Local law enforcers have been employing new technologies to protect car owners from vehicle thieves. Sheriffs in some counties plant GPS tracking devices on farm tractors or four-wheeler trucks left out to trick machinery thieves.

Cops in Metropolitan Denver drive vehicles equipped with computerized license plate readers that can detect stolen vehicles in one whole grocery parking lot within seconds.

Vehicle owners are also doing their part in fighting the crime, buying glass-etching paste to permanently burn their vehicle identification number (VIN) permanently onto each window. Car manufacturers refuse to be left behind, equipping new models with enhanced anti-theft devices. Manufacturing innovations like computer-coded car keys were also very helpful in stalling vehicle thieves.

Additionally, the state has enacted a law which collects $1 from car insurers for every vehicle availing their policy. That means law enforcers have $3.5 million more in their funds to keep Denver vehicles safe from thieves.

And statistics show that combined efforts from automakers, police, and car owners are working very well, decreasing annual car theft rates by 20 to 30 percent.

In Colorado, the number of vehicles stolen in 2008 dropped by 22 percent. That means 3,614 fewer car owners filing for auto insurance claims because of theft, saving insurers $24.4 million in replacement value.

In Denver, rate dropped by 30 percent in 2008. That means there were only 3,591 stole cars in the state’s capital last year, down from 5,104 cars the preceding year. The City of Pueblo reported an even more stunning improvement, with the number of car owners filing for vehicle theft claims going down by 67 percent last year.

In the whole United States, the rate of stolen vehicles has gone down by more than a half from 1991 to 2008. During the 19-year period, only 315 cars were stolen from every population of 100,000 compared to 659 in the preceding years. That totals to 700,000 less car owners filing for a theft claim.

Auto insurance companies say the crackdown against vehicle thieves should eventually trim down premium rates for policyholders, but they cannot exactly determine yet how much it would help in reducing costs.
Insurance underwriters note that protection against theft usually make up 25 percent of the cost of a comprehensive coverage.

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Direct General Insurance Agency Inc., which provides coverage in the state under the Florida No-Fault and Cash Register brands, closed nine retail stores this week causing disappointment among policy holders. They closed five offices in Tampa, one in West Palm Beach, another one in Fort Myers, and two in Miami.

A company spokeswoman says it is no longer writing new car policies in those areas. But she assures current policy holders that they will not be dropped and will continue to receive coverage until their policy expires.

The spokeswoman explained that the company has to close offices because of undergoing fraud investigation. She declined to give details but says they are working with criminal investigators because their company has been acquiring extraordinary levels of losses which are probably caused by fraudulent activities.

Customers expressed frustration over the news because they were not notified about the changes.
However, state law does not require an insurer to notify regulators or policy holders unless they complete stop operation or unless they drop 1,000 policies. Closing offices do not require notification, legal experts add.

Althea, a Tampa car owner, reported that she showed up last Friday with her monthly payment only to find out that the doors to Florida No-Fault Insurance Agency were barred. They only found a sign and a phone number taped to the door.

Customers who dial the number hear a recorded message from the other end saying that the insurer is no longer accepting new policies in the area because of present conditions in Florida.
Althea said she really needed an affordable coverage for her car since she is a single parent and makes minimum wage.

The company spokeswoman tells policy holders that the closing is temporary and they intend to resume operation immediately after the case is resolved.

But car owners said there are not too many options left for them who do not have a credit card. They explained that is part of the reason why they chose No-Fault. Drivers who do not have a debit or credit card cannot pay online or through phone so they have to hand-carry their payment to company offices.
Motorists who have been with the company for years said they are worried about what will happen when their policy expires.

The company says it will continue to write policies in areas that are not affected by the changes.

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Currently, the law provides insurance providers the prerogative to give their policyholders a discount for having a continued auto insurance coverage from their company. This is otherwise known as the loyalty discount. However, as the name implies, this discount will not be applicable once the customer decides to switch from one provider to another.

The modification gives rise to the Continuous Coverage Auto Insurance Discount Act, which will guarantee drivers a fixed discount on their automobile insurance, even if they do not decide to maintain under a certain company and transfer their coverage to another insurance provider. The question here are the beneficiaries. Definitely, it will be the consumers. Statistics show that about eighty-two percent of drivers from California have auto insurance that is required by the law. The people here come from a variety of groups like single parents, elderly, working families, and young drivers.

If allowed to offer the same kind of discounts to all policyholders, the insurance companies can make the nature of the auto insurance market more competitive. To keep the flow of new policyholders going, the different insurance providers would have to lower the prices of their premiums. In addition, this will also have to include a better plan and coverage with added improvements in customer service.

In fact, California is lagging behind in terms of this law. Several other states actually allow different insurance companies to offer this kind of discount to those prospective policyholders or those already with the company beforehand. Included in the areas that support this kind of law are New York, Texas, Oregon, Florida, Washington, and several other more.

Insurance companies will also be required to maintain the main basis by which insurance rates are determined. These are the safety record of the driver, annual mileage, and experience. In addition, the older discounts such as the student discounts and good driver discounts will continue to be in effect.

Several organizations are rallying this change. Such organizations like Consumers Coalition of California, California Alliance for Consumer Protection, and California Black Chamber of Commerce to name a few are supporting it. Ultimately, it will result to lower prices for everyone.

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A recent survey reveals that in general, people are driving less which normally means fewer car accidents and injuries. With skyrocketing prices of gasoline, people are continually finding ways to save on gas like the invention of hybrid cars. People are now using public transportation systems or combining trips and car pooling instead of driving. All of these mean lesser cars, lesser mileage, lesser accidents and lesser insurance premiums. When people drive less, they will be in a lesser number of accidents which means lesser injuries and lesser injury payments. This is one of the reasons why more insurance providers give lower premiums for less mileage. So drive less, for more insurance premium discounts!

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Yesterday, Wisconsin lawmakers passed a bill which will make drunk driving a felony on the fourth offence, one offense less than the previous law stated. While this differs greatly from other states in which drunken driving breeds criminal penalties, it is just the first step in what will be a long climb. First offenses are still only considered crimes if a person who is under the age of 16 is in the car, and the bill also allows second- and third-time offenders to reduce their sentence by undergoing rehabilitation.

Having once been home to the breweries of some of the most popular beers, such as Miller and Pabst, Wisconsin has always seemed to have a very relaxed attitude about drinking. The citys Tavern League represents over 10 000 bars and restaurants, and is a very powerful influence when lobbying.

Even with these new regulations and laws, Wisconsin still remains one of the most complaisant states when it comes to the issue of drunk driving. In almost half of the states, drunk driving is a felony on the third offense. In five other states, it can be considered a felony on the first offense depending on various factors.

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The hikes have affected six different ZIP codes within Dallas County: North Dallas, South Dallas, Garland, Duncanville, Richardson and Irving. In these areas, the average rates for liability coverage are close to $560 for male drivers, aged 25 to 65, who only use their car to drive to and from work. However, rate comparisons have shown that auto insurance providers are charging upwards of $1200 for yearly premiums.

Insurance industry officials have stated that this car insurance rate hike is a direct result of medical costs, which have increased over the past year. Although the economy has suffered from a global recession and low inflation, healthcare costs have continued to increase, which has, in turn, affected other industries that depend on these figures. On the other hand, consumer groups call the car insurance rate hikes excessive and unnecessary. Many believe that they are the result of poor returns from insurers stock market investments.

Alex Winslow, spokesperson for consumer group Texas Watch calling for affordable car insurance, has voiced his disgust “I cant fathom any justification for such an increase”, he says. “A double-digit increase in one year is a lot, particularly in tough economic times”.

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(NC)—If you’re looking for ways to save money on your car insurance, the following useful tips will help.

Drive carefully

Drivers with no accidents, tickets or insurance claims almost always pay less for their auto insurance coverage. With a less than perfect driving record, you can find yourself paying much higher insurance premiums over the years.

Make sure all your cars are on the same policy

Most insurance companies offer a “multi-vehicle discount” for customers who insure more than one car on the same policy.

Insure both your car and home with the same company

Again, this may qualify you for a discount called the “multi-line discount.” Most companies offer this discount as an incentive to get your home insurance business, too.

Ask about other discounts you might be able to get

Additional common discounts include anti-theft, winter tire, age, low mileage, occupational and auto club discounts, all of which could save you money, if they are available and if you qualify.

Increase your deductibles

The higher your deductibles, the lower your insurance premium, so raise them as much as you can. Keep it affordable though, because this amount is how much you’ll have to cover if you need to submit a claim.

Get quotes if you have moved, or are moving

Don’t assume your current auto insurer will continue to offer you the best rate at your new address. After moving, the best advice is to compare car insurance quotes. It’s the only way to know you’re still getting the best insurance rate possible.

Don’t believe the myths about auto insurance premiums

Auto insurance premiums vary across insurers. In fact, each insurer’s car insurance rates are so unique to them that it’s likely safe to say that no two are alike.

Shop around

With car insurance comparison services like www.kanetix.ca, you can get online quotes from competing insurers to see if you can save money on your premiums.

Compare apples-to-apples while shopping

When comparing car insurance quotes, make sure you’re consistent and include the same deductibles, coverages, and limitations so to achieve like rates. At comparison sites, like Kanetix.ca, where you can compare rates side-by-side, they’ll do this task for you.

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Nobody looks forward to choosing their car insurance. Many people stay with the same company year on year to avoid endless phone calls or trawling quote comparison sites at renewal. Nowadays, however, many companies offer significant introductory and online discounts which only apply for the first year. What this means for the consumer is that shopping around makes good financial sense. But while it can be extremely tempting to go for a cheap policy, it’s wise to know exactly what you’re buying into.

What’s Missing?

Sometimes one company will offer Fully Comprehensive coverage for the same rates as another’s Third Party insurance. This should ring alarm bells, it’s possible it’s cheaper for a reason.

A car insurance policy booklet is divided into sections. The level of cover you have purchased will include some or all of these. Third Party Only is the legal minimum and included in all policies. Mandatory since 1930, it covers you for damage to another’s person or property. Then Fire and Theft is added to that, followed by damage to your own car – Fully Comprehensive includes all three.

There are things we automatically assume to be part of a Comprehensive policy – European coverage, windscreen coverage, a courtesy car, coverage for driving other cars – but not necessarily so. Policies may have been stripped to the bare bones in order to appear cheap. The missing features may then be offered as chargeable extras, so take care.

If you are considering driving abroad, check what level of coverage you will actually have while out of the country. It might be lower than your normal level of coverage and you may only be allowed a limited time abroad. To increase the time or level of coverage would then be chargeable.

Auto Insurance Excesses

So you have a cheap policy that seems to give all the coveage you need. The next thing to check are the excesses. These are what you pay in the event of a claim, such as deductibles. Sometimes they can be high in order to keep the premiums down and there are compulsory excesses on top for categories of driver who the insurer perceives to be a higher risk. This may include young drivers, foreign drivers or those with points on their license – check which apply to you.

Extra Charges

Whether we want to believe it or not, it does cost an insurer to set up or cancel a policy, and to process your claims. As businesses, they will attempt to recoup the costs from the customer, probably in the form of cancellation fees or charges for amending your policy. If the premium is very low these charges may be higher to compensate. Some cancellation fees are even levied within the mandatory 14 day cooling off period, so be aware of what you’re letting yourself in for.

Sadly the process of renewing your insurance remains a long, drawn out process and even higher premiums may not include everything so it’s worth devising a checklist to use when you shop. Go in armed with your own questions and reduce your chances of unpleasant surprises later in the year.

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“GEICO is pleased to release a new rating plan that will offer the opportunity for millions of Michigan drivers to compare and save on their auto insurance premiums,” said Mary Zarcone, regional vice president of GEICO’s Midwest operations. “As one of the largest and fastest growing auto insurance companies in the Unites States, GEICO stands ready to meet the insurance needs of the good people of Michigan.”

Zarcone continued, “In addition, we are introducing a number of new discounts with the plan that rewards good drivers. Simply go to www.geico.com to obtain a free rate quote.”

The changes will go into effect on July 3 for new policyholders and Oct. 1 for renewal policies.

Overall premium changes for individual motorists will vary based upon factors such as coverages purchased, geographic area, type of vehicle, risk characteristics, and other discounts for which they qualify.

GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is the fourth-largest private passenger auto insurer in the United States. It provides auto insurance coverage for more than 8 million policyholders and insures more than 13 million vehicles. In addition to auto insurance, GEICO offers customers insurance products for their motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATV’s), boats, homes, apartments and mobile homes. Personal umbrella protection and life insurance are also available. As a member of the Berkshire Hathaway group of companies, GEICO is rated A++ for financial stability by A.M. Best Company and ranks at the top of several national customer satisfaction surveys. For more information, go to http://www.geico.com.

Contact:

GEICO Communications
301-986-3271

Source: GEICO

Researchers with Allstate Insurance Co. analyzed two years of internal crash data to calculate the chance that drivers in 193 of the nation’s most populated cities would be involved in an accident.

Allstate, which claims a 12 percent market share of the nation’s auto insurance policies, found that Sioux Falls motorists average an accident once every 14.6 years — 31.6 percent better than the national rate of one every 10 years.

The city’s rate improved slightly from last year’s average of one accident every 13.7 years.

Officials in Sioux Falls again attributed the ranking to strong traffic engineering and driver education programs.

Following Sioux Falls were Fort Collins, Colo.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Sterling Heights, Mich.; Warren, Mich.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Lexington, Ky.; and Detroit.

Motorists in Washington, D.C., were most at risk, according to the study, averaging an accident once every 5.4 years.

Drivers in Detroit, ranked 11th in population, are likely to experience a crash once every 12.4 years, the best among cities with between 500,000 and 1 million people. Phoenix ranks the highest for safety among cities with more than 1 million people with a collision likely once every 9.8 years.

Massachusetts’ cities were not included as the company does not write policies in the state.

Allstate planned to give away free gas at a Sioux Falls filling station Tuesday to reward residents for their ranking.

Researchers studied about 2 million damage claims defined as any collision resulting in property damage filed between January 2005 and December 2006. A weighted average of the two-year numbers determined the annual percentages.

Allstate: http://www.allstate.com/