Insurers Pursue Firestone/Ford
Tuesday, August 28th, 2001 Property SubrogationState Farm and Allstate insurance companies have asked Ford Motor Co. and Bridgestone/Firestone to reimburse them for claims involving recalled Firestone tires and Ford Explorers. Millions of Firestone tires were recalled because of tread separations linked to more than 200 deaths and 700 injuries. Robert Hartwig, chief economist for the Insurance Information Institute, said insurers are combing their databases for accidents involving the recalled tires and Explorers beginning in 1991. Last August, Firestone recalled 14.4 million ATX, ATX II and Wilderness AT tires, 6.5 million of which were believed still on the road. Ford in May ordered another 13 million Wilderness AT tires recalled and federal regulators are expected to order Firestone to recall as many as 7 million additional Wilderness AT tires.
