There are several interesting factors that affect the price of your car insurance. Some of them may be a bit of a surprise. Many parents of teens looking to buy a speedy, red, sports car are sometimes cautioned against it due to higher insurance premiums. This notion is brought on solely by assumptions. Sports cars are fast, but red sports cars are even faster? I’m not sure if that’s true, but the following categories give insight to some factors that actually do affect price.

Gender

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) states that men and women do not hold similar driving records. Stereotypes lead us to believe women drivers are more reckless than men drivers. However, Quality Planning did a study in 2009 that revealed women are 50% less likely to be pulled over for reckless driving. Thus, your insurance company does care if you are male or female.

Married or Single?

The NAIC shows that single people are more likely to file claims than married couples. Therefore, once you are married, it is likely that your rate will go down. However, don’t forget to account for the driving record of your spouse. That may or may not count against you. There are positives and negatives to everything!

Occupation

Yes, it’s true, certain degrees offer more than just a nice paycheck: a discount on car insurance too! The most common discounted degrees and/or occupations include mathematicians, engineers, military personnel, teachers, and scientists.

Credit Score

Insurance companies often believe that if you have a lower credit score, you are more likely to make a claim than someone with a higher credit score. Thus, those with lower credit scores often have higher insurance rates.

Age

Typically, the older you are, the cheaper your insurance rate becomes. The logic behind this is fairly simple. Younger drivers have less experience and are more likely to get into an accident than older, more experienced drivers.

These are just a few factors that can affect your car insurance rates. When shopping around, find out what the companies’ policies are on all factors to find the best deal.