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Software helps Sinclair's analysis DAYTON -- A North Carolina firm says Sinclair Community College is using its business intelligence software to analyze student enrollment patterns. SAS Institute Inc. said the downtown Dayton two-year school is among more than 2,000 college, university and business-school customers that are using the software to identify enrollment trends and expand educational offerings. Sinclair is one of the state's biggest community colleges with 23,000 students. I...

Company Now Offers Pet Car Accident Benefit: ; Progressive's Collision Coverage Offers Up to $500 If Animal Killed, Injured in Accident

By M.R. KROPKO CLEVELAND - To a dog that loves drives in the car while sticking a head out a window to feel the wind, insurance isn't a concern. An auto insurance company is now offering their owners a benefit for pets. Progressive Corp., based in suburban Mayfield, is providing collision coverage for customers' dogs or cats at no additional premium cost. It will pay up to $500 if a customer's dog or cat is hurt or dies in a car accident. "It's an unusual and interesting benefit," sai...

Phila. Man Held in Alleged Plan to Bilk Insurers: He is Charged With Filing Phony Claims of Auto Vandalism and Committing Identity Theft.

By Michael Matza, The Philadelphia Inquirer Nov. 14--For a time, the alleged scam seems to have worked. A Frankford man is accused of bilking Pennsylvania auto insurers out of $29,000 in 17 false claims of vandalism between February 2002 and May 2003 by using fraudulently obtained policies on vehicles he registered in his name and the name of a person whose identity he stole, the Philadelphia District Attorney's Insurance Fraud Unit announced yesterday. An additional 45 claims, worth mo...

Fido Insurance Means Wrecks Won't Be Bite in Pocketbook

By M.R. Kropko CLEVELAND -- To a dog that loves drives in the car while sticking a head out a window to feel the wind, insurance isn't a concern. An auto insurance company is now offering their owners a benefit for pets. Progressive Corp., based in suburban Mayfield, is providing collision coverage for customers' dogs or cats at no additional premium cost. It will pay up to $500 if a customer's dog or cat is hurt or dies in a car accident. "It's an unusual and interesting benefit," sa...

NEWS IN BRIEF ; Lawrence Man Gets Two Years in Car Insurance Scam Death

A Lawrence man who staged a car accident that killed one of his relatives has been sentenced to two years in jail after pleading guilty to manslaughter. The September 2003 crash prompted a statewide crackdown on insurance fraud. Jacinto Maldonado Jr., 26, was driving a car that was supposed to hit another car, but the car also struck a utility pole, killing Altagracias Arias, 64. Relatives said they've suffered enough and more time for Maldonado would just add to their misery. The investi...

Letters to the Editor[M]

Paranoia topping Thanks for publicizing the stupidity of Needham police in the case of that poor innocent fellow who went in a restaurant to buy a pizza and ended up arrested (Nov. 6). Of course, the worst part is that the police still charged him with disorderly conduct. Thank goodness for a good judge. I know that this was an opportunity for Needham to show off its SWAT team, but show some judgment! - Barry D. Hoffman, Westwood Transit underfunded The editorial "Caution signals ...

Support Heats Up for Tying Insurance Rate to Driver Record

Legislation filed BOSTON - Support has been growing in the Legislature for a bill that aims to require auto insurers to focus on consumers' driving records when making underwriting and price decisions. Supporters of the bill, which was filed on Wednesday, say nearly 25 senators and 50 representatives have endorsed the proposal, which was filed in reaction to state Insurance Commissioner Nonnie Burnes' plan to introduce more competition into the state's auto insurance market. Supporters ...

Business in Brief

Advertising sales slide continues at Boston Globe Sales at The Boston Globe and the Telegram & Gazette of Worcester continued to slide in September, but the papers' parent company posted a surprisingly strong third quarter. The New York Times Co.'s stock rose by 10 percent on Tuesday after the media company beat Wall Street's expectations with its earnings report, largely because of strong ad sales at its flagship newspaper and related operations. Ad sales at the company's New York Times ...

Auto Insurer Adds Pets to Its Coverage: Progressive Gives at-Fault Drivers a New Crash Benefit.

By Mark Glover, The Sacramento Bee, Calif. Nov. 7--Progressive Group of Insurance Cos. has gone to the dogs -- and cats, too -- with a new auto policy. The company has introduced a coverage option that allows customers to insure any canine or feline pets that are injured or killed in a crash. In a nutshell, the insurer will pay up to $500 if a customer's dog or cat is hurt or dies as a result of a car accident. The coverage is being offered at no extra charge to customers who have stand...

Changing PIP Causes Confusion

By Russell Ray, Tampa Tribune, Fla. Nov. 7--TAMPA -- A month after state lawmakers ended their battle over Florida's no-fault auto insurance law, motorists are still struggling to understand all of the changes. Some have come to the wrong conclusion because they've decided to carry no coverage at all, insurance agents say. "They're under the impression there is no pressure for them to have insurance today," said Jack Sieling, who owns Fifth Avenue Insurance Agency in St. Petersburg. "We...