Every driver must have insurance for their vehicle under the law. A driver without insurance is cited on the spot and fined. Some states even tow vehicles that are not insured, but the drivers who pay for this insurance must know what they are getting in to. An insurance policy changes over time due to inflation, market conditions, the prices of vehicles and driver records. The driver that makes a claim on their insurance policy is in need of the funds that the policy can provide, but the insurance company is going to change the rates of their clients under certain circumstances.
#1: At-Fault Accidents
A driver who is deemed to be at-fault in an accident by the police will see that report filed with their insurance company on record. The insurance company is going to immediately record the accident, and the accident is used to calculate a new insurance rate when the insured must renew their policy. Most insurance companies require their drivers to renew their policies every six months so that they can make changes to the pricing if they need to.
#2: Other Accidents
Accidents that are not the fault of the driver are going to filed on the insurance policy of the driver, but these accidents typically do not increase the price of the driver’s insurance policy. An insurance company typically refrains from raising the rates of a driver who is not at fault. The drivers that have had many accidents over the life of their policy may see their insurance rates rise simply because of the number of accidents they have had.
#3: Damage
Damage to a vehicle that occurs because of storms or other weather conditions is paid for by the insurance company, but the insurance company has the right to raise rates if they believe the car is not garaged or stored properly. Insurance companies that discover a great deal of damage occurring due to weather may increase the rates for these customers to help pay for the damage that they believe will happen in the future.
#4: Car Defects
Car defects that cause accidents or damage could cause insurance rates to rise for the driver because the car they drive is expensive to insure. Insurance companies reserve the right to raise prices for cars that are known the have mechanical difficulties because they are anticipating paying for further damage caused by these difficulties.
#5: Regional Characteristics
The region where someone lives often changes the way their rates are determined. Someone who lives in an area with poor weather conditions will pay more than someone who lives in a tropical climate. A cold weather region is going to cause more accidents, more weather damage and more claims. The massive amount of claims in a certain area can raise the insurance rates for all the people that live in that region.
There are many reasons why insurance may rise, and the insured must understand when their rates will rise. Knowing the factors listed above will make all drivers much more educated consumers.