Stories by K. R. Nelson on Southern California Record

As auto insurance rates continue to rise across the country, critics are increasingly pointing to what they describe as rampant abuse of the legal system by trial lawyers.

According to a recent Insurify report, California residents will see a 54% increase in car insurance premiums by the end of 2024, with average annual costs for full coverage projected to reach $2,681—well above the national average increase of 22%.

Vincent Vernuccio, a senior policy advisor at the Mackinac Center, said on a September 2 episode of the Lunch Hour podcast that the modifications made to California’s AB 5 show that gig workers like rideshare drivers want to be independent contractors due to the flexibility it provides.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’s (BLS) Consumer Price Index (CPI) report shows an increase of 3.3% in the all items index over the last twelve months, with motor vehicle insurance increasing 20.3% during that time.