차 보험료 더 돌려달라!…코로나19로 미국 집단소송 줄이어

"주행거리 3분의 2 줄었는데 보험료 15% 환급은 불공평"

코로나19 여파로 차량 통행이 급감한 시카고 도심 간선도로

2020년5월12일 촬영 [EPA=연합뉴스 자료사진]

(시카고=연합뉴스) 김현 통신원 = 미국의 대형 보험사들이 신종 코로나바이러스 감염증(코로나19) 팬데믹 기간, 자동차 보험료를 충분히 환급하지 않았다는 이유로 줄소송 사태에 직면했다.

4일(현지시간) 시카고 트리뷴에 따르면 올스테이트(Allstate)·가이코(Geico)·아메리칸패밀리보험(AFI) 등 대형 손해보험사의 가입자들이 자동차 보험료 환급 조치에 불만을 품고 잇따라 집단소송을 제기했다.

지난주 시카고에 있는 쿡 카운티 법원에 제기된 집단소송 승인 요청만 6건에 달한다.

원고 측은 소장에서 "코로나19 사태로 자택대피령이 내려져 수많은 운전자가 자동차를 운행할 수 없었는데 보험사는 보험료를 충분히 인하하지 않았다"며 보험사가 불공평한 이득을 챙겼다고 주장했다.

이어 "보험사가 보험료를 일시 할인해주거나 환급해주었지만, 차량 운행이 줄어들면서 보험금 청구 건수가 급감한 데 비하면 턱없이 부족하다"고 부연했다.

올스테이트를 상대로 소송을 제기한 한 원고 측은 환급 규모를 경쟁사 스테이트 팜(State Farm)과 비교했다.

스테이트팜은 코로나19로 인해 자택대피령이 발령된 지난 3월 20일부터 5월 31일까지 적용된 보험료의 25%를 가입자에게 돌려주었다.

원고는 "지난 봄 일리노이 운전자들의 주행거리는 3분의 2가량 줄어들었다"면서 올스테이트가 지난 4월부터 6월까지 적용한 보험료 15% 환급은 공평하거나 합리적이지 못하다고 지적했다.

올스테이트·가이코·아메리칸패밀리 외 피소된 보험사는 프로그레시브(Progressive)·이리(Erie Insurance)·트래블러스(Travelers) 등이다.

원고 측은 이들 보험사가 일리노이주 소비자보호법을 위반했다고 주장했다.

소송 대리인단의 데이비드 니먼 변호사는 "보험사에 '적절히 재산정된 금액을 가입자들에게 되돌려 주라'고 요구하고 있다"면서 "법원이 집단소송을 승인하면 지난 3월 이후 자동차 보험에 가입돼있는 일리노이 주민 모두 참여할 수 있다"고 밝혔다.

chicagorho@yna.co.kr

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