First Insurance Company of Hawaii said it has lowered its rates for personal auto insurance by an average of 8 percent.

On its First Select Portfolio, a package policy that combines homeowners, personal auto and personal umbrella insurance, rates were lowered by an average of 8.2 percent, the company said in a news release.

"We were able to lower our rates because our auto insurance and First Select Portfolio lines were performing well," said Tony Abad, vice president at First Insurance.

First Insurance Company of Hawaii is the oldest and largest property and casualty insurer headquartered in Hawai'i, with assets totaling more than $590 million and liabilities of $394 million at the end of 2007.