There are several factors that influence how much you will pay in auto insurance.
- Gender. When it comes to scoring the best car insurance rates, the battle of the sexes plays a role. The data consistently shows that women pay less than men. But why is gender a factor? In addition to the fact that women tend to drive less than men, accident and DUI statistics consistently reflect that male drivers typically take more driving risks than their female counterparts. And insurance companies price policies, in part, by predicting risk.
- DUI. Rates can increase tremendously after a DUI. Moving violations and points on your license, including any drunk driving charge that you are convicted of, could increase your insurance rates. Since drinking and driving shows irresponsibility, the insurance company considers you a higher risk and will adjust rates accordingly.
- Location, location, location. It matters where you live. If you live in Alachua County, car insurance premiums are lowest while Miami-Dade is considerably more expensive. Auto premiums are partially determined by factors related to the frequency and amount of a claim payout. Because cities have denser populations than more rural areas of the country, the risk for an accident is much higher in urban areas than it is in rural areas. Because of this, you most likely will pay more if you live in the city than if you live in the country.
- Speeding jacks up your rates. Depending on the violation, getting just a single ticket can boost an average policyholder’s auto insurance premiums by as much as 22 percent, according to an analysis of over 490,000 policy quotes conducted by Insurance.com.
- Profession. Auto insurance companies may also make correlations between a person’s risk of accident and their profession. Some professions like policeman, firefighter, doctor, dentist, nurse, and teachers qualify for special discounts because they tend to drive less and/or take fewer risks.
- Marital Status. Married people tend to have fewer accidents than single people; therefore, getting married (especially for men) can significantly lower your rate.
- Education Pays. A recent study conducted by the Consumer Federation of America found that some insurance companies charge anywhere from 12% to 45% less for auto coverage to customers with a college degree. In addition, drivers with graduate degrees or doctorates often pay less than their bachelor’s degree counterparts.
To summarize, if you want to save money on your car insurance premiums: Be female, don’t drink and drive, move to Alachua County, go 55 on the highway, be a teacher, get and stay married, get a doctorate. Or, you can call one of our licensed insurance agents today to evaluate your policy to ensure you have all of the discounts possible and still have the coverage you need.