Why Your Car Insurance Will Probably Increase This Year

All drivers are familiar with paying for car insurance premiums, like it or not, carrying car insurance in the state of Colorado is a legal requirement. And while most drivers know that car insurance premiums can be affected by things like speeding tickets and getting in an accident, your car insurance premiums may increase this year regardless of whether or not you commit a traffic offense. Here's why:

Factors Outside of Your Control Affect Insurance Premium Rates
There are a lot of factors that affect your car insurance premium rate. Some of these things have to do with you and choices you make, such as:

• The make and model of car you drive;

• Your age;

• Whether or not you have a clean driving record;

• Your gender;

• Your credit score; and

• Where you live.

But there are a lot of factors outside of your control that can affect your premiums, too, as explained by a recent article in Cincinnati.com. These include things like:

• Weather;

• Number of insured drivers in your area;

• Crime rates;

• Legislation (like laws governing rate increases and mandatory insurance coverage requirements); and

• The number of claims filed.

So Why May Your Insurance Premiums Increase?
Understanding that there are things out of your control that can affect your car insurance rate is the first part of understanding why your rate will likely go up this year, even if you don't have an accident. In Colorado, a very important consideration that may affect your rate is that the rate of fatal crash in Colorado has increased. Indeed, the Colorado Department of Transportation reports that between 2014 and 2016, traffic fatalities increased by 24 percent. A recent article published in the Denver Post reports that fatal crashes have increased by 30 percent in the state over the past three years.

The more claims that are filed, the more insurance companies have to pay, and the more that they want to generate in revenue to make up for those costs. Which means that premium hikes are likely. And rate increases have already taken place in Colorado; according to The Zebra, the third-biggest rate hike nationwide occurred in Colorado in 2011 - a 52 percent increase!

What Can You Do to Lower Your Car Insurance Rate?
The good news is that while some factors affecting car insurance premiums may be out of your control, there are a few things that you can consider doing to lower your rate. For example, coupling or bundling your auto insurance with other insurance coverage you get (home/renters' insurance), maintaining continuous coverage, maintaining a clean driving record, improving your credit score, and driving an older car can all help. Of course, if you're fed up with rates, you can even consider ditching your car and relying on bike, public transportation, and foot to get you where you need to go.

At the law office of Anderson Hemmat, we know that car insurance premium hikes can be frustrating. While we can't help you to keep your rate low, we can provide competent legal assistance if you've been in a crash and need to recover compensation for your injuries. For a free consultation with our legal team, please call us today or send us a message at your convenience.

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