Officials of Pembroke Pines, Florida, are petitioning the insurance industry to lower rates on auto insurance due to the safety of the city’s streets. Pembroke Pines is the first city in Florida to seek lower rates from the industry as a whole rather than going through state-run agencies. City officials say that lower rates are well earned because of the safe driving practices of the city’s residents as well as several other measures in place to improve road safety overall.
Insurers, however, are unlikely to appease the desires of the city, as safety is only one factor amongst a multitude that determines the rates of coverage. Commissioner Angelo Castillo says that since installing a number of red-light cameras at the city’s intersections, accidents have dropped by 35%. The city has also been promoting safe driving habits for years, many of which seem to be catching on. Castillo would like to see insurers take note of this and lower rates for auto insurance. Lynne McChristian of the Insurance Information Institute believes that Castillo is fighting a foregone conclusion.
While road safety certainly plays a part in how expensive insurance coverage will be, it is only a part of the whole equation. Other factors contributing to the price of policies are the safety ratings of vehicles, a driver’s past history and the rates offered by competing insurance companies. McChristian says that while the city may, indeed, be safer, it is unlikely that insurers will accommodate requests to lower rates.