Why do car insurance quotes change on a daily basis?
Car insurance quotes seem to change daily because there are so many changing factors that often fluctuate like credit history, driving record, purchasing a new car, and more.
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Zach Fagiano
Insurance & Finance Analyst
Zach Fagiano has been in the insurance industry for over 10 years, specializing in property and casualty and risk management consulting. He started out specializing in small businesses and moved up to large commercial real estate risks. During that time, he acquired property & casualty, life & health, and surplus lines brokers licenses. He’s now the Senior Vice President overseeing globa...
Insurance & Finance Analyst
UPDATED: Oct 22, 2024
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Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.
UPDATED: Oct 22, 2024
It’s all about you. We want to help you make the right coverage choices.
Advertiser Disclosure: We strive to help you make confident car insurance decisions. Comparison shopping should be easy. We are not affiliated with any one car insurance company and cannot guarantee quotes from any single company.
Our partnerships don’t influence our content. Our opinions are our own. To compare quotes from top car companies please enter your ZIP code above to use the free quote tool. The more quotes you compare, the more chances to save.
On This Page
How often should you check car insurance quotes? When considering car insurance rates, one question that often comes up is why insurance rates change so often. Sometimes it seems that rates change daily and you might wonder how long does a car insurance quote last.
While the changes are not usually that often, there can be changes in your insurance rates based on multiple factors.
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- Insurance rates fluctuate for a variety of reasons
- Some of the factors that influence insurance rates include the insurance market, the number of claims you’ve made, and your personal credit report
- You must report any changes to your insurance company to avoid additional fees
Factors that Affect Insurance Rates
There are some personal factors that affect your insurance rates such as your driving record, prior traffic violation record, and demographic information. There are also more generic factors that influence insurance rates.
Credit Reports
One factor that sometimes subtly influences your car insurance rates is your credit report. Insurance companies attempt to estimate what amount of money in claims, they will have to issue over the course of a particular period.
They base this information primarily on their current claims reports, the number of accidents on the books, and the number of high-risk drivers on their policies.
But they also take into account your individual credit report, as well as the joint credit reports of the people they insure, to help to calculate the degree of financial risk to the company.
New Car Purchases
Another factor that may influence your auto insurance rates is whether you have purchased a new car.
Buying a new car raises your insurance rate because it usually costs more to insure a new car than an older model.
This factor is most likely to influence your car insurance rates when you upgrade to a car such as a Corvette or Porsche, rather than a standard type of mid-range car.
Frequency of Accidents
Forbes Magazine states that some of the biggest insurance companies reported losses in revenue over the past two to three years, which has influenced the auto insurance industry.
Auto insurance companies must always be aware of the loss ratio. They have a reserve to cover their claims which are required by federal and state laws, but when the number of accidents increases dramatically, they have to pay out more claims.
This increase creates a deficit of reserve, forcing companies to raise their rates.
Read more: Do car insurance rates increase every year?
Car Insurance Rates Due to Age
Car insurance companies sometimes raise their insurance rates when a driver hits 50 because there are some statistics that imply older drivers have more accidents. This stat is debatable since the highest risk group for serious accidents is for people 18 to 24.
But some auto insurers want to be sure that they can allow for the cost of accidents in the older age group if there are more claims within this age group.
Increasing Your Mileage
Remember when you signed up for car insurance? The agent on the phone likely asked you a series of questions. One of the questions you were probably asked is how many miles you drive and for what purpose you use your car.
When this factor changes, technically you are supposed to report this change to your insurance company, along with any other changes that you make regarding your vehicle or demographic status.
Increasing your mileage means you are increasing the chances of an accident so the insurance company feels they must raise your premium so that they can absorb the cost of an accident and avoid losing revenue.
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How to Lower Your Car Insurance
While there are some unpredictable factors that influence your auto insurance rates, there are also several factors that you can control. The following list will remind you of things that you can do to control your insurance rates.
- Keep your traffic violations to a minimum – Since traffic violations are the main reason your rates go up, keeping your driving record clean is the single best thing you can do to keep them as low as possible
- Report any changes to your insurance company – These include changes in your car, make, or model, your mileage, or any other factors
- Ask your online agent about insurance discounts – There are various discounts available for good driving records, student discounts, and military discounts, as well as many others
- Shop around and compare rates with an online agent – Using our site, you can line up the various policies side-by-side and look at the specific points of each policy. This will give you an idea on the best one for your situation
How to Compare Policies
How do you know you are getting the policy that is best for you?
There are a number of things you should look for:
- Do the coverage amounts meet the state minimums?
- Do you need collision and comprehensive insurance?
- Should you purchase add-ons such as extra medical coverage and roadside assistance plans?
- Are there any special discounts for which you qualify?
- What are your options when it comes to payment plans?
These are some of the factors you will want to consider when you are shopping for car insurance. You need first to make sure you are getting your minimum state requirements.
Find out what your state requires and increases your amounts with your insurance company if needed. You do not usually have to do this because the insurance companies know what is required by your state.
But you may want to check with your state insurance site to make sure.
Next, you must consider whether you need to carry collision or comprehensive coverage, compare premium rates based on what you will need, and apply for discounts.
You may also want to think about what types of payment plans they offer, including monthly and quarterly payments.
Shop and compare rates to get the best deal by entering your zip code into our FREE tool below!
Case Studies: Why do car insurance quotes change on a daily basis?
Case Study 1: The Credit History Influence
Sarah, a 40-year-old driver with a clean driving record, noticed that her car insurance quotes vary from day to day. After thorough research, she discovered that one of the factors impacting her quotes is her credit history.
Insurance companies consider credit reports to assess the level of financial risk associated with an individual. As Sarah’s credit history may change daily due to various factors, such as payments and credit utilization, her car insurance quotes are subject to fluctuation.
Case Study 2: The New Car Purchase Effect
John recently purchased a brand-new car, and he noticed that his car insurance quotes have been changing frequently. Upon investigation, John learned that insurance rates for new cars tend to be higher than those for older models due to the higher replacement costs and increased risk of theft.
As the value of his car and the associated risks are factors considered by insurance companies, John’s quotes are subject to daily changes based on the market value and other related factors.
Case Study 3: The Impact of Claims Frequency
Emily, an experienced driver with a good credit score, observed that her car insurance quotes vary on a daily basis. After further inquiry, she discovered that insurance companies closely monitor their loss ratios, which are influenced by claim payouts.
If there is an increase in accidents and claims within a specific period, insurance companies may raise their rates to offset the higher claim costs and maintain their financial stability. As the frequency of accidents fluctuates daily, it can directly impact the quotes provided to drivers like Emily.
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In Review: Understanding the Fluctuations in Car Insurance Rates
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do car insurance quotes change on a daily basis?
Car insurance quotes seem to change daily because there are so many changing factors that often fluctuate like credit history, driving record, purchasing a new car, and more.
What factors affect car insurance rates?
There are personal factors like driving record, prior traffic violation record, and demographic information that affect insurance rates. Additionally, generic factors such as credit reports, new car purchases, frequency of accidents, age, and increasing mileage can influence car insurance rates.
How can I lower my car insurance rates?
While there are some unpredictable factors that influence auto insurance rates, there are also several factors that you can control. Some ways to lower your car insurance rates include maintaining a clean driving record, improving your credit score, choosing a higher deductible, bundling insurance policies, and taking advantage of available discounts.
How do I compare car insurance policies?
When comparing car insurance policies, consider factors such as minimum state requirements, collision or comprehensive coverage needs, premium rates, available discounts, payment plans, and overall customer satisfaction. You can use online tools and resources to compare quotes from different companies to find the best deal for your needs.
What should I look for when shopping for car insurance?
When shopping for car insurance, it’s important to ensure you meet your state’s minimum requirements, consider additional coverage options, compare premium rates, check for available discounts, evaluate payment plans, and review customer satisfaction ratings. This will help you find a policy that suits your needs and budget.
Why do insurance quotes change daily?
Insurance quotes change daily due to several factors. Insurance companies continuously analyze and update their risk assessment models based on new data, including traffic patterns, accident statistics, weather reports, and economic conditions. Additionally, rates can fluctuate depending on the time of day, with daytime quotes sometimes differing from those obtained at night due to varying traffic conditions and accident frequency.
Why does my car insurance fluctuate every month?
Car insurance rates can fluctuate monthly due to changes in various factors such as your driving behavior, claims history, credit score, or even updates in the insurer’s risk models. If there are increases in claims within your area or changes in your personal circumstances (e.g., higher mileage or new vehicle purchase), these can cause your monthly rates to vary. Insurance companies regularly review and adjust their rates to reflect the latest data and risk assessments.
Why does my insurance quote keep going up?
An increase in your insurance quote can be due to several reasons. Common factors include a change in your credit score, an increase in claims frequency in your area, or adjustments in the insurer’s risk models. Additionally, if you’ve recently made changes such as buying a new car, increasing your mileage, or having recent traffic violations, these can lead to higher rates. If your quotes keep increasing, it’s a good idea to contact your insurance provider to understand the specific reasons behind the rise.
Why do insurance quotes vary so much?
Insurance quotes can vary widely due to numerous factors that impact risk assessment. These include personal details such as your driving record, credit history, and demographics, as well as broader factors like market conditions, economic changes, and new claims data. Insurance companies also update their models regularly based on these variables, which can lead to significant differences in quotes. The dynamic nature of risk assessment means that quotes are subject to frequent changes.
Free Car Insurance Comparison
Enter your ZIP code below to view companies that have cheap car insurance rates.
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
Zach Fagiano
Insurance & Finance Analyst
Zach Fagiano has been in the insurance industry for over 10 years, specializing in property and casualty and risk management consulting. He started out specializing in small businesses and moved up to large commercial real estate risks. During that time, he acquired property & casualty, life & health, and surplus lines brokers licenses. He’s now the Senior Vice President overseeing globa...
Insurance & Finance Analyst
Editorial Guidelines: We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about auto insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything auto insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by auto insurance experts.