How to Make Your Auto Insurance More Expensive

Last Updated on November 12, 2022

A single mistake can double or triple car insurance premiums. It’s easy to make car insurance more expensive.

Today, we’re explaining the best ways to make car insurance more expensive – so you’ll know what not to do.

From speeding tickets to DUIs to at-fault accidents, here are the best ways to make your auto insurance more expensive.

Add Dangerous Drivers to your Policy

Does your roommate have multiple DUIs? Be sure to add your roommate to your policy to increase car insurance premiums.

Adding dangerous drivers to your policy is a guaranteed way to increase rates. Even if you are the world’s safest driver, your insurer assesses risk based on everyone in your household.

Some drivers exclude their dangerous spouse or roommate to lower car insurance premiums. If you want to increase car insurance premiums significantly, be sure to add as many dangerous drivers to your policy as possible.

Buy a Fast Car

One of the best ways to increase car insurance is to buy a sports car, performance vehicle, or another high-end car. Insurers always charge higher premiums for these vehicles.

Some cars are riskier to insure than others. Minivans have the cheapest average car insurance rates in the United States. Statistically, minivan drivers are the least risky drivers to insure.

But you’re trying to raise insurance rates, which is why you should buy a fast car. Fast cars have higher accident rates – and more severe accident injuries – than minivans and other safe cars.

Buy Home and Auto Insurance Through Different Providers

To raise car insurance rates, be sure to buy different insurance products through different providers.

Buy your auto insurance through GEICO, for example, and your home insurance through USAA. You’ll pay 20% to 30% higher rates for both insurance policies by not bundling.

Most major insurers provide steep discounts for bundling multiple insurance products together under a single policy.

Buy a Car with a Bad Safety Rating

To increase car insurance rates significantly, be sure to buy a car with a poor safety rating.

Insurers look at accident data when assigning premiums. Some vehicles perform worse in crashes than others. Some vehicles are more likely to roll over, for example. Others are more likely to kill drivers and passengers.

Drive Intoxicated

Driving while impaired is a great way to increase car insurance rates. A single DUI will raise car insurance premiums by 50% to 100%.

Better yet, most states keep DUIs on your record for five years or longer. In fact, some states keep DUIs on your record for life. That means your DUI could cause you to pay $10,000 more over the next few years.

Use Different Car Insurance for Different Vehicles

Instead of bundling multiple vehicles under the same insurance policy, separate your insurance policies to increase premiums.

All insurers offer discounts when bundling multiple vehicles together under one policy. By buying separate insurance policies for each vehicle, you can raise premiums significantly.

Get Bad Grades

Most major insurers offer good grade discounts to full-time high school and college students. If you want to raise car insurance premiums, start getting bad grades.

Car insurance is expensive for drivers under 25. Statistically, students with good grades are safer to insure. That’s why insurers provide a discount.

To avoid this discount and pay higher rates, start failing at classes. Most insurers require a B average or better to qualify for the good grade discount. Once you fall below this threshold, you’ll pay higher car insurance premiums.

Speed Regularly

Speeding tickets always increase insurance premiums. To raise premiums significantly, be sure to speed regularly.

Some insurers ignore a single speeding ticket, especially if it was a minor offense. To make sure your premiums increase, get multiple speeding tickets in a three to five-year period. The faster you go, the higher your premiums will rise.

Never Shop Around for Car Insurance

Car insurance companies charge different rates to different drivers. By shopping for car insurance regularly, you can ensure you’re paying the most competitive possible prices for your policy.

To make sure you continue paying high rates, never switch from your current provider. Avoid shopping around for car insurance or comparing quotes online. If you never shop around for car insurance, then you’ll never know how much you can save.

Buy an SUV

Boxy SUVs (like Hummers) are some of the most expensive vehicles to insure. When these vehicles are involved in a collision, they tend to cause significant damage to the people around them.

Your insurer covers your liability from accidents. Your insurer covers the medical bills of anyone you injure when driving. When you injure or kill multiple people with your boxy SUV, it costs your insurer millions. Insurers charge higher rates to SUV drivers to cover this risk.

Sabotage your Credit Score

Insurers in most states use your credit score to calculate rates. To increase car insurance rates significantly, sabotage your credit score. The lower your credit score goes, the more you’ll pay for car insurance.

Drivers with a low credit score or no credit score often pay thousands more for car insurance than drivers with a good credit score. Only three states prevent insurers from using credit to calculate premiums, including California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts.

Park your Car in a Sketchy Neighborhood Every Night

Insurers need to know where you park your car at night. They use your ZIP code to assess risk. If you have comprehensive coverage, your insurance covers vehicle theft and vandalism, which means a higher risk for your insurer.

When you park your car in a high-crime neighborhood, you can expect to pay significantly higher insurance premiums than someone who lives in a safe neighborhood.

Make Sure You’re Over-Insured

Many drivers buy more car insurance than they need. They buy comprehensive coverage for a vehicle that’s only worth $800, for example. They pay more per year in insurance premiums than their vehicle is worth in total.

To make sure you’re paying the highest possible rates for car insurance, buy more car insurance than you need.

Drive Over 25,000 Miles Per Year

The average American drives around 14,000 miles per year. If you drive significantly more, then you’ll pay much higher rates for car insurance.

Drive your car frequently to ensure your car insurance rates stay high. Avoid taking public transit. Take the long way to work every morning. The more mileage you put on your vehicle, the higher your premiums will be.

Remove Anti-Theft and Safety Devices from your Vehicle

Anti-theft devices reduce the risk of your vehicle being stolen. Safety devices reduce the risk of injury in an accident.

By removing anti-theft and safety devices from your vehicle, you increase the risk of a major insurance claim, forcing your insurer to raise rates.

Add Thousands of Dollars in Aftermarket Components

Aftermarket speakers and body kits can add thousands of dollars to the value of your vehicle. Insurance can cover aftermarket components.

The more components you add to your vehicle, the more you’ll pay for car insurance.

Never Ask About Discounts

Car insurance companies offer dozens of discounts. By taking advantage of discounts, you could save hundreds or even thousands per year on car insurance.

Some insurers advertise these discounts upfront and make it easy to qualify. Other insurers make you work for discounts.

To ensure you continue paying the highest possible rates for car insurance, avoid ever asking your insurer about discounts.

Final Word on Making Your Car Insurance More Expensive

By implementing all of the strategies above, you can triple or even quadruple your car insurance premiums, paying thousands more per year than the average driver.