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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="border_02.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Baskerville Old Face" ><B>GATES-COLE ASSOCIATES, INC.</B></FONT><B>    </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="GATESCOLE ASSOCIATES, INC."><U><B>home</B></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id10_Home.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Home"><U>Home</U></A>   |   <B>Auto</B>   |   <A HREF="id18_Business.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Business"><U>Business</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id19_LIFE.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Life"><U>Life</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id09_Special.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Special Insurance Programs"><U>Special Insurance Programs</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="border_lft_column.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="id03_Coverages.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Coverages"><U>Coverages</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="id04_Companies.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Insurance Companies"><U>Insurance Companies</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="offices.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Our Offices"><U>Our Offices</U></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <I>Auto</I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>The Consumer's Independent Guide to Auto Insurance</B></div> <bR> <div> Back in 1898 when the first U.S. automobile insurance policy was purchased, there were barely 100 cars on the streets, nationwide. Horses and carriages ruled the roads, and main concern then for both insurers and auto drivers was any injury  those noisy new machines might do to horses.</div> <bR> <div> Today a motor vehicle accident occurs every second. Auto accidents cause an injury every 14 seconds and every 13 seconds a car accident results in a fatality. More than over 31 million accidents occur per year, at an annual cost of almost $100 billion. Theft and vandalism are other major perils facing drivers. In fact, every 20 seconds another vehicle is stolen.</div> <bR> <div> With more than 150 million drivers and 160 million registered vehicles on the road today, auto insurance is the most widely purchased of all property-liability insurance. Drivers buy auto insurance for economic protection against theft, vandalism and other risks but few are familiar with the ins and outs of their particular policy. </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>