Location matters when it comes to auto insurance premiums

Two pieces of the puzzle that determines your auto insurance premiums are your address and your commute to work.

A zoned area (ZIP code) is evaluated for safety or risk, such as data for stolen vehicles and vandalism. Your regular commute route is evaluated for traffic, accident frequency, ongoing construction projects, and total distance.

Unless you are planning to move, there isn’t much you can do to adjust these variables. However, if you are planning a move, you might want to factor this in.

Your agent may even be able to give you different premium quotes based on neighborhoods and the proximity of each to your job. Don’t overlook “established” neighborhoods that are close to your job. An older neighborhood doesn’t necessarily translate to risky.

An agent may not ask what time you go to work, so if you regularly commute during lighter traffic hours, mentioning it may help a little.