‘Alarming would be an understatement’: State Farm reports 1,171% increase in catalytic converter claims
By KPTV Staff
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PORTLAND Oregon (KPTV) — A report released by State Farm insurance on Thursday gives us a stunning glimpse at the rise in catalytic converter thefts in Oregon.
According to State Farm, Oregon ranks sixth in the nation for auto parts theft.
In 2019, the insurance company paid $32,600 for 24 catalytic converter theft claims. Two years later, in 2021, State Farm paid $1.9 million for 1,311 catalytic converter theft claims.
Nationally, the data is even more startling. State Farm says claims for catalytic converter thefts have increased 1,171% in a two-year period. In 2019, the company paid $4.6 million for 2,535 catalytic converter theft claims across America.
In 2021, it paid a whopping $62.6 million for 32,265 claims. And that’s just a snapshot of the problem from one insurance company. It doesn’t account for other companies and for people who are uninsured.
A new state law in Oregon aims to crack down on catalytic converter thefts, and now Washington is closer to getting a similar law.
Earlier this week, Washington lawmakers passed a bill that bans scrap dealers from buying catalytic converters from anyone except commercial companies and car owners. The bill also creates a grant program for law enforcement sting operations and a task force to study further changes to state law.
It’s headed to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk for his signature.
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