Why Did My Car Insurance Go Up?
No one likes to see car insurance go up. If yours does, it’s probably due to your credit score, driving record, surcharges, or lifestyle choices and changes.
Written by Hillary Kobayashi
Reviewed by Kathleen Flear
Table of Contents
If your car insurance premium rises, it might be because of your credit score, driving record, convictions, or lifestyle choices and changes.
The hard truth is,
getting a ticket
isn’t the only thing that will raise your insurance premiums. Sometimes insurance rates increase for reasons that are beyond your control.Keeping track of your insurance and comparing rates to make sure you’re not paying too much is exhausting—so why not let
Jerry
take care of that for you?Once you download the Jerry app, you’ll answer a few easy questions and receive competitive quotes from up to 45 top insurance companies in less than a minute. Choose the one you want and Jerry will take care of everything else. No long forms, no calling around, no hard work—just savings.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Reasons your car insurance goes up that you can control
Insurers take numerous factors that you can control into account when setting your premium, including credit score, driving record, and convictions.
Credit score
Many insurance companies use your credit history and information on credit cards, loans, and mortgages to determine your premium. If you have a low credit score, you might end up paying more for car insurance.
There are lots of ways to improve your credit so that your insurance rates don’t rise. Always try to pay your bills on time and take care of any outstanding
loans
as soon as possible.Note that insurance companies in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan are not allowed to consider credit scores when setting their premiums.
Driving record and claims history
A lengthy accident record—whether you were at fault or not—can indicate to insurance companies that you’re a
high-risk driver
. Insurers might also raise your rates if you have a history of filing lots of claims for things like broken windshields or hitting animals. While it’s easier said than done, try to avoid getting in car accidents. If you have small damages to take care of, consider paying for the repair out of pocket rather than filing a claim.
Convictions and surcharges
If you get into an accident or get a ticket for a traffic violation (like speeding or drunk driving), your insurance rates will likely increase. In fact, an at-fault accident could raise your premium up to 50 percent. A history of late payments can also result in a price hike.
These price increases are called surcharges and remain until you improve your driving record. The severity of the incident does play a role in how long you pay the surcharge.
If you’re worried about an accident affecting your insurance rate, consider adding
accident forgiveness
coverage to your policy. Key Takeaway Maintaining a high credit score and a clean driving record will help keep your insurance rates low.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
Other reasons your car insurance increases
Factors like your relationship status, location, and type of car are often beyond your control—but they also influence your insurance premium.
Marriage
People who are married tend to pay less for car insurance. This means that if you get divorced or if your spouse dies, your car insurance rates might go up.
Additional drivers
Adding a driver—such as your child or spouse—to your policy will likely raise your premium. If they have a good driving record, the increase will likely be fairly reasonable. If they have a poor record with numerous convictions, you might see your rate spike.
Age
Younger and older drivers tend to pay more for insurance. You might see your rates decrease as you enter middle age, but they will probably go up again once you enter your 60s.
Location
Your zip code plays a big role in your car insurance premium. If you move to a city with high rates of crime or collisions, your premium might increase. Conversely, moving to a rural area with a low population density will likely decrease your rates.
Your car
Certain makes and models are more expensive to insure than others. You’ll find the lowest rates with moderately priced sedans and higher rates with sports cars and luxury vehicles
Change in discounts
Any change in your discounts, such as losing a good driver discount, will result in a price increase for your insurance policy. And if you qualify for additional discounts—well, you can expect a lower payment!
General price increase
Generally speaking, the behavior of other drivers affects how much you pay for your car insurance. If the overall cost of accidents in your state increases, insurance costs will typically go up as well. And since insurance covers both vehicle damage and medical expenses, any rise in the cost of repairs or medical care will also increase insurance premium prices.
Key Takeaway Factors like whether you’re married, where you live, the kind of car you drive, and the general cost of car repairs can significantly impact your premiums.
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
How to lower your car insurance rates
If you want to save money on
car insurance
, the Jerry
app is a good place to start. As a licensed broker
, Jerry tackles all the hard work for you—finding the cheapest quotes from name-brand insurance companies, finalizing your insurance, and even canceling your old policy.And to ensure you always have the lowest rate, Jerry will send you new quotes every time your policy comes up for renewal—so you’re always getting the coverage you want at the best price. This level of service is why Jerry earned a 4.6/5 rating on the App Store and made it the top insurance app in the country.
"Literally just put in your phone number, answer a couple of questions, receive an estimate, decide which car insurance works best for you, they send you a message to check back in a bit (took about 5 minutes), and you get your official price on your car insurance. I received my insurance card in less than 12 hours through email and they even cancel your other insurance for you! Ended up saving $129 a month."—Satisfied Jerry customer
RECOMMENDED
Compare auto insurance policies
No spam or unwanted phone calls · No long forms
FAQs
Why does my car insurance keep going up?
If your car insurance rates are increasing, it might be due to a drop in your credit score or a change in your driving record, such as a ticket or accident. If you recently moved or added a new driver to your policy, that could also be impacting your rate.
Is there anything I can do to prevent my car insurance rates from going up?
Maintaining a clean driving record is the best way to keep your insurance rates low—avoid getting into accidents or getting tickets. Keeping your credit score high can also help.
Does my credit score impact my car insurance?
It depends on where you live. A low credit score can result in higher insurance rates, and paying off outstanding loans and credit card balances will help improve it.
Insurance companies in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey are not allowed to consider credit scores when setting their premiums.
RECOMMENDED
Saved $725 annuallySaved $834 annuallySaved $668 annually
Haven’t shopped for insurance in the last six months? There might be hundreds $$$ in savings waiting for you.
Judith switched to Progressive
Saved $725 annually
Alexander switched to Travelers
Saved $834 annually
Annie switched to Nationwide
Saved $668 annuallyCheck if you are overpaying for car insurance.
No phone calls. No long forms. Quotes from 50+ insurance companies.
Find insurance savings
4.7/5 Rating on App Store
4.7
