Imagining a World without Automobile Insurance
As automobile technology makes leaps and bounds forward, the number of car accidents and fatalities steadily declines. And with fewer claims being filed, the need for and price of auto insurance begins to decline as well. Over time, insurers may begin to experience a considerable decrease in revenue, which impacts the industry as a whole. This is the scenario proposed by Donald Light, a senior analyst for Celent, a division of Oliver Wyman, a global consulting firm. Light and thorough Celent research suggests that the steady decline of private and commercial auto insurance premiums (and consequently, industrywide revenue) begins with the introduction and implementation of four distinct technologies: telematics, collision avoidance, automated traffic enforcement, and robot cars. Three of these technologies have already made their way into the market and have begun improving driver safety nationwide. Telematics is the creation and use of data regarding driver behavior that is stored in onboard devices and made available to coverage providers and other entities. This can include GPS devices, but the primary purpose of this technology has been to retrieve useful information after an accident to determine fault, and to track a motorist’s driving habits for pay-as-you-drive insurance policies. Automated traffic law enforcement, like red light cameras and speeding violation cameras, also helps to encourage safer driving. In conjunction with collision avoidance systems, cars in general are becoming significantly safer. The final piece of technology in this scenario has only recently been introduced to the world. In 2012, autonomous automobiles—most famously, the Google Driverless Car—have begun making their way into the realm of possibility. Already Nevada is the first state to approve a license for a driverless motor vehicle. Celent suggests that if these technological trends continue at their current rate, accidents may be a thing of the past. With perfectly clean driving records, motorists in the future could easily get cheap car insurance online with minimal effort. The Possible Decline of Car Insurance Premiums As these four technologies become commonplace on our nation’s roads, Celent estimates that there will be a sharp decline in accidents and, consequently, insurance premiums for certain kinds of coverages. Liability and physical damage premiums are estimated to drop between 20 and 30 percent from 2013 to 2017, respectively, and between 60 and 80 percent from 2018 to 2022. For many companies, these premiums represent a major source of revenue. For the auto insurance industry, declining revenue may mean less external investments, industrywide job loss, and the potential decline of political influence (which itself can lead to adverse legislation or regulation). Before motorists begin to panic, however, it’s important to take several things into consideration. The scenario put forth by Donald Light and Celent is largely hypothetical. While many of these consequences are possible, the actual implementation and enforcement of the four primary technologies is dependent on many different variables. To have a dramatic impact, state and federal government would have to pursue these technologies aggressively and find a way to financially enforce their implementation. If there is one thing that motorists across the nation can be sure of, it’s that politicians love to argue about money. Additionally, these changes (if they occur) are likely to take time, giving the insurance industry more than enough opportunity to make the necessary adjustments to avoid fiscal disaster. Source: http://www.onlineautoinsurance.com/cheap/
As automobile technology makes leaps and bounds forward, the number of car accidents and fatalities steadily declines. And with fewer claims being filed, the need for and price of auto insurance begins to decline as well. Over time, insurers may begin to experience a considerable decrease in revenue, which impacts the industry as a whole. This is the scenario proposed by Donald Light, a senior analyst for Celent, a division of Oliver Wyman, a global consulting firm.
Light and thorough Celent research suggests that the steady decline of private and commercial auto insurance premiums (and consequently, industrywide revenue) begins with the introduction and implementation of four distinct technologies: telematics, collision avoidance, automated traffic enforcement, and robot cars. Three of these technologies have already made their way into the market and have begun improving driver safety nationwide.
Telematics is the creation and use of data regarding driver behavior that is stored in onboard devices and made available to coverage providers and other entities. This can include GPS devices, but the primary purpose of this technology has been to retrieve useful information after an accident to determine fault, and to track a motorist’s driving habits for pay-as-you-drive insurance policies. Automated traffic law enforcement, like red light cameras and speeding violation cameras, also helps to encourage safer driving. In conjunction with collision avoidance systems, cars in general are becoming significantly safer.
The final piece of technology in this scenario has only recently been introduced to the world. In 2012, autonomous automobiles—most famously, the Google Driverless Car—have begun making their way into the realm of possibility. Already Nevada is the first state to approve a license for a driverless motor vehicle. Celent suggests that if these technological trends continue at their current rate, accidents may be a thing of the past. With perfectly clean driving records, motorists in the future could easily get cheap car insurance online with minimal effort.
The Possible Decline of Car Insurance Premiums
As these four technologies become commonplace on our nation’s roads, Celent estimates that there will be a sharp decline in accidents and, consequently, insurance premiums for certain kinds of coverages. Liability and physical damage premiums are estimated to drop between 20 and 30 percent from 2013 to 2017, respectively, and between 60 and 80 percent from 2018 to 2022. For many companies, these premiums represent a major source of revenue.
For the auto insurance industry, declining revenue may mean less external investments, industrywide job loss, and the potential decline of political influence (which itself can lead to adverse legislation or regulation). Before motorists begin to panic, however, it’s important to take several things into consideration.
The scenario put forth by Donald Light and Celent is largely hypothetical. While many of these consequences are possible, the actual implementation and enforcement of the four primary technologies is dependent on many different variables.
To have a dramatic impact, state and federal government would have to pursue these technologies aggressively and find a way to financially enforce their implementation. If there is one thing that motorists across the nation can be sure of, it’s that politicians love to argue about money. Additionally, these changes (if they occur) are likely to take time, giving the insurance industry more than enough opportunity to make the necessary adjustments to avoid fiscal disaster.







People strive for gender equality in most facets of life, but in the auto insurance world, it’s a commonly known fact that men usually end up paying more. Data provided by California regulators, for example, shows men could expect to pay an average of about 13 percent more for the same coverage. Gender-based pricing differences are based on extensive statistical information that shows male drivers file more claims than female drivers. Although crash data usually comes out in a woman’s favor, gender can’t always be used to set rates.
Motorists who are 25 years and younger are generally considered high-risk drivers by insurance companies, and for good reason. Teenagers have continually demonstrated the greatest level of high-risk driving behavior of any age group. In 2009, over 350,000 teens were treated in emergency departments for car-accident-related injuries, and automobile crashes continue to be the leading cause of death in the U.S. for teenagers.
When people shop for vehicle coverage, they shouldn’t overlook the potential savings that can come from maximizing insurance discounts. Policy providers often look for ways to stay relevant in a competitive market, and one of the more common ways to do this involves advertising unique ways that policyholders can cut costs. Motorists can usually get reduced premiums for a number of reasons, so to get the best combination of special offers, drivers should shop around online and thoroughly explore all of their options.
When shopping for automobile insurance, there are some people who commonly find lower prices than others, and this happens for a number of reasons. Rates are set by evaluating the likelihood that a driver will get into an accident, and this quality is determined by examining dozens of details that are unique for every motorist. When someone’s level of risk is identified, he or she is usually placed in one of three main pricing tiers—standard, nonstandard, or preferred—and get charged accordingly. Despite a vehicle owner’s probability of filing a claim, every driver is capable of shopping for the cheapest auto coverage they can find.
Auto insurance is a necessary expense for most vehicle owners, and people usually want to find the cheapest coverage available. Finding a low-priced policy, however, requires a fair amount of research. Often motorists have many options when choosing an insurer and a wealth of choices when selecting the amount of protection they want to purchase. It’s important for policyholders to know, however, that almost every decision they make when choosing a plan can impact their premium.
There is no single company that can offer the cheapest auto insurance rates for every vehicle owner, but motorists may be able to find affordable coverage after shopping around. Rates are generally determined by gauging the possibility that someone will be involved in an accident, which is a practice that most insurers handle differently. To evaluate risk, producers carefully examine qualities and characteristics such as age, marital status, location, driving record, and credit history. Because this data is unique for every vehicle owner, premiums are likely to be unique as well.
When drivers buy auto insurance they usually stay with the same company for several years. If vehicle owners are going to invest their time and money into a company, it should be with a top rated insurer. Finding one of the best coverage providers available, however, involves research and comparison shopping. A quality producer should be financially capable of taking care of claims, helpful, efficient, and affordable. Luckily, many of these characteristics can be quickly researched on the Internet with minimal effort.
All Texas motorists need to carry liability insurance with minimum limits of 30/60/25, and residents who need to meet these coverage requirements to legally drive often look for the cheapest auto protection available. Finding an affordable policy, however, usually requires a small amount of research and a little effort. TX vehicle owners have many different options when it comes to choosing a coverage provider, and almost every company offers different rates.
Finding cheap automobile insurance in the Golden State often involves a fair amount of research and extensive quote comparisons. CA residents must meet financial responsibility requirements to legally drive, but there are many different insurers to choose from, and several effective ways to cut coverage costs. Motorists can shop for the lowest prices available, take advantage of discounts, or utilize programs provided by the state.
Shopping around for automobile insurance can be an effective way for vehicle owners to save money. People who are in search of auto coverage for the first time can compare quotes to find the lowest possible prices, and individuals who are already insured may be able to find cheaper rates from a different insurer. To efficiently evaluate pricing information, drivers are encouraged to shop online, where dozens of sample rates can be found at once.
The affordability of an auto insurance policy is largely dependent on the motorist, since rates are based on the possibility that a vehicle owner will file a claim. When drivers have a poor driving record with a history of claims and moving violations, they’re usually placed in the nonstandard market and encounter steeper premiums. Careful drivers with clean records and favorable information can usually find the cheapest rates possible.
Most motorists in the United States are required to carry evidence in their cars showing that they have purchased adequate protection for their vehicles. These documents list important information about an individual’s policy and are essential after an automobile accident. In many states, sufficient evidence is also required to register a motor vehicle, and must be presented when stopped by a police officer.
