Florida Car insurance rates could drop following arrests

Florida residents may soon get a break on their car insurance rates now that the FBI has broken up a ring involved in "car-cloning."

The FBI announced this week that it had helped arrest 17 suspects connected to the ring.

According to the FBI, the scheme basically starts with a vehicle being stolen and then having its vehicle identification number (VIN) replaced with one from another car of the same make and model. Then, documents are forged, making it easier for criminals to legitimately register and potentially sell the stolen car in another state.

The FBI reported that this crime may become obsolete in the near future now that a national automobile database is being developed.

Since insurers can become victims of the scam, as well as consumers and others, rings like these often result in inflated car insurance rates. That may be the least of some drivers' problems, however. The FBI also warns that the cloned vehicles are subject to confiscation—and drivers could end up spending considerable time and money trying to prove ownership of the vehicle.

To avoid ending up with a cloned car, some tips include watching out for things like unpaid tickets that aren't yours, checking for signs of tampering around the vehicle's VIN, and watching out for cars being sold for far less than comparable makes and models.

For more information about how you can save on your own car insurance, visit InsureMe.com.