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Is Your Car On The "Most Stolen" List?
As we all know, there are many factors that influence our auto insurance costs, including what car we drive and where we live. When it comes to the car we drive, one of the factors that influence insurers is whether that car is frequently stolen. If your car is on the list of most stolen vehicles, most insurance companies will charge you a higher rate to insure it.

Non-profit organizations such as the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) track the most stolen vehicles in America by tallying all cars that are reported stolen by law enforcement agencies each year. The NICB's current (2005) top ten list of most stolen vehicles nationwide is as follows:

  1.  1991 Honda Accord
  2.  1995 Honda Civic
  3.  1989 Toyota Camry
  4.  1994 Dodge Caravan
  5.  1994 Nissan Sentra
  6.  1997 Ford F150 Series
  7.  1990 Acura Integra
  8.  1986 Toyota Pickup
  9.  1993 Saturn SL
10.  2004 Dodge Ram Pickup

Studies show that while thieves still prefer to steal cars over SUVs and trucks (approximately 70 percent of the most stolen vehicles in the U.S. are cars), the number of SUVs and trucks targeted by thieves is increasing each year.

The Areas With The Highest Levels Of Car Thefts

Another important factor for car theft numbers is the region in which you live. Thieves tend to target large metropolitan areas that are near ports or borders, in order to easily (illegally) export the car's parts. The NICB's top ten list of U.S. metropolitan areas with the highest vehicle theft rates in 2005 is as follows:

  1. Modesto, CA
  2. Las Vegas/Paradise, NV
  3. Stockton, CA
  4. Phoenix/Mesa/Scottsdale, AZ
  5. Visalia/Porterville, CA
  6. Seattle/Tacoma/Bellevue, WA
  7. Sacramento/Arden-Arcade/Roseville, CA
  8. San Diego/Carlsbad/San Marcos, CA
  9. Fresno, CA
  10. Yakima, WA

Where does your city rank? Find out on the NICB site here.

Drivers (especially those in areas that are commonly targeted for car theft or who drive cars popular to thieves) should protect themselves by using the methods described below.. Not only could they save your car from being stolen or help authorities find it if it is, but they could also lower your insurance costs.

A Layered Approach to Protection: To protect their investment, Robert M. Bryant, NICB's President and Chief Executive Officer, encourages vehicle owners to follow its "layered approach" to auto theft prevention by employing simple, low-cost suggestions to make their vehicles less attractive to thieves.  NICB's four layers are:

  1. Common Sense: The cheapest form of defense is to simply employ the anti-theft devices that are standard on all vehicles: locks.  Lock your car and take your keys. 
  2. Warning Device: Having and using a visible or audible warning device is another item that can ensure that your car remains where you left it. Popular devices include: audible alarms, steering wheel collars, wheel locks, ID markers in or on the vehicle and VIN etching.
  3. Immobilizing Device: "Kill" switches, fuel cut-offs, and smart keys are among the devices which are high and low tech, but extremely effective.  Generally speaking, if your car won't start, it won't get stolen.
  4. Tracking Device: If your vehicle is stolen, these systems help law enforcement track and recover it and return it to you.   Some systems will even inform you if your vehicle has been moved without your knowledge.  Read about all the anti-theft devices here.

You can do your part in helping to stop this criminal activity by reporting fraud and vehicle theft to NICB at 1-800-TEL-NICB (1-800-835-6422).  Your call can be anonymous and you could be eligible for a reward.  Or you may report fraud and theft by visiting our Web site www.nicb.org.

The National Insurance Crime Bureau is the nation's leading not-for-profit organization dedicated exclusively to preventing, detecting and defeating insurance fraud and vehicle theft through information analysis, investigations, training and public awareness.


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