Insurance is one of the largest ongoing costs of owning a car — often several cents on every mile — and one of the easiest to lower without changing how you drive.
What it costs over time
A premium that feels small monthly adds up fast. Turn yours into a yearly, five-year, and per-mile figure with the insurance cost calculator — then see its share of the whole picture below.
What actually drives the price
- You: driving record, age, and (in most states) credit history.
- Where you park it: ZIP code, theft and claim rates.
- The car: repair cost, safety, and theft rate of the model.
- Your coverage: liability limits, deductible, and whether you carry collision/comprehensive.
The levers that lower it
Biggest wins
Shop around every year (loyalty is punished, not rewarded), raise your deductible, and drop collision/comprehensive once a car’s value no longer justifies it.
Also worth doing: bundle home and auto, ask about low-mileage or usage-based discounts if you don’t drive much, and keep your record clean — a single ticket can raise rates for years. Fold the result into your full cost with the cost of ownership calculator.
See what insurance really costs you
Insurance Cost calculator