No-Fault Auto Insurance

Re “Group Files No-Fault Initiative,” Dec. 23:

For at least the preceding 10 years I had an unblemished driving record, until another car backed into mine in a grocery store parking lot. I thought I was not at fault.

My insurance carrier (ITT-Hartford-AARP), however, after conducting secret meetings with the other insurance carrier, decided I was “at least” 50% at fault. According to the carrier’s practices this decision justified increasing my annual premium by $700 for three years, thus allowing the insurance firm to collect $2,100 for paying out $400 on my behalf. This amounts to about 75% interest per year.

If the no-fault initiative is successful all carriers will get to earn 75% annual interest, or more, on claims they pay without the need for secret meetings. No doubt ITT-Hartford-AARP will spend much of its ill-gotten gains to assure passage of the initiative.

Needed as much as a valid no-fault initiative is a disclosure by insurance carriers similar to the truth in lending act, which would require insurance carriers to disclose their practices up front so consumers can shop around intelligently. In the meantime, we have to assume they are all dishonest.

ROBERT WHITNEY

Monterey Park

* So no-fault insurance raises its ugly head again. Pay attention that almost every day a big rig causes death and destruction on the highways. The companies that own these accident-prone vehicles are just drooling to get so-called “no-fault” insurance. Please think about who would benefit the most.

RUTH WIDEMAN

Camarillo