Auto

News

Automatic brakes were disabled in Uber self-driving car fatal crash

Ryan Beene | May 24, 2018

The car’s sensors observed the pedestrian about six seconds before impact, according to a preliminary NTSB report.

News

Insured losses from May's 'Ring of Fire' near $2.5 billion, says new report

Danielle Ling | May 24, 2018

The extreme weather event created billions of dollars in damages from hail and wind across 12 states, Karen Clark & Co. reports.

Commentary

Expect a shift in the auto insurance litigation landscape

Randy Maniloff | May 24, 2018

Even if widespread adoption of autonomous and self-driving cars somehow becomes a reality, they surely won't be foolproof.

Research

53% of insurers opting to develop AI capabilities in-house, study finds

Victoria Prussen Spears | May 23, 2018

Everest Group looked at how insurers are building AI capabilities through hiring, InsurTech partnerships and other means.

News

Seat belts urged for school buses by NTSB after 2016 crashes

Ryan Beene | May 22, 2018

The NTSB also voted to recommend that the NHTSA mandate automatic emergency braking systems.

Best Practices

Senior drivers: When is it time to give up the keys?

Elana Ashanti Jefferson | May 22, 2018

Senior drivers don’t necessary cause more car crashes, but they are more likely to be seriously injured in an accident.

Best Practices

Shedding some light on auto accidents

Charles C. Roberts, Jr., Ph.D., P.E. | May 18, 2018

By examining the automotive lamps, an adjuster can determine whether the headlights were on when an incident occurred. Here’s what to look for in your investigation.

Expert Opinion

Insurance industry impact: New laws on the horizon

David A. Sampson | May 18, 2018

The 2018 election cycle means debate about insurance issues in state legislatures, and uncertain outcomes at the federal level.

Best Practices

Classic cars and claims fraud

Rick Drewry | May 16, 2018

While most claims are legitimate, there are several red flags claims professionals should watch for involving classic vehicles.

Expert Opinion

The life of a salvage vehicle

Christine G. Barlow | May 15, 2018

Some damaged vehicles have a new life following a salvage sale. Here’s a look at the process.

Market Insights

Automating auto claims: Connected cars offer new options

Dawn Mortimer | May 14, 2018

New technology is changing the way insurers are notified at the first notice of loss, and expediting every aspect of claims process.

News

With only half of recalls done, NHTSA says don't drive old Fords

Ryan Beene | May 07, 2018

Auto safety regulators warn that certain older Ford pickups should be parked until dangerous air bags are replaced.

Analysis

Did that accident cause those injuries?

Hank Walshak | May 07, 2018

Soft tissue injuries are easy to claim, but difficult to prove without a biomechanical analysis.

News

Distracted driving by the numbers

Gerry Sorge | May 03, 2018

Statistics on the number of accidents due to inattentive drivers are rising despite awareness of the risks.

Expert Opinion

EDR imaging and claims: Putting the pieces together after a crash

Robert Branham | May 01, 2018

Today’s auto technology is providing insurers with a more comprehensive picture of what happened before, during and immediately after an accident.

News

What’s on the horizon for auto insurers?

Patricia L. Harman | April 30, 2018

A new report from CCC Information Services examines the impact of technology, driving habits and driver expectations on insurers and repair facilities.

News

Can you apportion fault in a car accident between a ‘phantom’ & an actual defendant?

Steven A. Meyerowitz | April 26, 2018

Recovery for damages in auto accidents can be complicated when you know someone else was at fault, but you can't find the wrongdoer.

News

Driverless Ubers? New study shows who would get in

Danielle Ling | April 25, 2018

New data from insuranceQuotes.com identifies who would most likely embrace autonomous vehicles and driverless rideshares.

Case Study

Insurer lost subrogation right after letting insured sign general release

Steven A. Meyerowitz | April 23, 2018

A tetraplegic was struck by a vehicle, settled the claim and then filed an uninsured motorist claim against the same insurer

Expert Opinion

After the driverless fatality, insurance and litigation will be forever changed

Randy Maniloff | April 13, 2018

Unlike an inconsequential glitch with your office computer, in the case of driverless cars it's control, alt and someone’s life is deleted.

Analysis

Is car-sharing the next 'gig' thing?

Christine G. Barlow | April 12, 2018

While ridesharing got all the attention and took off rapidly, car-sharing, which is getting more popular, developed without a lot of press.

News

Global insured losses from disasters in 2017 were highest ever, Swiss Re finds

Jayleen R. Heft | April 12, 2018

The main driver of the high insured losses was an active hurricane season in the North Atlantic. In addition, the combined insurance losses from all wildfires worldwide were $14 billion, the highest ever in a single year.

Research

Daydreaming tops fatal distracted driving behaviors, Erie Insurance finds

Jayleen R. Heft | April 12, 2018

Police report that 61% of distracted drivers were daydreaming at the time of a fatal crash, compared with 14% of drivers who were distracted by cell phone use.

Research

State laws mandating interlocks for all DUI offenders save lives, study finds

Steven A. Meyerowitz | April 11, 2018

Laws requiring all impaired-driving offenders to install alcohol interlocks reduce the number of impaired drivers in fatal crashes by 16%, a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has found.

How travel habits can predict driving and distraction behaviors

Ted Gramer | April 06, 2018

Ted Gramer, CEO of TrueMotion, breaks down the company's months-long study examining the driving behaviors of more than 6,000 thousand drivers and how their travel habits, whether they be cyclists or frequent flyers, influence their driving.

News

Driverless cars? Not so fast

Shawn Moynihan | April 06, 2018

Are drivers really as ready as we think for the autonomous revolution?

Analysis

Can auto technology win the war against distracted driving?

Girish Malik | April 05, 2018

New digital interventions are already having a positive impact on driving habits.

New data highlights misperceptions about distracted driving

Danielle Ling | April 04, 2018

When it comes to distracted driving, data from Travelers' 2018 Risk Index shows a disconnect between drivers’ perception of what is safe and the dangerous reality of what is really happening on our roads.

News

Top 15 private passenger auto carriers for 2017, as ranked by NAIC

Denny Jacob | April 04, 2018

While the market for auto insurance is filled with competing companies, select companies enjoy an impressive hold over the market. But who's leading the pack when it comes to private passenger auto insurance?

Commentary

The business of risk

Ken Brownlee | March 30, 2018

What is America’s primary business and how does it relate to insurance?

News

Consumer Reports reveals 10 best cars for 2018

Denny Jacob | March 28, 2018

The all-electric Bolt earned Top Pick honors in Consumer Reports' new Compact Green Car category.

Best Practices

20 car crash tips and things you should know after an accident

Barry Levy | March 26, 2018

The average American will have three or four auto accidents in a lifetime.

News

Prison for man who forged & falsified docs to obtain $1M in auto insurance

Steven A. Meyerowitz | March 23, 2018

The evidence showed a N.Y. man engaged in a complex scheme to obtain commercial auto insurance in the names of fictitious business partnerships by submitting falsified documents and making false statements to multiple governmental agencies and insurance carriers.

News

Study: Only half of consumers willing to ride in automated vehicles

Denny Jacob | March 22, 2018

Though consumer confidence in automated vehicles is mixed, Generation Y and Z present a unique opportunity for insurers. They are among the most willing to ride in an automated vehicle, according to the study.

News

Old Republic is liability insurer for Uber's self-driving cars

Brian Louis | March 21, 2018

Old Republic International Corp., the Chicago-based insurer, provides commercial liability coverage of as much as $5 million for each of Uber Technologies Inc.’s self-driving vehicles.

Analysis

Navigating the twists and turns of self-driving cars and insurance

Parker O’Very | March 21, 2018

As self-driving cars become more popular in mainstream society, they’re also raising lots of questions about safety.

News

PCI identifies worst areas for towing hassles in new survey

Denny Jacob | March 20, 2018

You don't want to need a tow in these locations, now that the PCI 2018 National Towing Survey is in.

Research

Top 10 states for auto hail damage claims

Danielle Ling | March 20, 2018

Farmers Insurance looks at yearly trends in auto claims data to determine the most common hazards drivers face during the spring months.

News

Uber autonomous car involved in fatal crash in Arizona

Mark Bergen and Eric Newcomer | March 19, 2018

A self-driving car from Uber hit and killed a woman in Tempe, Arizona, on Sunday evening in what is likely the first pedestrian fatality involving the technology.

News

5 tips to help auto insurers accelerate their UBI adoption rates

Denny Jacob | March 15, 2018

Technology has long been embedded in our society's footprint — and it's not likely to go anywhere, either. Its role continues to expand in consumers' day-to-day activities, and no market better exemplifies this than the auto industry.

1 in 8 U.S. drivers was uninsured in 2015, new study says

Danielle Ling | March 13, 2018

When an uninsured driver is at fault in an accident, insured drivers, or their insurance companies, are often left to pay for the resulting physical…

Analysis

What you should know about auto accident liability exclusions

FC&S Editors | March 07, 2018

Individual state laws may impact what types of exclusions are named in an insured’s auto policy.

Factors affecting vehicle sales, insurance and repairs

Patricia L. Harman | March 07, 2018

A new report from CCC Information Services examines the impact of technology, driving habits and driver expectations on insurers and repair facilities.

News

5 in New York charged with auto insurance fraud

Steven A. Meyerowitz | March 02, 2018

The suspects allegedly purchased or increased auto insurance policy coverage after their vehicles already had been damaged and then misrepresented the dates of loss in claims submitted to their insurance carriers.

Selling crash report data may not be legal

Matthew J. Smith, Esq. | March 02, 2018

Balancing privacy rights for auto crash victims is a challenge when state and federal regulations clash.

Value, not discounts, key to commercial lines telematics

Nino Tarantino | February 27, 2018

As insurers start seeing results from their personal auto usage-based insurance programs, they look for new ways to leverage telematics technology.

News

New construction technology is an insurance game changer

Pete Schermerhorn | February 26, 2018

The construction industry is in the midst of a digital revolution that has far-reaching implications for site safety, risk management and insurance.

News

10 states with the worst drivers

Danielle Ling | February 23, 2018

Results from the nationwide CarInsuranceComparison.com annual study identify the worst drivers by state.

News Research

Motor vehicle deaths dipped slightly in 2017

Steven A. Meyerowitz, Esq. | February 22, 2018

Approximately 4.57 million people were seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2017, and costs to society totaled $413.8 billion.

News

2018's 10 best states to drive in

Denny Jacob | February 15, 2018

No traffic, no problem. Driving through these states will feel like a breeze.