Ford Motor Co. has started a service to provide customers with auto insurance price quotes from providers as the second-largest automaker tries to expand sales of its cars and trucks, according to Bloomberg News.

The company began the service last month in nine states and wants to have the program throughout the United States by the end of 2003, said Phil Horlock, executive vice president of global insurance operations for Ford Motor Credit Co., the automaker's consumer credit unit which administers the service.

Ford said insurance ranks as a major concern in

customer polls. "We want to make it easier for consumers to buy our cars and trucks" by providing insurance information, Horlock said.