A bill by state Sen. Martha Scott, D-Highland Park, that would ban insurance companies from using territorial ratings to help set rates was soundly defeated last week in the Republican-controlled Senate. That action, without a public hearing, was a big disappointment for Scott and for many others who believe, with reason, that insurance companies shouldn't penalize drivers for where they live.

Still, the defeat of Scott's bill should not end efforts to control unaffordable urban insurance rates. Give some credit to Sen. Alan Sanborn, R-Richmond, chairman of the Senate Economic Development and Regulatory Reform Committee, for at least acknowledging the problem and calling on the Legislature to find ways to lower rates for residents of Detroit and other cities. Peter Kuhnmuench of the Insurance Institute of Michigan also appears to grasp how unaffordable urban insurance rates have become and says he's eager to work on solutions.

For the full editorial, see "Find compromise on car insurance rates; Urban crisis demands attention now", Detroit Free Press, November 6, 2009.