Insurance news from Washington state includes Commissioner testifying in support of HB1212

Insurance news Mike Kreidler, Washington Commissioner

Mike Kreidler has announced that he has testified against of the use of credit scores by insurers. The latest insurance news out of Washington is that Mike Kreidler, the state’s commissioner, testified on January 30 as a reflection of his support of a new bill that is a bipartisan initiative to stop insurers from being able to use credit information to calculate homeowners policy premiums. House Bill 1212 separates homeowners coverage from the current Washington law restricting credit history use. The current regulations within the state limit the extent to…

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MAIA proposes 2012 referendum ballot to stop socioeconomic factors from impacting auto insurance premiums

The Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA), a group based in Milford, has put forth a proposal for the 2012 election for a ballot referendum that would stop auto insurers from becoming able to use socioeconomic factors to underwrite their insurance. This practice is already banned by the state, but the MAIA is seeking to continue making it illegal to use information such as a person’s education, job type, and credit score for determining an individual’s auto insurance premiums. That said, organizations that represent auto insurers are arguing for the…

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A bad credit score can mean costly insurance rates

Insurance and credit

Drivers with bad credit have always had a problem obtaining affordable car insurance. Few insurance companies would deny offering coverage to such drivers, but the policies available tend to be pricey. Between insurance premiums and deductibles, some of the cheapest policies drivers with bad credit can get will cost them more than $300 every month. GEICO and Farmers are two insurers looking to ease the stress of the issue by offering plans tailored for motorists with bad credit. Credit score plays a vital yet little known role in how insurance…

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