?s about auto insurance premium increase

[sho'nuff]

My wife got a ticket for making a right without stopping on february 2007. I got a ticket for running a red in october 2007.
My wife got into a minor accident on the freeway it was her fault she ran into the rear of a minivan and both sides claimed damages to their vehicle to a total of about 10,000 dollars for the accident.
That waa in may this year.

Our premium for a six month policy for two cars was 550 dollars full coverage up to 100,000/300,000 and uninsured motorist, etc.

But this new policy I received in september has DOUBLED to about 1075 a 6month policy.

I talked to the customer service who explained generally an accident and a few tickets will do that.

Is this sound about right to you?
We did not go to traffic school for removal of any points.

But still, will a minor accident and two tickets on record double your rates?

I heard from a couple of coworkers who had a MAJOR accident (bmw going off the side of the road due to slippeery conditions and whole car wrecked) she claimed her rates did not even budge much.

Is it due to the company? Mine is geico by the way.

Any opinions from experience appreciated.

 

[JayJay]

My rates didn't go up after an accident, but they skyrocketed after a speeding ticket.

 

[garmentmerchant]

Yes geico will jump at least mine did. I am now with state farm. Your over 25 right.

 

[Milhouse]

Mathematically (qualitatively, I'm not running numbers here), yes, it sounds about right. You now have a "history" of unsafe driving that increases the risk they are covering. So, they are increasing your premium to handle the increased risk that you present.

I'd say it also depends on your length of history with them. IIRC, the average driver has an accident of some sort (at fault or not doesn't matter) every 5 years or so. If you've been with a company 15 years, and had 3 accidents, you're average. If you've been with them 2 years, and have had 2 tickets and an accident, then you start moving up the scale.

 

[sho'nuff]

Thanks guys

 

[Tarmac]

At the same time, you should shop around. I change insurance companies every few years as they try to use inertia to their advantage and creep the pricing up on you, figuring that you will just pay the increase instead of go through the trouble of switching companies. Maybe you can't get $500 again but I bet you can get it for $800.

I have a very cheap car, and I got one speeding ticket this year, my first moving violation, ever. Insurance went from about $240 last year to $285 this year.

 

[Nouveau Pauvre]

Related question: If I ever see an auto insurance exec on the street and I jam a philips head screwdriver so deep in to his kidney that even his blackened pit of a soul cries out in anguish, what kind of jail time am I looking at?