Cost of car insurance

[Tnhawk]

You're better off not using a tracker on your car.

A few dollars lower insurance premium isn't worth surrendering my privacy. The lack of activity on my driving record should provide my level of risk to the insurance company. Tracking the daily movement of my vehicle, destinations and times is more than the insurance company needs to monitor.

 

[OutlawStar]

A few dollars lower insurance premium isn't worth surrendering my privacy. The lack of activity on my driving record should provide my level of risk to the insurance company. Tracking the daily movement of my vehicle, destinations and times is more than the insurance company needs to monitor.

Exactly. Its a bit tinfoil hat but insurance companies aren't altruistic in finding you a few dollars for a discount. They'll take that data and interpret it to their benefit: You slammed on the brakes and pulled 0.8g of lateral force? Sounds like dangerous driving, here's your premium increase. We don't believe your story of you were trying to avoid a roofer's ladder falling off a truck.

We noticed you regularly stop at 5300 Adams street and we noticed there is a bar there. You're there an average of 1.5 to 2 hours at least twice a week. We don't care you're having 1 or 2 pints with buddies after work, that just means you're likely to be involved in an alcohol crash. Heres your higher premium for risky behavior.

You were going 70mph in what is indicated to be a 65mph zone. That is speeding, we don't care our records are inaccurate and the road actually has a 70mph speed limit. Heres your higher premium.

Its giving them too much information for their benefit. Now, don't lie on your insurance application; don't claim a vehicle will only be driven 3000 miles a year when in reality it'll be 12,000. They can drop you and deny claims for that but just handing over info to someone trying to harm you (by extorting more cash) isn't the smart move.

 

[striker55]

A few dollars lower insurance premium isn't worth surrendering my privacy. The lack of activity on my driving record should provide my level of risk to the insurance company. Tracking the daily movement of my vehicle, destinations and times is more than the insurance company needs to monitor.

So it wasn't a good idea to let them paint large numbers on the roof of the car?

 

[TheDan]

Insurance on the modern cars (USAA) has gone up about 50% in the last three years. Dunno if that's just inflation or the 5 fucking hail claims I've made in that time. Probably a little of both.

The classic car insurance (Grundy) has stayed the same fortunately.

 

[Grumps21]

Probably the claims. I have a coworker that puts in a claim for every dent and scratch, and his premium is a shade over $800 per month. He does have a teenage driver too which doesn’t help.

Some of these claims it’s just cheaper to pay out of pocket. Wife hit a gator on I45 when her suv was just over a year old. $1600 and some change to get the bumper replaced and painted. We have coverage for that but just paid out of pocket. Last month, hit and run on the Camry. We didn’t do uninsured motorist claim and instead just paid the $1500. Something catastrophic then use insurance, but the small stuff will cost more in the long run by claiming on insurance.

 

[dsgrey]

I'm sure vehicle options matter too. In 2019 I went from a dumb and inexpensive ($22k in 2016) Mazda to a Jeep Wrangler priced over $40k and my insurance went DOWN. In 2022, went from a dumb SUV to one with more sensor crap than I care and my insurance rates jumped pretty good. The Jeep doesn't have all the whiz bang sensors and I know it would be less expensive to repair in a lower speed crash compared to the new plastic SUV. I'm paying $156 a month full coverage for 2019 and 2022 vehicles that msrp'd in the low $40k range though I was paying around $130 the year before. I do remember paying near $400 a month around 15 years ago when I had two teenaged drivers and 4 vehicles...back when vehicles were much less expensive.

 

[oldag]

So it wasn't a good idea to let them paint large numbers on the roof of the car?

They didn' have to. They were already tracking you via your Onstar.

 

[oldag]

Repair and parts prices are through the roof. Incredibly ridiculous. This is part of the issue.

 

[TheDan]

Repair and parts prices are through the roof. Incredibly ridiculous. This is part of the issue.

yep... Cars being totaled because replacement headlights are 1/4 the value of the car.

 

[TexasRedneck]

yep... Cars being totaled because replacement headlights are 1/4 the value of the car.

Price the taillight on a F150 w/all the sensors in it.

Cracked lens, you say? Sorry - you gotta replace the entire thing.

 

[TheDan]

Price the taillight on a F150 w/all the sensors in it.

...and hope the canbus wire doesn't short from water intrusion or it'll brick the whole car

 

[Iowashooter]

I just got my bill… rates increased 31%

Time to shop for better deal… I’ve been with my insurer for years and have two homes (one is rental), two cars, and an RV trailer insured… plus an umbrella liability policy.

That’s a LOT of annual premium. We are low risk / low mileage drivers too.

They will need to do better or lose our business.

 

[vmax]

I've switched everything
Home and auto
Doing what I can to save a little without losing coverage

My auto insurance alone is $3000/6 months

 

[TreyG-20]

Lots of unlicensed southerners on the road.

 

[Whistler]

About the same with mine, not just auto insurance either, homeowners went up over 50%. No claims, 10+ years with the auto insurance and 5+ with the homeowners which is directly reflected in escrow raising my damn mortgage payment.

 

[TheDan]

My auto insurance alone is $3000/6 months

For how many cars?

 

[vmax]

For how many cars?

2024 3/4 ton truck
2024 4Runner
2018 Colorado
2008 3/4 ton beater truck (liability)

In 2016 I left USA due to rate hike when my son started driving
Went back to Geico

2020 Went to State Farm cause I knew the local agent and she made me a deal..then they kept going up and then said to bundle house in for discount which I did in 2021..then they kept jacking house and car up with no claims

So I took the cars back to geico and the house with a different carrier

Saved $850/yr on car and $1300 on house with same coverage

 

[oldag]

I've switched everything
Home and auto
Doing what I can to save a little without losing coverage

My auto insurance alone is $3000/6 months

Listening to the commercials talk about all the savings, if you switch companies three times your insurance is free.

 

[TheDan]

2024 3/4 ton truck
2024 4Runner
2018 Colorado
2008 3/4 ton beater truck (liability)

In 2016 I left USA due to rate hike when my son started driving
Went back to Geico

2020 Went to State Farm cause I knew the local agent and she made me a deal..then they kept going up and then said to bundle house in for discount which I did in 2021..then they kept jacking house and car up with no claims

So I took the cars back to geico and the house with a different carrier

Saved $850/yr on car and $1300 on house with same coverage

Jeez, yeah that's a lot for essentially three vehicles. The liability only on just one shouldn't be much at all.

 

[Steve In Texas]

Rates are increasing hand in hand with repair expense. Car repair costs have skyrocketed. We just had a $3000 deer hit repair. Hail damage last year on an aluminum F150 went almost $15,000. We had two cars totaled from the same hail event. It all adds up.

I have been with State Farm for decades and when I compare rates, I am far below any other providers.