Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premium

Have you ever questioned why your auto insurance premium varies from what your friends and family members pay? 

One explanation is car insurance policies are not one-size-fits-all. Factors like your driving history, how often and far you drive and where you live affect the cost of your auto insurance. Below are some of the leading factors that impact your auto insurance premium.

Your Personal Information and Driving History
Your gender, age, marital status, and whether you own a home all play a part in auto insurance premiums:

Credit History & Driving Record
Your credit history and driving record are two of the most impactful factors insurers consider when determining your premium. A safe driver with good credit tends to pay less than their counterparts. While a recent accident or infraction (such as a speeding ticket) on your driving record will cause an increase in your premium, the effects of past events will eventually decrease with time.
Age of Driver
Persons under the age of 25 have a greater risk of driving infractions and accidents than older drivers, which leads to higher insurance rates.

Gender
Gender is also a contributing factor to higher car insurance premiums. Statistically, a single man under 25 years of age has a greater risk of being involved in an accident and driving violations than their female equivalents.

Marital status
Owning a home and being married indicates responsibility and stability. This tends to lead insurers to believe you are less likely to engage in high-risk driving behavior and more likely to keep up with payments.


Type of Vehicle
There are a few vehicle considerations that can affect your insurance premium costs:

Safety Ratings
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration conducts safety tests yearly and rates new model vehicles on crash test safety and performance results. If the vehicle you are insuring has a below-average safety rating, you’ll more than likely pay more to insure it.  

Maintenance Costs and Repairs
Unreliable vehicles, known as expensive to maintain and repair tend to have higher insurance premiums.

Make and Model
Vehicles depicted as dangerous or luxurious frequently have higher auto insurance premiums, usually because they are disposed to occupant injury, damage, or theft. If your vehicle is deemed higher risk of theft or vandalism, investing in a tracking or anti-theft device could lower your premium. While installing an anti-theft device may seem expensive initially, in the long run, it could save you money.

Location
Urban living versus living in rural area can make a substantial difference in your auto insurance premiums. Generally, urban areas cause your premium to increase because more densely populated locations tend to have greater occurrences of theft, vandalism and auto accidents.

Where your vehicle is parked or stored can also affect your premium. Vehicles parked in garages are at a lower risk of theft and damage than those parked on the streets.

Your Policy
The way your broker helps you craft your insurance policy also determines your premium costs.

The following policy items have the greatest impact on your premiums:

• Policy Limit – The policy limit is the maximum amount your insurance will pay for a covered incident.
• Deductible - The deductible is the out-of-pocket amount you are willing to pay before your insurance coverage begins to help cover damage, loss, or medical expenses.  
• Additional coverage - Additional coverage is a dollar amount above your state’s minimum requirement. With an increase in coverage comes an increase premium cost.

Ways to Save on Insurance Premiums
Being a safe driver, have a clean driving record, being a good student, and bundling your auto policy with your other insurance needs (such as homeowners insurance) are all ways that you could receive discounts on your auto insurance. Discounts vary by insurance companies, but most reputable insurers offer these and possibly other incentives to their customers.

If you have questions or want a detailed breakdown of your car insurance in Louisiana, contact our Lake Charles Insurance professionals at (337) 656-0707.

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