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Law firms sue AIG Hawaii

Three Honolulu law firms yesterday filed a class-action lawsuit against AIG Hawaii Insurance Co. alleging the insurer overcharged customers because of age.

It is the fourth lawsuit against an automobile insurance company to be filed since state insurance regularors conducted an investigation into all Hawai'i insurers' premium-setting practices.

"Overcharging our older citizens is wrong," said Margery Bronster, who filed the suit along with attorneys Thomas Grande and James Bickerton. The suit is asking for customer refunds.

Using a driver's age as a criterion in setting premiums has been against state law since Hawai'i passed its no-fault insurance regulations in 1973.

The attorneys' three firms already have filed suits against Allstate and State Farm in connection with the use of credit bureau reports in setting premiums.

Last week, another Honolulu law firm filed its own class-action suit alleging that five Progressive Insurance companies overcharged Hawai'i drivers by basing their premiums on credit reports or other prohibited criteria.

A&B joins condo project

A&B Properties Inc., the real estate development and management subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin Inc., has joined Armstrong Kai Lani Corp. in a plan to develop a 116-unit townhouse condominium project at Ko Olina.

Sales are expected to begin later this year, but construction is not scheduled to start until 2002, A&B said.

Armstrong Builders Ltd., an affiliate of Armstrong Kai Lani, will be the general contractor for the project.