Reducing Driving to Curb Gas Crunch Could Cut Your Insurance Costs

    LOS ANGELES--May 15, 2001--With gasoline prices inching toward $3 per gallon, freeway commuters may turn to public transportation to ease the gas crunch.
    But they may not realize that by hopping on the bus or the train, they may also save money on their auto insurance.
    By reducing the number of miles driven each week, commuters could cut their auto insurance premiums.
    Auto insurance premiums rely on a number of factors -- from a driver's safety record to the type of car being insured. The car's annual mileage is one of several critical factors in determining how much a car owner spends on insurance, and some insurance companies offer discounts to motorists who drive fewer than a predetermined number of miles each year.
    "As commuters turn to public transportation to reduce their household fuel bills, they should report reduced automobile mileage to their insurer or insurance agent," said Candysse Miller, executive director of the Insurance Information Network of California. "While the insurance savings may not completely offset the impact of skyrocketing gasoline prices on your household budget, it could save you some money."
    The effects of reducing automobile mileage on insurance premiums will vary depending on the driver's personal circumstances and by company.