# how much do you pay for car insurance? Does mine seem high? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 17, 2013, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542 "2013-12-17T09:11:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/21 "2013-12-18T21:55:50Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > 26 year old male with a 2011 Camry paying $683 in MD (Rockville) for full coverage. $25/mo would be a dream. OK, well, at least it’s consistent. I’m a 26-year-old female in the exact same area paying $658/6 months for a 2012 Nissan. No accidents, no tickets (_knock on wood_). I think I’m getting a bargain because when I moved back to the DC area from LA my insurance bill was almost cut in half. California prices are completely absurd. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/22 "2013-12-18T22:12:15Z")
Minneapolis, southern suburbs. 51. 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. $400 every 6 months. Went up about 25% when I went from the '93(?) Saturn to the Sunfire. Would go up about 50% if I moved into the city. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/23 "2013-12-19T00:58:41Z")
> [@mhendo](#): > > Do you mean that they don’t ask, or that you don’t tell them? They don’t ask. And even if they did there’s no way they could actually track your mileage. ---
**Author:** ![black\_rabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@black\_rabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/black_rabbit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/24 "2013-12-19T01:43:18Z")
35 year old male, 2009 Outback, 100/300/50 comprehensive collision, with a $500 deductible. I live in the city and have had a couple of vandalism-related claims in the last two years, but no moving violations in 10+ years. I paid about $55/month back when it was just me. I added my wife and her 2005 Corolla to my policy a few months ago, and it went up to $95/month. ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/25 "2013-12-19T02:36:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > They don’t ask. And even if they did there’s no way they could actually track your mileage. Mine asks periodically. If the car is in an accident, the mileage will be part of the accident report. If it’s not consistent with your self-reporting, it could be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/26 "2013-12-19T02:39:47Z")
> [@stpauler](#): > > 40, male, Minneapolis. 2008 Prius $457.88/6 months. Just got a yearly policy dividend for $51.16. > > BI UM UIM 30,000/60,000 > PD 50,000 > Med 20,000 > Comp with full glass $500 Ded > Coll $500 > Accident forgiveness > Rental Reimbursement 30/900 > Towing and Labor > > /USAA ftw. I haven’t received a dividend in a few years. I hope I get one. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/27 "2013-12-19T14:58:00Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > Minneapolis, southern suburbs. 51. 2004 Pontiac Sunfire. $400 every 6 months. Went up about 25% when I went from the '93(?) Saturn to the Sunfire. Would go up about 50% if I moved into the city. Really? Odd, that. I’m in one of the first ring suburbs, and my zip code brings up “Minneapolis” as often as not. We pay a bit less than $600 every six months for three cars: a 2013 Nissan Juke, 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, and 1985 Chevy Corvette. El Hubbo and I are both mid 30s with good driving records and credit. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/28 "2013-12-19T16:06:39Z")
I’m in the UK, in the expensive Southeast. I’m 51 with a clean driving record. One year fully comp for a 5 year old BMW 120d is around £200. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/29 "2013-12-19T16:27:33Z")
Your deductible for collision coverage is normally going to be a big driver for premium rates. If you have a low deductible expect much higher rates. I high deductible, expect much lower rates. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/30 "2013-12-19T16:33:44Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > I drive a 2008 Hyundai azera. Kelley blue book value is 11-12k dollars. My insurance is 691.20 every 6 months. Liability and collision. I’m 40 with no violations since 2005. I live in SC. Huh. Male, 46, only driver. 2011 Impala with all the trimmings. Citations? Woo, the citations. $462 every six months with Geico. In the Charleston, SC region. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/31 "2013-12-19T16:59:01Z")
> [@Jonathan\_Chance](#): > > Male, 46, only driver. 2011 Impala with all the trimmings. Mmmm, impala. ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/32 "2013-12-19T17:20:24Z")
> [@Snickers](#): > > Really? Odd, that. I’m in one of the first ring suburbs, and my zip code brings up “Minneapolis” as often as not. We pay a bit less than $600 every six months for three cars: a 2013 Nissan Juke, 2006 Ford Escape Hybrid, and 1985 Chevy Corvette. El Hubbo and I are both mid 30s with good driving records and credit. I’m technically in Minneapolis, but in an north inner ring 'burb also (IIRC, you’re like one 'burb away from me). I pay $65/mo for full coverage of my 2006 Ford Freestyle. I’m the only licensed driver, 44, F. ---
**Author:** ![AllShookDown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d9b06d/32.png) [@AllShookDown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllShookDown)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/33 "2013-12-19T18:26:44Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > And even if they did there’s no way they could actually track your mileage. For now. The future of auto insurance is to put a device on your car to track how much you drive, where you drive, how hard you brake, how fast you go, etc. The company a friend works for is offering it as optional right now. I imagine that 20 years from now every auto insurance company will be doing it and it will be mandatory. ---
**Author:** ![RickG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rickg/32/5174_2.png) [@RickG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickG)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2013, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/34 "2013-12-19T22:11:27Z")
> [@AllShookDown](#): > > For now. The future of auto insurance is to put a device on your car to track how much you drive, where you drive, how hard you brake, how fast you go, etc. The company a friend works for is offering it as optional right now. I imagine that 20 years from now every auto insurance company will be doing it and it will be mandatory. Nah. I bet legal challenges would prevent it from being mandatory. There will just be a massive surcharge if you refuse the tracker. Or, equivalently, but possibly more acceptable from a behavioral economics standpoint, a massive discount if you accept it. Or self-driving cars will make insurance really, really cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/35 "2013-12-20T17:11:49Z")
> [@MissTake](#): > > I’m technically in Minneapolis, but in an north inner ring 'burb also (IIRC, you’re like one 'burb away from me). I pay $65/mo for full coverage of my 2006 Ford Freestyle. I’m the only licensed driver, 44, F. Yeah, that’s right in line with my expectations. But **Chimera** ’s saying that if he moved “into the city,” his rates would rise 50%, from $400/6 months to like $600/6 months, for one car/one driver. That seems way high, especially when you and I are paying less and are relatively close to “in the city,” I should think. Sometimes I’m rather surprised my rates aren’t more, what with being so close to North and all! **Chimera** , old buddy old pal, you need to shop around. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/36 "2013-12-20T18:17:48Z")
40, Male, rural area, drive about 24 miles a day. No tickets. Erie insurance is $350 per year for a 1995 F-150. $600 a year for a 2008 Mazdaspeed3 that is listed as a pleasure car. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2013, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/37 "2013-12-20T21:42:23Z")
Male, 49 I pay 864 per 6 months. That is for 2 cars with comprehensive coverage. I live in the Sacramento area. I paid 1200 when living in Los Angeles. ---
**Author:** ![runningdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e9c0ed/32.png) [@runningdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/runningdude)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/38 "2013-12-21T02:22:01Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > They don’t ask. And even if they did there’s no way they could actually track your mileage. Following a major accident, they would get the current mileage, and they could look up the mileage at the date of sale. If the annual average they calculate is wildly out of whack with what you self report, they would either drop you for future coverage, or would give you a substantial rate hike. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/39 "2013-12-21T02:28:15Z")
I’m trying to imagine what a 12.5 million dollar accident would look like. ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2013, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542/40 "2013-12-21T02:36:44Z")
> [@Habeed](#): > > I’m trying to imagine what a 12.5 million dollar accident would look like. Crashing into a school bus full of gifted children on their way to their violin recital. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-do-you-pay-for-car-insurance-does-mine-seem-high/676542.md?page=3)