Sticker Shock from Your Minnesota Vehicle Insurance? Here’s Why
Anyone else notice how much your car insurance has gone up in Minnesota? Does it seem a little crazy? Especially when you don't have any dings on your record? And yet your cost keeps going up and up? Almost to the point where it may have doubled in price in a short amount of time? You are not alone. And there is actually an explanation.
Accidents. And a lot of them. The weather, bad weather. Like sleet, snow, icy conditions, fog, bad visibility in general, wind and anything else that can cause you to lose control on the road, not see what's ahead of you, and possibly causing you to have an accident whether it's a single car accident or one that involves multiple vehicles. All of these incidents are generally taken care of with your insurance. And when there is a lot of insurance that is used in a specific area, like Minnesota in the winter, it will tend to make rates go up. For everyone.
I found this information out when my insurance kept going up every 6 months. It was like $50 to a $100 more every time we renewed. My agent let me know that the above explanation was to be blamed for the increase. I felt like "But I didn't get into an accident". But every insurance company is feeling the crunch, and they pass it on to the consumers. Doesn't seem fair, but there you go.
Think about what happens in areas where they experience hurricanes. Those have been happening on a much more frequent basis in the last few years. Some of those places can't get, or are having a hard time getting home owners insurance. Some of them will just go without and hope for the best. Seems crazy, but that is what some people in those coastal areas are choosing to do.
What can we do about it? Hope for a mild winter? Use more caution when driving? Make sure to leave enough time and room to make sure to make it to your destination safely? Yes, all of those things need to be done.
Good luck, and drive defensively.