Auto insurance ratepayers in Wisconsin are learning about an increase in their premiums and they are not pleased.
Drivers are starting to understand the direct impact of the 2009-11 state budget, a document composed and approved by legislative Democrats and Gov. Jim Doyle. The current state budget is costing motorists much higher premiums due to government provisions in the state budget mandating changes to your auto insurance.
A Democrat leader in the state Assembly tried to put the blame on insurance companies in a letter to a constituent dated Oct. 7, that reads, in part, "Recently, some members of the insurance industry are trying to pass the buck for increasing rates on their customers, blaming rate increases on the state budget passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Doyle. Quite simply, any previous increases are due to the business decisions of insurance providers rather than any action taken by the Legislature."
The fact is that legislative Democrats and the governor pushed, supported, and voted for state budget provisions that are directly responsible for higher insurance costs that are making consumers angry.
The news media sent out warnings earlier this year.
During state budget deliberations last June on the floor of the state Senate, I was the lead author of an amendment that would have removed all costly insurance mandates from the state budget. The amendment was defeated along party lines by Democrats that control the state Senate.
As a result, premiums and tempers are on the rise. Terry Scheller of Nichols with insurance on three vehicles increasing $231 told the Wisconsin Associated Press, "I think it's awful. How much more can people afford? Times are tough. Guess who's paying for it? People like me with clean driving records."
The same legislator that wrote the afore-mentioned Oct.7, letter to a constituent also gave the same explanation about the more expensive rates to a non-believing Scheller in a telephone conversation according to the Associated Press.
"I'm not buying it," said Scheller. "I believe it's the state law."
Calculating the increase in auto insurance for each driver will be difficult according to the state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance because some motorists bought more than the minimum requirement, and other factors such as driving record and previous claims must also be considered.
I am co-sponsoring legislation in the state Senate that will repeal provisions related to motor vehicle insurance that were included in the state budget. Neither insurance companies nor consumers requested the mandates. They were the exclusive brainchild of legislative Democrats and the governor now wanting to pass blame.
- Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, can be reached at Sen.Lazich@legis.wisconsin.gov; or (800) 334-1442.
Drivers are starting to understand the direct impact of the 2009-11 state budget, a document composed and approved by legislative Democrats and Gov. Jim Doyle. The current state budget is costing motorists much higher premiums due to government provisions in the state budget mandating changes to your auto insurance.
A Democrat leader in the state Assembly tried to put the blame on insurance companies in a letter to a constituent dated Oct. 7, that reads, in part, "Recently, some members of the insurance industry are trying to pass the buck for increasing rates on their customers, blaming rate increases on the state budget passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Doyle. Quite simply, any previous increases are due to the business decisions of insurance providers rather than any action taken by the Legislature."
The fact is that legislative Democrats and the governor pushed, supported, and voted for state budget provisions that are directly responsible for higher insurance costs that are making consumers angry.
The news media sent out warnings earlier this year.
During state budget deliberations last June on the floor of the state Senate, I was the lead author of an amendment that would have removed all costly insurance mandates from the state budget. The amendment was defeated along party lines by Democrats that control the state Senate.
As a result, premiums and tempers are on the rise. Terry Scheller of Nichols with insurance on three vehicles increasing $231 told the Wisconsin Associated Press, "I think it's awful. How much more can people afford? Times are tough. Guess who's paying for it? People like me with clean driving records."
The same legislator that wrote the afore-mentioned Oct.7, letter to a constituent also gave the same explanation about the more expensive rates to a non-believing Scheller in a telephone conversation according to the Associated Press.
"I'm not buying it," said Scheller. "I believe it's the state law."
Calculating the increase in auto insurance for each driver will be difficult according to the state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance because some motorists bought more than the minimum requirement, and other factors such as driving record and previous claims must also be considered.
I am co-sponsoring legislation in the state Senate that will repeal provisions related to motor vehicle insurance that were included in the state budget. Neither insurance companies nor consumers requested the mandates. They were the exclusive brainchild of legislative Democrats and the governor now wanting to pass blame.
- Sen. Mary Lazich, R-New Berlin, can be reached at Sen.Lazich@legis.wisconsin.gov; or (800) 334-1442.
