Giving Thieves a Hard Time
One evening in the year 2000, police recovered a Volkswagen Golf in a Bellefeuille, Quebec, garage, just hours after it had been stolen.
Nothing to phone home about, you might say. Except that it was precisely the car itself that had “phoned” the police. And within two hours it was back with its owner, thus the name – Boomerang – of this highly sophisticated anti-theft device which can improve your insurance terms while helping reduce your auto insurance premium.
In operation since 1996, Boomerang communicates via the cellular telephone network. Unlike the Global Positioning System (GPS), walls are no obstacle and it “can” “find” a vehicle hidden in a building, a closed garage, even inside a metal container. Its secret: a non-detectable chip concealed in a spot known only to the installer.
Unquestionably efficient, this tracing device is deployed in 900 North American cities, making it possible to locate a stolen car in less than an hour. As soon as the owner finds out his or her car has been stolen, he or she simply alerts the surveillance centre, which immediately sends out a local tracing vehicle. Once the car has been located through the signal emitted by the chip, the local police authorities are alerted. Not surprisingly, the Boomerang company boasts a 95% success rate.
According to Statistics Canada, 1 vehicle in 100 registered in Canada is stolen and 1 out of 4 is never found. In 1997, this translated into an extra $600 million being paid by insurance companies as well as policyholders, through an increase in their insurance premium.
With more than 1000 vehicles and pieces of heavy equipment found between January 1997 and July 2001 (a total value in excess of $52.4 million), Boomerang has just what it takes to please drivers – and insurance companies – including, among other things, a decrease in your premium.
A Beneficial Precaution
Installing a Boomerang anti-theft device can mean a decrease in your auto insurance premium. This reduction varies depending on your record, the type of vehicle you own and where you live.
If, for example, you live in a suburban city and drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee, installing the Boomerang system can reduce the cost of your auto insurance by up to $400.
Considering that such a sum covers the cost of the device plus part of the annual subscription fee, most people are quick to purchase one.
In fact, when you drive a vehicle that’s popular with thieves, it is rather reassuring to know that you have a 95% chance of retrieving it if ever it is stolen!
To find out more, contact us and we will get back to you within hours, during our normal business hours.