rather than believe less regulation will lead to more competition and lower rates. Among those who feel strict auto insurance

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1 ([he tar-icbwr/eagleton POLL FOR RELEASE: SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1989 CONTACt: BOB CARTER RELEASE: SL/EP 25-3 (EP 75-3) OR JANICE BALLOU PR!.RASE INFORMATION A story based on the survey findings presented in this release and background memo will appear in Sunday s Star-Ledger. Other newspapers may also use this information in their Sunday editions. Electronic media may release after 5:00 p.m. Saturday, October 7. We ask users to properly attribute this copyrighted information to the Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll. AUTO INSURANCE AT TOP OF VOTERS LIST OF CONCERNS; MOST FAVOR STRICI REGULATION OF INSURANCE COMPANIES By a very wide margin, New Jersey voters say they would prefer to scrap the state s system of auto insurance and try something different rather than make changes within the current system. Also, according to the latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll, voters are much more likely to feel it is necessary to maintain strict regulation of auto insurance companies, rather than believe less regulation will lead to more competition and lower rates. The survey, which was conducted by phone with 707 likely voters between September 20 and 28, aiso indicates that Republican candidate Jim Courter s position on auto insurance appears to be hurting him with voters. Among those who feel strict auto insurance regulations are necessary, Democratic candidate Jim Florio leads his Republican opponent by a very wide margin. Auto insurance comes out at the top of voters list of concerns, with 23 percent saying it is the most important problem the next Governor will have to face, ranking it even with concerns about the environment. Democratic candidate Jim Florio also holds a clear advantage on the auto insurance issue, with voters currently seeing him as better able to handle this problem than Jim Courter by a better then 2-to-i margin of 45 to 2i percent. A17ENTION RADIO STATIONS: -more Audio is available after 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 7, from (2111) (Rutgers Feature Phone). rtljit:ieiz.s fl-ie STATE UNEPSW Of NEW PV Eagleton Institute of Politics New Brunswick New Jersey /

2 S EP75-3 (SL/EP25-3) Page 2 A large majority of voters, 58 percent, think it is necessaty to have strict regulations on auto insurance companies in order to keep rates down, compared to only 29 percent who believe less regulation would lead to more competition between companies and lower rates. Among voters who feel strict regulation of insurance companies is needed, 56 percent say they plan to vote for Florio for Governor, compared to only 27 percent who choose Courter. Even among those who favor Courter s position of less regulation to try and foster competition and lower rates, the Republican Congressman is almost even with Hoflo, trailing his Democratic opponent by a 43 to 41 percent margin. Bob Carter, Associate Director for the Poll, commented, Voters are very disgruntled about auto insurance, and are looking for someone to do something about it. The idea of less government regulation of the industry, however, doesn t appeal to many voters as a good approach to take. Virtually all voters believe auto insurance could be lower while still allowing insurance companies to stay in business. Fully two-thirds (67 percent) think rates could be a lot lower, while another 28 percent say they could be somewhat lower. Two-thirds of voters (66 percent) ( also say they would prefer to get rid of the current system and try something different, compared to 28 percent who would choose to make changes within the current system to deal with the auto insurance problem. Across the board, public officials in New Jersey along with the insurance industry receive very poor marks from voters for their efforts in dealing with the car insurance issue. All of the officials and groups they were asked to evaluate receive negative ratings of only fair or poor from at least 75 percent of voters. Specifically, seventy-one percent say the auto insurance industry has done a poor job, while 62 percent give the same rating to the state insurance commissioner, and 54 percent say the same about the state legislature as a whole. Voters o s r legislators in the Assembly and Senate, along with Governor Kean, fare just slightly better, receiving ratings of poor on this issue from 40 and 42 percent of voters respectively CopyrighE, October 8, 1989, The Eagleton Institute and Newark Star-Ledger.

3 UFtu ètar-icbgcr/eagleton POLL BACKGROUND MEMO RELEASE SL/EP25-3 (EPIS-3 ). SUNDAY. OCTOBER NOTE: This who release on the election is are likely voters. are registered to vote or probably vote. based on New These are people who and who they report Jerseyans say they will definitely The latest Star-Ledger/Eagleton Poll was conducted in two waves. Wave I was completed between September 20 and 25, 1989, when a random sample of 500 New Jerseyans ages 18 years and older was interviewed by telephone. This sampling yielded a total of 364 respondents who reported being registered to vote and saying they would definitely or probably vote in November s election. Figures based on this sample size are subject to a sampling error of ± 5.5 percent. The random sample of 500 interviews in Wave 2 was conducted between September 26 and 28, and yielded an additional 343 definite or probable voters who were asked questions about the gubernatorial contest and is subject to a sampling error of ± 5.5 percent. Figures based on the combined sample size of 707 likely voters are subject to a sampling error of ± 3.8 percent. Sampling error is the probable difference in results between interviewing everyone in the population versus a scientific sample taken from that population. Sampling error does not take into account other possible sources of error inherent in any study of public opinion. The questions and figures referred to in this release are as follows: Do you think auto insurance rates in New Jersey have to be as high as they are in order for insurance companies to stay in business, or do you think rates could be tower? (IF LOWER, ASK Do you think they could be a lot lower or only somewhat lower?) A Lot Somewhat Have to Depends/ Lower Lower Be High Don t Know Icai üü SEPTEMBER LIKELY VOTERS 67% 28% 2% 3% 100% (706) GENERAL PUBLIC (1000) March, General Public (800) June, General Public (800) There have been a number of suggestions to improve New Jersey s auto insurance system. Which of the following three statements come closest to your view? First, keep the current system as it is, or second, make changes within the current system, or third, get rid of the current system and try something different. SET rember 1989 Make Try Keep Current Changes Within Different Don t System As Is Current System System Know Iia1 L1 -LIKELY VOTERS 2% 28% 66% 4% 100% (706) -GENERAL PUBLIC (1000) March, General Public S 100 (800) ILI1 :ier.s THE STATE UNNEPSIIV CF NEW JEPV Eagleton Institute ci Politics New Brunswick New Jersey /

4 EP75-3 (SL/EP2.5-3) We d like to know how you would rate the efforts of various public officials and groups in handling the car insurance issue. First, how would you rate the job (READ ITEM) has done in trying to keep car insurance rates down--exceuent, good, only fair, or poor? Excellent Good Oak Fair P Don t Know ( SEPTEMBER 1989 LIKELY VOTERS Governor Kean 2% 13% 38% 42% 5% 100% (706) The State Legislature asawhole (706) The state legislators representing xiir district in the Assembly and Senate (706) The auto insurance industry (706) The state insurance commissioner (706) Some people believe that less government regulation of auto insurance would create more competition between companies and lower insurance rates. Others believe there must be strict regulation of insurance companies to keep rates from going up even higher. How about you--do you think there needs to be strict regulation of auto insurance companies to keep rates down, or do you think less regulation would lead to more competition and lower rates? SEPTEMBER 1989 Need Strict Less floth/ Regulation Regulation In-Between Depends Don t Know I2l1 --LIKELY VOTERS 58% 29% 3% 1% 8% 99% (706) --GENERALPUBLIC ia 100 (1000) CHOICE FOR GOVERNOR Opinion on Regulation of Auto Insurance Companies Florip Undecided Courter I911 --favor strict regulation 56% 17% 27% 100% (402) --favor less regulation (208) Regardless of which candidate you might favor, please tell me which one--courter or Florio--you think would do a better job of ring the auto insurance problem? September 1989 Both/ Don t Courter Florio Np Difference Know --LIKELY VOTERS 21% 45% 11% 23% 100% (691) June Registered Voters (646)

5 EP75-3 (SL/EP2S-3) What do you think is the face? important problem facing the state that whoever is elected Governor will have to September 1989 Likely Voters Auto Insurance 23% Environment, Toxic Waste, Pollution, Garbage 23 Drugs 18 Taxes 10 Social Issues and Services: Health, Welfare, Care of Elderly, Poor or Handicapped, Child Care, Aids 6 Education/Schools 5 Economr Unemployment, Inflation Budget Deficit S Crime, Safety, Violence, Law and Order 3 Abortion 2 Growth and Development 2 Government Performance, Corruption, Ethics 1 Other 2 None 1 TOTAL 101% (n) (681)

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