Shifting Commuter Habits Can Save Money on Auto Insurance Reducing Driving to Curb Gas Crunch Could Cut Your Insurance Costs

    NEW YORK, May 22 With gasoline prices soaring, highway
commuters can turn to public transportation or car-pooling to ease the gas
crunch. Not only will they save gas dollars by hopping on the bus or train, or
riding to work with neighbors, there may be an added bonus -- a reduction on
their auto insurance.
    By reducing the number of miles driven each week, commuters could cut
their auto insurance premiums, according to the Insurance Information
Institute (I.I.I.).
    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 (usually from 10 to
20 percent) to motorists who drive fewer than a predetermined number of miles
each year.  The more miles you drive, the greater the risk you'll have an
accident and the higher the premium.
    As commuters turn to public transportation to reduce their gasoline bills,
they should report reduced automobile mileage to their insurer or insurance
agent, the I.I.I. advises.  The effects of reducing automobile mileage on
insurance premiums will vary, depending on the driver's personal circumstances
and by insurance company.  Call your insurance representative to see if you
are eligible for a discount.
    Reducing annual mileage is one of several ways a driver can cut their auto
insurance costs. Other ways include comparison shopping, asking for higher
deductibles, reducing coverage on older cars and keeping your credit clean.
For a free copy of the brochure, Nine Ways to Lower Your Auto Insurance Costs,
send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Insurance Information Institute,
110 William Street, New York, NY  10038 or visit the I.I.I. Web site at
http://www.iii.org.
    The Insurance Information Institute is a fact-finding, communications
organization sponsored by the property/casualty insurance industry.

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