2011-2471. Insurance Cost Information Regulation

AGENCY:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION:

Notice of availability.

SUMMARY:

This notice announces publication by NHTSA of the 2011 text and data for the annual insurance cost information booklet that all car dealers must make available to prospective purchasers, pursuant to 49 CFR 582.4. This information is intended to assist prospective purchasers in comparing differences in passenger vehicle collision loss experience that could affect auto insurance costs.

ADDRESSES:

Interested persons may obtain a copy of this booklet or read background documents by going to http://regulations.dot.gov at any time or to Room W12-140 on the ground level of the West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

Ms. Carlita Ballard, Office of International Policy, Fuel Economy and Consumer Programs, NHTSA, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590. Ms. Ballard's telephone number is [phone]. Her fax number is [phone].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Pursuant to section 201(e) of the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act, 15 U.S.C. 1941(e), on March 5, 1993, 58 FR 12545, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) amended 49 CFR part 582, Insurance Cost Information Regulation, to require all dealers of automobiles to distribute to prospective customers information that compares differences in insurance costs of different makes and models of passenger cars based on differences in damage susceptibility.

Pursuant to 49 CFR 582.4, all automobile dealers are required to make available to prospective purchasers booklets that include this comparative information as well as certain mandatory explanatory text that is set out in section 582.5. Early each year, NHTSA produces a new version of this booklet to update the Highway Loss Data Institute's (HLDI) December Insurance Collision Report.

NHTSA is mailing a copy of the 2011 booklet to each dealer that the Department of Energy uses to distribute the “Gas Mileage Guide.” Dealers will have the responsibility of reproducing a sufficient number of copies of the booklet to assure that they are available for retention by prospective purchasers by March 7, 2011. Dealers who do not receive a copy of the booklet within 15 days of the date of this notice should contact Ms. Ballard of NHTSA's Office of International Policy, Fuel Economy, and Consumer Programs [phone] to receive a copy of the booklet and to be added to the mailing list. Dealers may also obtain a copy of the booklet through the NHTSA Web page at: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/​. From there, click on the Vehicle Safety tab, then choose the Vehicle-Related Theft category, on that page, under the Additional Resources Panel, click on 2011 Comparison of Insurance Costs.

(49 U.S.C. 32302; delegation of authority at 49 CFR 1.50(f).)

Issued on: January 31, 2011.

Joseph S. Carra,

Acting, Associate Administrator for Rulemaking.