Auto insurance rates on the rise: What you can do
Auto insurance rates increased 7 percent from a year ago, according to the U.S. Department of Labor consumer price index. That figure is for rates nationwide; Washington state rates increased 5.9 percent in 2016, and 2017 rates are on pace to match or exceed that. Table courtesy Insurance Information Institute Washington consumers are feeling the effects of the increases. This year alone, we’ve fielded 421 calls and 140 complaints about auto rate increases. The big question, of course, is what is driving the rate increases. There are several factors: People are driving more miles. As the economy has rebounded, people are driving more miles per year, which leads to more collisions. Car repairs are costly. Newer vehicles are equipped with high-tech features, such as backup cameras, which are intended to improve safety, but they also cost more to repair. For example, a relatively minor fender-bender used to be not very costly to repair. However, if your car has a backup ...