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Contact: Loretta Worters, 212-346-5545

NEW YORK, MAY 22, 2001 - With gasoline prices soaring, highway commuters can turn to public transportation or car-pooling to ease the gas crunch. Not only will they save gas dollars by hopping on the bus or train, or riding to work with neighbors, there may be an added bonus - a reduction on their auto insurance.

By reducing the number of miles driven each week, commuters could cut their auto insurance premiums, according to the ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Information Institute (I.I.I.).

Auto insurance premiums rely on a number of factors - from a driver's safety record to the type of car being insured. The car's annual mileage is one of several critical factors in determining how much a car owner spends on insurance, and some insurance companies offer discounts (usually from 10 to 20 percent) to motorists who drive fewer than a predetermined number of miles each year. The more miles you drive, the greater the risk you'll have an accident and the higher the premium.

As commuters turn to public transportation to reduce their gasoline bills, they should report reduced automobile mileage to their insurer or insurance agent, the I.I.I. advises. The effects of reducing automobile mileage on insurance premiums will vary, depending on the driver's personal circumstances and by insurance company. Call your insurance representative to see if you are eligible for a discount.

Reducing annual mileage is one of several ways a driver can cut their auto insurance costs. Other ways include comparison shopping, asking for higher deductibles, reducing coverage on older cars and keeping your credit clean. For a free copy of the brochure, Nine Ways to Lower Your Auto ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Costs, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Information Institute, 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038 or visit the I.I.I. Web site at .

The ºÚÁϲ»´òìÈ Information Institute is a fact-finding, communications organization sponsored by the property/casualty insurance industry.