Why Your Auto Insurance Rates May Go Up

Auto insurance is essential and important to everyone. It is a safety blanket that we all desire when we own a car. That’s why it’s great to have an auto insurance plan with a low rate we can afford. The best way to have this is to avoid certain factors that can influence and raise your insurance rate. Continue reading to find out what those factors are, and what you can do to avoid them.   
Factors Outside Of Your Control
Sometimes insurance rates may increase when you haven’t done anything at all. One way it can increase is caused by the area that you live in. Whether you live in Halifax, Line Mountain, or E-Ville, certain areas are different when it comes to the risk of collisions, theft, as well as extreme weather conditions that can cause potential accidents. Insurance groups need to charge enough so that they are able to pay back all claims that are filed. As your risk of filing a claim goes up, your insurance cost will as well.
Another factor that comes in to play is your age. Generally, insurance companies will raise rates to young drivers under the age of 25, as well as older drivers above the age of 70. Analytics show that people who fall into these groups run a higher risk of accidents and having to file claims. Driving experience is something that insurance groups look at.  
Believe it or not, gender also plays a role in determining your auto insurance rate. Males are said to pay higher rates than females due to being more likely to crash, especially in their younger years. The IIHS also states that males tend to drive more miles and engage in riskier driving behaviors like speeding and not wearing seat belts.
Factors Within Your Control
Aside from the few factors you can’t control, there are many factors you control yourself that can raise your insurance rate. The big one is your overall driving record. Drivers who have an accident or moving violations run a higher risk to insurance companies. As a result, their insurance rates tend to be higher. Drivers with a clean driver's history qualify for better rates and also are eligible for a good/safe driver discounts.
The number of claims that you’ve previously filed also plays into your overall rate. Say you’ve filed 3 claims in 3 years; this would make you more risky to insurance groups and can result in a higher rate or even not getting your insurance policy renewed at the end of the term.
Another factor that’s within your control includes your credit history. Studies show that those with low credit scores, typically below 600, are more likely to end up filing claims. This will ultimately put a red flag over your name for insurance groups. Other factors that surprisingly play a role in your insurance rate include the type of vehicle you drive, what you are using that vehicle for, and how many miles you drive annually. All of these factors come with analytics that shows on average how often accidents happen and how often claims are filed.   
What You Can Do
Now that you know what can determine your auto insurance rate, you need to know what you can do to get the most optimal plan that is best for you. Deibler Straub Troutman is a great place to start when looking to buy your auto insurance. You need to find the best combination of rate and adequate coverage. It isn’t always about finding the cheapest rates because most times the cheap options don’t include the certain coverages that you desire. Some of these could include bodily injury, collision, and property damage liability. Not having these coverages could potentially result in a loss of thousands of dollars. That’s why a slightly more expensive plan that has multiple coverages could end up saving you a lot of money.
In conclusion, there are many factors that play into how much your insurance rate will cost. The best thing to do is to try to avoid all accidents and traffic violations. Also, take note of your credit score, the number of claims you filed, and the kind of car you plan to drive. All of these things can help you lower your rate, but make sure that at the end of the day, you are getting all the coverages you need. From all of us at Deibler Straub Troutman, we wish everyone a safe summer out there on the roads.