Is your car outside where it’s supposed to be? Every 26 seconds a car is stolen in the United States—and according to the FBI, there were an estimated 715,373 motor vehicle thefts nationwide in 2011. Only a little over half (52 percent) of these vehicles were actually recovered. All of this makes auto theft a top non-violent crime in the U.S. Insurance companies, law enforcement, and consumers are all responsible in the joint effort to reduce auto thefts.
With 24,071 auto thefts in 2011, according to the National Crime Insurance Bureau, the San Francisco/Oakland/Fremont, CA metropolitan area topped the nation in auto thefts. Other areas in the state that made the list include Fresno, Modesto, Stockton, Vallejo-Fairfield, and Visalia-Porterville. Between 2009 and 2011, the top three stolen vehicles in the country include the 1994 Honda Accord, the 1998 Honda Civic, and the 2006 Ford F-150. Did you know that thieves can pocket $30,000 for stripping a $20,000 Civic? Honda tends to manufacture interchangeable parts for all its model years, which raises the black market profit on the car parts.
Not all insurance plans will cover car theft. Comprehensive auto insurances, which costs an average of $136 per year in the U.S., will usually cover theft, vandalism, hit and run damage, and “Act of Good” damage. To learn how you can reduce the risk of facing auto theft, check out the infographic below.
Source: Shift Insurance