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

New Massachusetts Insurance Law To Increase Average Minimum Coverage Rates by 36%

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

As of July 1, 2025, the minimum car insurance limits in Massachusetts will increase to 25/50/30 from 20/40/5. The higher mandatory car insurance limits could increase average minimum car insurance rates by 36 percent, putting annual premiums at $711. Carriers will automatically raise limits on minimum coverage policies when they are issued or renewed. Massachusetts is the fifth state to increase minimum car insurance requirements in 2025.
Is Political Gridlock Hurting Florida Homeowners?

3 weeks ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Mariah Posey

Florida’s homeowners insurance market has been in crisis for years. Premiums are among the highest in the nation — more than double the national average — and insurance reform is a constant balancing act between consumer protection and market sustainability. However, this year, Florida homeowners face more than high rates and hurricanes.
Major Changes to North Carolina Car Insurance in 2025

3 weeks ago | bankrate.com | Shannon Martin |Jessa Claeys

Effective July 1, 2025, the minimum car insurance liability limits in North Carolina will increase to 50/100/50 from 30/60/25. The inexperienced operator surcharge timeframe extends from three to eight years for any new driver acquiring a license after July 1. The Prayer for Judgment Continued lookback period has increased from three to five years. Expanded uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance limits will give drivers access to more coverage.
North Carolina Expanding Inexperienced Driver Surcharge

1 month 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 month 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 month 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

2 months 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

2 months 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

Mar 27, 2025 | 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

Mar 25, 2025 | 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.