Beyond the obvious concerns about life and death, experts say the spike fatality rate on U.S. roads will result in higher car insurance rates for drivers .
According to the most late report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, an estimate 31,720 people died in car crashes during the first base nine months of 2021. That figure represents a 12 % increase over the lapp period in 2020 — which besides saw an abnormally high act of road fatalities, despite the lower levels of dealings due to America ‘s far-flung shift to lockdown and remote ferment .
The 12 % increase in road fatalities is the largest year-over-year advance ever recorded by the representation, and the expulsion of closely 32,000 deaths on U.S. roads is the highest for any January-September period since 2006. For the sake of comparison, in the first nine months of 2011 there were fair under 24,000 traffic fatalities. In 2019, there were fewer than 27,000 deaths.
It ‘s not plainly a matter of more drivers being out on the roads. The traffic fatality rate — based on the issue of deaths per 100 million fomite miles drive in the U.S. — was normally about 1.10 to 1.15 before soaring to 1.35 in 2020 and 1.36 in 2021 .
Why car insurance prices are rising
Why U.S. roads have become more dangerous is hard to amply explain, though some research indicates that as roads became less congested during pandemic shutdowns, drivers were more probable to speed and operate vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The accidents caused by these drivers were disproportionally more severe than distinctive collisions .
What we know for indisputable is that the roads are more deadly, and as a result, car policy companies are being forced to pay out more money in claims when accidents occur. And when that happens, it ‘s inevitable that insurers will pass along their higher costs and hike premiums for drivers across the board .
early in the pandemic, car policy companies were giving customers rebates because of the perceive increase in base hit due to fewer cars on the roads. Yet as it became apparent the traffic fatality rate was on the rise, diligence experts began saying last summer that an increase in car indemnity rates was coming .
indeed, some datum shows that car insurance rates have ballooned. According to Insurify, an on-line market for policy, the average annual price for an car indemnity policy in 2021 was $ 1,633 — a 12 % increase over 2020. Insurify is projecting a further increase of 5 % for 2022, meaning the average policy would cost $ 1,707 this year .
“ Both inflation and increase levels of dangerous driving are contributing to this leap in prices, ” Insurify explained in a statement emailed to Money. “ It is surely possible that should fatalities continue to spike this year, the increase in premium costs could besides rise. ”
On the early hand, The Zebra, an indemnity comparison and patronize site, estimates that cable car policy rates have risen at a slower pace — up about 3 % from 2020 to 2021. It expects higher prices in the future thanks to the increase in car crashes, traffic deaths and claims paid out by insurers.
“ More claims equal more losses, and more losses equal raised rates for everyone, not precisely the drivers involved in accidents, ” Allie Byers, indemnity expert for The Zebra, said in an electronic mail to Money .
even as rates rise, drivers can take steps to save on car indemnity, including classical strategies like switching to a higher deductible and sporadically shopping around for a cheaper policy .
ad by Money. We may be compensated if you click this ad. Are you looking for ways to save money right immediately ? Bundling Home and Auto Insurance is a big way to save money. Most households could save an extra 20-25 % by bundling their home insurance with their car policy. Click below to get free quote nowadays and see how much money you could save .