Why have my Auto Premiums Gone Up?
Have you noticed that the cost of your auto insurance seems to rise? You are not alone. It doesn’t matter where you live, what you drive, or who you are; nationally, rates have increased by 30.9% over the last few years. But why, and what can you do about it? Let’s answer both of those questions before you pay your next car insurance installment.
First, let’s tackle a few reasons for perspective. Some of them may surprise you.
Reason No. 1: Inflation has been going berserk.
You knew this was coming, so we might as well address it immediately. Inflation has not only been at a record high recently but has also been increasing at record levels year over year for almost five years. The result is that everything costs more money, including the cost of insuring drivers and their cars.
Reason No. 2: Technology in vehicles.
This is a frustrating one, to be sure. Technology, while it can certainly make our cars safer to drive, comes with a cost, literally. Vehicles used to be just cars; today, they combine cars, computers, sensors, cameras, transmitters, and, yes, even artificial intelligence. Guess what? Those items are expensive to buy and require trained professionals to install correctly—more money on parts and more money to install those fancy-schmancy parts.
Reason No. 3: Increases in frequency and severity of claims.
More people are getting involved in auto accidents, and each accident costs more money than it previously did. After the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a drastic uptick in the number of people having accidents and what they did after that accident. Gone are the days of the scratched bumper, a shrug, shaking hands, and parting ways with an apology. Folks are demanding reparations, which ends up costing all of us higher premiums. This leads us to reason four…
Reason No. 4: Changes in driving behavior.
Even as we continue to hear endless debates about working from home, the number of miles being driven has increased significantly. More miles driven means more exposure to the road, and that guy, that other driver, is always the one at fault. Distracted driving is also a high contributor to this trend, as drivers are spending time looking at their mobile devices rather than the traffic signal rapidly approaching.
These four reasons have created an environment where more cars and drivers think they are at Disneyland, speeding along the Autopia without care or bumping into each other on the former Tuck & Roll’s Drive’ Em Buggies attraction.
So what can you do about it? Surely you can lower your auto insurance rate if you are a safe driver and don’t partake in any of those irresponsible actions? The answer is yes.
What to consider to lower your rate
Physical damage deductibles. Is your car worth the money you are paying to insure it? If not, remove physical damage coverage altogether. If it is, find out how much you can save with a higher deductible. The higher the deductible — say, $1,000, $2,500 or higher — the lower the premium.
Multiple policies are better than one. You likely need an insurance policy if you own a home or condo or are a renter. Many insurance companies offering those policies also provide auto insurance and will lower the rate on both if you give them the business. So check with your property insurer and get a quote for your auto insurance, and vice versa. Putting both policies with the same insurance company will save you money.
How much do you drive your vehicle? Times have changed, and although that’s a cliche, it’s true. In the past, you may have gotten in your car as the sun rose, a cup of joe in hand, and hit the road for your adventurous drive to — what was it called? Oh, right — the office.
Today, you may be working from home. If you are not making that daily commute, your time on the road has decreased, which means your likelihood of having an accident has also reduced. Check with your agent, broker, or insurance company directly and ensure they rate you for the actual miles you are driving today, not the miles you went when you sat on the freeway next to a Tyrannosaurus Rex.
Ask for discounts. This may seem like a shock, but your auto insurance company and agent or broker are not sitting around daily, thinking, “Hmm, what can I do to lower premiums for the policyholders?” All right, fine. Perhaps there are a handful of good ones who ponder this occasionally. However, it isn’t as often as you may want.
To counter this, it’s quite simple. Call or email your auto insurance company and ask, “Please list all discounts available on my auto insurance policy.”
Don’t ask them what discounts you have, what you qualify for, or if you have them all. Ask for a complete list of them all. You can then look at the list and see what you may or may not have or qualify for. You may be surprised to see discounts you never knew about.
While you should not expect to pay the same premium for your auto insurance today as when you had rabbit ears on the television, you can impact your rate with some initiative. Remember, it is your auto insurance policy, and you’re paying for it. Be sure you are getting the best bang for your buck.
