Mississippi Senator Says No-Deductible Auto Glass Bill Idea Sprang from Rough Roads on Delta
January 25, 2010

Mississippi Sen. Robert Jackson (D), who recently introduced a bill proposing that deductibles shouldn't apply to auto glass damage covered by insurance policies in the state, says the idea for the bill came to him when he learned that other states have similar
policies—and thought it would be beneficial in Mississippi as well. (CLICK HERE for related story.)

"I noticed that other states had a similar law, and of course we don't have one in Mississippi," he told glassBYTEs.com™/AGRR magazine, "and I'm from the Delta where we have a lot of rough roads and a lot of broken windshields."

He noted that he hasn't heard feedback from the state's auto glass industry, and the goal of the initiative is to help consumers.

"I'm just trying to do something for the people," he said.

However, he said he fears reluctance from the insurance industry-and its ties to the state senate's insurance committee.

"The chairman of the insurance committee seems to be anchored to the insurance industry, so we'll see how it goes," he said.

If passed, the bill, introduced last week, would become effective on July 1 for any policies issued or renewed after that date. It currently is under the review of the Senate's insurance committee.

The text of the bill's deductible provision is as follows:

"The deductible provisions of any policy of motor vehicle insurance, delivered or issued in this state by an authorized insurer, providing comprehensive coverage or combined additional coverage shall not be applicable to damage to the windshield of any motor vehicle covered under such policy."

The bill's co-sponsors include Sen. David Jordan (D), Sen. Alice Harden (D), Sen. Eric Powell (D), Sen. Bennie Turner (D), Sen. Kenneth Wayne Jones (D), Sen. Sampson Jackson (D), Sen. Willie Simmons (D), Sen. Johnnie Walls (D), Sen. Kelvin Butler (D), Sen. Deborah Jean Dawkins (D), Sen. Bill Stone (D), and Sen. Ezelle Lee (D).

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