Is it normal for auto insurance rates to be so damn high?

[Anonymous]

I recently moved back to the US after soending 2 years living overseas.
Prior to moving, I sold my car and cancelled my auto insurance policy.
I just bought a vehicle and looked up quoted on an insurance policy...holy s**t!
They want to charge me $600/6 months to insure a 1999 Nissan Sentra.
I drove a newer, nicer car prior to moving and paid less than this.
I want basic coverage, nothing more.
There is NOTHING about me that would make me a risk to insure.

1. I'm a 32 y/o female-not old, but not young.
2. I have a perfect driving record. I've never recieved a ticket.
3. I've never had an accident.
4. I've never made an insurance claim.
5. I drive a friggin' 99 Nissan Sentra. I'm not trying to insure a Lexus.

Am I stuck paying these high insurance rates?
Is there anything I can do to convince them to lower it or am I at their mercy?
How long will it take for my rates to decrease?

[Anonymous]

Check multiple quotes. I pay $365 per month for one car and it kills me. Just shop around.

[Anonymous]

Eran insurance is cheaper that many other insurance company , but ask for a quote everywhere Geico, Erin , national wide etc.,

[Anonymous]

Whats your zip code. DC proper is screwed. The closer you get to Maryland even worse.

[Anonymous]

OP here. I'm actually in Atlanta and have checked multiple providers. That was the cheapest I found.
I'll check our Eran.

[Anonymous]

this is why i keep my cars registered in pa. dirt cheap insurance and the state is close enough to dc/md that i've never had issues.

[Anonymous]

If 99 sentras been crashing a lot, it would explain high premiums.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If 99 sentras been crashing a lot, it would explain high premiums.

They haven't.

[Anonymous]

It's a big warning flag to insurance underwriters if you have a period of no insurance coverage. I would suspect that is the main driving force behind your high quotes.

[Anonymous]

State Farm charged me much more for my old Civic than my brand new CRV. I asked why and they said it's mostly teens and college students who drive Civics and they have a higher accident rate. So they'd blended the vehicle make with age demographics. That might be one reason.

Another reason is older cars have higher theft rates. They are stolen for parts and they are much easier to steel than newer cars that have lots of anti-theft systems in place.

Yet another potential reason is your zip code. I was also quoted higher rates once for living near a highway with very high accident rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a big warning flag to insurance underwriters if you have a period of no insurance coverage. I would suspect that is the main driving force behind your high quotes.

Agree! This is the biggest reason. We lived overseas for several years, as well, and contemplated dropping all insurance for the duration. Our insurance company told us our premiums would skyrocket upon return if there was a period of no coverage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a big warning flag to insurance underwriters if you have a period of no insurance coverage. I would suspect that is the main driving force behind your high quotes.

Agree! This is the biggest reason. We lived overseas for several years, as well, and contemplated dropping all insurance for the duration. Our insurance company told us our premiums would skyrocket upon return if there was a period of no coverage.

So you're supposed to continue paying car insurance while overseas even if you sell your car?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a big warning flag to insurance underwriters if you have a period of no insurance coverage. I would suspect that is the main driving force behind your high quotes.

How does not having insurance (while not even owning a vehicle) make one more of a risk?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a big warning flag to insurance underwriters if you have a period of no insurance coverage. I would suspect that is the main driving force behind your high quotes.

How does not having insurance (while not even owning a vehicle) make one more of a risk?

Isn't it similar to having no credit cards and thus no credit history? You're an unknown quantity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's a big warning flag to insurance underwriters if you have a period of no insurance coverage. I would suspect that is the main driving force behind your high quotes.

How does not having insurance (while not even owning a vehicle) make one more of a risk?

They assume their is a high risk reason behind why you dropped the insurance.