So much to skewer, so little space:
• Wisconsin will become the second-to-last state in the nation to require all of its motorists to carry auto insurance next June.
It’s hard to argue against more responsibility. Just don’t expect the mandate to work.
About 15 percent of all drivers in Wisconsin go without auto insurance now, according to industry research. Compare that to the 48 states that already require insurance. In those states with mandates, the average percent of drivers who operate without insurance is — 14 percent.
This reminds me of the old joke about driving through a small town in Wisconsin: Don’t blink or you’ll miss it.
The same goes for the effect of this law.
• Wisconsin’s payday loan industry has hired more lobbyists at the state Capitol than there were payday loan stores little more than a decade ago.
The industry has employed at least 27 lobbyists. They’re fighting to stop Rep. Gordon Hintz’s bill to restrict quickie loans that lure poor people into self-destructive spirals of debt. The number of quick-cash stores in Wisconsin has exploded from 17 in 1996 — the year a rate cap of 18 percent was lifted — to 542 today.
Conservatives such as Sen. Glenn Grothman and Rep. Steve Nass have joined liberal Madison lawmakers in cosponsoring Hintz’s bill limiting the lending rate to 36 percent.
Sensing the bill’s momentum, industry lobbyists will push weaker rules with help from their political pals who have received campaign donations from the industry.
What I want to know is if the lobbyists are giving the payday lenders the same guarantee on legislation that those lenders offer their customers on loans: “100% Approval.”
Don’t bet on it.
• The payday lenders are spending chump change compared to the state’s big teachers union.
The Wisconsin Education Association Council spent by far the most of any group on lobbying during the first half of this year, when the state budget was in play. The union’s total for legislative arm-twisting topped $1 million, according to the Government Accountability Board.
For all the complaints about teachers being underpaid, the pockets of their union seem lined with gold.
• Lobbying at the Capitol is enjoying incredible growth despite the recession. I guess when there’s less public money to go around, the special interests need more hired guns to cash in.
The GAB reported that total spending on lobbying at the state Capitol jumped almost 25 percent — to $20.8 million — compared to when lawmakers debated the last state budget two years ago.
All their fancy lunches and fat drink tabs at Downtown Madison restaurants and bars must be helping the service industry. But the slick suits inflate costs for the rest of us by steering legislative attention away from public to pet needs.
• Blaming the economy, Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk just warned of a looming county property tax hike. For only the second time in her 13 years, Falk will exceed her self-imposed cap of inflation plus population growth.
One thing is for sure: It’s a lot easier to announce bad news like that four months after winning another four-year term than it would have been prior to the hard-fought April 7 election.
Source
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Car Insurance Premiums Are Higher In 2009
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- There is no easy way to say it. Unfortunately, car insurance costs more in 2009, but CarInsurance.com has found ways to help you compare and save! CarInsurance.com announced today the current trend of car insurance premiums in the U.S. In 2009, national car insurance rates are 12.25% higher than they were in 2008; many states are seeing moderate pricing improvements.
July saw an $8 increase in the national car insurance premium average. In June, the annual car insurance average for the U.S. was $1,804 and now it is $1,812. To date in 2009 the national average car insurance premium is $1,796. That is a 12.25% increase over 2008's national average car insurance costs. Rates at a national level appear to be stabilizing, so now is the time to shop for car insurance.
Regardless of what happens with the Cash for Clunkers bill, CPI will help consumers see that their state's car insurance averages are changing. Even as national rates are higher in 2009, CarInsurance.com helps every nationwide consumer shop for car insurance. The federal program requires drivers to prove their car had continuous insurance for the last year. Using our simple car insurance quote form, you can compare car insurance quotes for your state to make sure you have insurance coverage if it is a requirement for any future government programs.
In addition to CPI, CarInsurance.com offers the largest car insurance website to help you save money on auto insurance. CPI is a broad indicator of pricing activity in the personal auto insurance marketplace; it is not a comprehensive index as it reflects only the quotes and changes of multiple companies CarInsurance.com represents. It is available here: http://www.carinsurance.com/Premium-Index.aspx
CarInsurance.com technology allows shoppers to compare car insurance rates from multiple insurance companies immediately. A few other websites allow shoppers to compare car insurance rates online. However, most websites offer a single company's rate or they sell your information to others. CarInsurance.com is a better solution.
Shoppers enter information one time in the CarInsurance.com insurance quote form. Then, CarInsurance.com contacts multiple insurance companies directly to provide an immediate comparison of rates. Shoppers see this comparison within 60 seconds. The rates are accurate since they come directly from the insurance companies. The CPI study reports the lowest average annual car insurance rates quoted to consumers that compare rates at CarInsurance.com. Shoppers can then purchase the selected policy immediately while remaining on the CarInsurance.com website. CarInsurance.com is a licensed independent agency that displays the best rates available. During the purchase process, the selected insurance company gathers all the available rating information to provide a final price along with the ability buy immediately.
CPI's month-to-month comparison shows that most state car insurance premiums are improving. In almost every state, rates are up in 2009 compared to 2008's average auto insurance premium, but the monthly trend shows that month over month some state's average auto insurance rates are going down.
Source
July saw an $8 increase in the national car insurance premium average. In June, the annual car insurance average for the U.S. was $1,804 and now it is $1,812. To date in 2009 the national average car insurance premium is $1,796. That is a 12.25% increase over 2008's national average car insurance costs. Rates at a national level appear to be stabilizing, so now is the time to shop for car insurance.
Regardless of what happens with the Cash for Clunkers bill, CPI will help consumers see that their state's car insurance averages are changing. Even as national rates are higher in 2009, CarInsurance.com helps every nationwide consumer shop for car insurance. The federal program requires drivers to prove their car had continuous insurance for the last year. Using our simple car insurance quote form, you can compare car insurance quotes for your state to make sure you have insurance coverage if it is a requirement for any future government programs.
In addition to CPI, CarInsurance.com offers the largest car insurance website to help you save money on auto insurance. CPI is a broad indicator of pricing activity in the personal auto insurance marketplace; it is not a comprehensive index as it reflects only the quotes and changes of multiple companies CarInsurance.com represents. It is available here: http://www.carinsurance.com/Premium-Index.aspx
CarInsurance.com technology allows shoppers to compare car insurance rates from multiple insurance companies immediately. A few other websites allow shoppers to compare car insurance rates online. However, most websites offer a single company's rate or they sell your information to others. CarInsurance.com is a better solution.
Shoppers enter information one time in the CarInsurance.com insurance quote form. Then, CarInsurance.com contacts multiple insurance companies directly to provide an immediate comparison of rates. Shoppers see this comparison within 60 seconds. The rates are accurate since they come directly from the insurance companies. The CPI study reports the lowest average annual car insurance rates quoted to consumers that compare rates at CarInsurance.com. Shoppers can then purchase the selected policy immediately while remaining on the CarInsurance.com website. CarInsurance.com is a licensed independent agency that displays the best rates available. During the purchase process, the selected insurance company gathers all the available rating information to provide a final price along with the ability buy immediately.
CPI's month-to-month comparison shows that most state car insurance premiums are improving. In almost every state, rates are up in 2009 compared to 2008's average auto insurance premium, but the monthly trend shows that month over month some state's average auto insurance rates are going down.
Source
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Monitor recommends raising compulsory car insurance
The Insurance Services Office of Israel (ISO) recommends raising the price of compulsory vehicle insurance by 7.8%. The ISO operates a database of compulsory vehicle insurance, and advises on rates. The recommendation reverses years of recommending lower rates, because of the rising cost of lost years of earnings of victims of traffic accidents.
The ISO notes, that were it not for the effect of risks and external developments on the Israeli insurance market in recent years, compulsory vehicle insurance should fall by a further 7.6%. However, the Supreme Court ruled that insurance companies must cover the lost years of earnings of victims of traffic accidents.
Other factors that are driving a rise in compulsory vehicle insurance are the effects of WHAT claims by the National Insurance Institute against the perpetrators of traffic accidents or third parties, which raise compulsory vehicle insurance rates by an estimated 3%; changes in the retirement age, which raise rates by 1.6%; amendments to the law for claims restitution, which raise rates by 1.5%; and rising hospitalization costs, which raise rates by 1%.
The ISO also raised the interest rate on capitalization that it uses to calculate its compulsory vehicle insurance recommendation from 2% to 3%, because of the very low interest rate in, which has a direct impact on insurance companies' activity.
Compulsory vehicle insurance is a very competitive business, and there are substantial differences in the policies offered by different companies. The vehicle calculator at the Ministry of Finance website enables price comparisons.
Source
The ISO notes, that were it not for the effect of risks and external developments on the Israeli insurance market in recent years, compulsory vehicle insurance should fall by a further 7.6%. However, the Supreme Court ruled that insurance companies must cover the lost years of earnings of victims of traffic accidents.
Other factors that are driving a rise in compulsory vehicle insurance are the effects of WHAT claims by the National Insurance Institute against the perpetrators of traffic accidents or third parties, which raise compulsory vehicle insurance rates by an estimated 3%; changes in the retirement age, which raise rates by 1.6%; amendments to the law for claims restitution, which raise rates by 1.5%; and rising hospitalization costs, which raise rates by 1%.
The ISO also raised the interest rate on capitalization that it uses to calculate its compulsory vehicle insurance recommendation from 2% to 3%, because of the very low interest rate in, which has a direct impact on insurance companies' activity.
Compulsory vehicle insurance is a very competitive business, and there are substantial differences in the policies offered by different companies. The vehicle calculator at the Ministry of Finance website enables price comparisons.
Source
Monday, September 28, 2009
Car Insurance Rates for Teenagers (and Parents)!
I cannot think of many things in my life that were harder or scarier than turning the car keys over to one of my kids. I knew I had to let my child move forward, but it was still very tough. I had to let him risk his own safety. And of course, I was a bit concerned about my car too! Last, I had to try to act relaxed and confident as I rode in the passenger seat.
It was not quite as scary, but still nerve wracking, trying to find car insurance for a teenager. As you probably know, insurers consider younger drivers as a high risk group. They back this up with statistics that prove that younger drivers are more likely to have claims than their middle aged parents too. But if I was going to let my kid drive, I was certainly going to make sure that his driving was covered!
Here are some tips to find cheaper car insurance rates for teenagers.
You will probably do better if you bundle your teen's policy with your own. You, as a middle aged adult, have established a driving history and, perhaps even earned some discounts. Major auto insurance companies offer discounts for things like home ownership, combining auto and home policies, clean driving histories, and even owning a safer car. While a younger driver is a high risk driver, insurers may be willing to offer lower rates to get all of a family's business.
Of course, your teen on his or her own, may qualify for some price breaks. Good students are usually given a discount. Approved driver's education classes have also been shown to reduce accidents. Because they reduce accident claims, insurers encourage them by shaving a certain percentage off of the bill.
So by now you shold have some ideas of ways to get lower auto insurance premiums for your younger driver, and also for the whole family. Multiple policies, driver's education, defensive driving classes, and safe driving may qualify for discounts.
In addition, car insurers just consider some cars safer. They offer discounts for safer cars, and also for auto safety features and anti-theft devices.
However, do not assume that your old insurer will give you the best price either. Companies have their own way of setting rates, and you cannot know which one will give a particular family the best rate unless you compare quotes. So how can you do some smart insurance shopping without taking up hours or days calling around to various agents and companies?
Online car insurance quote forms make it fairly simple to compare rates. It shold take 4 - 5 minutes, or less, to fill out a simple form which gives your basic information like your zip code, driver's ages, type of car, etc. Then click the submit button. After that, you will be given car insurance quotes from multiple companies that want to compete for your business.
It may be tough to hand the car keys over to Junior, but at least, buying car insurance for teenagers may not be as expensive as you fear.
Source
It was not quite as scary, but still nerve wracking, trying to find car insurance for a teenager. As you probably know, insurers consider younger drivers as a high risk group. They back this up with statistics that prove that younger drivers are more likely to have claims than their middle aged parents too. But if I was going to let my kid drive, I was certainly going to make sure that his driving was covered!
Here are some tips to find cheaper car insurance rates for teenagers.
You will probably do better if you bundle your teen's policy with your own. You, as a middle aged adult, have established a driving history and, perhaps even earned some discounts. Major auto insurance companies offer discounts for things like home ownership, combining auto and home policies, clean driving histories, and even owning a safer car. While a younger driver is a high risk driver, insurers may be willing to offer lower rates to get all of a family's business.
Of course, your teen on his or her own, may qualify for some price breaks. Good students are usually given a discount. Approved driver's education classes have also been shown to reduce accidents. Because they reduce accident claims, insurers encourage them by shaving a certain percentage off of the bill.
So by now you shold have some ideas of ways to get lower auto insurance premiums for your younger driver, and also for the whole family. Multiple policies, driver's education, defensive driving classes, and safe driving may qualify for discounts.
In addition, car insurers just consider some cars safer. They offer discounts for safer cars, and also for auto safety features and anti-theft devices.
However, do not assume that your old insurer will give you the best price either. Companies have their own way of setting rates, and you cannot know which one will give a particular family the best rate unless you compare quotes. So how can you do some smart insurance shopping without taking up hours or days calling around to various agents and companies?
Online car insurance quote forms make it fairly simple to compare rates. It shold take 4 - 5 minutes, or less, to fill out a simple form which gives your basic information like your zip code, driver's ages, type of car, etc. Then click the submit button. After that, you will be given car insurance quotes from multiple companies that want to compete for your business.
It may be tough to hand the car keys over to Junior, but at least, buying car insurance for teenagers may not be as expensive as you fear.
Source
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Instant Online Car Insurance Rates
Auto insurance quotes are very easy to get because of technology. Advancements in the development of websites have allowed consumers to compare auto insurance quotes simply and easily with the simple submission of your zip code here. People all over the United States are now able to get new auto insurance quotes from the top car insurance companies instantly. This new technology is saving people a lot of time and money. If you have never used the internet to compare car insurance quotes, now is the time to try it. In this economic recession, people all over the country are looking for ways to save money and the most common way is to save on their car insurance rates.
“I got my hours cut back at work and I was really struggling to pay the bills. I didn’t think that switching to a new car insurance company would help, but I found a website that would allow me to compare auto insurance quotes easily.” –Stacy Pinoto
The internet is a place to turn for people who are looking for car insurance quotes. The days of looking through the phone book and calling up auto insurance company after auto insurance company and answering a seemingly endless amount of questions to get a car insurance quote are over.
During this economic recession, auto insurance quotes are lower because car insurance companies are forced into lowering their rates in order to attract more customers. Now is a great time to get a new auto insurance company because you could have cheap auto insurance compared to the older rates. Don’t pay last years car insurance rates, cheap car insurance isn’t that hard to find if you compare online auto insurance quotes.
“My old car insurance company didn’t give me that much coverage for my budget. I figured now would be a good time to look for a new car insurance quote because the economy probably helped to lower the rates. My hunch was right.” –Spencer Gillmore
Don’t get stuck paying last years auto insurance rates. Compare online car insurance quotes easily and see how much you could be saving.
“I got my hours cut back at work and I was really struggling to pay the bills. I didn’t think that switching to a new car insurance company would help, but I found a website that would allow me to compare auto insurance quotes easily.” –Stacy Pinoto
The internet is a place to turn for people who are looking for car insurance quotes. The days of looking through the phone book and calling up auto insurance company after auto insurance company and answering a seemingly endless amount of questions to get a car insurance quote are over.
During this economic recession, auto insurance quotes are lower because car insurance companies are forced into lowering their rates in order to attract more customers. Now is a great time to get a new auto insurance company because you could have cheap auto insurance compared to the older rates. Don’t pay last years car insurance rates, cheap car insurance isn’t that hard to find if you compare online auto insurance quotes.
“My old car insurance company didn’t give me that much coverage for my budget. I figured now would be a good time to look for a new car insurance quote because the economy probably helped to lower the rates. My hunch was right.” –Spencer Gillmore
Don’t get stuck paying last years auto insurance rates. Compare online car insurance quotes easily and see how much you could be saving.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Parents: It's time for a back-to-school insurance review
It's back-to-school time, and while you're probably thinking more about homework than homeowners coverage, the new school year is a great time to review your insurance needs. A child's new grade level, driver's license, or move to a college dorm could mean new insurance needs for your family. Keep your children safe in the new school year- review your car, home and health insurance coverage this fall.
1. Car Insurance
Will your teen be getting their driver's license this year? Teen drivers can be costly to insure, but there are ways you can save on teen car insurance. See if your car insurance provider offers a good student discount. Your teen will likely have to maintain a grade-point average of B or higher to get the discount, so make them hit the books. Many car insurance providers also have driver safety discounts. If your teen takes a safety course they may qualify for reduced car insurance rates.
2. Home Insurance
If your teen is heading away to college, they are most likely bringing quite a bit of stuff with them-laptop, stereo, TV, bike, other electronics, etc. If your child will be staying in the college dorms their belongings are most likely covered by your home insurance policy. There are usually limits on how much is covered away from the home, so talk to your home insurance provider about exactly what and how much is covered by your home insurance policy.
3. Health Insurance
As children head back into classrooms, so will their germs. Colds, flu, ear infections-kids catch all sorts of things once the school year starts. The best thing for parents to do is keep their kids as healthy as possible, and make sure they are covered with a good health insurance policy. Health insurance can be affordable for you and your kids. You could raise your deductable to save on monthly premiums, or consider adding your children to your employer-sponsored health care.
If you have a college-bound child, you have a couple of health insurance options. Older children are usually allowed to stay on parents' health insurance policies if they are full-time students, but check with your provider to make sure. There is also the option of college health insurance. Many colleges and universities have their own on-campus health care, and it may be more affordable for your child to take advantage of campus health care.
Back-to-school is more than a jump back into learning, it is the perfect time to review your car, home, and health insurance needs. Many things have changed since the last time your children headed off to school, so take a few minutes to compare car, home, and health care insurance quotes online and see how much you could save.
Source
1. Car Insurance
Will your teen be getting their driver's license this year? Teen drivers can be costly to insure, but there are ways you can save on teen car insurance. See if your car insurance provider offers a good student discount. Your teen will likely have to maintain a grade-point average of B or higher to get the discount, so make them hit the books. Many car insurance providers also have driver safety discounts. If your teen takes a safety course they may qualify for reduced car insurance rates.
2. Home Insurance
If your teen is heading away to college, they are most likely bringing quite a bit of stuff with them-laptop, stereo, TV, bike, other electronics, etc. If your child will be staying in the college dorms their belongings are most likely covered by your home insurance policy. There are usually limits on how much is covered away from the home, so talk to your home insurance provider about exactly what and how much is covered by your home insurance policy.
3. Health Insurance
As children head back into classrooms, so will their germs. Colds, flu, ear infections-kids catch all sorts of things once the school year starts. The best thing for parents to do is keep their kids as healthy as possible, and make sure they are covered with a good health insurance policy. Health insurance can be affordable for you and your kids. You could raise your deductable to save on monthly premiums, or consider adding your children to your employer-sponsored health care.
If you have a college-bound child, you have a couple of health insurance options. Older children are usually allowed to stay on parents' health insurance policies if they are full-time students, but check with your provider to make sure. There is also the option of college health insurance. Many colleges and universities have their own on-campus health care, and it may be more affordable for your child to take advantage of campus health care.
Back-to-school is more than a jump back into learning, it is the perfect time to review your car, home, and health insurance needs. Many things have changed since the last time your children headed off to school, so take a few minutes to compare car, home, and health care insurance quotes online and see how much you could save.
Source
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
AIG's stunning fall has global ripple effects
AIG's roots go deep here, all the way back to 1919 when a young and restless Californian arrived in a booming semi-colonial city that was teeming with bankers, industrialists and opium merchants.
Cornelius Vander Starr had sold auto insurance in San Francisco before serving as an infantry sergeant during the Great War. But the Fort Bragg native wasn't commissioned overseas, so when the war ended, he ventured off by himself to Asia's commercial hub at age 26.
Before long, he opened an office on Nanking Road with two Chinese clerks, underwriting ordinary life insurance policies as well as coverage for cargo ships carrying refugees from Russia's Vladivostok to Europe.
And so was born the company that would become American International Group Inc., the biggest insurance firm in the world.
Since then, AIG has had a special place in the hearts of many Chinese, who regarded the company as among the best of international brands. But after the U.S. government's $85-billion rescue of the troubled conglomerate last week, its stellar reputation has been tarnished, and at least a few customers are canceling their policies.
Source
Cornelius Vander Starr had sold auto insurance in San Francisco before serving as an infantry sergeant during the Great War. But the Fort Bragg native wasn't commissioned overseas, so when the war ended, he ventured off by himself to Asia's commercial hub at age 26.
Before long, he opened an office on Nanking Road with two Chinese clerks, underwriting ordinary life insurance policies as well as coverage for cargo ships carrying refugees from Russia's Vladivostok to Europe.
And so was born the company that would become American International Group Inc., the biggest insurance firm in the world.
Since then, AIG has had a special place in the hearts of many Chinese, who regarded the company as among the best of international brands. But after the U.S. government's $85-billion rescue of the troubled conglomerate last week, its stellar reputation has been tarnished, and at least a few customers are canceling their policies.
Source
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