Allstate seeks increase in car insurance rate

Thursday, Dec. 21, 2000 | 10:50 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- Allstate Insurance Co., which covers more than 131,000 cars in Nevada, is asking the state Insurance Commissioner to raise rates by 6 percent statewide.

The company last boosted its rates by 3 percent in October 1997 and wants the new increases effective in January for new customers and in February for those who start to renew their policies.

If approved by Commissioner Alice Molasky-Arman, the company would collect $6.3 million more a year on top of its present annual $105.3 million in premiums.

Nevada law requires a motorist have bodily injury and property damage policies. This would go up an average of 7.6 percent and 16.6 percent, respectively, statewide. The company wants to boost uninsured motorist coverage by 6.9 percent; medical payments by 10.1 percent and leave comprehensive and collision unchanged.

However the rates vary widely depending on the home of the car owner.

For instance in west and south Las Vegas where the company insures 18,630 cars, bodily injury rates would decrease by 0.1 percent but property damage would jump 18.7 percent. Uninsured motorist rates would go up 14.9 percent; medical payments, 5.8 percent; comprehensive, 5 percent and collision by 3.5 percent.

The 10,984 policy holders in northeast Las Vegas would see a 4.9 percent increase in bodily injury; 15 percent in property damage; 16.3 percent in uninsured motorist; 8.6 percent in medical payments; 9.3 percent in comprehensive and a decrease of 1 percent in collision.

For the remainder of Clark County, the 58,861 motorists with Allstate coverage would see a 10 percent rise in bodily injury; an 18.1 percent increase in property damage; 14.9 percent in uninsured motorists; 14.2 percent in medical payment; 5.2 percent in comprehensive and 1.9 percent in collision.