Affordable Car Insurance for Every Type of Driver

To determine premium costs, insurance companies use complicated algorithms to profile drivers based on a set of predetermined factors. Among an array of factors taken into consideration, one major focus is driver type. While no two carriers go by the exact same calculations, your age, driving record, and driving habits all play a big role in the policies you can get and the rates you’ll need to pay.

What Types of Drivers Are There?

How insurance companies view you has a huge impact on your insurance costs, coverage options, and discount eligibility. There are several potential categories of drivers that carriers consider when calculating their rates, and it’s important to note that many drivers don’t fit cleanly into one section or another -- for example, a senior driver can also be a driver with incidents. Here are the major driver types that insurers focus on:

• Drivers with incidents: This includes drivers with accidents, tickets, or DUIs in their recent driving history. As these incidents can be costly for both the driver and insurer to cover, these drivers can sometimes pay more for insurance than others.
• Young drivers: Young drivers can include both teen drivers and drivers under 26. As these demographics will have fewer years of experience driving, and are statistically more likely to get into accidents, they generally pay higher prices for insurance.
• Senior drivers: Due to a higher rate of accidents, senior drivers are often charged more for car insurance than they likely paid earlier in life. Some providers, however, do offer a senior discount to drivers 65 and older, which can add up to a fair amount of money saved over time.
• Safe drivers: Drivers without incidents on their record are considered safe drivers. In most cases, this category should be able to get reasonable prices on insurance, though there are still a few companies that may prefer other categories of customers.

Knowing the type of driver you might be categorized as can help you find lower cost insurance. Each insurer has a different business model and a different ideal customer base -- certain companies prefer to insure safe drivers, while others focus on high-risk drivers. Keeping in mind where you stand while insurance shopping can lead you to a carrier that offers both more relevant and more affordable options for your unique situation.

Ways All Drivers Can Save on Insurance

Saving money is important to everyone, and car insurance is one place that costs can quickly become overwhelming. While we’ve already discussed that driver types are important and can have a major effect on monthly rates, there are universal ways to bring those costs down. No matter what age you are or what your driving history looks like, keep the following in mind:

1. Shop around: Whether you currently have insurance or not, shopping around is a must. Drivers that stick to one carrier for years tend to end up paying more in the long run, as insurers don’t necessarily reward loyalty. Making it a point to use our site to check out your options at least once a year is a good idea for major savings.
2. Discounts: Almost every insurer offers a wide variety of discounts, making it almost definite that each driver will find at least one that applies to their needs. It’s important to always ask providers about discounts before signing up for a new policy, as many won’t automatically apply them unless you bring it up.
3. Drive carefully: For the most part, having fewer incidents on your record and maintaining that for years leads to lower prices on insurance. Though not every accident is avoidable, working on defensive driving techniques and potentially taking driving courses are two proactive ways to improve your driving record in the long run.

By strategically shopping, all types of drivers can benefit from being aware of how insurance companies might be calculating cost. Shopping around for the providers that want to work with drivers like you can make a huge difference when it comes to how much you pay for insurance over a lifetime. By using our site’s personalized comparisons, you can find the insurers that are looking to work with you and start saving money on insurance within minutes.

No matter your driver type, Compare-Auto-Insurance-Quotes.com will help you save on coverage from top companies. Just enter your zip code to find the best quotes for your needs!