Thursday, March 30, 2023

Play

Nebraska attorneys develop a workers rights program, the FDA approves over-the-counter sales of the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone, and mayors look for new ways to partner with the federal government.

Play

The Senate repeals authorization of military force in Iraq, the former CEO of Starbucks testifies about the company's worker policies, and Kentucky overrides the governor's veto of gender-affirming care for children.

Play

Small towns respond to a hidden housing and homelessness crisis, a new national weather prediction system will help close the gap between urban and rural forecasting, and more rural communities are eligible for a design project to boost economic development.

Bill to Modernize Car Insurance Heard Today in State Senate

Play

Tuesday, March 28, 2017   

CARSON CITY, Nev. – If a driver with a bare-bones liability policy hurts someone, the victims are out of luck once the bills exceed the driver's policy limit. This morning, the state Senate transportation committee takes up a bill to raise the minimum amount an auto-insurance policy must cover.

Currently, state law requires drivers to carry a policy that will pay out $15,000 per person for bodily injury; $30,000 per accident and $10,000 for property damage.

But, Reno personal-injury attorney Matt Sharp says a so-called 15-30-10 policy is woefully insufficient.

"An emergency room and a couple visits to the doctor and you've hit $15,000," he said. "You're not going to have enough money to repair your car. You don't have a car, you can't get to work. So these are real-life issues."

The current limits of 15-30-10 were set way back in 1958. The new bill, SB 308, would set a new mandatory minimum of $25,000 for bodily injury, $50,000 per accident and $20,000 for property damage.

Opponents of the bill say it would drive up insurance premiums. But, the state of Maine has the highest mandatory minimum but does not have the highest premiums. It does, however, have the lowest rate of uninsured drivers.

Sharp says the current system drives up costs for everyone because people who get hurt and aren't compensated turn to taxpayer-funded emergency care. And many drivers end up buying costly uninsured motorist coverage.

"The lower people's limits are, the more likely you will need to use uninsured-motorist coverage," he explained. "The fact that we have arcane policy limits makes uninsured motorist coverage more expensive."

Statistics show that as of 2011, about 18 percent of drivers in Nevada carried only the minimum insurance coverage.


get more stories like this via email

The report outlines ways that higher education could be creative and flexible with how schools are using their platforms to reach students. (Adobe stock)

Social Issues

New findings confirm suspicions about the top reasons many students considered dropping out of college over the last six months. The Gallup and …


Social Issues

Two reports confirm a troubling trend in terms of Black students attending college. According to the University System of Georgia, enrollment among …

Health and Wellness

States such as Minnesota continue to grapple with recent spikes in fatal overdoses tied to opioids. Now, a federal agency has taken what aid groups …


The Warrior Way Back program at Wayne State University works with older students who may have families or jobs competing for their study time. (digitalskillet/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

Everyone starts college with pretty much the same dream - to earn a degree and have a better life. But sometimes life gets in the way, and dreams get …

Social Issues

Food assistance is integral for families - but it's also important that the food available makes sense culturally. The American Heart Association …

The Castner Range contains cultural sites that document the history of Native tribes, while also providing habitat for wildlife such as the golden eagle, mountain lions and the western burrowing owl. (Dale/AdobeStock)

Environment

A celebration will be held in El Paso Friday after five decades of activism paid off, when President Joe Biden designated Texas' Castner Range a …

Social Issues

With an average hourly wage of under $15 in 2021, many Nebraska agricultural workers would be hard-pressed to afford an attorney if they needed one …

Environment

Kentucky cities and towns could soon start ramping up water monitoring for PFAS chemicals in response to the latest nationwide limits proposed by the …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021