Issa-Towns Ask Insurance Companies for Sudden Unintended Acceleration Complaints and Reports

WASHINGTON D.C. – House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Chairman Edolphus “Ed” Towns and Ranking Member Darrell Issa (R-CA) today wrote to several major auto insurance companies asking whether any of these companies reported sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) incidents to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).   Letters were sent to the following insurance companies: Geico, State Farm Group, Progressive Group, Allstate Insurance and Farmers Insurance Group.

“The Committee is investigating widespread incidents of sudden unintended acceleration (SUA) in vehicles manufactured by Toyota Motor Corporation. During a hearing scheduled for February 24, 2010, the Committee intends to focus in part on whether the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reacted properly to years of complaints and other evidence regarding the acceleration problems,” Issa and Towns wrote.  “A recent article in the Washington Post indicated that State Farm notified NHTSA about ‘numerous’ sudden unintended acceleration incidents in Toyota vehicles as early as 2007. The Committee is interested in knowing whether your company similarly reported SUA incidents to NHTSA.”

Letter from Issa-Towns to Geico CEO Tony Nicely

Letter from Issa-Towns to State Farm CEO Edward Rust

Letter from Issa-Towns to Progressive Group CEO Glen Renwick

Letter from Issa-Towns to Allstate Insurance CEO Thomas Wilson

Letter from Issa-Towns to Farmers Insurance Group CEO Robert Woudstra

###