Last Updated on Mar 27, 2020 by James W
For most people, cheaper car insurance rates often come down to either paying higher deductibles or opting for lower vehicle insurance coverage. This is not the only thing that affects your car insurance rates.
Most people are unaware of this, but there’s more to car insurance rates. Some of these are in your control while the others aren’t. In this article, we will be looking at some of those personal factors that determine whether you pay more or less for your vehicle’s insurance.
This way, you can be more informed when you’re in the market for insurance, and more importantly, know how you can use your personal “attributes” to lower your car insurance rates.
Driving History
People with a spotless driving history or very slight driving offences are more likely to pay less for insurance than folks with a history of poor driving. So, if you have been a good driver and have never been involved in an accident, keep that up and remain vigilant while driving.
For drivers who have been involved in an accident in the past, buck up and make sure to adopt good driving habits. Avoid drinking while driving or driving after drinking. Make smarter driving decisions, and as much as possible stay on the side of safety.
Your Brand of Vehicle
What car do you drive? Auto insurance companies often collect huge amounts of car related data to analyze their risk and safety reports. Therefore, cars that are higher on the safety spectrum are likely to attract lower insurance payments.
For instance, the 2010 Toyota 4Runner has high safety and protection ratings and is not as desirable to thieves as a 2012 Honda Accord coupé that has a lower than average safety ratings as well as high susceptibility to theft.
So, if you’re looking to purchase a new car and lower insurance costs are important to you, check for the vehicle’s safety ratings first before making the purchase.
Area of Residence, Occupation and Age
The nature of your job, your age, overall health and where you live all play a role in your auto insurance policy. For instance, a young, single male who is an accountant by trade and living in a high crime area will most likely attract more auto insurance rates than a middle-aged, married banker living in a gated community.
It’s just common sense. In the case of the former, the fact that he’s young and single means he’s more likely to go clubbing or drinking with his friends and bash his vehicle or park in front of his property without removing the keys. Therefore, leaving the car vulnerable and at risk of being stolen.
As for the latter, his age, societal reputation, family responsibilities and his surrounding make him less likely to indulge in risky behaviors that could result in the stealing or damaging of his vehicle.
Marital Status
It’s interesting that insurance companies think of married couples as lower risk individuals than singles. It’s not fair, but then if you’re of marriageable age, maybe it’s time to get married eh ;). That said, rates for married people tend to be lower because most insurance companies feel that they are more risk-averse and less likely to make bad driving decisions, courtesy of the fact that they have a significant other.
Your Profession
The type of job you do and its correlation to possible risks may play a role in determining how much you will pay for your auto insurance policies. For instance, commercial and truck drivers are constantly on the road, and more likely to get in accidents than pilots do just drive from home to the airport. Law enforcement agents, on the other hand, are considered more proficient and safer drivers. Therefore, they tend to attract lower insurance rates.
It is best to check out all of your possibilities, through a reputable insurance site, like https://www.insuranceland.org/, which can save you time and money.
Author Bio:
Oscar King, is a car owner and freelance writer who enjoys sharing tips and insights into car care with his readers.
