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Shopping for Car Coverage Nets Savings

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Next to comparing automobiles, comparing automobile insurance rates ranks as a favorite pastime among California drivers. A study released last week by the State Department of Insurance indicates why.

According to the study, what many motorists may have suspected--or may have been told by their brokers--is true: Insurance rates vary greatly from city to city and company to company. The study’s underlying message: It pays to shop around before buying.

An example:

A 23-year-old Hermosa Beach woman who drives her 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo 10 miles one way to work and under 15,000 miles a year, and who has no citations or accidents on her record would be able to buy a coverage package from the Automobile Club of Southern California for $629, but a similar package would cost her $1,100 if she purchased it from Allstate, and $1,409 from Continental.

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If she lived in Inglewood, she could pay as much as $1,341 for coverage with the Automobile Club of Southern California, up to $1,632 with Allstate and $1,576 with Continental.

Another example:

A 42-year-old San Pedro man who is married, drives his 1981 Toyota Corolla three miles one way to work and under 12,000 miles a year, and has no citations but one at fault accident two years ago would be able to buy a coverage package from Nationwide for $622, but would pay $739 with Farmers and $1,548 with Hartford Casualty.

If the same man lived in Gardena, a package could cost him $937 with Nationwide, $1,383 with Farmers policy and $1,718 with Hartford Casualty.

Department officials cautioned that individual variables can lead to a substantial difference in the quote a particular driver might receive from a company. For example, J.C. Penney Insurance Co. requires its policyholders to carry minimum bodily liability of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident, substantially higher than the state requirement of $15,00 per person and $30,000 per accident. Additionally, some companies offer special features that may not be reflected in the figures provided in the survey, they said.

The data, furnished by 18 companies at the insurance department’s request, was collected over a three month period. Four different types of hypothetical drivers were used.

Drivers can obtain copies of the survey by writing to the California Department of Insurance, 600 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles, Ca. 90005. A 9-by-12 envelope and 70-cents postage must accompany the request.

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COMPARATIVE CAR INSURANCE RATES: SOUTH BAY

These annual comparative insurance rates, separated according to ZIP code areas, will vary basedon age, driving record, use of car, mileage driven and the amount of insurance coverage.

DRIVER 1

(FIGURES ARE IN BOLD TYPE) Driver 1 is a 23-year-old single woman who drives 10 miles to work and drives less than 15,000 miles a year. She has no traffic citations and no accidents. She drives a 1984 car that cost between $8,001 and $10,000 new--a Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2-door, a Honda LX or a Ford Mustang “L.” Insurance coverage includes injury liability of $15,000 per person with a maximum of $30,000 per accident; property damage liability of $10,000 per accident; medical payments of $2,000 per person; uninsured motorist (U/M) $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident; comprehensive with a $100 deductIble and collision with $200 deductible.

DRIVER 2

(FIGURES ARE IN LIGHT TYPE) Driver 2, 42, is a married man who drives three miles to work and less than 12,000 miles a year. He has no citations but one at-fault accident 2 years ago. He drives a 1981 car that cost between $6,500 and $8,000 new--Dodge Colt, Mercury Zephyr sedan, Toyota Tercel 2-door or Corolla. Insurance coverage includes injury liability of $100,000 per person with a maximum of $300,000 per accident; property damage liability of $50,000 per accident; medical payments of $5,000 per person; uninsured motorist (U/M) $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident; comprehensive with a $200 deductible and collision with $500 deductible.

City State Auto Club 20th Zip Code Farm Farmers of So. Cal. Allstate Century Avalon 727 927 600 809 450 90704 481 605 661 553 483 Carson 1350 1211-1901 763-990 1197-1632 773 90745-46 1007 829-1383 816-1107 818-1234 858 El Segundo 910 1087 629 1100 567 90245 657 739 701 779 611 Gardena 1350 1901 990 1197 773 90247-49 723 1383 1107 878 858 Harbor City 941 1087 763 1197 773 90710 669 739 816 878 858 Hawthorne 1350 1411 990 1100 778 90250 1007 965 1107 779 858 Hermosa Beach 910 1087 629 1100 567 90254 657 739 701 779 611 Inglewood 1350 1411-2369 990-1341 1100-1632 773 90301-05 1007 965-1738 1107-1518 779-1234 858 Lawndale 1350 1411 629 1100 773 90260 1007 965 701 779 858 Lomita 941 1087 763 1100 773 90717 669 739 816 779 858 Los Angeles** 910-2003 1238-2815 629-1341 1100-2213 567-843 90040-49 657-1497 834-2047 701-1518 779-1694 611-957 Manhattan Bch. 910 1087 629 1100 567 90266 657 739 701 779 611 Marina del Rey 1493 1846 972 1622 632 90292 1068 1266 1050 1177 687 PV Peninsula 910 1087 629 1100 567 90274 657 739 701 779 611 Playa del Rey 910 1411 629 1100 632 90293 657 965 701 779 687 Redondo Beach 910 1087 629 1100 567 90277-78 657 739 701 779 611 San Pedro 941 1087 629-763 1100-1197 567-773 90731-32 669 739 701-816 779-878 611-858 Torrance 910-1350 1087-1846 629-763 1100 567-773 90501-12 657-1007 739-1266 701-816 779 611-858 Wilmington 941 1087 763 1120 773 90744 669 739 816 795 858

** This section of Los Angeles includes Westchester, ZIP code 90045.

City Ohio Mercury Zip Code U.S.A.A.* SAFECO GEICO Casualty Casualty Avalon 711 1099 --- --- 717 979 90704 568 873 --- --- 492 772 Carson 744-926 1099 1354 1078 802 90745-46 603-767 873 1221 791 581 El Segundo 711 882 1046 1012 913 90245 568 672 938 750 664 Gardena 926 1099 1354 1078 802-858 90247-49 767 873 1221 791 581-612 Harbor City 744 863 1035 1044 802 90710 603 649 920 787 581 Hawthorne 926 1099 1354 1078 858 90250 767 873 1221 791 612 Hermosa Beach 711 882 1046 1012 858 90254 568 672 938 750 612 Inglewood 926 1099 1354 1078 858-1347 90301-05 767 873 1221 791 612-1013 Lawndale 711 1099 1354 1078 858 90260 568 873 1221 791 612 Lomita 744 882 1035 1044 802 90717 603 672 920 787 581 Los Angeles** 777-1241 1055-1772 1005-1827 786-1588 749-1347 90040-49 643-1080 751-1457 907-1718 577-1174 529-1013 Manhattan Bch. 711 882 1046 1012 913 90266 568 672 938 750 664 Marina del Rey --- 882 1320 --- 954 90292 --- 672 1128 --- 683 PV Peninsula 711 882 1046 1012 773 90274 568 672 938 750 573 Playa del Rey --- 882 --- --- 913 90293 --- 672 --- --- 664 Redondo Beach 711 882 1046 1012 773-858 90277-78 568 672 938 750 573-612 San Pedro 744 882 1035 1044 797 90731-32 603 672 920 787 557 Torrance 711-744 841-882 1046-1354 1012-1078 698-802 90501-12 568-603 607-672 938-1221 750-791 516-581 Wilmington 744 863 1035 1044 797 90744 603 649 920 787 557

* Military and dependents only. ** This section of Los Angeles includes Westchester, ZIP code 90045.

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City Liberty California Zip Code Continental Nationwide Mutual Casualty Avalon 979 --- --- 904 90704 772 --- --- 685 Carson 1576 981 848-1221 1452 90745-46 1288 937 784-1150 1148 El Segundo 1409 661 831 1101 90245 1151 620 765 848 Gardena 1576 981 1221 1452 90247-49 1288 937 1150 1148 Harbor City 1458 669 848 1098 90710 1136 622 784 846 Hawthorne 1576 981 831 1452 90250 1288 937 765 1148 Hermosa Beach 1409 661 831 1101 90254 1151 620 765 848 Inglewood 1576 981 1221 1452 90301-05 1288 937 1150 1148 Lawndale 1576 981 831 1452 90260 1288 937 765 1148 Lomita 1458 669 848 1098 90717 1136 622 784 846 Los Angeles** 694-2181 661-1438 831-1780 1327-1928 90040-49 912-1643 620-1387 765-1689 1049-1555 Manhattan Bch. 1409 661 831 1101 90266 1151 620 765 848 Marina del Rey 1642 1069 1383 1560 90292 1168 1003 1261 1212 PV Peninsula 1409 661 831 1101 90274 1151 620 765 848 Playa del Rey 1642 661 831 1560 90293 1168 620 765 1212 Redondo Beach 1409 661 831 1101 90277-78 1151 620 765 848 90731-32 1136 622 784 846 Torrance 1409-1576 661-981 831 1101-1452 90501-12 1151-1288 620-937 765 848-1148 Wilmington 1458 669 848 1098 90744 1136 622 784 846

** This section of Los Angeles includes Westchester, ZIP code 90045.

Aetna Civil City Casualty J.C. Service Hartford Zip Code Surety Penney Employees Casualty Avalon 798 930 873 --- 90704 718 728 724 --- Carson 1302 1612 1496 1642 90745-46 1130 1326 1292 1718 El Segundo 936 1210 1057 1478 90245 824 930 926 1582 Gardena 1302 1612 1496 1642 90247-49 1130 1326 1292 1718 Harbor City 1020 1156 1378 1480 90710 972 922 1173 1548 Hawthorne 1302 1210 1496 1642 90250 1130 930 1292 1718 Hermosa Beach 936 1210 1057 1478 90254 824 930 926 1582 Inglewood 1302 1732 1496 1642 90301-05 1130 1406 1292 1718 Lawndale 1302 1210 1496 1642 90260 1130 930 1292 1718 Lomita 1020 1156 1378 1480 90717 972 922 1173 1548 Los Angeles** 848-1770 1182-2318 926-2260 940-2292 90040-49 722-1556 958-1946 789-2025 1030-2480 Manhattan Bch. 936 1210 1057 1478 90266 824 930 926 1582 Marina del Rey 1202 1732 1206 1418 90292 1026 1406 1047 1534 PV Peninsula 936 1210 1057 1478 90274 824 930 926 1582 Playa del Rey --- 1732 1206 1418 90293 --- 1406 1047 1534 Redondo Beach 936 1210 1057 1478 90277-78 824 930 926 1582 San Pedro 1020 1156 1057-1378 1480 90731-32 972 922 926-1173 1548 Torrance 936-1302 1210 1057-1496 1478-1642 90501-12 824-1130 930 926-1292 1582-1718 Wilmington 1020 1156 1378 1430 90744 972 922 1173 1548

** This section of Los Angeles includes Westchester, ZIP code 90045.

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