Research Publications

Compensation for Automobile Injuries in the United States

Attorney Involvement in Auto Injury Claims

A countrywide survey of 3,375 families with recent auto injury experience indicates that 35% hired an attorney to handle their claims in 1986, up from 22% in a similar study in 1977. The report provides information about the accidents, injuries, sources and amounts of compensation received and experiences with attorneys, including fees paid and satisfaction with attorneys and the settlements they negotiated.

Public Attitude Monitor 1988

This study focuses on public attitudes regarding the cost of auto insurance, higher speed limits, drinking and driving behavior, collision damage waivers in auto rental contracts, proposals to subsidize liability insurance premiums, and shopping for auto insurance. It also continues the Council's tracking of the percentage of households with uninsured vehicles.

Earthquake Losses under Workers Compensation and General Liability

Insured earthquake losses under workers' compensation and general liability insurance policies are estimated at about $14.6 billion for a "worst case" M7.5 event on the Newport-Inglewood fault, Los Angeles.

Public Attitude Monitor 1987

Topics addressed in this survey include: fairness of gender-based auto insurance rates, safety standards for minivans and pickup trucks, fairness of the lawsuit system, possible consequences of lawsuits for society and possible steps to reduce their cost, drinking and driving behavior, penalties for drunk driving, liability of hosts for intoxicated guests, and cost of auto insurance.

Unisex Auto Insurance Rating

Following passage of unisex insurance rating legislation in Montana, the Council conducted a study of how auto insurance premiums changed when gender and marital status were eliminated as rating variables. The study measures the increases and decreases in auto insurance premiums experienced by youthful female and male drivers.

Fire Following Earthquake

This study indicates that major earthquakes in the Los Angeles Basin and the San Francisco Bay area would be likely to cause major conflagrations and generate fire damage of $4 to $17 billion, depending on quake location and wind conditions. Estimated "burn rates" are shown for communities affected.

Public Attitude Monitor 1986

Included in this survey are various civil justice issues such as the perceptions about frequency and cost of personal injury lawsuits, fairness of the lawsuit system, possible consequences of lawsuits for society and steps to reduce their cost. Also included are drinking and driving behavior, penalties for drunk driving, liability of hosts for intoxicated guests, and cost of auto insurance.

Surveys on Liability Insurance for Government Entities

Survey responses from 66 liability insurers and 679 government entities (municipalities, counties, school districts, etc.) provide the basis for this study, which explores problems in obtaining liability insurance, the reasons for those problems, and steps that might be taken to alleviate them. Specific questions were asked about cancellations and nonrenewals, premium increases, loss control measures, and favorable and unfavorable states.

Catastrophic Losses - How the Insurance System Would Handle Two $7 Billion Hurricanes

This study starts with two hypothetical hurricanes causing $7 billion each in insured property losses, and tracks those losses through the insurance system to find out where they would fall. It also analyzes the financial impact two such losses would have on primary companies and reinsurers, as a group, in the U.S. and abroad. The study also collected information on actual hurricane losses for 1983 and 1985, resulting in a substantial upward revision of earlier loss estimates for those storms.