All About Incidence Rate

Aug 04, 2009 in Finances

Consumers in the automobile insurance market often come across “incidence rates”. This phrase, while confusing to some people, is actually a simple method for determining the level of risk for a specific vehicle.

When one applies for insurance the company is not only interested in their driving record, but also in the kind of car they drive. There are several factors that may affect the incidence rate of a car, such as its popularity among car thieves due to value after disassembly, weaknesses that could lead to accidents or failures, or the temptation that the driver will engage in reckless driving due to superior performance levels.

To determine the level of risk associated with your car the insurance company will look at professionally produced statistical lists supplied by the auto industry. These lists include information such as the universality of parts, failure rates, and the number and types of accidents the car is generally involved in. These have all been thoroughly researched by experts in the field who specialize in statistical analysis.

Sports cars tend to be more likely to be involved in traffic or speeding violations, but any very light colored car is also a leader in accidents. Larger cars are more damaging to others in accidents, while smaller ones receive more damage. The center of gravity of a particular model may make it more likely to flip or lose control. You should be aware of any statistical information that could raise your insurance rates based on the type of car you have.

Every year thousands of cars are stolen and never recovered, which makes some cars a big risk for insurance companies. If your car is listed as being likely to be stolen and sold for parts it could hurt your rates. You can counteract this by installing security features to deter thieves or help you locate your car.

Even the color of your car can determine your policy, but not as much as some other factors. If you have a light car you might be more likely to get hit, but you can combat that fact by being underinsured and have the ones who hit you take the fall. Your insurance company will appreciate this.

It’s very important that you know what the incident rate for your car is for all of the situations mentioned above. These would be accidents, theft, and the sad but possible possibility that your car could be completely destroyed in a car accident. Everyone might want to ponder their car choices a little bit more, and maybe choose the slightly more conservative car over the flashy white or yellow sports car. This could save you money in the long run, and it might actually help make you safer!

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