Automotive and Insurance Industry News

Michigan Attorney General Mike Cox Announces Settlement in Warranty Corp. Case 

LANSING, Mich., Feb. 13/ -- Consumers who made contracts with Warranty Corp. on or after January 28, 2002, have until May 4 to file a complaint with the Michigan Attorney General's office or the Better Business Bureau, Attorney General Mike Cox announced today. 

The company sells service contracts to consumers with used vehicles.  The company mailed ads to consumers urging them to act within 72 hours to purchase a warranty for their used vehicles at a reduced amount.  In reality, the offer was one for a service contract -- not a warranty.  The company will pay a hefty penalty and make restitution to certain customers.

Mercedes Seeks Photos of you with your Car 

MONTVALE, N.J., Feb. 13/ -- Mercedes Benz wants to celebrate your love affair with your Mercedes Benz.  The company is collecting photos of owners' love affairs with their vehicles online at http://www.mbusa.com/lovemercedes and is considering using some of the photographs in an upcoming ad to demonstrate the special bond between owners and their vehicles. 

"Mercedes owners tend to be some of the most faithful in the industry, with good reason.  Some 72 percent of all Mercedes ever bought are still on the road today. There's an emotional connection with the brand that makes ownership of a Mercedes 'Unlike Any Other' and that's what they’re looking to capture.

2004 Dodge Durango Features Innovative SKF Wheel Hubs     

PLYMOUTH, Mich., Feb. 16/ -- The all-new 2004 Dodge Durango features an innovative asymmetrical ball hub bearing unit to replace the standard tapered roller bearing unit.  This new design consists of a double row angular contact ball bearing arrangement in which the outboard row is at a higher diameter than the inner row.  This unique design increases the bearing's capacity while improving hub stiffness over a traditional tapered bearing unit. 

A stiffer hub provides many benefits, including allowing the wheel to run truer during cornering and acceleration, provides better steering, handling and vehicle dynamic behavior, and reduces brake wear. 

National Arbitration Forum Gets No-Fault Insurance Contract for New Jersey 

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 16/ -- The State of New Jersey has awarded the National Arbitration Forum a three-year contract to administer arbitrations for No-Fault Insurance Personal Injury Protection (PIP) disputes under the state's Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act of 1998.  Under the New Jersey contract, NAF will administer approximately 20,000 cases per year. 

According to cost estimates, the NAF-administered arbitration program will save New Jersey policyholders and insurers nearly $4 million over the next three years compared to the former program.

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