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Written by: Shelly Campbell

Category: Agent

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I remember when it didn’t matter what kind of car I bought; the insurance price was the same for basic liability from one automobile to the next. There were a few exceptions, like if it was classified as a sports car or had four-wheel drive. The insurance company didn’t care whether the vehicle had a clean or reconstructed title. They were all the same to them. The insurance price for a full-covered car was tied strictly to the vehicle’s value.

Nowadays, you must shop for insurance first before buying a car. After making the purchase, many people are surprised at how much a car costs to insure, even for just liability. It doesn’t even occur to them that the cost to insure can vary by hundreds of dollars between one model of car and another. Take two identical automobiles and compare the insurance prices between them. You might find the premium to be wildly different. How is that even possible?

The reports and technology that insurance companies use to determine the specific risk of a car injuring passengers have improved dramatically. Insurance companies, car manufacturers, body shops, and government agencies now compile data into single sources where another insurance company can pull a record on a vehicle and know the claim and maintenance record by its vehicle identification number (VIN). If a car shows no maintenance history or is involved in a crash or theft, the insurance cost for that car will be higher than one with a clean record. Many people mistake this for a reconstructed or branded vehicle. It’s not the same. You could buy a car with a clean title, but it may still cost you more because the history of the automobile shows multiple towing, breakdown, or crash events. That car will cost you more for insurance than one that has been well-maintained and not involved in any accidents.

You can find out how the purchase of a car will affect the price by calling, texting, or emailing our office. We’d be happy to run the VIN through our system and see how it compares to other cars at no cost to you. Before you commit to buying an automobile, check with your company or agent to determine the price before you buy it. If your company or agent isn’t willing to run that quote, you are with the wrong one. It’s only fair to know how much something costs before buying it. You wouldn’t show up in a checkout line at the store with an unmarked item, hoping it doesn’t cost too much. Why do the same with car insurance? They brought this additional responsibility on themselves by implementing the new technology. You have the right to know what something costs before you buy it.