Prevent Your Auto Rate from Rising

Did you notice an increase in your car insurance premium but you’re not sure why it went up? We get it — it can be frustrating not knowing why your insurance rate increases — but we’re here to help you better understand how an auto insurance premium is determined so you know what it takes to prevent your rate from going up come renewal time.

There are a number of reasons why your insurance rate might increase, and while you can’t control all the factors that determine your rate, here are some mindful actions you can take to keep your rate down:

Stay claim-free. If you file a claim for an at-fault accident, your insurance company could consider you a higher risk and your rate most likely will go up. How much your premium goes up depends on the severity of the accident, as well as other specificities on your policy.

Watch your speed. If you’ve ever gotten a speeding ticket, you’re probably already aware that the consequences don’t end as soon as you pay up. That’s right, a speeding ticket can increase your premium significantly (especially multiple tickets). Stay out of trouble and you can avoid that rate increase.

Don’t be late! We all forget to make a payment every now and then, but when it happens, your insurance company probably isn’t going to like it. Typically, you’ll get a reminder and a warning before your rate will increase, but if paying late becomes a habit, you’ll see a noticeable increase in your rate.

Good thing American Family Insurance makes it easy to avoid late payments when you enroll in autopay — you can even get a discount for signing up!

Moving? That’ll do it. Are you moving to a bigger city? Your rate could increase because you live in an area where more drivers are on the road. More drivers equal more chances of an accident— your insurance company is going to consider that a higher risk.

And, if you move to a neighborhood with a high crime rate, your insurance company could consider you a higher risk, and that could impact your rate.

Getting a new job, increasing your annual driving mileage and even your credit score can all also affect your insurance rate. But now that you know some of the different factors that determine your premium, you can take control and avoid some serious surges in price.