Accidents are on the rise, leading to more complaints. The number of car accidents has increased, leading to more insurance claims. This higher volume of claims, along with higher vehicle repair and replacement costs, is ultimately what drives up insurance rates across the industry. Auto insurers price their policies based on several factors.
Sometimes these cost factors increase and sometimes decrease. In most states, costs are currently rising. Your actions, as a policyholder, can also affect what you pay. For example, if you add another car or a teen driver to your policy, your costs will increase.
Alternatively, your costs will decrease if you remove a car or driver from your policy. The number of crashes and the cost of these crashes are a component of car insurance prices in every state. Other common discounts you could lose if your situation changes include owning a home, stopping using paper and having more than one product insured with the same company. The more violations you have, the greater the risk of filing a claim that results in automatic rate increases.
As with violations, fault-based accidents on your driving record indicate that you are at risk of suffering another one, and insurance companies will charge you the appropriate price. Many insurance companies even issued reimbursements to their policyholders or reduced rates, according to a Wall Street Journal report. Depending on your policy, that could be a big problem, says Cate Deventer, insurance writer and editor at Bankrate. Insurers have increased rates by an average of 8.3% so far this year, according to data from S&P Global Market Intelligence, and costs to consumers are likely to continue to rise, Bankrate analysts say.
As such, you're paying more to fill up your gas tank, put food on your table and, yes, insure your vehicles. And if you're not satisfied, compare prices to see if another auto insurer offers you a policy that meets your needs at a lower cost. If your city has a high rate of thefts, accidents, and weather-related claims, it's riskier for an insurance company to cover drivers in your area. From a risk perspective, insurance companies often view older drivers the same way as adolescent drivers.
Coverages and other features vary between insurers, vary by state, and are not available in all states. Keep in mind that insurance companies won't increase your rate because of a violation not related to the move, such as a parking ticket. Depending on your insurance company and the state in which you live, your rate may increase in the event of incidents beyond your control.
