In Brief

Apr 5, 2007

By Fink, Dan

Three states - Texas, Oklahoma and California - are considering legislation that would limit marketing of credit cards on college campuses, according to the trade publication American Banker. The measures reflect growing concerns about the amount of debt college students have when they leave college, according to an article on www.americanbanker.com. Each measure would take a different approach, from limiting the amount of marketing to reducing the kinds of gifts and incentives that students could receive.

-Dan Fink

New research by BAI, a banking industry group devoted to improving employee and organizational performance, indicates that improving the customer experience is the best way for retail banks to differentiate themselves. The summary of the research was published in March on BAFs Banking Strategies Web site. "Rewarding customers for the size of their business with the banks and keeping branches open weekends and evenings are among experiences that can drive customer loyalty and profitable relationships," the summary stated.

-Dan Fink

The typical U.S. driver will pay less for auto insurance in 2007 than in 2006, with the average premium expected to drop by 0.5 percent, according to the Insurance Information Institute, a clearinghouse of information on the insurance industry. The average annual cost for auto insurance premiums nationwide for 2007 is estimated at $847 per policy, the first decrease since 1999. This is $4 per policy less than what the typical U.S. driver paid in 2006. Competition, safer cars, aggressive fraud-fighting and innovative underwriting combined to keep a lid on premium increases, an III spokesman said.

-Dan Fink

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