In 2006, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada (http://ibc.ca/), while there was over $540 million dollars in costs for auto theft, that’s actually only about $48 per car insurance premium. So the difference between having the most stolen vehicle versus the least stolen may not be as extravagant or as large of a difference than you may think, even as little as an extra $100 a year.

Gone In 60 Seconds? The Most Stolen and the Least Stolen Vehicles in 2005.

These were the top 5 most stolen vehicles in 2005, according to the IBC.
2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
1999 Honda Civic SiR 2-door
2004 Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STi 4-door AWD
1999 Acura Integra 2-door
1994 Honda Civic Si 2-door Hatchback

And the 5 least stolen vehicles in 2005, according to the IBC, all of which are tied.
(tie) 2001 Ford Taurus Wagon
(tie) 2000 Saab 9-5 4-door
(tie) 2002 Volvo S60 4-door AWD
(tie) 2002 Pontiac Bonneville 4-door
(tie) 1998 Lincoln Continental 4-door

What Does This Mean For You and Your Auto Insurance?

Without going into a lot of insurance mumbo-jumbo, here are the basics that you need to know. In your auto insurance policy, there are different parts that cover different things. Your collision coverage covers any collision incidents. Your comprehensive coverage is the part of your auto insurance policy that covers any fire, flood, vandalism, and theft.

We went to kanetix.ca, and compared the cost of comprehensive coverage of the #1 Most Stolen Car in 2005 (2000 Honda Civic SiR 2-door) and the #1 Least Stolen Car in 2005 (2001 Ford Taurus Wagon). We used the profile of a 30 year old male driver with a clean driving record living in Mississauga, ON.

It’s true! There is just a little over $100’s difference in the cost for theft/comprehensive coverage between the most stolen car and the least stolen car. For some, this difference may cause you to re-consider buying that Civic or Integra that you always wanted to buy, but thought was out of your reach because the insurance would be too high. For others, this difference may cause you to keep driving the same low-risk of theft car that you’ve always had, like the Ford Taurus or Pontiac Bonneville.

Save In 60 Seconds!

Whether you’re putting on your jacket to go take a look at the Civic, or breathing a sigh of relief, knowing that you’re saving a tangible $100 a month with your low-risk car – we took our study a step further – so that you could save even more money.

Looking again at the same two cars, the most and the least stolen in 2005, with the same profile, we made quotes from many of the top insurance companies in Canada. We wanted to see the difference between the lowest quote and the highest quote for the same car, offered by different insurance companies. Here were the results:

As you can see, the lowest quote for the Civic was $1,355, while the highest quote was $2,677. That’s over $1,322 in difference! For the Taurus, there was a similar difference: the lowest quote was $959 and the highest was $2,172, which is $1,213 in difference.

As you can see, while there is only $100 difference between theft insurance for the most stolen and the least stolen car, for the same car, there can be over $1000 in difference. If you’re looking to save money, you absolutely must compare your auto insurance quotes because as you’ve seen, that’s where you can really save.

Don’t get stuck paying ridiculously high auto insurance premiums that are thousands of dollars more than necessary. It’s important to compare quotes and coverage policies from a number of insurance providers. One place you can do this is at www.kanetix.ca/auto-insurance. You can “save in 60 seconds!” You’ll fill out some quick driving history and car information, and in just a few clicks, you’ll get free customized car insurance quotes from many of the top insurance companies in Canada. You’ll be able to compare the quotes, prices, premiums, and the types of coverage.

Give it a try now, visit http://www.kanetix.ca/auto-insurance and make a quote! You may be surprised at how much money you could save!

How many times have you had to swerve or stop abruptly when you have been driving – and then realized it was because the other driver was on their cell phone? How often do you talk on your cell phone when you’re driving? Even worse, what about text messaging? Or emailing on your Blackberry with one and while driving with the other? I’m sure each of us has been in one of the above situations. It shouldn’t matter whether it’s just a quick call, or a quick text, maybe to find out where you need to go, or get directions. The reality of it is, though, that it is difficult to consider the consequences of such choices – to make a quick call, etc. – because in our society today, we are used to convenience and fulfilling instant demands or needs. Think twice about your safety, the safety of your family, of other drivers around you, pedestrians, and bikers. Some may be strangers, but you need to consider whether it’s really worth making that call. Unless it’s an emergency, it can probably wait another few minutes.

Cell Phone Use Can Cause You To Be 4 Times More Likely To Be Involved In An Accident

Moreover, at an International Conference on Distracted Driving in October 2005, it was reported that amongst many distractions available to the average driver today, cell phone use while driving can cause you to be about four times more likely to be involved in an accident. Hopefully, if you get into an accident, injuries and damage to yourself and others are minimal, but the reality of the situation is that they can be very serious. What can further exacerbate and worsen the situation, is that your driving history will be tarnished and your car insurance rate, in the light of a serious at-fault accident, will most certainly increase.

Accidents and Your Auto Insurance Rate

To show you the numbers, we used the kanetix quotemaker, and compared a 2004 Honda Civic driver in Toronto with a clean driving history before an at-fault accident; and with a now, not-so-clean driving history after an at-fault accident. We looked at the differences between two companies (Company A and B) before and after an at-fault accident.

   
Surprised? Shocked? Scared, even?

Before the accident, it would have made sense to go with Company A since it offers a cheaper rate. But after an accident, Company B’s rate is much more appealing. Unfortunately, once you’ve signed on with a company, it’s a bit more complicated than just switching over to Company B. Every insurance company calculates their rates and prices in a different way because they weigh risks in different ways. Company A may work for you if you have a clean driving record, but Company B may work better for you if you are likely to get into an accident.

What’s The Answer to Keeping Insurance Rates Low When You Have Been In An Accident?

The answer to keeping your insurance rates as low as possible is to compare. When you look for auto insurance, compare quotes as well as coverage policies from different companies. This is by far the best way to make sure that you get what you need at the best price. If you know you’re likely to get into an accident, you will want to make sure that you have extra collision coverage. If you know that your car is likely to be stolen, it’s a good idea to get extra comprehensive (comprehensive covers fire, flood, vandalism, and theft) coverage in your policy.

By far the best place that you can compare quotes and coverage, is at http://www.kanetix.ca/auto-insurance. You can get free, personalized quotes, from many of the top insurance companies in Canada. Compare the quotes and the coverage, and make sure that you have the best auto insurance that suits you.