"

Recent data that showed just how much Michiganders are paying for their auto insurance has raised the ire of several lawmakers in that state, and as such there are now a few legislative efforts under way to help get these issues under better control. The latest is something which would fundamentally change the way in which insurance fraud might be stopped, and consequently, agents might want to keep a close eye on these proceedings.

State Rep. Aric Nesbitt, a Republican representing Lawton, recently testified before Michigan's House Insurance Committee about House Bill 4995, which he introduced to help the state keep better track of insurance records overall, according to a report from Insurance News Net. Currently, the state uses physical documents to verify insurance, but the new law would allow the state to share insurance information with law enforcement agencies electronically, so that they would not need to carry proof of coverage with them. It should be noted, though, that the committee is still considering whether to advance the legislation.

Another positive step
Further, by giving police the ability to independently verify such information, it might also help to stamp out instances of people falsifying paper documents to seem as though they have such policies when they do not, the report said. And if drivers do have insurance but their policies have lapsed and they do not have updated information, the law would allow them to look it up on their smartphones and provide it on-site.

""If we give drivers, the Secretary of State and law enforcement the ability to utilize the modern technology already available to us in order to combat insurance fraud, we can make our highways safer and bring down the high cost of auto insurance,"" Nesbitt told the committee, according to the site. ""We have seen a high number of uninsured drivers across the state, many of whom let their policies lapse once they have obtained their plates, and that is putting law-abiding drivers at great disadvantage.""

A number of states are now looking into ways in which they can revamp their auto insurance systems to make them better for all involved, whether it's consumers, insurers, or officials. The more transparency that can be brought to the process, the greater the potential for reduced costs and increased customer satisfaction over time.

"