Shannon Martin

Toronto

Reporter and Host at Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

@CBCToronto Reporter & Producer @RTDNA recipient for investigative and creative storytelling & live reporting Have a story idea? Email [email protected]

Articles

North Carolina Expanding Inexperienced Driver Surcharge

6 days ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Jessa Claeys

As of July 1, 2025, the North Carolina inexperienced operator surcharge will extend from three to eight years. This law applies to driver’s licenses issued on or after July 1, 2025. New drivers with limited and full provisional licenses issued before July 1 are exempt. Young drivers in North Carolina are in for a big surprise this summer — and so are their parents. Starting July 1, a new state law is shaking up how long insurers can surcharge new drivers.
Rising Healthcare Costs Are Driving Up Your Auto Insurance Rate

1 week ago | southfloridareporter.com | Shannon Martin

Written by Shannon Martin - Edited by Amelia Buckley - 5 Minute Read When it comes to car insurance claims, people often think of vehicle repairs following an accident, but your liability insurance also covers medical bills for others you injure in a car accident - which can add up quickly and often exceed the cost of even a totaled vehicle.
Rising healthcare costs are driving up your auto insurance rate

1 week ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Amelia Buckley

When it comes to car insurance claims, people often think of vehicle repairs following an accident, but your liability insurance also covers medical bills for others you injure in a car accident — which can add up quickly and often exceed the cost of even a totaled vehicle. From emergency room visits to physical therapy, costs associated with medical care after car accidents are on the rise, and insurers are adjusting rates accordingly.
Excess and surplus lines insurance: What you need to know

4 weeks ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Amelia Buckley

Surplus lines insurance can provide coverage for homes that are uninsurable in the standard market. E&S insurance must be purchased through a licensed surplus lines broker. Since surplus lines insurance is not state-regulated, homeowners should pay special attention to the terms and conditions of their policy. Rates for surplus insurance are typically much higher than traditional policies due to less regulation, increased exposure to loss and smaller risk pool.
Insurance industry braces for rising rates as tariffs hit vehicles and parts

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Amelia Buckley

“I hope they raise their prices because if they do, people are gonna buy American-made cars,” said President Trump during a March 29 interview with NBC News. “I couldn’t care less because if the prices on foreign cars go up, they’re going to buy American cars.” While Trump “couldn’t care less” about tariffs increasing the price of automobiles, you and your wallet probably should. The president’s newly-announced America First Trade Policy follows through on his promise of more tariffs.
Shouldering the Burden: The Unequal Impact of Extreme Weather on Women

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Mariah Posey

“It’s burned into my brain, I’ll never forget it,” says Lynn Boudreaux. “The storm hit around midnight, and it was loud. The wind was rattling the windows, it was just so loud. Then it sounded like there was a train nearby. Later, we found out that a little tornado touched down and tore off the second story of the house behind us.”The day before Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans, Lynn was a 22-year-old single mom evacuating east to Tallahassee with her 4-year-old son.
Car Insurance Quotes - Quick, Easy & Free

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Mariah Posey |Mark Friedlander

Powered by Coverage.com (NPN: 19966249)Advertising disclosureThis advertisement is powered by Coverage.com, LLC, a licensed insurance producer (NPN: 19966249) and a corporate affiliate of Bankrate. The offers and links that appear on this advertisement are from companies that compensate Coverage.com in different ways. The compensation received and other factors, such as your location, may impact what offers and links appear, and how, where and in what order they appear.
Auto insurance rates may be stabilizing. Why is my premium still going up?

1 month ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Amelia Buckley

Nobody likes to get a bill, but when it comes to car insurance, chances are you’ve been extra wary of receiving your renewal letters lately. With average car insurance rates increasing by over 30 percent in the past two years, drivers across the country are wondering when they can expect some financial relief. The good news is that the break we are all looking for may already be here. The bad news is that most of us aren’t feeling it in our bank accounts. Are car insurance rates stabilizing?
February CPI Is Here. Does This Impact My Car Insurance?

2 months ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Amelia Buckley

Inflation cooled slightly in February, but motor vehicle insurance inflation remains stubbornly high. According to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Price Index (CPI) report, the current annual inflation rate is 2.8 percent — higher than the Fed’s goal of 2 percent but lower than the January year-over-year rate of 3 percent. Auto insurance prices rose 0.3 percent for the month of February and 11.1 percent for the year.
“Don't be a passive homeowner.” An insurance agent's lesson in saving money with winter weather prep

2 months ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Amelia Buckley

As an insurance agent and analyst, I’ve dedicated my career to educating the public on understanding their auto and home policies, saving money and taking steps to reduce the chances of filing a claim. So you would think I would take my own advice when it comes to safeguarding against extreme weather damage, right? Wrong. “Hey babe, you have to wake up,” says my husband. “The hot water isn’t working.