Ford, State Farm Collaborate to Offer Auto Insurance Savings Using SYNC In-Car Connectivity System

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May 30, 2012, 12:01 ET

DEARBORN, Mich. and BLOOMINGTON, Ill., May 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --

Ford SYNC®-equipped drivers could save up to 40 percent per year through the State Farm Drive Safe & Save insurance discount program depending on their annual mileage
The discount is based on the vehicle odometer reading that is reported when the driver uses Vehicle Health Report, a standard feature of SYNC available on 2009 model year and newer Ford Motor Company vehicles

The nation's No. 2 automaker and the country's leading insurer of cars have joined forces to offer lower insurance premiums for drivers. Using Ford SYNC® technology, State Farm Insurance is expanding its Drive Safe & Save™ program.

The program allows State Farm customers with select SYNC-equipped Ford Motor Company vehicles to reduce their auto insurance premiums by using the Vehicle Health Report feature to report their mileage.

The magnitude of the savings will be determined by the number of miles they drive. Those choosing to enroll in the program will initially save about 5 percent on their auto insurance coverage. The amount of premium savings will be determined at each renewal date (every six months) based on the number of miles driven during that period. Those driving the national average of 1,000 miles per month will typically save around 10 percent, but that could change depending on actual mileage driven, with low-mileage drivers saving up to 40 percent.

"We're excited to have Ford as a partner in this effort," said State Farm Senior Vice President Mike Wey. "State Farm is always looking for better ways to serve our customers."

Ford SYNC is the industry-leading in-car connectivity system that provides drivers with the ability to voice command and control their mobile devices, like cell phones and MP3 players, and provides services such as 911 Assist®, an emergency calling feature, and Vehicle Health Report. Vehicle Health Report is a standard, no-subscription feature that allows owners to request a diagnostic report about their vehicle's performance and maintenance needs. Since Vehicle Health Report pulls the odometer reading directly from the engine computer, the mileage from the report is considered verified and can be shared with State Farm representatives to qualify the vehicle for Drive Safe & Save.

"We're very pleased to be working with State Farm to lower the cost of vehicle ownership for the three million Ford SYNC owners who are driving vehicles with the Vehicle Health Report feature," said Doug VanDagens, Ford Connected Services global director. "SYNC Vehicle Health Report is free for the life of the vehicle, so our customers can qualify for insurance discounts without having to pay a monthly subscription."

State Farm's Drive Safe & Save program for Ford SYNC will initially launch in Utah then roll out to other states.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company