Item 8.01. Other Events
On March 11, 2021, the Insurance Commissioner of the state of California ("The
Commissioner") issued Bulletin 2021-03, "Premium Refunds, Credits, and
Reductions in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic."
The Bulletin directs California insurance companies to:
a.Do more to return additional premium relief from March 2020 forward, and
report these additional premium returns to the Department, commensurate with
continuing reductions in the exposure to loss for particular lines of insurance.
b.Communicate with their policyholders about how they will return premiums, as
well as options available to consumers to reduce their ongoing premium.
Since March of 2020, Mercury General Corporation (the "Company") has returned
approximately $128 million of premiums to policyholders, including approximately
$116 million to California policyholders. The Company has also worked with its
agents and policyholders to reclassify exposures on an individual policy basis,
including reducing mileage on approximately 230,000 vehicles since the Pandemic
began. The mileage reductions have significantly reduced premiums on those
individual policies in a manner consistent with the Company's filed and approved
rates. The Company believes that mileage reductions more appropriately align the
benefit of reduced frequency to those who are driving less, compared to blanket
premium refunds to all customers.
Additionally, the Company withdrew its private passenger automobile rate filings
requesting rate increases that were pending before the Pandemic. The Company has
also granted premium payment relief to thousands of customers extending payment
deadlines.
The Company experienced a decrease in loss frequency primarily resulting from
the shelter-in-place orders issued by state and local governments in response to
the COVID-19 Pandemic. However, the decline in loss frequency was partially
offset by an increase in loss severity caused by more high-speed accidents. The
COVID-19 Pandemic also created more uncertainty, and the total effect on losses
occurring during the COVID-19 era will not be known for several years. The
Company expects more late reported claims and a prolonged settlement period,
particularly for bodily injury claims. The courts have been closed, and
claimants have been reluctant to seek medical treatments due to the Pandemic.
The Company has been complying with the Commissioner's directive to report
COVID-19 related premium relief information to the California Department of
Insurance. It will continue to report the information required in the
Commissioner's COVID-19 related bulletins. The Company believes that the amounts
returned to-date, including the mileage reductions on individual policies, have
provided appropriate and material relief to our customers.
The Company is evaluating the Commissioner's Bulletin 2021-03 and will continue
to follow the reporting requirement outlined therein.
-2-
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Edgar Online, source Glimpses