Your home address and zip code can have a major impact on your premium. Insurers will hike your rates if they feel that your neighborhood poses a higher risk of costing them money. For example, drivers in cities with above average accident and crime frequency pay more. But there are less obvious local considerations that drive auto insurance pricing.
In this article, you’ll learn about the key local factors that influence auto insurance prices, including:
- City vs. rural areas
- Number of claims and uninsured motorists
- How weather affects rates
- Other local pricing factors
- How to lower your premium
- Frequently asked questions
City vs. Rural Premiums
Whether you live in a big city or not can have an impact on your rates. People living in urban neighborhoods will end up paying more for their coverage than those who reside in rural areas. Large cities are more densely populated, which presents a higher likelihood of crime and accidents. Simply put, you have a higher chance to get into an accident in heavy traffic than you do on a street with only a few cars.
Crime Is a Big Factor
Crime is a major reason why your rates could be high. Insurance providers look at vehicle break-ins, theft, and vandalism statistics when they consider raising your rates. Large cities typically experience far more crime than a small town would. For example, San Francisco sees about 74 car break-ins per day.
Where You Park Your Car
Insurers don’t just look at your home’s location when they determine your rates. They’ll also consider where you park your car. If you park your it on the street instead of in a parking garage, you could see a bump in your rates. To lower your costs, you should think about parking in safer spots, such as a garage. This is especially true if you live in an urban area rife with vehicle thefts and vandalism.
Number of Claims and Uninsured Drivers
Another factor that insurance companies consider is if your home’s local vicinity has a high number of claims. More accidents and incidents in the area present a larger risk to providers. It also means that your area is generally costing insurers more money. This means you’ll likely end up paying extra.
Providers also look at the number of uninsured drivers near your home. Getting into a collision with a driver without coverage means you’ll end up paying more money. It also means it costs your insurance company more because of the potentially expensive costs of repairs after an accident. Insurers consider areas with more uncovered drivers a higher risk because it’ll likely result in more claims. This makes premiums in these places pricier than others.
Per the Insurance Information Institute (III), these are the top five states with the most uninsured drivers based on the percentage of drivers who are without coverage:
- Mississippi – 29.4%
- Michigan – 25.5 %
- Tennessee – 23.7%
- New Mexico – 21.8%
- Washington – 21.7%
How Local Weather Affects Rates
Many companies factor a region’s weather patterns and climate into premiums. Weather and natural disasters cause significant damage to vehicles. This results in a flood of expensive comprehensive claims.
Living in a city or state that experiences severe weather conditions can cause your insurance rates to be higher. Severe weather usually refers to conditions that cause accidents or damage to your car. Here are the types of weather conditions that could potentially damage your vehicle:
- Hail
- Hurricanes
- Tornadoes
- Snow
- Flooding
- Wildfires
Before moving to a new state or city, you should look into what type of weather is common in the area. If storms and harsh winters are the norms, you should think twice about moving there. There will likely be more claims in the area to drive your rates up. Storms and natural disasters can also pose a risk to your car. Living in an area with bad weather can end up being expensive for you in the long run.
Other Ways Location Affects Rates
There are several other reasons why your ZIP code can affect your rates. State rules and infrastructure can play a role in how much you pay for coverage. The behavior of other people in your vicinity will also have an impact. Here are some other ways how where you live can affect your premiums:
Road Conditions
Local road conditions are a factor that insurers look at. Potholes and poor street infrastructure around your city can cause your rates to be higher. This is because they can cause more accidents and claims in the area.
Insurance companies will also look at certain areas of a city that result in more claims than others. This includes specific intersections, roundabouts, or roads. The same principle always applies here. If lots of people near you file with their insurer, that usually means higher rates for everyone.
Areas with Higher Unemployment
You might see higher coverage costs if your city has a higher unemployment percentage. This is because unemployed drivers seem to be more likely to drive without insurance. In a 2009 study, the III found that there seems to be a direct correlation between unemployed individuals and uninsured motorists.
State Requirements
A state’s minimum policy requirements also a factor into your rates. Each state has its own rules including required insurance and limits. New Hampshire and Virginia are the only states that don’t require any coverage to drive.
You could pay higher rates if your state requirements are too low to pay for most repairs. This is because almost any major crash will exceed policy limits, with repair and medical costs being what they are. When an at-fault driver’s policy doesn’t cover the costs of an accident, they are considered underinsured.
Getting into a car accident with a driver with either no coverage or not enough to cover expenses can leave you helpless afterward. This costs you and your provider more money. Insurers will likely charge higher rates in areas with high numbers of under or uninsured drivers.
Living in an Affluent Neighborhood
Living in a wealthy or more expensive part of town could cause you to pay more for your auto insurance. Affluent areas usually equate to more expensive cars being around. Hitting a Rolls-Royce is much more expensive than if you did the same to a Honda Civic. Expensive vehicles generally cost way more to repair and replace. At times, these costs will exceed your policy limits. More expensive claims in the area will likely mean you pay higher rates.
Wealthy areas could also mean a higher likelihood of you getting sued. This is because rich people have the capital to pay for expensive lawsuits. Lawsuits can take a toll on you and your auto insurer. If you live in an area with a high standard of living, you should expect your rates to be a little higher.
How to Lower Your Premium
There’s still hope to lower your rates if the location of your residence is making them soar. You should consider using several methods at once to improve your costs. Here’s what you can do:
- Qualify for discounts. You can lower your insurance premium by getting several discounts. Often, these can knock a big percentage off of your rates. Check with your insurer or agent to see if there are any missed discount opportunities.
- Drive safely. Maintaining a safe driving record will keep your rates as low as possible. And if you can put together enough claims-free years, you could receive a discount.
- Drive less. If possible, keeping your mileage to a minimum will result in a cheaper premium. You could even switch to pay-per-mile or telematics-based plan, so you only pay for what you need.
- Move. This may sound extreme, but if you simply can’t afford what you’re currently paying, it might be smart to pack up and move. For instance, moving from an urban to a rural area can lower your rates by a wide margin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does coverage cost more if you live in a city?
You could pay more for coverage if you decide to move to a city from a small town. Cities are more populous and simply have more cars on the road than rural areas do. This can result in more accident claims, uninsured drivers, and crime. Insurance companies consider all of these factors and will raise your rates accordingly.
What happens to my policy if I move?
Moving to a city with a bunch of risk factors could cause your rates to go up. Areas with rough weather conditions can also make premiums more expensive. Do some research about the region where you plan to move. That’s how you can prepare for adverse driving conditions.
If you’re moving to a different state, ensure you meet the minimum coverage requirements. Each makes its own rules regarding insurance. That means your current policy might not comply with local regulations.
What happens if you lie about where you live?
Occasionally, people falsify their home address to get lower rates. However, bending the truth is a bad idea. In fact, it’s fraud because you’re misrepresenting information crucial to your policy.
If you lie about your primary residence, your provider may cancel or choose not to renew your policy. An offense as serious as fraud is likely to affect your insurance score severely and force insurers to label you as high-risk. It may be hard to get auto insurance in the future with this status following you around.
Why is car insurance more affordable in some areas?
Auto insurance is more affordable in some places, because drivers in these areas experience fewer accidents, which leads to fewer claims. This is especially true in the countryside where the lower population density translates into fewer motorists. Also, rural ZIP codes generally experience less crime and better cost of living than metropolitan areas.
