Declarations

Few Signs

“Most risk managers continue to see flat or slightly lower premiums at renewal. The insurance market is still very competitive and, while some insurers are predicting an imminent hard market, there are few signs that rates will rise sharply anytime in the near future.”

—Daniel H. Kugler, a member of RIMS board of directors and assistant treasurer, risk management at Snap-on Inc., in a recent Advisen survey on the marketplace.

Religious Exemption

“We’re not here criticizing society for the methods of depending on each other for insurance. The Bible says it’s better to trust the Lord than to depend on man. Society buys insurance on the promise that if anything bad happens to you, we’ll take care of it. We trust in the Lord.”

—Kenneth Kreider, a community minister with the Georgia branch of the Eastern Pennsylvania Mennonite Church, on his church’s attempts to obtain an exemption from Georgia state law mandating insurance for their personal motor vehicles. The rules that conflict with their spiritual beliefs against insurance, which they consider gambling. Now, Mennonite drivers pay for auto insurance but then try to avoid any benefit if they get in a traffic accident.

Veto It

“This bill is an invitation for insurers to game the Florida regulatory system and abuse consumers. No price can be too high, no discrimination can be found unfair if a policy is issued under these terms.”

—Officials from the Consumer Federation of America, Consumer Watchdog, Center for Economic Justice and United Policyholders in a letter to Florida Gov. Charlie Crist urging him to veto a bill that would deregulate rates that large property insurers charge.

Sign It

“Loosening the regulatory chokehold on private insurers and requiring the residual market to pay its own way are positive moves.”

—Cecil Pearce, American Insurance Association, urging Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to sign the property insurance rate deregulation bill and praising another bill raising Citizens rates.

Keep On Drivin’

“People tend to think there is a big difference between insuring a new car versus an older one.”

—William Pearse, vice president of product strategy and design for Travelers, commenting on a poll from R. L. Polk & Co. showing that 64 percent of consumers are “very or extremely likely” to keep their current vehicle longer than they normally would due to economic conditions.