Do Insurance Rates And Premiums Have Any Effect?

Filed Under Finance |

by John Dale

Insurance rates are the basis of the premium that is to be paid by the policy holder. Although the premium to be paid is very important when it comes to choosing an insurance policy however it is equally important that you do not neglect other factors such as the quality of the policy as well as the extent to which the claims are entertained by the company. These factors sometimes prove to be even more important then the insurance rates.

Insurance rates are based on the level of risk that an insurer assesses and the value it places on covering the cost of paying out claims for that risk. It is vital for both the insurer and insured that this is done properly. The insurance company pays claims from the premiums that are collected and these must be sufficient to cover the total cost of any claims. If the claims exceed the premiums charged then claims will not be able to be paid which is bad news if you are the one making a claim.

Car insurance for instance, uses a variety of factors to determine the risk and therefore the insurance rate and premium. Fast cars present a much higher risk than slower ones, the age of the driver is relevant as is their claims history - bad drivers tend to have more accidents than the good ones which is why your premiums increase if you do have a prang.

When setting the rates for life insurance policy the things taken into consideration are the sex, age and lifestyle. People of older age are likely to die sooner then the younger people. Similarly women live longer then men and those who smoke have a higher risk of dying sooner then others. In all of these and other such circumstances the premium charged is much higher.

When you are applying for insurance, the provider will seek to assess the risk that it is being exposed to. It is vital that you are completely honest with any questions that an insurance company asks or you run the risk of the insurance company refusing to pay the insurance out in the event of a claim.

In some instances, the risk to the insurance company is viewed as being so great that they will not quote an insurance rate at all. Sometimes the risk is limited to a specific set of circumstances or activity that is incidental to the need for insurance protection. A good example is where a life insurance policy will cover you but the insurance company excludes your habit of jumping out of planes because you like skydiving. You must make sure that you understand such exclusions before you agree to the policy conditions to avoid invalidating the insurance when you need it.

Remember that insurance rates determine premiums and so how much you will be charged. This does not mean that a cheap premium is the best deal. Cheap premiums may mean inferior insurance cover or conceal a poor claims payout record. Ask yourself how you would feel if you paid a cheap premium only to find that your car was not in fact insured for a particular type of accident? Expect to pay for good quality cover, but the insurance market is extremely competitive so it pays to shop around too.

Keep in mind that insurance rates are only the subjective assessment of the financial value an insurance company places on the risk it faces with taking you on as an insured customer. Different companies may assess this risk differently and apply a different price to that risk depending on their own financial circumstances. This in turn means that the most expensive insurance premiums do not guarantee the best quality cover and service, so again, it pays to shop around and make sure you compare like with like.

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