| Stolen airbags in high demand
Airbags have replaced radios as the item of choice for thieves who break into motor vehicles because trading them illegally has become a lucrative business, car experts say. York Regional Police were in the process of arresting suspects in a rash of airbag thefts yesterday when Const. Rob Plunkett, a veteran officer, was killed. Since January, investigators say, there have been 43 incidents of airbag theft in Markham, stolen mainly from Acuras and Hondas. This doesn't surprise George Iny, of the Canadian Automotive Protection Agency. "Airbags are the premier car stereo of the new millennium," he says. "They're easy to steal and they come out as a complete module." Stealing the devices is an attractive crime, said Eli Melnick, of Start Auto Electric, a Toronto car repair shop.
State Farm to cut more policies
State Farm Florida filed paperwork seeking state approval to cancel homeowners insurance "in areas with a high propensity for hurricane losses."The new underwriting guidelines go into effect Aug. 15 for new business and Jan. 1 for existing customers. The exception to cancellations: coastal residents who had an auto insurance policy with State Farm as of July 12.The company's new set-back line is 2 to 10 miles from the coast.State Farm has more than 865,000 policyholders in Florida. About 50,000 policyholders would be affected, company spokesman Justin Glover said."It's a tough decision, one we didn't make lightly," he said. "We want to stay in Florida. But if we run out of money, we can't cut claim checks."Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty said he was concerned by the company's announcement."These actions are inconsistent with State Farm's previous statements outlining their underwriting intentions," McCarty said.
Negotiate blame toward auto execs
I am tired of seeing workers' medical benefits being represented as the sole reason the Big Three are not competitive. Someone should be taking a swipe at the corporate money pit -- you know, the guys at the top. Until there is a true turnaround and these companies are solvent again, management should suffer some of the burden. Right now it looks as if they are lining their pockets so they can continue to live high on the hog if things get worse. Poor decisions on product line-up are the real reasons the Big Three are in trouble, and guess who is responsible for that? .
Napans eligible for state low cost auto insurance
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner added Napa and eight other counties to the program and is expected to start in September, once rates are set in each of the newly added counties.Applicants must be at least 19 years old, licensed to drive for three continuous years and have a good driving record. In addition, eligible individuals cannot have convictions in violation of the state vehicle code and the value of insured automobiles must be $20,000 or less. Applicants must also meet low-income requirements, not to exceed 250 percent of the federal poverty level.Solano, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Santa Cruz, Madera, Yolo and Kings counties are included with Napa./Register .
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