[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 49, Volume 5]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 49CFR582.5]

[Page 955]
 
                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION
 
                            OF TRANSPORTATION
 
PART 582--INSURANCE COST INFORMATION REGULATION--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 582.5  Information form.

    The information made available pursuant to Sec. 582.4 shall be 
presented in writing in the English language and in not less than 10-
point type. It shall be presented in the format set forth below, and 
shall include the complete explanatory text and the updated data 
published annually by NHTSA.

                       MARCH [YEAR TO BE INSERTED]

COMPARISON OF DIFFERENCES IN INSURANCE COSTS FOR PASSENGER CARS, STATION 
  WAGONS/PASSENGER VANS, PICKUPS AND UTILITY VEHICLES ON THE BASIS OF 
                          DAMAGE SUSCEPTIBILITY

    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has 
provided the information in this booklet in compliance with Federal law 
as an aid to consumers considering the purchase of a new vehicle. The 
booklet compares differences in insurance costs for different makes and 
models of passenger cars, station wagons/passenger vans, pickups, and 
utility vehicles on the basis of damage susceptibility. However, it does 
not indicate a vehicle's relative safety.
    The following table contains the best available information 
regarding the effect of damage susceptibility on insurance premiums. It 
was taken from data compiled by the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) 
in its December [YEAR TO BE INSERTED] Insurance Collision Report, and 
reflects the collision loss experience of passenger cars, utility 
vehicles, light trucks, and vans sold in the United States in terms of 
the average loss payment per insured vehicle year for [THREE APPROPRIATE 
YEARS TO BE INSERTED]. NHTSA has not verified the data in this table.
    The table represents vehicles' collision loss experience in relative 
terms, with 100 representing the average for all passenger vehicles. 
Thus, a rating of 122 reflects a collision loss experience that is 22 
percent higher (worse) than average, while a rating of 96 reflects a 
collision loss experience that is 4 percent lower (better) than average. 
The table is not relevant for models that have been substantially 
redesigned for [YEAR TO BE INSERTED], and it does not include 
information about models without enough claim experience.
    Although many insurance companies use the HLDI information to adjust 
the ``base rate'' for the collision portion of their insurance premiums, 
the amount of any such adjustment is usually small. It is unlikely that 
your total premium will vary more than ten percent depending upon the 
collision loss experience of a particular vehicle.
    If you do not purchase collision coverage or your insurance company 
does not use the HLDI information, your premium will not vary at all in 
relation to these rankings.
    In addition, different insurance companies often charge different 
premiums for the same driver and vehicle. Therefore, you should contact 
insurance companies or their agents directly to determine the actual 
premium that you will be charged for insuring a particular vehicle.

    Please Note: In setting insurance premiums, insurance companies 
mainly rely on factors that are not directly related to the vehicle 
itself (except for its value). Rather, they mainly consider driver 
characteristics (such as age, gender, marital status, and driving 
record), the geographic area in which the vehicle is driven, how many 
miles are traveled, and how the vehicle is used. Therefore, to obtain 
complete information about insurance premiums, you should contact 
insurance companies or their agents directly.
    Insurance companies do not generally adjust their premiums on the 
basis of data reflecting the crashworthiness of different vehicles. 
However, some companies adjust their premiums for personal injury 
protection and medical payments coverage if the insured vehicle has 
features that are likely to improve its crashworthiness, such as air 
bags and automatic seat belts.
    Test data relating to vehicle crashworthiness are available from 
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). NCAP test results demonstrate 
relative frontal crash protection in new vehicles. Information on 
vehicles that NHTSA has tested in the NCAP program can be obtained by 
calling the agency's toll-free Auto Safety Hotline at (800) 424-9393.

[Insert Table To Be Published Each March by the National Highway Traffic 
Safety Administration]

    If you would like more details about the information in this table, 
or wish to obtain the complete Insurance Collision Report, please 
contact HLDI directly, at: Highway Loss Data Institute, 1005 North Glebe 
Road, Arlington, VA 22201, Tel: (703) 247-1600.

[60 FR 15512, Mar. 24, 1995]

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