How Your Driving Affects Your Auto Insurance Rates

by Dennis Q. Thomson

Suppose you are attempting to better your auto insurance rates and do not have a great driving record. In this situation you should research online car insurance rates based on your current driving record and find companies who help customers get a second change.

Each month when you receive you car insurance bill you wonder how is it possible to decrease your auto insurance rates in order to lower the monthly premium. Time and time again your annual insurance rates continue to go higher for no apparent reason. The vast majority of the auto insurance companies continually up your online car insurance rates to adjust for inflation or just to increase their profits.

However, there are many factors involving your driving record that determine your car insurance rates. Many of us have some knowledge of what these factors are and their effect on car insurance rates, but it is important to review this data to be sure you thoroughly understand your situation.

Moving Violations and Auto Insurance Rates

Typically, those of us who have one minor traffic ticket listed on our DMV driving record will not pay much higher auto insurance rates. If you run a stop sign or if you are caught speeding but only 5 miles over the speed limit, you may incur a minimal increase in your insurance rates. However, if you receive many moving violations and the violations are serious in nature, your insurance rates will skyrocket.

For instance, when you have a speeding ticket usually the insurance company will ask how much over the limit it was; less then 10 miles, 11-15 miles, or 16 and over. Obviously the person at 16 and over the limit is going to see higher car insurance rates than the person that’s less than 10. And just having one such ticket is not usually a big deal but having more than one in a three-year period is.

Serious traffic offenses also will hurt your car insurance rates drastically. You will see an increase in your rates of 10% to 25% for driving while intoxicated or under the influence. Think about how high your auto insurance rates could go if you combine a few major traffic violations and a DUI offense.

Time Spent Behind the Wheel

Additional factors that affect your car insurance rates are the amount of time you spend behind the wheel as well as the reasons for driving. The amount of time behind the wheel increases the likelihood that you will be in an accident. Traveling a long distance to get to and from work will cause you to pay a higher premium than the person who works from home or drives a short distance to work. You may not be able to change the location of your job, but you can consider using your car less by carpooling or even choosing an alternate form of transportation to get to work.

And if you use your car for your business in any way, this too will affect your auto insurance rates. Your insurance company knows that this increases the risk they take in insuring you and the risk they take in having to one day settle a claim. Since auto insurance rates probably won’t be coming down any time soon, you need to do everything that’s in your power to lower the rates yourself as much as you can.

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