PRINTER'S NO. 2756

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2121 Session of 1988


        INTRODUCED BY O'DONNELL, JANUARY 27, 1988

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON INSURANCE, JANUARY 27, 1988

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of June 11, 1947 (P.L.538, No.246), entitled
     2     "An act relating to the regulation of rates for insurance
     3     which may be written by stock or mutual casualty insurance
     4     companies, associations or exchanges, including fidelity,
     5     surety and guaranty bonds and all other forms of motor
     6     vehicle insurance, and title insurance; to rating and
     7     advisory organizations; conferring on the Insurance
     8     Commissioner the power and duty of supervising and regulating
     9     persons, associations, companies and corporations, and of
    10     enforcing the provisions of this act; prescribing and
    11     regulating the practice and procedure before the
    12     commissioner, and procedure for review by the courts; giving
    13     the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County exclusive
    14     jurisdiction over certain proceedings; prescribing penalties
    15     and providing for enforcement thereof, and repealing
    16     inconsistent acts," further providing for classification of
    17     risk for automobile insurance.

    18     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    19  hereby enacts as follows:
    20     Section 1.  The act of June 11, 1947 (P.L.538, No.246), known
    21  as The Casualty and Surety Rate Regulatory Act, is amended by
    22  adding a section to read:
    23     Section 4.1.  Classification of Risk for Automobile
    24  Insurance.--
    25     (a)  Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary,

     1  classifications and rules and rating plans used by any insurer
     2  with respect to private passenger automobile insurance shall
     3  conform to the applicable requirements of this section.
     4     (b)  Classifications, rates and rating plans established for
     5  automobile insurance shall be based only upon:
     6     (1)  Average miles driven weekly or annually, or both.
     7     (2)  Type of use, including business, agriculture and
     8  pleasure.
     9     (3)  Vehicle make and model, vehicle characteristics,
    10  features, design and options, including engine displacement and
    11  ability of vehicle and its equipment to protect passengers from
    12  injury.
    13     (4)  Daily or weekly commuting mileage.
    14     (5)  Number of cars insured by the insurer or number of
    15  licensed operators in the household, and where there is more
    16  than one vehicle driver, the proportionate use of each vehicle
    17  insured under the policy by each individual driver. However, the
    18  number of licensed operators shall not be used as an indirect
    19  measure of marital status.
    20     (6)  Amount of insurance.
    21     (7)  The anticipated cost of vehicle repairs or replacement,
    22  as measured by age, price, cost or value of the insured
    23  automobile, and other factors directly relating to that
    24  anticipated cost.
    25     (8)  The geographic location of the vehicle.
    26     (9)  Any other factor as determined by the commissioner.
    27     (c)  Each insurer shall establish a merit rating plan for
    28  automobile insurance. Such plan shall provide for premium
    29  surcharges for any or all coverages for automobile insurance,
    30  based upon any or all of the following, when the information
    19880H2121B2756                  - 2 -

     1  becomes available to the insurer:
     2     (1)  Substantially at-fault accidents.
     3     (2)  Convictions for any violations of Title 75 of the
     4  Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes (relating to vehicles).
     5     (3)  Inexperience of the driver.
     6     (4)  Any other factor approved by the commissioner.
     7     (d)  An insurer shall not establish or maintain rates or
     8  rating classifications for automobile insurance based upon
     9  gender or marital status.
    10     (e)  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 4, an insurer
    11  may, for any person with driving experience of less than five
    12  years, establish classifications, rates or rating plans based on
    13  gender, age, marital status or any other actuarially significant
    14  factor which is supported by sound actuarial principles relating
    15  to reasonably anticipated experience.
    16     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.










    L1L40DGS/19880H2121B2756         - 3 -