Watchdog Group: N.Y. State Auto Insurers Charge Blue-Collar Workers More

ALBANY, N.Y. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- A consumer watchdog group claimed Thursday that the largest auto insurers in New York State are using education legal and occupation to set rates – charging blue-collar workers more for the same policy than college-education professionals.

Andy Morrison, a consumer advocate who worked on the report from the New York Public Interest Research Group, says the practice is unfair to minorities and low-income workers.

The report used online rate quotes from GEICO, Progressive and Liberty Mutual and found that rates were hundreds of dollars more for drivers with a high-school education and a non-professional job compared to college-educated professionals.

The group NYPIRG wrote to the state's Department of Financial Services Thursday, asking it to review the insurers' rate-making policies to see if they are legal.

Messages left with the insurance companies were not immediately returned Thursday.

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