Texas had a total of 4,830 cases in claims court – second to California, which had 7,430 claims at the same time.
AUSTIN, Texas — A new report ranked Texas second for the most catalytic converter thefts in the U.S.
The new report put out by State Farm Insurance shows that catalytic converter thefts have increased by more than 400% since 2019. From 2019 until August 2022, State Farm has paid more than $70.6 million to insurance customers to recover from a catalytic converter theft.
In that same time period, Texas residents have taken up $1.2 million of that insurance payout. Texas had a total of 4,830 cases in claims court – second to California, which had 7,430 claims at the same time.
As of August 2022, Texas residents have experienced a 30% increase in thefts this year, even before the holiday months. In 2021, the holiday months – September, October, November and December – had the highest number of claims for the thefts.
Catalytic converter thefts have continued to rise because they are easy to access and remove from under a car. Thieves unbolt and remove the converter from the metal suspension system near your car’s tires.
The metals from catalytic converters include platinum, palladium and rhodium, all of which can be resold for hundreds to thousands of dollars per ounce. If your vehicle’s catalytic converter is stolen, it can cost you upwards of $3,000.
State Farm recommends that you check with your insurance agent to confirm your automobile policy to ensure that theft of any kind is covered for your entire vehicle. Additionally, anti-theft protection like cable-locking devices or a steel shield can be installed on the exhaust system to stop thieves from stealing the converter.
Other ways you can stop theft is by inscribing your car’s VIN number on the converter, allowing it to be traceable and parking your car in a garage at night. If both of those options aren’t feasible, ensure you park in a lit area and the sensitivity on your car alarm is high to allow any movement on your car to activate it.