-------------------------------
“Ask Jeff" is a weekly post made on the RyanAgency.com Blog.
Submit an insurance-related question to “Ask Jeff”.
-------------------------------
Get in touch
555-555-5555
mymail@mailservice.com
What Determines the Cost of My Car Insurance
April 3, 2016
What Determines the Cost of My Car Insurance? There are many factors that will ultimately determine what you pay for auto insurance. Not all companies use all of these factors, and some might use factors not listed here. Your premium may depend on, in no particular order: Your driving record. The better your record, the lower your premium. If you Continue Reading
What Determines the Cost of My Car Insurance?
There are many factors that will ultimately determine what you pay for auto insurance. Not all companies use all of these factors, and some might use factors not listed here. Your premium may depend on, in no particular order:
Your driving record.
The better your record, the lower your premium. If you have had accidents or serious traffic violations, it is likely you will pay more than if you have a clean driving record. You may also pay more if you are a new or young driver and have not been insured for a number of years.
How much you use your car.
The more miles you drive, the more chance for accidents. If you drive a long distance to work, you can expect to pay more. If you drive only occasionally—what some companies call “pleasure use”-- you may pay less.
Where your car is parked and where you live.
Where you live and where the car is parked can affect the cost of your insurance. Generally, due to higher rates of vandalism, theft and accidents, urban drivers pay a higher auto insurance price than those in small towns or rural areas. Other factors that vary from one area or state to another are: cost and frequency of litigation; medical care and car repair costs; prevalence of auto insurance fraud; and weather trends.
Your age.
In general, mature drivers have fewer accidents than less-experienced drivers, particularly teenagers. So insurers generally charge more for teenagers or young people below age 25 drive your car. Your gender. As a group, women tend to get into fewer accidents, have fewer driver-under-the-influence accidents (DUIs) and most importantly, fewer serious accidents than men. So, all other things being equal, women generally pay less for auto insurance than men. Of course, over time individual driving history for both men and women will have a greater impact on what they pay for auto insurance.
The car you drive.
Some cars cost more to insure than others. Variables include the likelihood of theft, the cost of the car itself, the cost of repairs, and the overall safety record of the car. Engine sizes, even among the same makes and models, can also impact insurance premiums. Cars with high quality safety equipment might qualify for premium discounts. Insurers not only look at how safe the car is to drive and how well it protects occupants, they also look at the potential damage a car can inflict on another car. If a specific car has a higher chance of inflicting damage on another car and its occupants, insurers may charge more for liability coverage.
Your credit.
For many insurers, credit-based insurance scoring is one of the most important and statistically valid tools to predict the likelihood of a person filing a claim and the likely cost of that claim. Credit-based insurance scores are based on information like payment history, bankruptcies, collections, outstanding debt and length of credit history. For example, regular, on-time credit card and mortgage payments affect a score positively, while late payments affect a score negatively.
The type and amount of coverage.
In virtually every state, by law you must buy a minimum amount of liability insurance. The state required limits are generally very low and most people should consider purchasing much more than the state requirement. If you have a new or recent model of car, you likely will also buy comprehensive and collision coverage, which pays for damage to your car due to weather, theft or physical damage to the car such as being hit by a tree. Comprehensive and collision coverages are subject to deductibles; the higher the deductible, the lower your auto insurance premium. While there is no legal requirement to purchase these coverages, if you finance the purchase of the car or you lease, you may be required by contract.
Perhaps just as important, insurers NEVER use race or religion to set rates. Such practices are illegal. Insurers believe them to be abhorrent as well.
Original Article: Insurance Information Institute http://www.iii.org/article/what-determines-price-my-auto-insurance-policy
This article may have been originally published at Quora.com.
To see Jeff's Quora.com profile click here.
“Am I covered if I drive someone else’s car?” Or, “Am I covered if someone else drives mine?”
Many don’t realize that the insurance industry is one of the country's most regulated business segments, especially in New York State. The New York State Department of Financial Services (NYS DFS) wields significant control over the insurance business and has a stated goal of protecting consumers.
Most property insurance companies offer Actual Cash Value or Replacement Cost settlement options. Typically, insurance companies will require that you insure the property to the settlement value you choose. If you select Actual Cash Value, the amount you may be required to insure the property for will be less than the corresponding Replacement Value.
In that spirit, the Ryan Agency is sponsoring a Stearns BBQ Dinner pickup at our office on 57 Broadway Mall in Hornell on September 12th from 3:00 PM to 4:30 PM.
Today, an individual’s credit history can play a more significant role than any one of those traditional factors. Good Credit Scores lead to a Positive Insurance score. A good Insurance Score greatly influences what someone will pay to insure their vehicles.
Insurance companies offer various discounts for which their policyholders may qualify.
Great Eight number Six (6) suggests taking a look at removing Comprehensive and Collision on Older Vehicles.
By reducing the number of claims in your insurance history, you can significantly affect your rates in the future.
Sometimes, this concept meets with resistance from policyholders. The thought of paying more in the event of a claim is off-putting to some. Even if that means I pay more for my insurance.
OK. Admittedly, this strategy doesn't benefit everyone, but it can be very beneficial for those it does. You may have unique home or auto insurance needs that prevent you from bundling with the same company. Alternatively… you might have a better rate without the bundle discount by splitting up your insurance between multiple carriers.
