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The importance of shopping around for auto insurance has been well documented. If you’re a car owner, there’s a good chance you’ve tried every trick in the book to lower your insurance premiums over the years. The fact of the matter is, though, that the amount you shell out for car insurance often boils down to the life choices you make, along with the ones you don’t.
Albeit a basic requirement for all drivers, the formula used to determine your insurance premium is anything but simple. Sure, things like accidents and speeding tickets will negatively affect your rate—those are a given. But there many other contributing factors that few people realize apply. Here, we break down somewhat surprising (but probably not that surprising) reasons why your car insurance is sky high.
Your friend wrecked your ride.
Say you let your friend drive and he plows into another car. Should you be held liable? No. Will you be? Hell yes. If your "friend" is able to cough up some dough to make all parties happy, then you have nothing to worry about. But if he refuses to pay, then you have no choice but to file an insurance claim.
Even though you weren't behind the wheel, your car was involved in the collision, therefore you alone have to pay the price. Yeah, we know—life ain't fair. However, if the homeboy took the car for a spin without your permission, chances are you won't be held accountable for any potential damage.
You don't have a garage.
Believe it or not, if you don't have a garage attached to your pad, you'll get charged more for auto insurance. If you think about it, it makes total sense. A car is lot safer stowed away inside a garage than it is parked out on the street. The savings might be minimal, but it's a factor nonetheless.
You're a dude.
You know that stereotype about women and how they're bad drivers? Well, apparently auto insurance companies don't agree. In fact, it's the fellas who have to shell out the bigger bucks when it comes to insurance premiums.
Guys, we could claim gender bias—that is, if the numbers didn't back the insurers. Not only do women drive less than men on average, more male drivers get into accidents and receive DUIs than their female counterparts. According to the FBI, 716,298 men were arrested for DUIs, while 221,778 women were arrested for the same offence. Statistics also show that guys are 10 percent less likely to wear seat belts. Likely because every dude just thinks he's invincible (because WE ARE).
You have no legacy.
Say what? There's no such thing as handing down car insurance from generation to generation—no matter what that TV commercial says. Although, some auto insurers do provide discounts for young drivers whose parents have a history with said insurance provider. If your name was on your parents' policy back in high school, you might get a better deal.
Your insurer has a misconception about how much you actually drive.
When determining your premium, insurers take into account how many miles you put on the odometer on a yearly basis. As a result, drivers who make long commutes are placed in a different rate class than those who don't drive as often. At the end of the day, the insurance provider is making a guess as to how much you'll drive annually depending on where you live and such. Fortunately, you have the power to provide the insurance company with more accurate mileage numbers to potentially help lower the premium. Check your mileage after the first year to adjust your rate.
You're single.
As if being single weren't bad enough for your self-esteem, car insurance companies certainly don't help the cause any. The fact that you're unmarried and/or without children automatically puts you in the higher-risk category. If you're under 25 years of age and single, you'll likely pay even more. Sounds a lot like age discrimination, right?
Unfortunately for you bachelors, it's perfectly legal for a car insurance company to offer lower rates to married couples. Now, we're not saying you should go get hitched at a hole-in-the-wall chapel in Vegas for the sake of saving a few bucks a month on car insurance—that's not worth it, bruh. But it's something to consider.
You live in a city.
Rent isn't the only expense that increases when you come looking for the big city life. People who live in a city are likely to pay higher premiums on car insurance than those who live in rural areas simply on the basis that city drivers generally have to deal with more traffic, which in turn increases the potential for accidents. Furthermore, where specifically you live within the city also plays a factor in how much you pay for insurance. Neighborhoods with higher theft or risk for accident often tend to cost drivers extra on the insurance bill.
