LANSING — With no hearings or public input, Republicans rushed through House Bill 4397 today, providing a giveaway to insurance companies in the form of loopholes to avoid guaranteed lower rates or an end to discriminatory rate setting practices. Michigan’s auto insurance industry is one of the least regulated in the U.S. with Michigan drivers paying nearly two times more than drivers anywhere else in the nation, according to a University of Michigan study. In response, state Rep. Rachel Hood (D-Grand Rapids) issued the following statement:

“My family has been relieved of the significant medical costs we would have incurred without the security provided by the auto no-fault system. This relief allowed us to follow our dreams rather than be burdened by debt. Those dreams led us to be job creators in Grand Rapids and to serve the families of our community. I know that our hardworking neighbors deserve better than this bill provides and I hope we can come together to achieve all that is possible to lower insurance rates, while maintaining support for families navigating the tragedies of catastrophic accidents.”

 

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