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June 2008
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The InsuranceHotline.com Insider gives you information about tickets, accidents, insurance and the law. InsuranceHotline.com finds you the lowest insurance rates.

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New and Improved Newsletter

Welcome to your new and improved newsletter, the InsuranceHotline.com Insider. A special thank you and congratulations is owed to Ross M., the winner of our Name the Newsletter contest and the winner of a $100 gas gift card!

As many of you know, Lee Romanov, the founder of InsuranceHotline.com, sold the business last year to Torstar Corporation, one of the largest multi-media companies in Canada with media properties including The Toronto Star, thestar.com, and Metroland Media Group, publishers of over 100 community and daily newspapers in Ontario. Under new ownership, InsuranceHotline.com has continued to maintain its position as the only truly independent insurance rating guide for drivers.

The introduction of the InsuranceHotline.com Insider (replacing the Romanov Report) is symbolic of this change and Lee's transition away from the business. We are extremely thankful for all that Lee has done over the years for consumers, helping you save hundreds and even thousands of dollars on your car insurance through InsuranceHotline.com, and know that all of you will join us in wishing her all the best in her future pursuits.

Our goal with the InsuranceHotline.com Insider is to continue to provide you with rich, informative, entertaining and useful content every month with additional features, more interactivity and a new design.

We are confident that you will like the improvements and your feedback and comments are always welcome. Please click here to tell us what you think or to take part in an online survey.

In the meantime, to make sure you're paying the lowest rate available, you need to shop around. Click here to instantly compare the rates of over 30 insurance companies at InsuranceHotline.com, your search engine for lowest rates. It's fast, safe, unbiased and best of all, it's FREE!

Sincerely,

The InsuranceHotline.com Team

Canada's Most Stolen Vehicles in 2007

It's a beautiful Saturday morning and you decide to take your car out for a spin. But when you open your front door, you discover your vehicle has been stolen right from your own driveway. Immediately you ask yourself "out of all the cars in the world, why steal mine?"

Thieves generally steal cars for one of four reasons:

Resale in international markets where stolen cars can be sold for more than original market value
To commit another crime
Joyriding
Sales to unsuspecting consumers. Stolen cars may be given a fake vehicle identification number (VIN) to hide its origin

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) estimates a car is stolen every three minutes in Canada, that's close to 500 cars per day! Is your vehicle attractive to thieves? Check out Canada's top ten stolen vehicles in 2007 according to IBC statistics:

2007 Top Ten Stolen Vehicles in Canada

1999 Honda Civic SIR 2dr

2000 Honda Civic SIR 2dr

2004 Subaru Impreza WRX/WRX STi 4dr AWD

1999 Acura Integra 2dr

1994 Dodge/Plymouth Grand Caravan/Voyager

1994 Dodge/Plymouth Grand Caravan/Voyager AWD

1994 Dodge/Plymouth Caravan/Voyager

1998 Acura Integra 2dr

2000 Audi TT Quattro 2dr Coupe

1994 Dodge/Plymouth Shadow/Sundance 2dr hatchback

Comprehensive or Specified Perils coverage on your insurance policy is designed to cover theft and damages caused by flood or fire to your vehicle. A deductible is the amount the car owner must pay before the insurance company pays the remainder of the loss. The deductible is usually mandatory and generally ranges between $250 - $1,000.

Insurance rates are in part based on the comprehensive deductible you choose. Normally, higher deductibles result in lower insurance rates. Another important way to lower you insurance rate, regardless of the deductible you choose, is to go to InsuranceHotline.com and get a free insurance quote which helps you find the lowest insurance rate from over 30 insurance companies.

How Old is Too Old to Drive?

There is no specific age when a person is legally required to stop driving. It's important to understand getting older doesn't necessarily turn people into bad drivers. Drivers between the ages of 55 and 70 have the lowest rate of collisions of any group in Canada as presented at the Aging Driver Mobility Forum in Toronto. However, once over the age of 75, the collision rate is similar to that of young beginner drivers.

It's important for all drivers to re-evaluate their physical and mental abilities that may affect their driving skills. If you notice a combination of these 11 warning signs, you may want to consult a medical professional:

Drifting into other lanes
Driving on the wrong side of the road
Feeling an increased state of nervousness or fear while driving
Getting lost more often
Slower reaction to unexpected situations
Increased amount of "close calls"
Friends or relatives not wanting to drive with you
Increased signs of frustration from other drivers on the road directed at you
Having a hard time concentrating or becoming easily distracted
Difficulty looking over your shoulder when turning or reversing
Medical conditions or medications hindering your ability to drive

Ontario is considered to have one of the strictest policies within Canada when it comes to drivers 80 years and older. In order to renew your license at the age of 80, the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario requires a vision and knowledge test and participation in a group education session. Failure to pass the tests will result in the license not being renewed.

Regardless of your age, InsuranceHotline.com can find you the lowest insurance rate from over 30 insurance companies, and it's completely free to use.

Preparing Your Home for Your Vacation

When planning a vacation, most people search for the cheapest airline ticket and for a hotel with the best reviews, but the majority of vacation planners fail to take the necessary precautions to secure their home. Thieves prey on homes that appear unoccupied for extended periods of time.

Consider a few common sense approaches to protect your home and belongings before heading off on your next vacation:

Security Tips

Announce your vacation plans to a small group of friends and family.
Make sure every outside door has an installed dead-bolt lock. Regular key-locks are not enough.
Ensure all windows are secured and locked.

Giving your home a "lived-in" appearance while away will reduce the chance of a break-in:

Make your home appear "Lived-In"

Give a spare key to a trusted neighbor or family member and arrange for them to visit your home periodically while you are away, picking up any mail or delivered newspapers.
If possible, have someone "house-sit" for you.
If you normally park your car in the driveway, make sure and leave your vehicle there.
Arrange for someone to cut your lawn and/or rake the leaves.
Put your inside and outside lights on a timer.
Leave your blinds like you normally would if you were home.
Turn on your home alarm.
Lock the garage and any storage sheds.
Do not announce on your voice mail message that you will be away for an extended period of time.

Applying these precautionary steps can reduce the chance of your home being vandalized by a burglar. They can also save money on your home insurance, since most home insurance companies apply discounts if you have never submitted a burglary claim on your insurance policy. Go to InsuranceHotline.com to complete a quote and find out which insurance company has the lowest rate for your home within minutes.

Quote Unquote

Quote Unquote section is an area where every month, we will answer the most common questions related to insurance.

This month's question:

Question
Is it necessary to contact the police after a car accident?

Answer
There are certain situations when you must call the police, which include:

If someone is injured
If damage appears to be $1,000 or more
If you suspect that the other driver is guilty of a Criminal Code Offence (such as drunk driving, under the influence of drugs, etc.)

In some cities, the police may ask you to report your accident to the Collision Reporting Centre instead of the police officer attending the scene of the accident. This will occur if damage appears to be minor (less than $1,000).