First respondersFirst responders to get a break on car insurance
First responders in Maine could be getting a break on their insurance thanks to a bill making its way through the State House of Representatives; under the proposed bill, insurance companies would not be able to increase the personal insurance rates of emergency responders if they get into a car accident while performing their duties
First responders in Maine could be getting a break on their insurance thanks to a bill making its way through the State House of Representatives.
Under the proposed law, insurance companies would not be able to increase the personal insurance rates of emergency responders if they get into a car accident while performing their duties.
Existing laws protect law enforcement officers from seeing rate hikes if they are involved in an accident while responding to a call, but firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency personnel are not protected even when responding to the same calls.
“I’m happy to see that the legislative leaders saw the need to treat our emergency responders equally,” said Democratic State Representative Louis J. Luchini, the sponsor of the bill. “This is a simple fix that will help ensure that emergency personnel don’t face unfair rate increases because of work done to keep us safe.”
When first responders are involved in accidents they are often quite severe due to high speeds and other factors. Specialized training helps emergency personnel avoid serious injuries to themselves and others, but usually damage to the vehicles is extreme. Without the proper protection, insurance companies will sometimes raise premiums for first responders involved in accidents, even if they were not at fault.
The bill passed seven to three out of the Legislative Council and will be taken up for debate in January during the next legislative session.
