Why Is Your Car Insurance So Expensive?

Car insurance is an unavoidable expense, and seems to get ever more costly. By examining what insurers are looking for in a customer, you should be able to cut your premiums.  To do this we need to know what factors insurance companies use when deciding how much our premiums will be. You car insurance costs could vary wildly depending upon the car you buy -- even if it's an inexpensive car.

Perhaps the most important influence on the level of your premium is your own history as a driver. If you've a history of having accidents, then naturally you're a higher risk to the insurer and so they'll charge you more. Worse, if you've been convicted of a motoring offence such as speeding or driving while under the influence, then your insurance will cost you even more - especially if your licence was withdrawn.

The next most important factor is what kind of car you're trying to insure. Naturally, more expensive cars will cost more to replace, and so the insurance will cost you more too. This isn't the whole story though, as other features such as engine size, the availability of cheap spares, and the difficulty of repair will have an influence too. Finally, some models of car are well known for being easier to break into or steal than others - the insurance companies are well aware of this and will adjust their quotes accordingly.

How you use your car will also affect the price you pay for cover. If you rarely drive and have a low annual mileage, then your premiums can be cut as you're on the road for less time, and therefore have less chance of needing to make a claim. City drivers may also have to pay more compared to those who drive in quieter areas.

Where you keep your car is important too - if you have a secure parking area, preferably one that keeps your vehicle out of sight and under cover, then your risk is lowered, as will be your premiums. Cars that are regularly parked at the roadside are at a higher risk of being stolen or involved in collisions, and so will be more expensive to insure.

One final point to cover is that of how attractive your car is to thieves, and not just in the obvious way of how desirable your vehicle is! An expensive car with a good security system including an alarm and window etching etcetera will be more of a hassle for criminals to profit from, and so is less likely to be stolen than a cheaper car with little or no security. Also, a car featuring plenty of gadgets such as an expensive audio system or satellite navigation will attract greater interest from potential thieves.

The good drivers who follow the laws and drive safe that have no claims have to pay for those who pose a risk for everyone on the road. Insurance companies have to pay out millions a year to policy holders for claims caused by weather and drivers that have no insurance yet were at fault. I can see paying when weather strikes , but if everyone had insurance many would have lower rates. I just believe if a person goes 2 to 5 years with out a claim they need to give half of the premiums back or give free coverage for half the amount of time they went with out a claim.

Because you HAVE to have it. Insurance companies know that the law requires you to ante up, so they know the law forces you to ante up to an INFLATED price. Don't believe the people who say "more coverage means more claims.  The fact is that most people don't have accidents. That means more money for the insurance people.

If you think you're not getting a fair deal, call some other insurance companies. Many of them will give free quotes. One thing is certain, that as long as people are wrecking cars or stealing them, we're all going to have to pay for insurance.

The insurance company expects to pay out claims equal to the probability of an accident times the expected cost to repair the damage to people and property. It's a risky proposition, so they get a pretty high profit margin. You have to pay people a higher return in order to get them to put their money at risk.

You can go online to any auto insurance website and get a quote. If your car is not financed and you only need liability it will be less than if you have to cover your vehicle as well. Just remember that if you get into an accident you may end up without a car. If your car has much value you should get it covered anyway, even if it's paid off.

Premiums will also vary depending on your gender and age and your driving record. The highest risk group, so the highest premiums, are for males under the age of 25.  Its always cheaper for a woman to insure a car, therefore insure the car to your Mum’s policy, for example, go on an insurance company website type your mums details in then an option should come up as "additional drivers" this is where you fill in your details.

Your age is just one of the risk factors in setting your rate. The amount your overall policy drops depends on other things also, such as tickets and accidents, so it's hard to say with any certainty just what percentage of drop you will get.  It depends on the company but yes, most insurance companies will rate you differently when you’re 25 or over. As for the amount, it too depends on the company, but you can expect something like a 5% discount.