Coakley says auto insurance website may mislead

Attorney General Martha Coakley said today that a Division of Insurance website intended to help motorists choose auto insurance under the state's new competitive system is "potentially misleading."

The site, mass.gov/autorates, uses general information entered by users to provide an estimate of the range of rates available. But Coakley said it usually does not point motorists to the company offering them lowest rate. She urged Insurance Commissioner Nonnie S. Burnes to make improvements to the site to make it more useful.

Burnes said in a statement, "We have offered to meet with the attorney general's staff this afternoon to better understand their concerns, and will continue to work with them to ensure that Massachusetts consumers have access to the information they need to make informed auto insurance decisions."

Under the state's old system, auto insurance rates were regulated, resulting in nearly uniform prices. As of today, insurers are allowed to compete on price and features.
(By Jeffrey Krasner, Globe staff)