Driving Less? This Earth Day, Save Some Green for Being More Green with GMAC Insurance's Low-Mileage Discount

- Save money on auto insurance by driving less, and tips to maximize gas mileage -

ATLANTA, April 22 -- Earth Day serves as an excellent reminder to re-evaluate one's personal driving habits in an effort to reduce energy consumption. Owning a car remains necessary for many people, but they can still endeavor to live a greener lifestyle by driving less with the added benefit of putting some extra green in their pockets, courtesy of GMAC Insurance's Low-Mileage Discount.

For people who have a short commute, work from home, use mass transit, carpool or choose to ride a bike or walk more for their health, the Low-Mileage Discount (http://onstar.gmacinsurance.com/) offers an opportunity to significantly reduce what they spend annually on auto insurance.

"People who drive fewer than 15,000 miles a year can opt in to the program and save up to 54 percent on their auto insurance simply by being an OnStar subscriber," says Wade Bontrager, senior vice president of GMAC Insurance. "Using OnStar's pre-existing Vehicle Diagnostics capability, with the customer's permission, GMAC Insurance would receive a monthly odometer reading from the customer's vehicle. If their total mileage for the year doesn't surpass 15,000 miles, we then adjust their annual premium lower based on their abbreviated driving habits."

Bontrager says the information GMAC Insurance receives from OnStar pertains only to total mileage driven. Locations to which the customer drives and the speeds at which they drive are not reported. In addition, if the customer drives greater than 15,000 miles per year, their premium will not be penalized with a higher premium.

"We can all make adjustments to our homes, lifestyles or workplaces to lessen our environmental impact, and also net substantial savings in energy costs as a result. The Low-Mileage Discount offers a way for our customers to roll additional savings into what they may already be doing to help the environment," says Bontrager. "And in these difficult economic times when people are also looking to cut costs, the Low Mileage Discount provides another avenue to do just that."

In fact, all OnStar subscribers automatically receive an insurance discount of approximately 26 percent(1) through GMAC Insurance, regardless of their annual mileage.

The Low Mileage Discount is currently available in 34 states. To learn more and to estimate potential auto insurance savings, visit: http://onstar.gmacinsurance.com/

For more information on how OnStar and GMAC Insurance work together to provide the Low Mileage Discount work, visit: http://www.onstar.com/us_english/jsp/services/video.jsp?videoVar=lmd

Get Greener! 5 Simple Tips for Drivers to Use Less Fuel and Save Money

As another way to help keep driving costs down while conserving energy, GMAC Insurance offers these five tips:

  1. Maintain your vehicle.  Keeping up with your vehicle's maintenance can
     significantly reduce the cost of future repairs and vastly improve gas
     mileage. OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics monitors your vehicle's key
     operating systems and will tell you exactly when you need to change
     your oil, eliminating unnecessary oil changes.
  2. Keep your tires inflated. Pumping up your tires to the proper PSI is
     the easiest, most cost-efficient way to reduce gasoline use. OnStar
     Vehicle Diagnostics also runs monthly checks of your tire pressure.
  3. Lighten your load. Every extra 100 pounds of weight you carry can strip
     away 1 to 2 percent of fuel efficiency. Take out those sand bags you
     might have added to the trunk for winter driving, remove the bike or
     ski rack if you aren't using it, and unload any other unnecessary
     cargo. However, make sure to leave the essentials, such as your
     emergency safety kit.
  4. Don't idle. Picking the kids up from school? Waiting out front while
     someone runs into the store? If you are stopped for more than 30
     seconds, shut the car off to avoid wasting gas.

  5. Easy on the gas pedal. If you accelerate hard at green lights and when
     traffic lets up, you might want to think twice. Jerky, stop and start
     driving can hurt your gas mileage.

The GMAC Insurance Group is one of the largest automobile insurers in the United States and is a wholly owned subsidiary of GMAC Financial Services. GMAC Insurance Personal Lines offers a variety of property and casualty products, including personal auto, RV, motorcycle, commercial auto and homeowners insurance. With a nationwide network of claims professionals, local independent agents and a 24-hour, toll-free claims reporting hotline available 365 days a year, GMAC Insurance provides superior claims service for its customers. Visit GMAC Insurance at www.GMACInsurance.com.

About GMAC Financial Services

GMAC is a bank holding company with operations in North America, South America, Europe and Asia-Pacific. GMAC specializes in automotive finance, real estate finance, insurance, commercial finance and online banking. As of Dec. 31, 2008, the organization had $189 billion in assets and serviced 15 million customers around the world. Visit the GMAC media site at http://media.gmacfs.com/ for more information.

(1) Average total savings include the Low-Mileage Discount and the OnStar Anti-Theft Discount combined. The Low Mileage Discount provides savings across most coverages of vehicle policy. The OnStar Subscriber Discount provides savings off the Bodily Injury, Comprehensive and Property Damage coverages of the vehicle policy. Drivers who average fewer than 5,000 miles per year may receive more than 35 percent in savings. Assumes even distribution of premium coverages. Discounts across coverages will vary by mileage tier. Must have an eligible OnStar-equipped vehicle delivered after 4/21/04. OVD required. Not available in all states.