Does it seem like auto insurance has been rising in Schenectady, New York in recent years? It likely has. Since 2014 the U.S has seen more new cars on the road and those cars are driving more miles than past years. The severity of traffic-related accidents have grown worse, and insurance claims for bodily injury have become more expensive. Smart phone use during driving is also becoming more and more serious problem relating to accidents.
MORE NEW CARS:
New car sales have hit a new record in 2015. Which is good for the economy, safety, technology and convenience features that are getting better every year for drivers. Still new cars can be more expensive to repair and replace. The new technology incorporated with these cars are also not cheap so, when damaged this also raises the cost in accident repair.
MORE MILES DRIVEN:
Encouraged by greater employment and lower gas prices, the newer cars along with the older cars are driving MORE miles. Whether it is commuters driving, families making their vacation trips, or miscellaneous driving. U.S drivers drove 3.1 trillion miles in 2015 according to Federal Highway Administration. That is another record high. Of course more miles being driven means greater potential for accidents and the need for repairs.
TRAFFIC DEATH INCREASE:
Any traffic fatality is one too many. The U.S registered a 7.2 increase in annual traffic-related deaths from 2014-2015.The largest increase since 1966. Although half of those were not wearing seatbelts, one third were due to drunk drivers or speeding. At least one in ten were involved with distraction, AKA cell phone use being one of those distractions and rising problem. Also worth noting fatalities for pedestrians, bicyclist and motorist have increased more in 2015 than those for auto drivers and passengers. These heartbreaking truths are sad and also costly.
MEDICAL COST RISING:
From 2005 to 2013 the average cost for bodily injury liability claim rose 32.1 % according to the Insurance Research Council. These increasing costs have been attributed to the number of factors. These include the rising severity of accidents and the rising cost of medical care.
DISTRACTED DRIVING:
Distracted driving is becoming more and more regular occurrence with new technology growing every day. Although using mobile phones while driving is restricted, if not prohibited in many states, cell phones and texting continue to be a serious cause of accidents. Although we don’t fully know how serious the problem is because accident reports often do not mention if the phone was a contributing factor.
Cell phones have brought a greater awareness to the larger category termed “distracted driving” in other words activities that take the drivers attention away from the road. Other examples include eating while driving, operating your cars navigation system and even conversing with passengers.
The AAA Foundation point to federal estimated the distracted driving contributes to 16% of the nations fatal crashed and about 5,000 deaths annually.
All of these rising cost and dangers impact the cost of auto insurance policies.
You may see it reflected in your own premium bill. In a time with the risk of costly accidents rising it may not be wise to cut your protection against financial loss
As an independent agency, Hopmeier Evans Gage is dedicated to helping you reduce insurance cost without sacrificing your protection that gives you a feeling of security. We know where to find discounts that can benefit you. You could possibly save on cars with safety equipment such as anti-lock brakes or anti- theft devices. Discounts for families who put less mileage on their vehicles OR insure more than one car on the same policy. Hopmeier Evans can help you save money without sacrificing your security. Call us today.
Let us help you cut the rising in auto insurance cost.