A class action lawsuit has been filed against GEICO in Texas, claiming the insurance giant misrepresented its Accident Forgiveness program, resulting in significant financial hardships for some policyholders. The lawsuit, brought by Texas resident Christopher Cude on February 25, alleges that GEICO raised his auto insurance premium by over 91% following a minor, first at-fault accident involving his wife. According to court documents, Cude’s premium increased from $1,358 to $2,664 upon policy renewal, despite the fact that his policy included Accident Forgiveness, which GEICO promotes as a safeguard against rate…
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82% More for Home Insurance? Here’s How Climate Risk Is Hitting Your Wallet
Rising Insurance Costs in High-Risk Areas Home insurance costs are soaring across the United States, particularly for those living in areas prone to natural disasters. A new report by the U.S. Treasury Department reveals a stark disparity between premiums in high-risk and low-risk zip codes, painting a concerning picture for homeowners grappling with climate-related challenges. The findings highlight an 82% increase in average premiums for residents in disaster-prone areas compared to their counterparts in low-risk regions. But what’s behind this spike in prices, and what does it mean for homeowners?…
Read MoreNorth Carolina property owners to see dwelling insurance rate spike by 8 percent
Commissioner Mike Causey announced the average rate increase across the state. North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey has announced that following negotiations with the dwelling insurance market, there will be an average 8 percent rate increase across the state. The increase is substantially lower than what was requested The North Carolina Rate Bureau had been seeking an average increase to dwelling insurance rates of 50.6 percent. That means that following negotiations, it was reduced by 42.6 percent to arrive at the average that will be implemented in the state. This…
Read MoreFlorida Homeowners Insurance Market Sees Promising Shift with Depopulation Program
The landscape of Florida’s homeowners insurance industry is undergoing significant changes as private insurers have absorbed 275,324 policies from the state-run Citizens Property Insurance Corp so far in 2023. These changes, spotlighted during the recent Citizens Board of Governors meeting, demonstrate a strategic attempt to balance the market through a process called “depopulation.” What Depopulation Means for Consumers For consumers, the depopulation program has a direct impact on their insurance decisions. Here’s what it boils down to: if a private insurance company extends an offer that exceeds a policy owner’s…
Read MoreAllstate Reports Losses: What Does This Mean for the Market?
In a recent financial disclosure, The Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) has reported significant catastrophe losses for January, posing new questions about the impacts on the broader insurance market. Key Financial Impacts Allstate’s estimated catastrophe losses have tallied up to $276 million pre-tax, or $218 million after-tax, for the month of January alone—a substantial hit to the corporation’s financials. Predominantly, these losses stem from two major events, accounting for the lion’s share—around 80%—of the total figure, although these have been slightly mitigated by favorable re-estimates of prior events’ reserves. Rate Adjustments…
Read MoreAustralia: Property insurance risk are being recalculated
The flooding that struck Australia’s Queensland some months back was expected to have severe ramifications on the insurance industry. Now, officials are reporting that rates for homeowners are going to be raised by as much as 30%. Queensland residents have been receiving renewal notices for their policies’ premiums will be increasing. Many of these policyholders own property that survived the flooding without any damage, leading them to question the rate increase. Insurers claim a myriad of reasons behind the rate increase. While the flooding is a prominent factor, they assert…
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