PAYING FOR POPULARITY; THEFT INSURANCE COSTLY FOR CARS CROOKS COVET.Byline: Catherine Strong Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Owners of Toyota Land Cruisers and Mitsubishi Monteros are paying more in theft insurance because of the popularity of the sport utility vehicles This page lists sports utility vehicles currently in production (as of April 2007), as well as past models. The list includes crossover SUVs, Mini SUVs, Compact SUVs and other similar vehicles. among thieves, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a report released Tuesday. Eight of the 10 types of 1995 through 1997 vehicles that were popular targets of thieves were sport utility vehicles or luxury cars, say researchers at the Highway Loss Data Institute in Arlington, Va. The institute is backed by insurers. Owners of Land Cruisers are paying about $530 on average for theft protection under their comprehensive insurance coverage, the report said. Drivers of the Mitsubishi Montero mon·te·ro n. pl. mon·te·ros A hunter's cap with side flaps. [Spanish, hunter, from monte, mountain, from Latin m , ranked second highest in theft-insurance cost, pay about $248. Drivers of the Lexus GS The Lexus GS is a series of mid-size luxury sports sedans / executive cars sold by Lexus, the luxury division of Toyota. The first GS, based on the platform and running gear of the Toyota Crown, was introduced in 1991 in Japan and two years later in the United States, Europe and 300, a midsize luxury car ranked third, pay about $228. ``Even if your vehicle is not stolen, you still have the pain of payment,'' said Kim Hazelbaker, the institute's senior vice president. The average insurance premium payment to cover theft losses was $22.80, the institute said, meaning the Land Cruiser owner paid an average of 23 times more. A spokesman for Toyota Motor Sales, John Hanson
John Hanson (April 3, 1715 – November 22, 1783) was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland. , said luxury sedans and sport utilities are popular with thieves because both the vehicles and their replacement parts command high prices in the international black market. ``The Land Cruiser and most luxury utility vehicles are very high on the hit list with thieves,'' Hanson said. The 1998 Land Cruiser, unlike its predecessors, has a new alarm system that shuts off the engine if a thief gains entry, Hanson said. Hanson said only about 12,000 Land Cruisers were sold in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. each year, making the insurance loss higher per vehicle. A Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America spokesman did not answer messages left at his office. The institute says insurers now recover only one of every three stolen vehicles. A decade ago, two of three were recovered. The poor recovery rate is driving up the average amount of money lost per vehicle, Hazelbaker said. The vehicle with the most annual claims was the 1997 Jeep Wrangler sport utility, with 20.6 thefts reported per 1,000 insured vehicles, but its theft-insurance price was not in the top 10. Next in popularity with thieves were the 1995-97 two-door Suzuki Sidekick sport utility, and the 1995-97 Land Cruiser. WHO PAYS MORE The 10 vehicles with the highest average insurance payments by consumers for theft protection are listed for vehicles from model years 1995 through 1997. Figures were provided by the Highway Loss Data Institute. 1. Toyota Land Cruiser, $530 2. Mitsubishi Montero, $248 3. Lexus GS 300, $228 4. Mercedes S class 4-door with long wheelbase wheel·base n. The distance from the center of the front wheel to that of the rear wheel in a motor vehicle, usually expressed in inches. wheelbase Noun , $168 5. BMW 3 series The BMW 3 Series is an entry-level luxury / compact executive car manufactured by the German automaker BMW since May 1975. It was the successor to the 2002 coupe. The 3 Series was for some time the smallest car line manufactured by BMW (exempting the BMW-owned MINI), although that , 2-door, $141 6. Lexus LS 400, $138 7. Lexus SC 300/400, $133 8. BMW 3 series convertible, $103 9. Acura Integra, two-door, $93 10. Acura Integra, four-door, $84 CAPTION(S): Photo, Box PHOTO (Color) 1998 Toyota Land Cruiser, the most expensive vehicle to buy theft insurance for. Photo courtesy Toyota BOX: WHO PAYS MORE (see text) |
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