A new study has revealed that following through on vehicle recalls is important to avoid car fires.

The Highway Loss Data Institute, an insurance industry group focused on vehicle crash studies, examined insurance claims from 2007-2012 vehicles up to eight years old, Edmunds.com reported.  

"As one would hope, recalls mitigate the effect of fire-related defects," Matt Moore, HLDI vice president, said in a press release. "However, even after recalls are issued, these vehicles continue to have higher claim rates. This may be a result of people not following up after receiving a recall notice."

The institute, which is an arm of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, found that fire-related recalls correspond to greater insurance losses, but the number of claims could be mitigated after owners responded to recalls.

Vehicle defects that can result in fires not related to crashes include electrical issues and flaws in the fueling system.

Such fires are unusual, with the overall noncrash fire rate for the vehicles examined in the study coming to 2.6 per 10,000 insured vehicle years, according to the institute.

Before a recall, vehicles had a 23 percent higher rate of insurance claims compared with the post-recall numbers, which were only 12 percent higher.

Consumers whose vehicles are recalled shouldn't put off getting the issue fixed.

"This study shows that recalls are issued for a reason and they are effective at reducing risk," Moore said in the press release. "When you get a recall notice, don't put off the repairs."

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