How Much Does Car Insurance Cost?
While most states require at least some sort of minimum coverage for car insurance , the price of car insurance is dependent on many different variables including age, gender, driving history, and vehicle make and model.
If you’re looking to get a general idea of what car insurance costs you can expect, there are a few important factors you’ll want to keep in mind as you compare coverage options.
What types of car insurance coverage are there?
Your car insurance policy can be customized based on your budget and coverage needs, using various types of insurance that may or may not be required in your state.
Liability Coverage
This helps protect drivers from bodily injury liability and property damage liability in the event of an accident. Costs covered by a liability coverage plan include…
- Medical costs related to bodily injury sustained by you or another person
- Repairs for property damage including vehicles and other physical property
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage
If you’ve been involved in an accident and the other party doesn’t have adequate insurance to cover your expenses, uninsured motorist coverage can help fill the gaps in your medical or property repair costs, even if the responsible party participated in a hit and run.
Collision Coverage
When you’ve been involved in a collision with another vehicle or object, collision coverage will help you repair or replace your damaged vehicle, no matter what caused your accident.
For most policies, this coverage includes payment up to the cash value of the vehicle, but minus the standard deductible.
Comprehensive Coverage
Of course, car accidents aren’t the only cause of damage to your vehicle.
If you’d like to ensure that your repair needs are fully covered, comprehensive coverage can protect you from events like…
- Weather damage
- Vandalism
- Theft
Medical Payments Coverage
If you, your passengers, or family members who are driving the insured vehicle are injured in an accident, medical payments coverage may help pay for costs associated with the injuries. Covered costs may include hospital visits, surgery, X-rays, and other treatments.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Like medical payments coverage , PIP coverage can help pay for medical expenses after an accident, as well as any other disruptions to your life. Some of these costs may include…
- Loss of income
- Child care costs
- Long-term injury care
How does your driving record affect your car insurance premium?
From the moment you obtain a valid driver’s license, every motor vehicle infraction that you are involved in is recorded by the state and can be reported back to car insurance companies.
In most U.S. states, points are used to track the severity of violations, including minor transgressions like a speeding ticket and more serious infractions like a DUI. Insurance companies will use this information to determine the price of your policy, so it’s important to practice safe driving habits if you want to achieve the lowest rate possible for your coverage.
What other factors impact the cost of car insurance?
Not all policies are decided by your driving record. Most car insurance companies consider a wide range of pricing factors including…
Age
Historically, teenagers and young drivers are often expensive to insure because they are inexperienced and have been shown to drive more recklessly than adults. Elderly people can also expect to pay more than middle-aged people because they are statistically more likely to cause an accident.
Gender
More often than not, women are cheaper to insure than men. Since the majority of accidents are caused by male drivers, women can expect to pay slightly less for quality coverage than their male counterparts.
Vehicle Type
For the most part, newer vehicles will be cheaper to insure than older vehicles. This is because new vehicles often include upgraded safety features, making them less likely to be involved in an accident. The safety rating, as well as the title, can also make a significant difference price-wise.
Driving Area
Surprisingly, even your zip code can affect the cost of your car insurance premium. For example, living in a busy area, high-traffic area will increase the likelihood of you being involved in an accident and can drive up your coverage rates.
Coverage Needs
Of course, the amount of coverage on your vehicle will have a serious impact on the cost of your policy. You can ensure that your minimum requirements are met and find the most affordable policy for your needs by working with a qualified insurance agent who puts your safety first.
What are the minimum coverage requirements in Minnesota?
To protect the safety of roadways, all states require minimum coverage demands for anyone who operates a motor vehicle. In Minnesota, these requirements include…
- Bodily injury liability: $30,000 per person and $60,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $10,000
- Personal injury protection (PIP): $40,000
- Uninsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Underinsured motorist coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
Without these coverages, you can face serious penalties if you’re involved in a traffic violation.
Consequences for driving without at least the minimum coverage in Minnesota…
- Fines
- Suspended licenses
- Car premium increase
- Out-of-pocket accident costs
- Impounded vehicle
Rising car insurance rates in Minnesota
No matter what provider you have for your home and auto insurance , your rates are likely to increase at least a little in 2022. With rising inflation rates and an increased number of claims, it is likely your rates will rise by about 5% this year. This is normal and reflective of the overall cost of living in Minnesota and beyond.
Other car insurance terms you should know…
Credit-based insurance score
You can think of a credit-based insurance score as a credit score for insurance companies, helping lending institutions to determine how likely you are to pay back a debt on time. This can be based on your payment history, total debt to asset ratio, and risk level. However, it does not factor in things like income history, gender and your job like a credit score does.
Car insurance deductible
A car insurance deductible is an out-of-pocket amount you must pay before the insurance company will pay the rest. For example, if you turn in a claim on $3,000 worth of damage and your deductible is $500, then you are responsible for paying the $500 and the insurance company will pay the rest. Collision and comprehensive coverage are the two most common that included deductibles, typically ranging from $0-$2000. The lower the deductible, the higher the rates.
Full coverage
You might be thinking, “what does full coverage mean?” Simply put, full coverage is just another way of saying comprehensive and collision coverage as well as the required liability coverage. Lending institutions often require comprehensive and collision coverage to protect their investment. This way if your car is deemed a total loss, they do not lose their investment.
How to find the right car insurance agent?
We’ve got you covered!
Here at Patriot Insurance Brokers , we make it our mission to help you find the right policy for you. We compare prices and coverages of over 50 different providers to see which one fits you best. So, to save time, money, and headaches stop by or call for all your home and auto insurance needs.
Universal phone #: (888) 232-2583
Locations
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49 Second Ave. N Suite 101 Waite Park, MN 56387
Waite Park phone #: (320) 252-8222
312 Main Street NW, Elk River MN 55330
Elk River phone #: (763) 595-1544
