Surprising Things That Impact Your Insurance Premium

Most people know that a poor driving record and DUIs can make their car insurance premium skyrocket. What many people don’t know, however, is that there are other factors that can increase their rate. Some of these things might surprise you when you call for an insurance quote, because they aren’t necessarily things you would think of as being risk factors. If you’re looking for cheap auto insurance quotes then you might want to know about these things upfront so you’re not surprised.

You know your driving record impacts your rate, but did you know your spouse’s driving record does as well? Even if you are primary on the policy, the insurance company will assume your spouse is driving your car occasionally. If he or she has had a lot of tickets or accidents, your rate will be higher as a result. Luckily, there is a silver lining; married people also get a discount because they statistically have fewer accidents. If you both have good driving records you will actually have lower premiums than single people.

Your credit score is another factor you may not have considered. Most people think of their credit score as something that determines whether they can get a credit card or buy a home, but it impacts your car insurance rate as well. A poor credit score will cost you in just about every area of your life, and car insurance rates are no exception.

Your car insurance company may even consider your occupation when calculating your rate. Some occupations are statistically linked to higher accident rates. On the other hand, if you are employed in one of the “low risk” fields your rate may be slightly lower. Obviously this is not something you can change, because no one is going to change occupations to save a few dollars on car insurance, but it’s a good thing to keep in mind so that you are not surprised with a high quote on a new vehicle.