October 3, 2014

According to the FBI, there was an estimated rate of 229.7 motor vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants in 2012. That’s one theft every 43.7 seconds. This number may seem like a lot, especially since the figures have increased 6% from 2011. Nevertheless, automobile thefts have actually decreased 24.8% from 2008 and 42.8% from 2003.

The important thing is to stay protected from this type of financial loss. After all, the FBI also reports that the total loss due to car theft is over $4.3 billion, making that an average of $6,019 per robbery.

If you’re considering buying a vehicle or are hesitating over whether or not to get car theft insurance coverage, it may help to know which automobiles are top picks for thieves. The National Insurance Crime Bureau has compiled the national statistics from 2013.

Check your state to see which vehicles are most vulnerable to theft.

Another thing for automobile and insurance shoppers to note is which car colors are at the most risk of be stolen. CCC Information Services, a company that collects data for insurance firms, disclosed the leading five:

1. Silver
2. White
3. Black
4. Gold
5. Green

One last warning goes for Californian tourists and residents alike. Nine out of the top ten car-theft cities of 2013 are in California (#8 is Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA).

Regardless of what model you have, what insurance you have, or where you live, it is resourceful to try avoiding theft in the first place. The NICB suggests:

• Lock your car and take your keys.
• Have and use a visible or audible warning device.
• Install an immobilizing device – that is, a “kill switch,” or fuel cutoff that keeps a car from starting. If it can’t be started, it can’t be stolen ... easily.
• Install a tracking device that emits a signal to the police or to a monitoring station when the vehicle is stolen.