Car Insurance That Works With You Driving Record
One of the most important factors used in figuring car insurance rates is a policyholder’s driving record. As one might expect, car insurance companies try to avoid giving policies (or at least low premiums) to drivers who have a high risk of making a car insurance claim. There’s no better way to spot one of these drivers than a bad driving record. A driver with traffic citations or a history of previous accidents has a much higher chance of being at fault in another accident according to car insurance company actuarial tables. The more accidents or citations that a driver has on his record, the higher the chances of a claim. Insurance rates match the rise in these statistics. Even a single accident can cause an increase in a driver’s car insurance premiums of 20% or more.
For drivers, this means that it’s important to think about one’s driving record when purchasing a new policy. You’ll need to find car insurance rates that are relatively low given your driving record and other risk factors. The best way to do this is to compare car insurance quotes online and to collect as many quotes as you can before deciding on a policy. All of the car insurance companies that you consider will use your driving history as major criteria when deciding your rates, but by considering several dozen options, you can find lower quotes and get more leverage when negotiating with an agent.
To do this, you’ll need to use a car insurance tool that aggregates quotes from insurance providers, as this will cut down on the time that you spend online and ensure that the same data about your driving record is used to calculate each quote. Insurance aggregates will ask about any previous traffic citations and accidents that you’ve been involved with. They’ll then transmit this information to the insurance providers before returning a number of quotes for you to sort through. Keep an eye on the coverage limits of each quote; remember, a policy isn’t too worthwhile if it cannot financially protect you in a car accident. However, even low coverage quotes can be worthwhile, as you can give them to an insurance agent to try to negotiate for lower car insurance rates.
If you’ve got a really bad driving record, you can take some steps to improve your insurance situation. Ask your agent about driving classes and consider a vehicle with a high safety rating. Look into special discount programs at your insurance provider. With some work, even drivers with high insurance risks can get car insurance that’s appropriate for their driving records.
