LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — You might be asking yourself why your auto insurance premiums are so high. If so, you’re not alone.
According to Bankrate.com, Nevada has one of the highest annual premiums in the country, paying almost $800 more per year for full coverage car insurance than the average U.S. driver.
Insurance experts say it’s due to our state’s high vehicle theft rates — especially in Las Vegas.
Local resident Ariel Schnyder said she filed a police report after discovering her car was stolen from her driveway early Wednesday morning.
“Our neighbor told us it was missing by 3:30 in the morning when she took her dogs for a walk,” Schnyder said.
She lives in the Summerlin area and said she went on the community app Nextdoor and noticed other neighbors reporting their vehicles had been stolen, too.
Schynder said her family luckily has an additional vehicle, but now, it has to be shared with her husband so he can get to work.
She’s just hoping her auto insurance company won’t increase her annual premium.
“I haven’t seen any changes with my insurance prices just yet,” Schnyder said.
The Nevada Division of Insurance said not all premiums will increase once you file a claim, and it all depends on your provider and the circumstances surrounding a car theft.
Some auto insurance agencies may cut you a check for the value that your car is worth if it’s never recovered, and that’s if you have comprehensive coverage in your insurance policy.
But there are other factors that drive higher insurance rates like wrong-way drivers, car break-ins, catalytic converter thefts, and even repair costs.
The Nevada Division of Insurance also blames high premiums on inflation and more cars being on our roadways, which increases the chance of more accidents.
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.