Latest Auto Headlines
All the headlines from our Auto Topic Page, ordered by recency.
The Carlet Letter? New Jersey Tags New Drivers with Decal
Apr 17 2009 // Would you drive any differently if you knew there was a teenager behind the wheel of the car in front of you? You might find out soon. A first-in-the-nation law in New Jersey will require new drivers ages 21 and younger to...
AIG May Sell U.S. Auto Unit to Zurich
Apr 16 2009 // American International Group is close to a deal to sell its U.S. auto insurance business to Swiss insurer Zurich Financial Services for roughly $1.5 billion, a source familiar with the matter said on Wednesday. A deal...
Farmers To Acquire AIG’s Personal Auto Group for $1.9 Billion
Apr 16 2009 // Los Angeles-based the Farmers Insurance Group of Companies has announced it will acquire American International Group’s (AIG’s) Personal Auto Group, which includes 21st Century Insurance Co. The acquisition...
South Carolina’s Myrtle Beach Area Still Popular with Car Thieves
Apr 15 2009 // The Grand Strand again ranks first in the Southeast in vehicles stolen per capita, with the Myrtle Beach area among seven of South Carolina’s metro areas posting higher rankings, according to a report. The Myrtle...
Las Vegas Police Say Task Force Curbing Car Thefts
Apr 15 2009 // Las Vegas police say a push to curb auto thefts is behind a big drop in the number of vehicles stolen in southern Nevada. A report by the National Insurance Crime Bureau said that Clark County had the seventh-most cars...
Overall Thefts Cool, But California Remains Top Spot for Vehicle Thefts
Apr 13 2009 // The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reported that 2008 marked the nation’s fifth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts in the United States. Although most areas experienced a reduction in vehicle theft,...
Direct Writers Reconsidering Massachusetts
Apr 6 2009 // As Managed Competition Marks Anniversary, Agency-Distributed Auto Insurance Faces New Rival It’s finally happened: Geico is entering the auto insurance market in Massachusetts. Insurance Commissioner Nonnie Burnes...
Auto Loan Delinquency Rate on the Rise
Apr 6 2009 // The percentage of auto loans past due 60 days or more rose 8.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008, compared with the prior-year period, according to credit reporting agency TransUnion. The numbers point to auto...
North Carolina Challenges 1.4% Auto Hike
Apr 6 2009 // A 1.4 perent rate hike requested by North Carolina auto insurance companies is being contested by state officials. Insurance department actuaries have concluded that the increase is not warranted in part because it...
Auto Club Insurance Association Acquires MEEMIC Insurance Co.
Apr 3 2009 // Auto Club Insurance Association, a Dearborn, Mich.-based insurer (ACIA), has acquired MEEMIC Insurance Company (MEEMIC) and its insurance agency affiliate, MEEMIC Insurance Services Corporation. ACIA offers a full range of...
Michigan Auto Insurance Fee for Serious Injuries to Rise
Apr 1 2009 // Michigan motorists will pay $20.31 more this year to a fund helping support seriously injured accident victims. The Michigan Catastrophic Claims Association this week raised the annual assessment to $124.89 per...
Massachusetts Enters Second Year of Car Insurance Experiment
Apr 1 2009 // For decades, Massachusetts had some of the nation’s highest automobile insurance premiums and was the last state to have rates determined by the government, not the open market. That changed one year ago this week,...
North Carolina Challenges 1.4% Auto Insurance Rate Hike
Mar 30 2009 // A 1.4 perent rate hike requested by North Carolina auto insurance companies is being contested by state officials. Insurance department actuaries have concluded that the increase is not warranted in part because it...
Georgia Lawmakers Defeat Pickup Truck Seat Belt Law
Mar 26 2009 // A bid to require adults in pickup trucks to buckle their seat belts was narrowly defeated by a Georgia House panel, defying supporters of stronger safety standards that have been adopted by much of the nation. The House...
MetLife Auto & Home Appoints Swan Regional Sales Manager in California
Mar 25 2009 // MetLife Auto & Home announced the appointment of Madera, Calif., resident Rene Swan to the position of regional sales manager, overseeing the company’s growth plans in California’s Central Valley...
Oklahoma House Calls for More Stringent Youth ATV Regulations
Mar 25 2009 // A resolution urging the federal government to amend regulations banning the sale of youth all-terrain vehicles and motorcycles has been passed by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House Resolution 1024, by state Reps....
Esurance Exploring Massachusetts Personal Auto Market
Mar 24 2009 // Esurance, a San Francisco-based personal auto insurance direct writer, has taken preliminary steps to obtain a license to sell auto insurance in Massachusetts — although the company says it has no immediate plans to...
Mississippi Buyers Caught In Stolen Car Scam Must Return Vehicles
Mar 24 2009 // Normally, a 2008 BMW M3 or 3 Series sedan in excellent condition would sell for between $35,000 and $42,000 in a private party transaction, depending on mileage and equipment. For some Jones County buyer who possibly...
MetLife Auto & Home Eyes California for Expansion
Mar 23 2009 // Snoopy is moving to California and is bringing with him opportunities for independent insurance agents. MetLife Inc., which uses the famous beagle in its advertising, said it plans to expand its MetLife Auto & Home...
Michigan’s Auto Insurance Rate Denials Reignite Credit Scoring Fight
Mar 23 2009 // Michigan’s regulator has reignited a debate over credit scoring by denying auto insurance companies requested rate increases because their proposed rate schemes include discounts for good credit scores. Commissioner...
