How to Compute Car Insurance Risk

Auto insurance risk is the selection process insurance companies use to determine whether to insure an individual, and if so, how much to charge them in premium. Here are some steps to follow to compute your car insurance risk.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Consult an insurance agent who specializes in various types of risk of car insurance. These agents are knowledgeable in risks such as high risk and assigned risk.
2. Look at your driving and insurance record. High risk is for drivers that have DUIs and major traffic violations where their licenses have been suspended for a period of time and then reissued. Assigned risk is for drivers that either have never had car insurance before or there has been a gap of time since they last had car insurance. Various insurance companies write business through state insurance companies that specialize in handling these types of insurance coverage. If you are an assigned risk, in most cases you will only stay assigned risk between six months and one year of being insured. After that you will be notified of the option of selecting regular car insurance.
3. Look at what type of car you're insuring. High risk insurance is for drivers who own high performance vehicles or race cars that are considered fast.
4. Protect your vehicle by keeping it in a garage. This is one way to avoid being considered a high risk, especially if the area you live is considered likely to have a vehicle stolen or vandalized. Insurance companies constantly run statistical reports based on various areas. Someone in Manhattan may be considered a high risk while someone in a small town in South Carolina with the same vehicle would be safe to insure.
5. Take a look at your credit report. If you have bad credit, this is another factor that could put you in the high risk category. Check your credit score online. If it is below 650, you are considered high risk.
6. Research several insurance companies either before getting car insurance or when it's time to renew. All insurance companies do not use the same reporting factors when it comes to what risk category an insured is in.

Tips & Warnings

• Get a copy of your credit report, and find out your credit score. You can obtain a free copy of your credit report once each year. If you have a lot of debt, late fees or accounts written off, chances are, you might be considered a high risk.