SEATTLE – The vehicle thieves target most often in Washington and Oregon is the 1992 Honda Accord, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s annual Hot Wheels Report for 2009.
Washington is a hotbed for car thieves, traditionally ranking high in auto theft over the years. In fact, Yakima ranked sixth-highest in the nation for auto theft rates in 2009, down from third in 2008. Spokane jumped to 18th in auto theft last year, up from 35th in 2008. The Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue metro area fell from 26th in 2008 to 37th in 2009. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton ranked 77th in the nation.
Last year, 26,684 vehicles were reported stolen in Washington, a 15.8-percent drop from 31,681 in 2008. That’s still an average of 73 stolen vehicles per day and three vehicles an hour. While the decrease in thefts is encouraging for drivers, auto theft is still a costly crime vehicle owners pay for through their insurance premiums.
“Consumers literally pay billions each year for auto theft,” said Karl Newman, NW Insurance Council president. “The cost to replace stolen vehicles and repair those that are recovered is reflected in your insurance rates.”
Vehicle theft is the nation’s number-one property crime, costing an estimated $7.4 billion each year. In 2009, auto theft cost more than $180 million in Washington alone.
The good news is vehicle owners who have optional Comprehensive Coverage under their Auto Insurance policies are covered if their vehicles are stolen.
Here is a list of Washington’s most stolen vehicles, according to NICB 2009 statistics:
- 1992 Honda Accord
- 1995 Honda Civic
- 1990 Toyota Camry
- 1995 Acura Integra
- 1993 Subaru Legacy
- 1994 Nissan Sentra
- 1993 Dodge Caravan
- 1994 Saturn SL
- 1994 Ford Explorer
- 1995 Nissan Pathfinder
NW Insurance Council and NICB offer the following tips to help you reduce the risk of your vehicle being stolen:
- Keep your doors locked and windows completely rolled up.
- Remove keys from the ignition, even when briefly stepping away from your car.
- Keep valuable items such as bags, purses, cell phones and briefcases out of sight.
- Always park your vehicle in well-lit areas.
- Always activate your vehicle’s security or alarm system when parked.
- Before buying a new vehicle, check with your insurance company to find out which vehicles have the highest risk of being stolen.
If you witness or have knowledge of an auto theft, contact your local law enforcement agency. In some cases, auto theft is a form of insurance fraud when automobile owners stage phony accidents or arrange to have their vehicles stolen in hopes of collecting the insurance money.
If you know of anyone who has filed a false insurance claim, you may be eligible for an award up to $5,000, offered by NW Insurance Council. Call the Fraud Hotline at 800-TEL-NICB. For more information about auto theft and insurance fraud, visit www.nwinsurance.org.
NW Insurance Council http://www.nwinsurance.org/ is a nonprofit, public-education organization funded by member insurance companies serving Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
