Top 10 Stolen Cars - 2012

Toronto, ON – December 13, 2012 –Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) released today its annual list of the top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada.  This year there is a new, but returning, hot target for thieves – the 2000 Honda Civic SiR 2DR.  In fact Civics take up the top two places in this year’s list.  Civics have always been high on the list.  It’s a popular vehicle for young people and many of them are stolen and chopped for parts.

The Civic replaces the 2009 Toyota Venza 4-door, which was last year’s number one most frequently stolen vehicle nationally but is the second most stolen vehicle in Quebec.  But more than the change of the top target, investigators are seeing new trends and have more warnings for unsuspecting victims.

 The top 10 most frequently stolen vehicles in Canada are:

1. 2000 HONDA CIVIC SiR 2DR
2. 1999 HONDA CIVIC SiR 2DR 
3. 2006 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER SS 4DR 4WD 
4. 2007 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
5. 2005 CADILLAC ESCALADE 4DR AWD
6. 2006 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
7. 2002 CADILLAC ESCALADE 4DR 4WD
8. 2005 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
9. 2004 FORD F350 SD 4WD PU
10. 1999 ACURA INTEGRA 2DR 

Tips for Consumers
Don’t be tricked into buying a stolen vehicle. Consumers should buy used cars from a reputable dealer and run a car history report before making a deal. If buying a used car privately, have it inspected by a trusted mechanic. Also, to avoid having stolen parts put onto your vehicle during repairs, only deal with reputable repair shops. Your insurance company can recommend one.
It’s important to remember that a professional thief can steal your car in about 30 seconds. But there are a few simple precautions that you can take to help make the thief’s target a little harder to reach:

• Never leave your vehicle running unattended
• Park in well-lit areas.
• Always roll up your car windows, lock the doors, pocket and protect your keys.
• Never leave valuables or packages in full view. Put them in the trunk.
• Park your car in the garage at night

Dubin says: “Finally, this one drives me crazy and I see it all the time.   People just leave their keys in the ignition, while going in for a coffee and donut or warming up their car in the morning...  Approximately 20% of all stolen cars have keys in them.”  

Canada’s top 10 riskiest online cities for cybercrime risk

Did your city make the list?

For the second time in a row, Burlington, Ont. topped Norton and independent research firm, Sperling’s BestPlaces, list of Canada’s top 10 cities that have the highest number of cybercrime risk factors.

“In our examination of the riskiest online cities, we’ve considered a number of factors that can potentially affect online safety,” said Bert Sperling, founder of Sperling’s BestPlaces and lead researcher for the analysis. “By looking at data from consumer lifestyle habits as well as cybercrime data provided by Symantec, maker of Norton products, we’re able to provide a holistic view of the various factors that put a person at potential risk.”

The study determined the per-capita rankings by examining several consumer behaviors – from the prevalence of PCs and smartphones, to social networking and accessing potentially unsecured Wi-Fi hotspots, among others.

Burlington ranked high in all four categories measuring cybercrime data per capita, including attempted malware infections, attempted web attacks, attempted spamming and attempted bots by city. Burlington also ranked high amongst Internet use and expenditures.

“This is the second time that Burlington has come out on top in this ranking,” said Rick Goldring, mayor of Burlington. “We choose to look at the positive aspects. This report shows our residents are connected and are reaping the benefits of using the Internet for both personal and business needs. This is a good opportunity to look at these risk factors and remind residents – even those in other cities – to protect themselves and their information online.”

The Top 10 Riskiest Online Cities in Canada are:

1) Burlington, ON
2) Port Coquitlam, BC
3) Vancouver, BC
4) Langley, BC
5) Calgary, AB
6) Fredericton, NB
7) Toronto, ON
8) New Westminster, BC
9) Edmonton, AB
10) Victoria, BC

Norton reminds web surfers to protect themselves against cyber risk. Proceed with caution when using Wi-Fi hotspots
 and make sure you’re using a secured network if conducting online purchases or banking from a laptop, tablet or smartphone. Also, use complex and unique passwords for each site, including a combination of uppercase and lowercase letters, symbols and numbers. Make passwords as random as possible, and change them regularly. Lastly, stay educated.

Check out our new mobile application

Technology is constantly changing and in order to help serve our clients better we have added a mobile applications called Insurance Companion which is compatible with Blackberry, Iphone and Android phones. Visit our website to download the app.

Some of the many features include the ability to:

•    Contact us with the touch of a button, by phone, email or go directly to our website.

•    Report Automobile Accidents directly to your broker using a simple form, insuring no details get overlooked. You can even take photos of the accident.

•    Locate the Nearest Collision Reporting Centre and Body Shop. Utilizing GPS technology you can find what you're looking for quickly.

•    Submit Property Claims quickly and easily, including photos, right from your phone.

•    Report Special Home Inventory Items of precious belongings, including descriptions, estimated value, and photos.

•    View Archived Accident Reports at any time.


To download the application please visit our website at: www.mollerinsurance.com 

Don’t Let Winter Catch You Off Guard: 10 Things You Can Do Now to Winterize Your Car In the fall …

1 .Have your mechanic check your battery fluid levels, battery posts and cable connectors. Bad connections can keep your car from starting.

2. Worn windshield wipers reduce visibility in bad weather conditions; replace them annually to keep visibility clear.

3. To avoid problems with visibility, ensure that your defroster and heater are working properly.

4. Invest in snow tires for the winter (they're mandatory in Quebec). The deep treads give you more control while driving in the snow or on slippery roads. Make sure your tires are also properly inflated as tires lose a pound of pressure for every 10 degrees the temperature drops.

5. In Canada, blizzards can come out of nowhere. Put together or purchase a winter safety kit that includes a warm blanket, flashlight, gloves, boots, flares and water. Don't forget to keep a good ice scraper, washer fluid and non-perishable foods in your trunk.

When the bad weather hits …

6. Clear ALL the snow on your car, not just the snow on the windows. Leaving snow on the roof of your car can be dangerous for other drivers if it lands on their windshield and reduces their visibility.

7. Plan your route in advance and give yourself extra time to get to your destination so you can drive at a safe speed and not worry about rushing.

8. Leave extra space between you and the car ahead. It takes longer for you to come to a complete stop on slippery roads.

9. Turn on your headlights if visibility is poor. Do not rely on just your car's daytime running lights. This helps you see and be seen.

10. If the weather is severe, pull over until it is safe to drive or avoid driving at all if you can. Before driving in bad weather, make sure to bring a fully changed mobile phone with you so you can call for help if you get stuck.

Popcorn Lung?

US man awarded $7.2 million after developing lung condition

If you’re planning to sit down and watch a movie tonight, you might want to think twice about eating a bag of microwave popcorn–or at least, inhaling that delicious buttery popcorn smell.

A man in Colorado has been awarded $7.2 million in damages for developing a chronic, irreversible disease known as “popcorn lung.”

The condition, which causes breathing difficulties, is caused by diacetyl, a chemical used in the flavouring of microwave popcorn.

Wayne Watson was diagnosed with the disease in 2007 after years of breathing in the smell of the microwave popcorn that he said he ate daily.  He is the first known consumer of microwave popcorn to be diagnosed with the condition, according to his attorney, Kenneth McClain.

Jurors found that Glister-Mary Lee Corp, the private labeling manufacturer of the microwave popcorn, and King Soopers, the supermarket chain that sold the popcorn, were negligent for failing to properly label popcorn packages and inform consumers that diacetyl was hazardous.

Glister-Mary Lee Corp was found liable for 80% of the $7.2 million award, while King Soopers and it’s parent company, Kroger, were found liable for 20%.  King Soopers and Kroger intend to appeal the decision.

With files from Reuters

Honda recalls 30,000 Accords in Canada

Honda is recalling nearly 30,000 vehicles in Canada as part of a broader recall in North America to fix a faulty power steering hose that can leak fluid and cause a fire.

The recall affects 600,000 Accord midsize cars in the U.S. and Canada with V-6 engines from the 2003 through 2007 model years.

Honda has a report of one fire but no injuries or crashes. Honda Canada adds that no related fires, crashes or injuries have been reported in Canada.

According to the Transport Canada road safety recall database, roughly 30,000 cars in Canada are affected by the safety notice.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the Accord’s power steering hose can deteriorate with prolonged exposure to engine heat.

The agency says the hoses can crack and leak, possibly causing a fire or loss of power-assisted steering.

Honda will replace the hoses for free, but it won’t have the parts available until early next year. Any owner who suspects a leak should take their car to a dealer for inspection, Honda spokesman Ed Miller said Monday.

The company that makes the Accord’s power-steering hoses had to ramp up manufacturing to make them since the affected cars are more than five model years old and the hoses were out of production, Miller said.

“We’re going to start making them and getting them out there as soon as we can,” he said.

The Accords are being added to a May recall of 53,000 Acura TL midsize luxury cars in the U.S. from the 2007 and 2008 model years. Acura is Honda’s luxury brand.

The replacement hoses for the Accords are different from the hoses in the original Acura recall, Honda said.

What Does My Insurance Company Do With My Premium?

There are some common and persistent misconceptions about what insurance companies do with the money they collect from you and every other policyholder. Some people think it sits in the bank until someone makes a claim. Not true. Others believe that premiums go to pay for claims that have already happened. Not true either.

Your premium dollar travels a long and winding road, but, in the end, most of it goes to assist consumers in one way or another. For example, if you suffer a loss, a portion of your premium dollar and those of several other policyholders finds its way back to you, to help you recover.

For the record, this is what happens to your premiums:

In the insurance system, money is always moving. On a daily basis, there are claims to be settled, taxes to be paid and other costs related to running a business (paying salaries, buying equipment, paying rent, etc.). Some money is always set aside so that the company can respond quickly to catastrophes, when a large number of claims will have to be paid in a short period of time. This is called a reserve.

Any money that is not needed for day-to-day expenses or reserves is usually invested by insurers.

Here are a few things you should know about insurers’ investments:

1. Contrary to what some people think, insurers have never had a year when they lost money on investments. Some years are better than others, but the industry has always generated positive investment returns. 
2. Insurers are among the most careful investors in the country. On average, approximately three quarters of their investments are in government bonds.
3. In order to make sure that insurers are able to pay claims, the federal government monitors the industry’s investments to make certain that they are low-risk.
4. Insurers strive to maintain a portfolio that allows for quick liquidation of investments to pay claims.

Why do insurance companies invest the money? 

The nature of insurance is such that your insurance company holds your premium until it is needed to pay claims. By investing the money in the interim and making a return, your insurance company is able to offset the cost of claims and charge you less than you would otherwise pay.

In fact, there have been years when returns on investments were so good (10% or higher) that insurers only had to collect enough premium to pay for claims and expenses, and made all of their profit from investments. Even when investment returns are much more modest, this is an excellent way to keep premiums as low as possible for consumers.