Most car owners probably understand a thing or two about auto insurance. Many people know that there are three major components of auto insurance that include liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage. Liability coverage will take care of costs associated with bodily injury and property damage to the other vehicle if you’re at fault for an accident. A policy that includes collision coverage will step in to repair your vehicle after a crash regardless of fault. Comprehensive coverage will cover damages related to incidents other than vehicle accidents. While the coverages of a Car Insurance Price, policy are usually easily understood, however, the factors that impact the cost of policies can be a bit murky.
Today, most states require drivers to carry a minimum level of car insurance. In Oregon, the state requires SR22 insurance Oregon certificate which guarantees that the driver has the minimum coverage to get back on the road after a major offense. If you finance or lease your car, you’ll probably be required to carry a full coverage policy. What you’ll pay for auto insurance coverage will be based on many factors such as gender, credit score, driving record, and type of car insured. Another factor that has a significant effect on your insurance premium is your location. Insurance companies see your place of residence as a factor that can impact the likelihood of an accident or theft. Your location could also affect the cost to repair or replace your car. Let’s take a look at why your location affects your car insurance price.
Traffic
Looking around for insurance quotes in different areas will show the impact of location on rates. Searching for “car insurance quotes NJ” will return very different results for quotes than those from South Dakota. One of the main reasons for this disparity in rates is the amount of local traffic as New Jersey is more populated than South Dakota. Your location gives car insurance companies an idea of what your commute will be like each day.
Living in a zip code with heavier traffic and inevitably more accidents will mean that your car insurance rates could be higher. Additionally, living in a big city versus a more rural area will result in higher rates as well. Insurance companies see more traffic and congested roadways as a higher risk and that will be reflected in higher premiums and deductibles.
Crime Rates
Crime statistics in a particular area will play a role in how much you pay for an auto insurance policy. Insurance companies analyze crime reports and crime-related insurance claims in an area to assess risk. Higher-than-average auto thefts, car break-ins, or vandalism could mean that you’ll be paying higher auto insurance rates than someone who lives elsewhere.
Living in an area with higher incidents of vehicle crimes means that there is a higher probability that your car will be targeted and require replacement or repair. As a result, insurance companies will charge you more for insurance as there is an increased likelihood of an incident.
Natural Disasters
Similar to homeowners insurance rates, auto insurance premiums are also tied to the risk that Mother Nature poses. Policyholders who live in areas that are prone to natural disasters will see higher insurance rates. It’s pretty uncommon for residents of Colorado to deal with hurricanes or residents of Vermont to worry about earthquakes.
As a result, drivers in these areas might see lower rates than those who live in Florida or California where incidents are more likely. Depending on the type and frequency of natural disasters in your location, you could see higher rates and even surcharges on your auto policy.
While various factors such as state laws, driving history, type of car, and age impact insurance rates, your location can be a major variable that will determine your auto policy premiums. Due to things like traffic, crime, and natural disasters, insurance companies base their rates on the risks associated with particular locations. No matter where you live, however, you should always shop around for applicable discounts and coverage options to try and secure the best rate and policy for your vehicle.