According to the Insure.com study results, which have only just been released, Louisiana is the state in which it is most expensive to insure a vehicle in the entire country, whereas Maine enjoys the lowest insurance rates in the U.S.
The average annual cost of insuring a car in Louisiana is $2,536, whereas in Maine the average cost is only $889.
The issues that have been driving the rates higher in many states includes the insurance laws within those states, larger numbers of drivers without insurance, the number of different auto insurers competing within the state, and whether or not there have been natural disasters recently that have driven the claim numbers upward.
The Insure.com editorial director, Amy Danise, explained that several of these issues are completely outside of the motorist’s control. However, she added that even if the state in which a driver resides is one of those that is more costly for purchasing insurance, “you can hold down your insurance costs by keeping your driving record as clean as possible and selecting a car that is cheap to insure.”
Behind Louisiana in the list of most expensive states in which to insure a vehicle, are Oklahoma (in which the average annual cost is $2,047) and Michigan ($2,013). According to Insure.com, in Louisiana and Michigan, the high insurance claim payouts for accident victims are important factors leading to higher prices. On the other hand, the main issue sending Oklahoma’s costs higher is the number of uninsured drivers, as well as the recent tornado damage claims.
