A spokesperson has said that the reform package would drive up auto insurance rates, not lower them. She said places that require prior approval for rate hikes sometimes take as long as two years to make a decision, which in turn drives insurance companies to ask for even higher rates because they can’t predict what will happen that far out.

Already, laws in certain areas require health insurance carriers to submit rate increases with supporting information and that the Division of Insurance has the authority to reject rates that are deemed inadequate, excessive or discriminatory.

Rate increases are supposed to be driven by technology and improvements in health care, not profit, waste and administration as critics charge.