Direct General Auto Insurance Research Indicates High "Intent to Drive" Among Uninsured Motorists

In a recent survey conducted by Direct General, theNashville-based auto insurance provider, 36 percent of consumers*reported that they will continue to drive even if they are unable tokeep their car insurance. With the approaching July 4thholiday weekend and more cars on the road as a result, the company isurging consumers to think twice about driving while uninsured or withoutadequate auto insurance coverage.

In that same survey, nearly one in three consumers polled thinkthat at least 40 percent of drivers on the road today are drivingwithout car insurance. Driving without auto insurance isillegal in most states, and yet consumers do think that many are willingto risk getting caught if it means continuing to be able to drive.

According to Direct General, part of the challenge for consumersis that standard insurance companies will not write auto insurancepolicies for drivers who don't currently have insurance, have low creditratings or lapsed payments.

"It's sadly ironic that people can't get car insurance becausethey don't have insurance, or have experienced financial challenges,"said Dan Tarantin, president and CEO of Direct General. "Asthe economy continues to wane and unemployment rises, more driverssharing the road will be letting their auto insurance lapse or alreadyare rolling the dice and taking their chances without insurance."

Direct General is launching a new advertising campaign this monthto reach consumers tempting fate or in need of an insurance provider whoknocks down these barriers. "We'll do right by you" is theoverarching campaign theme and according to Tarantin, "it's about makingcar insurance affordable and available to all -- being inclusive, notexclusive."

Driving while uninsured is just one of the key messagesappearing on billboards and out-of-home advertising in major marketswith the goal of making consumers stop and think a little harder beforethey get behind the wheel without car insurance. "We'retrying to help consumers facing these dilemmas," said Tarantin. "Whethersomeone is currently insured or not, regardless of past history, we areoffering car insurance that fits the individual, not the other wayaround."

Earlier this year, the Insurance Research Council (IRC) releasednew statistics about uninsured drivers indicating that the recenteconomic downturn is expected to trigger a sharp rise in the actualpercentage of uninsured motorists: from 13.8 percent in2007 to 16.1 percent in 2010, the most in at least two decades. "Thisdata clarifies that the real number of uninsured drivers is not as highas the consumers in our survey think," said Tarantin. "Butthe ˜intent to drive without insurance' statistic we uncovereddefinitely supports this forecast and heralds a serious issue for alldrivers."

Direct General maintains that it doesn't have to be this way."There are companies who will actively work with consumers to getthem the auto insurance coverage they need at low rates, and welcomethem back even if they have been forced to drop coverage. DirectGeneral is one such company," said Tarantin.

SIDEBAR:

Direct General's promise to consumers and business model are basedon doing things differently, says CEO Dan Tarantin. "Everyoneat Direct General is committed and on board with what we call our˜credo.'"

We actively work with you.

We will provide you good coverage at a good price, withoutpenalizing you unfairly.

We will take good care of you.

We won't let you down or disappoint you.

We will welcome you back even if you had to drop coverage.

We will be flexible and reasonable in how you pay, and when youpay.

We are people like you. People who live and work inyour neighborhood.

We have integrity, we are honest and we will deal fairly withyou -- no BS.

*Consumer online survey conducted among both Direct Generalcustomers and non-customers.

Direct General is an automobile insurance provider that helpsconsumers get and keep car insurance. Direct providesconsumers with the flexibility to determine when and how they pay theirpremiums. The company also helps insure drivers with weakor non-existent credit histories, who have experienced a lapse incoverage, or who have marginal or troubled driving records. DirectGeneral has over 400 offices in 13 Southeastern states (AR, FL, GA, KY,IL, LA, MS, MO, NC, SC, TN, TX and VA). For more information, visit www.direct-general.com.

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