Pacific Research Institute, 755 Sansome Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, CA 94111 http://www.pacificresearch.org/ , March 2007

 

The Pacific Research Institute has released a study that details the economic costs of the U.S. tort system. The report estimates that the U.S. tort system costs the nation’s economy $865 billion each year, representing an annual tort tax of $9,827 for a family of four. The study is posted on the Web at http://www.pacificresearch.org/pub/sab/entrep/2007/Jackpot_Justice/Jackpot_Justice.pdf

 

 

 

A.M. Best Company, Oldwick, NJ http://www.ambest.com March 2007

 

Seventeen U.S. insurance companies became financially impaired in 2006, despite a respite for property/casualty insurers from two consecutive turbulent hurricane seasons and more diversified asset portfolios among life/health insurers, according to two new A.M. Best Co. special reports--"2007 Annual U.S. Life/Health Impairments" and "2007 Annual U.S.Property/Casualty Impairments." Information on the studies is posted on the Web at http://www3.ambest.com/Frames/FrameServer.asp?AltSrc=23&Tab=1&Site= news&refnum=92364

 

 

 

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, Arlington, VA http://www.highwaysafety.org March 2007

 

Forty percent of fatal collisions involving drivers age 70 and older and other vehicles happen at intersections, according to a report released by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. That rate compared to 23 percent of fatal crashes involving those 35 to 54 years old, researchers found. The new data, collected from 200 Connecticut intersection crashes, found 58 percent of drivers age 80 and older had intersection crashes due to their failure to yield. The most common reason among young drivers was rear-ending another car. For a copy of "Crash and Error Types of Older Drivers' Intersection Crashes" by K.A. Braitman et al., write: Publications, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1005 N.Glebe Rd., Arlington, VA 22201