City Drivers’ Rates Too High, Too Variable, Says Consumer Group

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) says that most good drivers — those with no accidents or moving violations — who live in moderate-income areas in 15 cities are being quoted what the group maintains are high auto insurance rates by major insurers for the minimum liability coverage required by those states. More than half (56 percent) of the rate quotes to two typical moderate-income drivers topped $1,000, and nearly one-third of the quotes (32 percent) exceeded $1,500.

CFA said its research, which used the websites of the four largest auto insurers nationwide — State Farm, Allstate, Progressive, and GEICO — also revealed that rate quotes are often highly variable. Quotes to the same consumer differ considerably. For example, in one city price quotes from these companies to the same woman ranged from $762 to $3,390.

“It is difficult to understand how insurers can justify charging more than $1,000 a year for minimum insurance coverage to drivers who have perfect driving records for many years,” said CFA Executive Director Stephen Brobeck. “It is also difficult to understand why the same driver is being quoted rates from different insurers that vary so considerably. Insurers say rates reflect risk and cost, but if this in fact is the case, why do their assessments of these factors differ so radically?”

But insurers said it’s not that difficult to understand why the same good driver might receive price quotes ranging from $700 a year to more than $1,900 as the CFA report cited.

“The CFA wants to know why the same person, with a good driving record, is receiving price quotes that vary so widely. The answer is simple. The markets for auto insurance are highly competitive. In addition, the experience of insurers in these markets will differ, leading insurers to price the risk of a prospective policyholder differently,” said Dr. Robert Hartwig, president of the industry-backed Insurance Information Institute (III) and an economist.

Hartwig also noted that CFA looked at coverage for what a policyholder is legally obligated to pay as the result of bodily injury or property damage to another person. Bodily injury and property damage related insurance claims payouts are generally higher in U.S. cities compared to payouts in suburban and rural communities, according to the III, which said the CFA study did not explore this issue.

“More importantly, increases in the cost of auto insurance nationwide remain in line with the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rising by less than 3 percent so far in 2012,” Hartwig added.

J. Robert Hunter, CFA’s director of insurance, called on state insurance commissioners to investigate the issues highlighted in the report.

“Given the fact that all states except New Hampshire require drivers to carry auto insurance, insurance commissioners have the responsibility to ensure that these drivers are charged fair, affordable rates. Our research suggests that most rates charged moderate-income drivers are neither fair nor affordable,” said Hunter.