According to a new Coverage.com study, Floridian drivers pay the most in the US for policies.
Florida motorists are now the drivers who pay the most for their auto insurance policies every year, according to a recent study.
Residents in the state pay an average of $2,600 per year for a year of coverage, more than any other state.
Comparatively, the state with the most affordable auto insurance was Maine, where the average driver paid $831 per year. Based on data from The Zebra, an independent comparison website for insurers across the company, rates increased by 4 percent for drivers in Central Florida. This was a higher increase than was seen across the country as a whole, which saw an average 3 percent rate hike.
The reason that the Orlando area and Central Florida specifically saw a higher rate hike than everywhere else – even within the state – is because of the higher number of vehicles driven on the roads there.
The study noted a number of factors to explain why Florida auto insurance rates are high and climbing.
Data from The Zebra showed that there are several factors affecting the Floridian rates.
“If there are reckless driving behaviors in the area, additional traffic, even things like crime, theft or weather such as hurricanes,” said Nicole Beck from the quote comparison site. “All of those things cause people to file claims which means the insurance companies are losing money, then they raise rates.”
Moreover, the trend to more expensive coverage is expected to continue in the same direction.
“We don’t want to predict doom and gloom, but as more people are on the road, there is more traffic,” said Beck. “So theoretically, yes, the prices will continue to go up, but because more traffic means more accidents.”
Last year, the average auto insurance premium in Florida was $2,400. That is almost 60 percent higher than the average rates paid in the United States. Experts are recommending that Floridians do what they can to work with the factors that can help them to pay the lowest possible premiums for the coverage they need. They included practicing safe driving habits and shopping around for better rates at renewal time.
