California Auto Insurer Trying to Trick Voters Into Paying Higher Premiums

[DainBramaged]

California's third largest auto insurer, Mercury Insurance, created a front group called Californians for Fair Auto Insurance Rates (Cal-FAIR), to advance a ballot initiative that, if passed, would allow insurers to slap surcharges on drivers who allow their auto insurance coverage to lapse for any reason. Cal-FAIR shares the same Sacramento address as the public relations firm Goddard Claussen, which boasts that it is "the most successful issue-advocacy firm in America." Cal-FAIR is submitting signatures this week to place Mercury's measure on the state ballot in 2010. The initiative is Mercury's attempt to make an end-run around a law Californians passed in 1988, which prohibits auto insurers from considering people's prior insurance coverage in setting rates. Mercury is Cal-FAIR's only donor, and so far has put $4.5 million into the campaign to try and pass the measure.

http://www.prwatch.org/node/8773

http://www.goddardclaussen.com/ (these folks are simply evil)

Harry and Louise
Health Insurance Association of America

National advocacy advertising didn't just happen. It was invented. And we (Goddard Claussen)invented it in the early ‘90's with the fictional couple – “Harry and Louise” – created to give a clear, unified voice to those who opposed President Clinton's sweeping health care proposal. The unique campaign, managed by Goddard Claussen, caught the attention of the media, the White House and the American people. A year later, “Harry and Louise” earned a spot on Advertising Age's prestigious “Marketing 100” and was named the Best Public Policy Campaign by the American Association of Political Consultants. It's widely credited as being the key factor in defeating the Clinton Health Plan.

[hobbit709]

1. To paraphrase Shakespeare

"First thing we do is hang all the insurance CEOs"

[Wizard777]

2. If you pay the surcharge does that convert your lapse to coverage?

That would actually be beneficial to drivers. At least here in Maryland it would be. If your insurance lapses. They revoke your registration. You now have a 1,500.00 fine to pay if you did not turn in your tags before this happened. Lets say my Ins. Premium is 250.00 per month. I let it lapse for a week or two. The insurance company will reinstate my policy as valid through the lapse period for 500.00. Sure it's twice my premium. But it's far less than the 1,500.00 in fines plus 250.00 for the first month on a new policy. I would much rather pay 500.00 to get back on the road than 1,750.00.

[hobbit709]

3. Here in TX you pay much higher premiums if you haven't been insured

Even if you haven't owned a vehicle. At one time I didn't own a car for 10 years, and because I hadn't been insured(No matter that it's called VEHICLE Insurance-not DRIVER insurance) the premiums would have been more that what the car cost. so we put the car in my wife's name and got me listed as an additional driver on her policy. The difference was $1200/yr.

[Wizard777]

5. Do you have a state liability pool?

We have that here in Maryland. As as a direct result Our Auto Insurance companies are not in the risk management business. They've become cherry pickers. If they think there is any risk involved with issuing you a policy. They'll send you MAIF. There are basically only two ways to get a private policy here. You inherit from your parents or buy a house. Some companies will let you transfer you auto policy to them if you have homeowners insurance with them. I'm almost glad the public option got shot down because that's exactly how it would be with health care. The Insurance industry would go out of the risk management business and go into the cherry picking business. If the government goes into the health insurance business. It has to be all or nothing. They take the entire liability pool or not at all.

[defendandprotect]

4. Right wing = false flag operations . . .

and that includes their phony right wing religious movement --