During the first six months of this year, personal auto insurance prices have increased an average of 17% in the U.S., according to a mid-year report from Insurify, Inc., which projects another 4% increase before 2023ās close.
The national average annual cost for auto insurance now stands at $1,668, Insurify reported. Inflation, growing repair costs, legislative changes and insurers struggling through record-breaking losses are driving the current price hikes.
āVehicle repair and maintenance costs have outpaced inflation and show no signs of slowing, leading insurers to increase auto insurance prices to keep up with the cost of higher claim payouts,ā Allie Feakins, Insurifyās senior vice president of insurance, said in the report. āGiven the lag between regulator approvals and actual rate increases, consumers can expect rates to increase over the next 12 to 18 months.ā
For consumers, news of rising insurance costs isnāt exactly news. Insurify reported that the number of buyers seeking full coverage declined 51% during the yearās first half, while searches for liability-only coverage grew 86%. While full coverage policies offer superior protection, they also cost around 62% more than minimum liability coverage.
The above slideshow details which states are seeing personal auto rates grow the fastest, according to Insurifyās mid-year review of the U.S. marketplace.
āThe frequency and severity of natural disasters have led to some geographical areas experiencing different types of weather events from what theyāve seen before,ā Betsy Stella, Insurifyās vice president of carrier management and operations, said in a release. āMore vehicles are being caught and destroyed in fires and floods, and ice is sticking around longer, increasing the likelihood of collisions. This has led to auto insurers paying a higher number of ā and a higher price for ā customer claims.ā
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Based in New York, Stephen Freeman is a Senior Editor at Trending Insurance News. Previously he has worked for Forbes and The Huffington Post. Steven is a graduate of Risk Management at the University of New York.