Insurers that participate in the Car Insurance Rates referral network have reported a substantial increase in the number of claims resulting from road encounters with deer. The uptick is typical during the late fall and beginning of winter, which is the deer mating season.

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 12/05/2011 -- CarInsuranceRates.com, a site offering free quotes on car insurance, reports information gathered from its affiliated insurers that indicates a dramatic spike in the number of claims stemming from accidents involving deer. Most commonly, the insurers report, the claims result from collisions with deer, but many also related to accidents caused by drivers swerving into another vehicle to avoid hitting a deer.

"That our insurers see an increase in the number of deer-related collisions this time of year is not surprising. Usually, the number of deer-related accidents is highly seasonal because mating season is when deer are most active and most unpredictable. Mating season usually begins towards the end of the fall and lasts through the beginning of winter. Drivers tend to forget to use caution during this time, and as a result, claims skyrocket," said Nathan Ackerman, spokesman for Car Insurance Rates.

Insurers say the deer problem is especially acute in Midwestern states, where thousands of vehicular accidents involving the animals take place every year. For example, in Illinois in 2010, ten people died as a result of a deer/auto accident, and more than 600 were injured. The CIRS site hopes to reduce these alarming statistics by raising drivers' awareness of when mating season begins so they can take extra precautions on the road during that time.

"October through December are usually the riskiest times for deer/vehicle collisions. Drivers in rural and semi-rural areas should be vigilant during these months, particularly if they are driving at dawn or dusk when the animals tend to be most active. We hope making the reports of our insurance partners known to our visitors will help them realize and mitigate the risk of a deer collision. Most importantly, we want to urge our visitors not to swerve into other traffic if a collision with a deer is otherwise unavoidable. The best strategy then is just to slow down as much as possible before the collision occurs," explained Mr. Ackerman.

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Car Insurance Rates recently conducted a poll of its participating insurers and discovered a marked uptick in the number of claims made since the economic downturn became especially severe in the fall of 2008.

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/17/2011 -- CarInsuranceRates.com, a popular online destination for free car insurance quotes, performed an informal poll of the auto insurers participating in its referral network and found a significant increase in the number of claims filed since "The Great Recession" became serious in 2008.

The poll reveals that most car insurers agree with the notion that economic hard times typically result in an increased number of claims. This trend is especially troubling for consumers who are already cash-strapped because insurers tend to raise premiums when the number of claims increases.

"There is very little in our society that is not impacted by the economy. Unsurprisingly, car insurance rates and claims are no exception. Any number of theories could explain the correlation. When the economy plummets, desperate drivers who would otherwise never consider criminal activity may file fraudulent auto insurance claims for extra cash. Our insurers also tell us they see upticks in the incidence of fraud in poor economic climates," explained Nathan Ackerman, spokesman for Car Insurance Rates.

Another theory suggested by the auto insurers who responded to the poll as to why claims have increased is the widespread cuts of state budgets. A smaller budget results in fewer funds devoted to road maintenance and other safety issues, which may contribute to accidents.

"Although the vicious cycle of more claims and higher premiums is difficult to combat during recessions, drivers should not foreclose the possibility of affordable car insurance rates. Using our site for competitive rate comparisons is one simple way drivers can find an inexpensive policy to help make ends meet until things look up," said Mr. Ackerman.

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Insurers affiliated with Car Insurance Rates report a general consensus that premiums will drop over time in light of an authoritative new study on the road safety of sport utility vehicles.

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/15/2011 -- CarInsuranceRates.com, a popular online destination for requests on free auto insurance quotes, has dozens of affiliate insurers within its network that have recently responded to the overwhelmingly positive results of a new study on SUV safety. Most of the insurers in the site's network believe the good news on SUV crash-test safety will bring car insurance rates down as a whole.

"Sport utility vehicles remain some of the most popular vehicles on the road, and previously, their tendency to roll lead to poorer crash-test performance when compared with lower-profile vehicles. This latest study indicates that SUVs are getting increasingly safer, and as they do, insurers like those in our network can decrease their rates," explained Nathan Ackerman, spokesman for Car Insurance Rates.

Recently, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reported that the fatality rate in auto accidents involving SUVs declined by two-thirds over the last year. IIHS experts for the most part credit Electronic Stability Control (ESC) for the steep drop but also point out more and more SUVs are now also equipped with side airbags designed to protect the occupants' heads in an accident. Many SUVs are also coming equipped with energy-absorbing devices in their front ends—structures that have been used in cars for many years.

"In a way, the safety of SUV has come full circle. At first, they were popular with families because they desired more protection from a larger vehicle. Then, when the news about their rollover risk came to light, drivers started to second-guess their safety. Now with the addition of these new technologies, SUVs are safer than ever and now cause fewer accidents on the road than trucks. For the auto insurance industry and its customers, this is overwhelmingly good news," said Mr. Ackerman.

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CarInsuranceRates.com company spokesperson Nathan Ackerman recently spoke about the increase in auto insurance quote inquiries and the correlation with US auto sales in recent months. The site provides no-cost insurance estimates to consumers looking to save on car insurance.

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/07/2011 -- Several automobile manufacturers are reporting an increase in sales during October. Light vehicle sales in the US saw an increase of 7.5% last month, according to Zacks Equity Research. CarInsuranceRates.com company spokesperson Nathan Ackerman said the increase in sales has translated to online consumer car insurance quote inquiries.

"We see a strong correlation between the recent reports and the growing volume of quote inquiries," Ackerman said. "There have not been too many bright spots in the auto industry as of late, so it is encouraging to see these favorable reports coming out."

Car Insurance Rates recently introduced a new section of the site that explains the quote comparison process in greater detail and outlines ways to save money on coverage. Ackerman said the new section has been met with much acclaim and the growth is a testament to the measures the company has made to be a car insurance resource leader.

"We take great pride in the site as a comprehensive resource for auto insurance customers," Ackerman said. "The feedback we have received has played an integral role in producing the most recent site update."

Consumers can compare car insurance quotes by completing one simple form located at CarInsuranceRates.com. The process is secure and the quotes are completely free. Additionally, the site offers free information on many different insurance types and common issues associated with coverage. The site is featured on Facebook and Twitter.

For more information, please visit http://www.carinsurancerates.com or call 888-426-1093.

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CarInsuranceRates.com has introduced a new section of the site that promotes a streamlined method of comparing car insurance quotes from leading companies. Users can receive up to five free quotes by completing one simple, secure form.

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 10/17/2011 -- Popular car insurance resource site CarInsuranceRates.com has unveiled a new quote resource section of the site that outlines the process of receiving multiple car insurance quotes delivered quickly by completing a simple form located on the site's homepage. In addition to providing these free quotes, the site also features many car insurance related articles and columns.

"We have made it even easier to get car insurance quotes quickly and securely," Public Relations Manager Nathan Ackerman said in a recent telephone interview. "Consumers are wary of reports highlighting the skyrocketing trend of car insurance premiums, and I don't blame them one bit."

Ackerman added that the site has seen a sharp increase in traffic during the summer months as drivers have been examining ways to cut costs and maximize each dollar spent. "Our policy selection and management section of the site is an invaluable resource as it gives you total control to optimize your policy. This type of control is vital as policies are not one-size-fits-all products."

The policy selection and management guide includes a breakdown of coverage types, tips for managing the cost of a policy, and a comparison resource. For more information, visit Car Insurance Rates or call 888-426-1093. You can also "like" Car Insurance Rates on Facebook or follow Carinsurancerts on Twitter.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm

The site has posted the results of the Best Drivers Report for 2011 on its home page to illustrate why geographic locations have such a power effect on car insurance rates. The site has published the top- and bottom-ten ranking cities as well as a link to the full results.

Seattle, WA -- (SBWIRE) -- 09/29/2011 -- CarInsuranceRates.com, a no-cost provider of quotes on car insurance policies, now has on its home page a summary of The 2011 Best Drivers Report. Performed every year by Allstate Insurance, the list ranks 200 cities according to the average number of years drivers have between accidents as well as the relative likelihood of an accident to occur.

For the second year in a row, drivers in Fort Collins, CO were the safest in the country, with an average of 14 years between accidents and had a 30 percent lower chance of having an accident than the national average. Boise, ID; Lincoln, NB; Chandler, AZ; and Huntsville, AL also ranked in the top five, respectively.

"Often our visitors don't fully grasp why geographic location is so intimately linked to auto insurance rates. This list helps illustrate the point. Drivers in the highest-ranking cities will pay substantially lower premiums than drivers from cities at the bottom of the list, simply because insurance actuaries have found that they are far less likely to have to pay out claims in these 'safer' cities," said Nathan Ackerman, spokesman for CIRS.

At the bottom of the list were cities like Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Glendale, CA; Newark, NJ; and Providence, RI. These cities also consistently rank at the top for highest car insurance rates.

"While we publish this list every year to illustrate the link between location, accident risk, and auto insurance rates, we also want our visitors to be aware if they live in a city where an accident is statistically much more likely than most other places in the country. Perhaps the ranking will encourage drivers in the less safe cities to slow down and drive defensively," said Mr. Ackerman.

For more information, please call 888-426-1093. Follow Carinsurancerts on Twitter or "like" Car Insurance Rates on Facebook.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.releasewire.com/press-releases/release-3.htm