Two hearings set on planned boosts in insurance rates

The Maryland Insurance Division has scheduled two public hearings on proposed insurance-rate increases, including an average 5.3 percent premium increase that has been requested by Government Employees Insurance Co. and its affiliated GEICO General Insurance Co. GEICO, the fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the state, insures about 180,000 policyholders in Maryland.

In addition, the Maryland Automobile Insurance Fund, the auto insurer of last resort, has requested an average 13.4 percent rate increase for the fewer than 1,000 taxicabs in Maryland that the company insures.

Both public hearings are scheduled for Jan. 28 in Room 15 at the Department of Licensing and Regulation Building at 501 St. Paul Place in downtown Baltimore. The MAIF hearing begins at 9:30 a.m., and the GEICO hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m.