Insurance Rating -- The Big Mystery
Insurance agents do not establish rates. Let's just get that out first and foremost. Each insurance carrier (provider) adjusts rates based on the number and severity of claims paid out over a specific timeframe. Even if you have never filed a claim, your rate can still go up as a result of the increased cost of car parts, labor and repairs. In addition to each carrier's loss ratio, here are some other factors insurance companies use when calculating your auto insurance rate: Zip Code Gender Age Year, make and model of each vehicle in the household Marital Status Education level Credit history Occupation Homeownership - yes or no Driving history Vehicle lienholder information Vehicle Use Number of drivers compared to number of vehicles Here's an example of how these factors can affect your insurance rate: All other factors being equal, a single, 20-year-old male, with a low credit history (or no credit history), driving a 3-quarter-ton pickup, will likely ha...