NICB Report: Vehicle Thefts Continue to Skyrocket in Many Areas of U.S.

vehicle thefts in Canada

According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s (NICB) Hot Spots Report, vehicle thefts continue to skyrocket in many areas of the U.S. Nationwide, 932,329 vehicles were reported stolen to law enforcement in 2021, a 6% increase over 2020, and a 17% increase since 2019. Colorado led the nation in 2021 with the highest overall theft… Continue reading NICB Report: Vehicle Thefts Continue to Skyrocket in Many Areas of U.S.

U.S. Traffic Deaths Jumped About 7% in the First Three Months of 2022

Auto legal costs post-accidents

According to a preliminary estimate released on Wednesday, traffic deaths in the United States increased by about 7% in the first three months of 2022 to 9,560, the highest first-quarter number since 2002. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says traffic deaths have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began. In 2021, traffic deaths in… Continue reading U.S. Traffic Deaths Jumped About 7% in the First Three Months of 2022

Allstate Profit Weakens as Accidents, Claim Costs Increase

Allstate catastrophe losses

Allstate Corp. reported a 61 percent drop in its closely watched adjusted net income compared to the previous year, as the auto-insurance industry in the United States grapples with rising accident volumes and sharply higher claims costs. Allstate’s first-quarter adjusted income fell to $726 million from $1.87 billion a year earlier, primarily because of the… Continue reading Allstate Profit Weakens as Accidents, Claim Costs Increase

COVID-19 Relief Ends: Auto Insurance Rates Back on the Rise

Auto insurance costs

The Zebra, the nation’s leading insurance comparison site, released its 2022 State of Auto Insurance Report revealing the national average annual cost for car insurance to be $1,529, up 3% over last year’s reduced rates from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Zebra’s sixth annual State of Auto Insurance Report provides an under-the-hood look at more than… Continue reading COVID-19 Relief Ends: Auto Insurance Rates Back on the Rise

Lemonade to Buy Metromile

Lemonade Insurtech

Lemonade, an insurance company powered by AI and social good, and Metromile, a data science company focused on auto insurance, have entered into a definitive agreement under which Lemonade will acquire Metromile in an all-stock transaction with a fully diluted equity value of approximately $500 million, or slightly more than $200 million net of cash.… Continue reading Lemonade to Buy Metromile

Backlog in Federal Safety Rules Amid U.S. Car Crash ‘Epidemic’

CA prosecutor sues USAA

As traffic fatalities spike in the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal agency in charge of auto safety is struggling with a growing backlog of safety rules ordered by Congress that are years overdue and estimated to save thousands of lives. A governors’ highway safety group says the United States faces a “car crash epidemic” at the… Continue reading Backlog in Federal Safety Rules Amid U.S. Car Crash ‘Epidemic’

Direct-to-Consumer Auto Insurers Take Top Honors in Shopping Study: J.D. Power

Young woman sitting in a car

Two insurance carriers—GEICO and Progressive—captured nearly 92% of all premium growth in the past year, putting an exclamation point on a trend toward increased adoption of direct-to-consumer auto insurance that has been building for several years. According to the J.D. Power 2020 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study,SM this trend is likely to get a further boost… Continue reading Direct-to-Consumer Auto Insurers Take Top Honors in Shopping Study: J.D. Power