WASHINGTON, Feb. 5 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Following is the daily "Profile America" feature from the U.S. Census Bureau:

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090226/CENSUSLOGO)

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5: CAR INSURANCE

Profile America — Friday, February 5th. Car insurance is both required and a major item in the budget of most households. The idea of insuring cars against accidents began this month in 1898 when the Traveler's Insurance Company issued a policy to Dr. Truman Martin of Buffalo.  His policy cost $12.25 and gave him $5,000 in coverage.  Martin was chiefly concerned about accidents between his automobile — one of fewer than 4,000 in the entire country at the time — and horses, which numbered about 18 million.  Now, cars and trucks outnumber horses more than 247 million to just over 9 million. The average car costs its owner $817 a year to insure. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, conducting the 2010 Census beginning April 1st.

Sources: www.history.com

              Historical Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970, p. 520, 716, 1208  

              Statistical Abstract of the United States 2010, t. 1186, 1060

Profile America is produced by the Public Information Office of the U.S. Census  Bureau. These daily features are available as produced segments, ready to air, on a monthly CD or on the Internet at http://www.census.gov (look for "Multimedia Gallery" by the "Newsroom" button).

SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau

Back to top

RELATED LINKS
http://www.census.gov
http://www.history.com/