When you receive your car insurance bill, you might wonder why it’s increased so much. Understanding the factors that influence your rates can help you understand the potential changes or discounts you might be eligible for. Here are some critical factors:
- Credit Rating: Your credit score plays a significant role in determining your insurance costs . Car Insurance companies view a higher credit score as an indicator of financial stability and lower risk. Which means lower rates. A lower credit score can lead to higher premiums due to perceived higher risk. This is based on decades of studies on the relationship between credit scores and insurance claims. The results are consistent that people that have a lower credit score have more claims. The people with higher credit scores have fewer claims. From these studies, people with a higher credit score have lower probability of filing a claim.
- Driving Record: Your driving history is a direct reflection of your risk on the road. Speeding tickets, careless driving violations, and all other violations will result in being charged more by your car insurance carrier. Car accidents and DUIs can significantly increase your insurance costs. A clean driving record, however, could qualify you for discounts and lower rates.
- Location: Where you live affects your insurance rates too. Urban areas, with higher rates of accidents, thefts, and vandalism, typically see higher insurance premiums than rural areas. In cities, there are more people in smaller spaces. This results in more accidents, more claims, more money that the car insurance company will have to pay out.
- Value and Performance of Vehicle: The type of vehicle you drive has a considerable impact on your insurance premiums. High-performance vehicles are typically more expensive to insure due to higher repair costs and increased risk of accidents. High performance means more power of the engine, a faster vehicle. The higher the value of the vehicle, will mean the car insurance will be more because the chance that the insurance company may have to pay out more if there is an accident or car insurance claim on the vehicle.
Understanding these factors can help you assess your situation and potentially lower your premiums. By improving your credit score or if you are married, making sure that you are using the better insurance score of the two. Maintaining a clean driving record, avoid speeding, drive defensively to help avoid car accidents or even choosing a vehicle that’s cheaper to insure, you can make significant savings on your car insurance.