Supporters urge passage of House File 2215 to create Minnesota Lifeline low-cost auto insurance program

Representative Athena Hollins testified in Saint Paul in support of House File 2215, a proposal to create a state-run, low-cost auto insurance program called Lifeline intended to expand access to affordable liability coverage for Minnesotans.

Supporters told legislators the program would reduce the number of uninsured drivers, curb practices they described as discriminatory (including premium differences tied to zip code and credit scores) and provide a lower-cost option for people priced out of the private market. "A state run program would ensure that all residents have access to affordable auto insurance," Representative Athena Hollins said. "Reducing the number of uninsured drivers on the road is good for all Minnesotans."

The St. Paul and Minnesota Foundation’s director of advocacy, community engagement and equity, Katya Cepeda, said the program could ease economic pressure in neighborhoods with high eviction rates. Cepeda cited city data identifying zip code 55106 as having one of the region’s highest eviction rates and said residents there also face some of the state’s highest auto insurance costs. She told the committee that even relatively small debts — she cited an average unpaid rent amount of $53 in the materials she referenced — can push families toward eviction…