use of socio-economic factors for private auto insurance.

"There was a determination made that auto insurance should more tightly track an individual's driving," said Massachusetts Insurance Commissioner Joe Murphy.

The bottom line

There are a lot of insurance companies competing for your business. Rates vary greatly.

A good place to start is your state insurance department's website. Look for a comparison chart that lists the rates in your area for various hypothetical customers. It's a simple way to see how various insurance companies compare and where you might want to go to get a quote.

(Find a link to your state's insurance department at: National Association of Insurance Commissioners.)

You can get quotes from an independent agent who represents various companies or go online and do it yourself at sites such as InsuranceQuotes, InsWeb, NetQuote, InsuranceHotline or Answer Financial. Don't expect an instant quote from these sites. In most cases, you'll be contacted by agents looking for your business.

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Google Inc. sees self driving cars being available to consumers in three to five years. Regulators and the insurance industry aren't so sure it can happen that quickly.

Software and electronic sensors couldn't fail and would have to anticipate and react like a human. States may have to decide how to license machines rather than people. Insurance companies have to reassess how to assign fault after accidents. Safety standards have to be fixes problems to focus on electronics along with mechanics.

"The improvement can be such that we can make cars that drive safer than people do," Anthony Levandowski, product manager for Google's self-driving car technology, told a Society of Automotive Engineers meeting in Washington last week. "I can't tell you you'll be able to have a Google car in your garage next year. We expect to release the technology in the next five years. In what form it gets released is still to be determined. "

U.S. auto safety regulators are eager to reap the safety benefits that may come from taking human error out of driving. About 33.000 people die annually in traffic crashes in the U.S., with that number falling yet killing almost as many people each year as suicide.

David Strickland, head of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, used an analogy to "The Jetsons," a 1960s animated television comedy featuring gadgets including a flying car that folded into a briefcase.

"It's going to make a huge difference in reducing crashes overall," Stickland said in an interview.

While crash-avoidance systems that can alert a driver or apply brakes in advance of a wreck are coming to cars now, autonomous vehicles "are a long way off," he said.

The self driving car is among projects stemming from Google's practice of letting employees develop ideas not necessarily tied to online search and digital advertising. The car is allowed on public roads for testing purposes in Nevada, California and Florida.

Google hasn't indicated interest in producing the cars for sale. "Our focus is on the technology itself," Jay Nancarrow, a spokesman, said in an e-mail.

The company has demonstrated it on the streets of Washington and other cities where it might need to win favor for such a car to be considered road-worthy. Google also established a connection with regulators by hiring Ronald Medford, NHTSA's deputy director under Strickland, as of last month as director of safety for the self driving car.

Levandowski, who helped design the self driving car, says Google's biggest challenge is ensuring reliability of the software that makes the car drive, because a failure would mean nothing is controlling the vehicle.

"We're really focusing on building on the reliability and trust so we can understand the system will perform safely in all conditions," Levandowski said. "How can you trust the system? How do you know how it can perform? How do you design it with proper processes in order to understand and minimize failure? How do you bake into a redundant braking car? "

In a car driven by a person, if the power steering fails or a light goes off, a person would be in control to figure out what to do. A self-driving car would need to be taught how to respond to all sorts of scenarios that may occur with little to no room for error.

Such cars would also need to acquire the sort of judgment a person would have to know that a ball rolling into a street may be followed by a small child running after it.

NHTSA enforces vehicle safety standards that govern the minimum performance everything from the design of windshield wipers to internal trunk releases. Some of the standards date to the agency's creation in the 1970s.

The agency would need to create standards for electronics of a self-driving car and figure out how to test them, said Dan Smith, associate administrator for vehicle safety.

"It gets to be a massive challenge to figure out how will the government come up with a standard performance that is objective and testable for so many different scenarios where failure could possibly occur," Smith said at the SAE panel. "Part of that has to do with if we should be looking at the underlying electronics."

The National Academy of Sciences, in a report a year ago, said NHTSA must become more familiar with and engaged in "setting automotive-electronics standards in existing cars, without mentioning the potential of self-driving technology.

The insurance industry, which has given drivers discounts on premiums for new auto technologies such as air bags, says it would similarly promote safety advances from self-driving cars. Still, it would have to decide whether it can assign liability to a company, or a piece of software, after an accident.

"It's a legal morass right now, and unfortunately it will take court decisions to work this out," Robert Hartwig, president of the Insurance Information Institute, a New York-based industry group, said on the SAE panel.

"Right behind the first autonomous vehicle is the first autonomous vehicle ambulance chaser," he said. "They will be there faster than you can imagine looking for any sort of accident that might be attributable to a deep pocket."

Hartwig predicts it will take 15 to 20 years for truly autonomous vehicles to populate U.S. roads. Chuck Gulash, senior executive engineer of Toyota Motor Corp. 's technical center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, said the industry may not get all the way there. The driver may need to retain control even if the car can make most of the decisions, he said.

While Google envisions a car that will let drivers in California save on a hotel stay while driving the back roads to ski at Lake Tahoe from their homes in the Bay Area, Toyota foresees a car that will be so smart it will react before a driver can to prevent a crash.

"For us, autonomous is not synonymous with driverless," Goulash said on the SAE panel. "The driver needs to be in control. We're developing technologies on a continuous basis to provide more assistance to the driver. "

To contact the reporter on this story: Angela Greiling Keane in Washington at agreilingkea@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Bernard Kohn at bkohn2@bloomberg.net

March 26 (Bloomberg)--Sebastian Thrun, a software engineer with Google, talks about testing vehicles that drive themselves. He speaks with Bloomberg's Emily Chang on Bloomberg Television's "Bloomberg West." (Source: Bloomberg)

April 2 (Bloomberg)--Bloomberg's Emily Chang reports about Google's self driving car. She speaks on Bloomberg Television's "Bloomberg West." (Source: Bloomberg)

Self driving cars will soon motor around the most populous U.S. state, at least on a test basis, after a law written with the help of Google Inc. was signed by California Governor Jerry Brown.

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LOS ANGELES, Feb. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercury General Corporation (NYSE: MCY) reported today for the fourth quarter of 2012:

Consolidated Highlights

Three Months EndedDecember 31,

Change

Twelve Months EndedDecember 31,

Change

2012

2011

$

%

2012

2011

$

%

(000's except per-share amounts and ratios)

Net premiums written (1)

$

654,931

$

618,593

$

36,338

5.9

$

2,651,731

$

2,575,383

$

76,348

3.0

Net (loss) income

$

(17,382)

$

79,469

$

(96,851)

NM

$

116,911

$

191,164

$

(74,253)

(38.8)

Net (loss) income per diluted share (2)

$

(0.32)

$

1.45

$

(1.77)

NM

$

2.13

$

3.49

$

(1.36)

(39.0)

Operating (loss) income (1)

$

(9,403)

$

32,109

$

(41,512)

NM

$

73,764

$

153,206

$

(79,442)

(51.9)

Operating (loss) income per diluted share (1)

$

(0.17)

$

0.59

$

(0.76)

NM

$

1.34

$

2.79

$

(1.45)

(52.0)

Catastrophe losses (3)

$

28,000

$

10,000

$

18,000

180.0

$

39,000

$

18,000

$

21,000

116.7

Combined ratio (4)

109.8

%

99.4

%

10.4 pts

102.8

%

98.5

%

4.3 pts

NM = Not meaningful

(1)

These measures are not based on U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and are defined and reconciled to the most directly comparable GAAP measures in "Information Regarding Non-GAAP Measures."

(2)

The dilutive impact of incremental shares is excluded from loss positions in accordance with GAAP.

(3)

2012 catastrophe losses were primarily the result of wind and hail storms in the Midwest region in the second quarter and Hurricane Sandy in the fourth quarter; 2011 catastrophe losses were mainly the result of Hurricane Irene in the third quarter and severe windstorms in California in the fourth quarter. The amounts are rounded to the nearest million.

(4)

The Company experienced unfavorable development of approximately $9 million and $7 million on prior accident years' losses and loss adjustment expenses reserves for the three months ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively; and approximately $42 million and $18 million on prior accident years' losses and loss adjustment expenses reserves for the year ended December 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. The year-to-date unfavorable development for the twelve months ended December 31, 2012 is largely the result of re-estimates of California bodily injury losses which have experienced higher average severities and more late reported claims (claim count development) than estimated at December 31, 2011.

Investment Results

Three Months EndedDecember 31,

Twelve Months EndedDecember 31,

2012

2011

2012

2011

(000's except average annual yield)

Average invested assets at cost (1)

$

3,040,026

$

2,984,386

$

3,011,143

$

3,004,588

Net investment income (2)

Before income taxes

$

35,327

$

34,316

$

131,896

$

140,947

After income taxes

$

30,450

$

30,225

$

115,359

$

124,708

Average annual yield on investments - after income taxes (2)

4.0

%

4.1

%

3.8

%

4.2

%

(1)

Fixed maturities and short-term bonds at amortized cost and equities and other short-term investments at cost. Average invested assets at cost is based on the monthly amortized cost of the invested assets for each respective period.

(2)

Net investment income and average annual yield for the twelve months ended December 31, 2012 decreased primarily due to the maturity and replacement of higher yielding investments, purchased when market interest rates were higher, with lower yielding investments purchased during the current low interest rate environment.

Mercury CEO and President Gabe Tirador commented on the quarterly results:

"The fourth quarter was adversely impacted by $28 million of catastrophe losses from Hurricane Sandy, high seasonal loss frequency and increased loss severity in California, and adverse reserve development of $9 million. Hurricane Sandy losses came predominantly from the homeowners business in New York; however, auto losses in New Jersey and New York also accounted for approximately $6 million of the total Hurricane Sandy losses. The Company has historically experienced high California loss frequency in the fourth quarter due to severe weather and increased driving. Fourth quarter frequency in 2012 was worse than most previous years.

During the quarter, the Company made progress in many operational areas. Operations outside of California continued to improve and, excluding the losses from Hurricane Sandy, posted a combined ratio under 100%. Premium growth improved to 5.9%, its highest level since the first quarter of 2006. Recent premium growth was driven primarily by the California personal automobile line of business which had a 24% increase in new policy sales compared to the fourth quarter of 2011 and a 4% rate increase that was implemented on October 26, 2012.

On January 22, 2013, the Company implemented a plan to consolidate its operations outside of California into hubs located in Florida, New Jersey, and Texas. Management expects the consolidation to be complete before the end of the second quarter. Our office based claims and underwriting operations outside of California will be performed in these hubs. We believe that the hub structure will lead to improved efficiencies and better position the Company for future growth. As a result of the plan, the Company will incur pre-tax restructuring charges of approximately $8 million to $13 million in the first quarter of 2013 and expects annual recurring pre-tax savings of approximately $13 million."

The Board of Directors declared a quarterly dividend of $0.6125 per share. The dividend will be paid on March 28, 2013 to shareholders of record on March 14, 2013.

Mercury General Corporation and its subsidiaries are a multiple line insurance organization offering predominantly personal automobile and homeowners insurance through a network of independent producers in many states. For more information, visit the Company's website at www.mercuryinsurance.com. The Company will be hosting a conference call and webcast today at 10:00 A.M. Pacific time where management will discuss results and address questions. The teleconference and webcast can be accessed by calling (877) 807-1888 (USA), (706) 679-3827 (International) or by visiting www.mercuryinsurance.com. A replay of the call will be available beginning at 1:30 P.M. Pacific time and running through February 11, 2013. The replay telephone numbers are (855) 859-2056 (USA) or (404) 537-3406 (International). The conference ID# is 88026983. The replay will also be available on the Company's website shortly following the call.

The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides a "safe harbor" for certain forward-looking statements. The statements contained in this press release are forward-looking statements based on the Company's current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company. There can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those anticipated by the Company. Actual results may differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the control of the Company) and are subject to change based upon various factors, including but not limited to the following risks and uncertainties: changes in the demand for the Company's insurance products, inflation and general economic conditions, including the impact of current economic conditions on the Company's market and investment portfolio; the accuracy and adequacy of the Company's pricing methodologies; adverse weather conditions or natural disasters in the markets served by the Company; general market risks associated with the Company's investment portfolio; uncertainties related to estimates, assumptions and projections generally; the possibility that actual loss experience may vary adversely from the actuarial estimates made to determine the Company's loss reserves in general; the Company's ability to obtain and the timing of the approval of premium rate changes for insurance policies issued in states where the Company operates; legislation adverse to the automobile insurance industry or business generally that may be enacted in the states where the Company operates; the Company's success in managing its business in states outside of California; the presence of competitors with greater financial resources and the impact of competitive pricing and marketing efforts; changes in driving patterns and loss trends; acts of war and terrorist activities; court decisions and trends in litigation and health care and auto repair costs and marketing efforts; and legal, regulatory and litigation risks. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as the result of new information, future events or otherwise. For a more detailed discussion of some of the foregoing risks and uncertainties, see the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

SUMMARY OF OPERATING RESULTS

(000's except per-share amounts and ratios)

(unaudited)

Three Months Ended December 31,

Twelve Months Ended December 31,

2012

2011

2012

2011

Net premiums written

$

654,931

$

618,593

$

2,651,731

$

2,575,383

Revenues:

Net premium earned

$

655,777

$

641,613

$

2,574,920

$

2,566,057

Net investment income

35,327

34,316

131,896

140,947

Net realized investment (losses) gains

(12,276)

72,862

66,380

58,397

Other

2,384

663

10,174

11,884

Total revenues

$

681,212

$

749,454

$

2,783,370

$

2,777,285

Expenses:

Losses and loss adjustment expenses

546,352

472,876

1,961,448

1,829,205

Policy acquisition costs

120,726

116,072

477,788

481,721

Other operating expenses

52,928

48,914

207,281

215,711

Interest

367

899

1,543

5,549

Total expenses

$

720,373

$

638,761

$

2,648,060

$

2,532,186

(Loss) income before income taxes

(39,161)

110,693

135,310

245,099

Income tax (benefit) expense

(21,779)

31,224

18,399

53,935

Net (loss) income

$

(17,382)

$

79,469

$

116,911

$

191,164

Basic average shares outstanding

54,914

54,845

54,899

54,825

Diluted average shares outstanding (a)

54,914

54,873

54,922

54,845

Basic Per Share Data

Net (loss) income

$

(0.32)

$

1.45

$

2.13

$

3.49

Net realized investment (losses) gains, net of tax

$

(0.15)

$

0.86

$

0.79

$

0.69

Diluted Per Share Data (a)

Net (loss) income

$

(0.32)

$

1.45

$

2.13

$

3.49

Net realized investment (losses) gains, net of tax

$

(0.15)

$

0.86

$

0.79

$

0.69

Operating Ratios-GAAP Basis

Loss ratio

83.3

%

73.7

%

76.2

%

71.3

%

Expense ratio

26.5

%

25.7

%

26.6

%

27.2

%

Combined ratio

109.8

%

99.4

%

102.8

%

98.5

%

Reconciliations of Operating Measures to Comparable GAAP Measures

Net premiums written

$

654,931

$

618,593

$

2,651,731

$

2,575,383

Change in net unearned premiums

846

23,020

(76,811)

(9,326)

Net premiums earned

$

655,777

$

641,613

$

2,574,920

$

2,566,057

Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses

$

493,760

$

467,581

$

1,914,838

$

1,879,247

Change in net loss and loss adjustment expense reserves

52,592

5,295

46,610

(50,042)

Incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses

$

546,352

$

472,876

$

1,961,448

$

1,829,205

(a)

The dilutive impact of incremental shares is excluded from loss position in accordance with GAAP.

MERCURY GENERAL CORPORATION AND SUBSIDIARIES

CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS AND OTHER INFORMATION

(000's except per-share amounts and ratios)

December31, 2012

December31, 2011

(unaudited)

ASSETS

Investments, at fair value:

Fixed maturity securities (amortized cost $2,270,903; $2,345,620)

$

2,408,354

$

2,445,589

Equity securities (cost $475,959; $388,417)

477,088

380,388

Short-term investments (cost $294,607; $236,433)

294,653

236,444

Total investments

3,180,095

3,062,421

Cash

158,183

211,393

Receivables:

Premiums

345,387

288,799

Accrued investment income

31,109

32,541

Other

17,756

11,320

Total receivables

394,252

332,660

Deferred policy acquisition costs

185,910

171,430

Fixed assets, net

161,940

177,760

Current income taxes

7,058

0

Deferred income taxes

0

6,511

Goodwill

42,796

42,850

Other intangible assets, net

47,589

53,749

Other assets

11,863

11,232

Total assets

$4,189,686

$4,070,006

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY

Losses and loss adjustment expenses

$1,036,123

$985,279

Unearned premiums

920,429

843,427

Notes payable

140,000

140,000

Accounts payable and accrued expenses

96,220

94,743

Current income taxes

0

67

Deferred income taxes

445

0

Other liabilities

153,972

149,007

Shareholders' equity

1,842,497

1,857,483

Total liabilities and shareholders' equity

$4,189,686

$4,070,006

OTHER INFORMATION

Common stock shares outstanding

54,922

54,856

Book value per share

$33.55

$33.86

Estimated statutory surplus

$1.44 billion

$1.50 billion

Estimated premiums written to surplus ratio

1.8

1.7

Debt to total capital ratio

7.1

%

7.0

%

Portfolio duration (including all short-term instruments)(a)

2.8 years

3.3 years

Policies-in-force (company-wide "PIF")(a)

Personal Auto PIF

1,249

1,236

Homeowners PIF

442

394

(a) Unaudited.

Information Regarding Non-GAAP Measures

The Company has presented information within this document containing operating measures which in management's opinion provide investors with useful, industry specific information to help them evaluate, and perform meaningful comparisons of, the Company's performance, but that may not be presented in accordance with GAAP. These measures are not intended to replace, and should be read in conjunction with, the GAAP financial results.

Operating income is net income excluding realized investment gains and losses, net of tax. Net income is the GAAP measure that is most directly comparable to operating income. Operating income is used by management along with the other components of net income to assess the Company's performance. Management uses operating income as an important measure to evaluate the results of the Company's insurance business. Management believes that operating income provides investors with a valuable measure of the Company's ongoing performance as it reveals trends in the Company's insurance business that may be obscured by the effect of net realized capital gains and losses. Realized capital gains and losses may vary significantly between periods and are generally driven by external economic developments such as capital market conditions. Accordingly, operating income highlights the results from ongoing operations and the underlying profitability of the Company's core insurance business. Operating income, which is provided as supplemental information and should not be considered as a substitute for net income, does not reflect the overall profitability of our business. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled operating income with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the table below.

Three Months Ended December 31,

Twelve Months Ended December 31,

Total

Per diluted share

Total

Per diluted share

2012

2011

2012 (b)

2011

2012

2011

2012

2011 (a)

(000's except per-share amounts)

Operating (loss) income

$

(9,403)

$

32,109

$

(0.17)

$

0.59

$

73,764

$

153,206

$

1.34

$

2.79

Net realized investment (losses) gains, net of tax

(7,979)

47,360

(0.15)

0.86

43,147

37,958

0.79

0.69

Net (loss) income

$

(17,382)

$

79,469

$

(0.32)

$

1.45

$

116,911

$

191,164

$

2.13

$

3.49

(a)

Net income per diluted share does not sum due to rounding.

(b)

The dilutive impact of incremental shares is excluded from loss positions in accordance with GAAP.

Net premiums written represents the premiums charged on policies issued during a fiscal period. Net premiums earned, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, represents the portion of premiums written that have been recognized as income in the financial statements for the periods presented as earned on a pro-rata basis over the term of the policies. Net premiums written are meant as supplemental information and are not intended to replace net premiums earned. Such information should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled net premiums written with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the supplemental schedule entitled, "Summary of Operating Results."

Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses is the portion of incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, excluding the effects of changes in the loss reserve accounts. Paid losses and loss adjustment expenses is provided as supplemental information and is not intended to replace incurred losses and loss adjustment expenses. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled paid losses and loss adjustment expenses with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the supplemental schedule entitled, "Summary of Operating Results."

Combined ratio-accident period basis is computed as the difference between two GAAP operating ratios: the combined ratio and the effect of prior accident periods' loss development. The most directly comparable GAAP measure is the combined ratio. The Company believes that this ratio is useful to investors and it is used by management to reveal the trends in the Company's results of operations that may be obscured by development on prior accident periods' loss reserves. Combined ratio-accident period basis is meant as supplemental information and is not intended to replace combined ratio. It should be read in conjunction with the GAAP financial results. The Company has reconciled combined ratio-accident period basis with the most directly comparable GAAP measure in the table below.

Twelve Months Ended December 31,

2012

2011

Combined ratio-accident period basis

101.2%

97.8%

Effect of estimated prior periods' loss development

1.6%

0.7%

Combined ratio

102.8%

98.5%

SOURCE Mercury General Corporation