The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) today released a national analysis of vehicle theft which compares annual statistics for thefts, population and vehicle registrations from 1960 through 2013. Just released FBI crime figures for 2013 show that 699,594 vehicles were reported stolen last year–a 58 percent reduction–from 1991 when vehicle theft reached an all-time high of 1,661,738.
Over the years, the single-vehicle family–long the norm in America–became the exception as it gave way to families with multiple vehicles. In 1960, there were 74,159,209 vehicles registered across the nation whose population that year was 180,671,158. Registrations as a percentage of that population stood at 41 percent. In 2012, that figure increased to 80.8 percent as registrations climbed to 253,639,386 distributed within the nation’s 313,873,685 in population.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go http://www.multivu.com/players/English/70506513-national-insurance-crime-bureau-historical-look-at-vehicle-theft-in-united-states/
Twenty-two vehicles earn the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's highest safety award for 2014, TOP SAFETY PICK+, thanks to a high level of protection in crashes and the availability of front crash prevention technology to avoid many collisions in the first place. An additional 17 earn TOP SAFETY PICK by meeting the crashworthiness criteria alone.
IIHS is using new criteria for the awards this year. TOP SAFETY PICK requires good performance in the Institute's moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests and, for the first time, good or acceptable performance in the small overlap front test introduced in 2012. The same level of performance in those tests, along with at least a basic rating for front crash prevention, is required for the higher accolade, TOP SAFETY PICK+.
Dogs are a member of the family, so many owners think that their dog won’t bite. Unfortunately for the 4.5 million victims of dog bites and attacks each year, this isn’t true. Any dog can bite, regardless of the breed. State Farm and Victoria Stilwell, internationally renowned dog trainer, author and star of Animal Planet's It’s Me or the Dog, have joined forces to teach people how to be responsible pet owners and reduce the number of dog bites.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/mnr/70394523-state-farm-insurance-and-canine-expert-take-a-bite-out-of-dog-attacks
Imagine looking outside your home window and seeing a group of deer partying in your swimming pool or, in a twist on the Goldilocks children’s story, you found a bear has broken into your home and has been tasting the food left in your refrigerator? Scenarios similar to this are the basis of a new ad campaign launched by Farmers Insurance®, one of the nation’s largest insurer groups. The company’s new, We Know From Experience, advertising campaign kicks off today with two television spots and a new interactive website that humorously convey to consumers that Farmers, over its 87 year history, has helped customers recover from some of the most unique --- yet very real --- claims.
“The amazingly unlikely events we’ll be featuring in our new campaign are based on real claims experienced by our customers,” said Mike Linton, chief marketing officer for Farmers Insurance. “Through this new campaign we hope consumers realize that we know a thing or two about insurance and that our agents are ready to help consumers understand coverage options so consumers can select the coverages they want.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7585551-farmers-insurance-we-know-from-experience/
Only 3 vehicles of more than 100 evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety have child restraint installation hardware that earns a good rating for ease of use, while more than half have hardware that is poor or marginal.
The Institute's new LATCH ratings will serve as a resource for families looking for a vehicle that makes it easy to transport their children safely. They also are intended to encourage vehicle manufacturers to pay attention to this equipment and make improvements. Properly installed, age-appropriate child restraints provide considerably more protection for children in crashes than safety belts alone. However, observational studies have found that parents and caregivers often fail to secure them tightly or make other installation mistakes.
LATCH, which stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, is intended to make it easier to install a child seat properly. It works: Child restraints installed with LATCH, rather than with vehicle safety belts, are more likely to be installed correctly, research has shown. But in many vehicles, LATCH hardware could be better. Parents are more likely to install the seat correctly when the LATCH hardware meets certain key ease-of-use criteria.
For families who have a dependent with special needs, financial planning often takes a back seat to the necessities of daily life; but it also bears an increased importance.
“April’s Autism Awareness Month offers a great opportunity to emphasize the importance of planning for families who are caring for a dependent child, sibling or spouse with special needs,” said Ruthann Driscoll, JD, CLU, CFP®, director of advanced planning at Northwestern Mutual. “Crafting a comprehensive plan that addresses the needs of the dependent with special needs — for today and for tomorrow — and balancing that with the needs of the rest of the family is essential to achieving lifelong financial security.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7422151-northwestern-mutual-autism-awareness/
Continuing the excitement of the Esurance Pass It On Sweepstakes, which kicked off on Feb. 4 and selected 16 winners of $50,000 throughout tonight’s game, Esurance released a new post-game television commercial announcing it is giving away a grand prize of $250,000 to one lucky winner. To win the final $250,000 giveaway, people can continue to Retweet messages from the Esurance Twitter handle tagged #EsuranceSweepstakes.
Esurance surprised viewers with a television commercial that aired immediately after tonight’s game featuring a special cameo from Deadpool catching a football made of money. The character is the titular anti-hero in 20th Century Fox’s DEADPOOL, which opens in theaters everywhere this Friday, and stars Ryan Reynolds. Throughout the ad, Deadpool and others continue to drop everything they are doing to catch the football and “pass it on,” much like how Esurance saves money and passes the savings on to its customers every day. As part of the Allstate family, Esurance has innovative technology and knowledgeable experts to take care of customers and help them make smart decisions about their insurance.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7750152-esurance-pass-it-on-post-game/
If you are planning to visit a beach on holiday then follow some simple tips to protect your belongings.
Sam's Beach Security Tips
• Take as few valuables as you can
• Keep belongings out of sight
• Watch your things while you unload
• Carry your key in a secure pocket
• Consider a waterproof wallet
• Take turns to keep guard
If you are travelling interstate or overseas, visit NRMA Insurance Australia (http://www.nrma.com.au) for safety tips on domestic or international travel: http://www.nrma.com.au/travel-insurance
To honor the troops who bravely serve our country, Major League Baseball’s San Diego Padres and Mercury Insurance partnered for the second year in a row yesterday to host a “packing party” to assemble care packages for Marines and Sailors from I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton California. More than 50 Mercury employees and agents, Padres players and community representatives stuffed 1,000 backpacks in right field at Petco Park following the April 29 Padres-Astros game.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7500851-mercury-insurance-padres-packages/
While car thefts are declining across the country, the thefts of some parts and accessories are proving to be a lucrative business for professional thieves.
In the Detroit area, it’s become a huge problem that’s costing consumers, insurance companies, car dealers and car rental companies.
“We hear all this good news about auto theft being down in Michigan, but unfortunately, what’s replaced that is component theft,” said Terri Miller, executive director of Help Eliminate Auto Thefts (HEAT). “Because it’s harder to steal an entire vehicle these days, they’re stealing the parts. The tires and rims are not marked and they are very, very marketable.”
To view the Multimedia News Release, go http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7523153-nicb-detroit-wheel-tire-theft/
Spring is around the corner, and it won’t be long before it’s prom and graduation seasons for many high schoolers. Rites of passage for many, these are times for teens to celebrate, but can also be times of poor decision-making, especially when vehicles are involved. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that 2,524 teen drivers and passengers were killed and 177,000 were injured in 2013. Twenty-seven percent of these fatalities occurred between April and June, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
“The statistics are staggering, especially when you consider that most of these accidents and fatalities are preventable,” said Randy Petro, Mercury Insurance’s chief claims officer. “We don’t want any families to suffer through the loss of a child, so Mercury is taking action with the launch of the ‘Mercury Insurance Drive Safe Challenge.’”
The Mercury Insurance Drive Safe Challenge kicked off with a free defensive driving program, which included hands-on driving skills training and classroom material. An interactive website provides teens with detailed instruction, as well as gives parents the tools to shape responsible driving behavior.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7772251-mercury-teen-drive-safe-challenge/
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) was given exclusive access to a 1981 Ferrari GTSI recovered at the Port of Los Angeles and Long Beach earlier this month.
The car, one of 1,743 of that model made in 1981, was stolen in 1987 from Newport Beach, Calif., while on consignment at a dealership. The vehicle identification number (VIN) was later switched to the VIN of a 1982 Ferrari that had already been exported to Norway in 2005. When the vehicle arrived at the port, it was headed from Texas to Poland.
Working with Customs and Border Protection, the California Highway Patrol and Ferrari representatives, NICB was able to determine the true identity of the car and to recover the original theft report filed with Newport Beach Police in 1987. NICB records showed only 12 stolen red Ferraris still unrecovered at this time.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7665252-nicb-stolen-ferrari/
