Insurance News - Sunday, September 1, 2013

Here are the leading auto insurance headlines from ONTARIO AUTO INSURANCE TOPICS ON TWITTER for Sunday, September 1, 2013:

• Google’s $258 million investment in the car-hailing app company Uber made headlines last week.  Google’s interest in Uber is likely connected to their ongoing investments in driverless or autonomous cars, and it shows that the potential of this technology is much greater than is commonly realized.
• Transport Canada says deaths from distracted driving up 17% over last 5 years. News like that makes you look forward to seeing self-driving cars on the road. 
• Can smartphones prevent crashes? That's what the future may hold as Honda demonstrated a car equipped with dedicated short-range communications technology that can detect a pedestrian with a smartphone that has the same tech installed.
• U.S. Appeals Court sides with insurer in New York case where policyholder claimed optional benefit was misleading.  Policyholder thought he was getting in excess of the standard $50,000 in coverage instead of expanded coverage for other vehicles and passengers.
• Missouri is considering an uninsured motorist bill that would take away the right from uninsured drivers to sue an at-fault driver for non economic damages.
• ICBC is looking for a 4.9% rate increase for it basic auto insurance coverage but says much of the increase will be offset by rate reductions to optional coverage.