How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated? (2024)

  • Home
  • Consumers
  • How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated?

Español

What’s the difference between a premium and a rate?

Premium – The amount you pay to an insurance company for an insurance policy.

Rate – The cost of insurance per exposure unit ($1,000 of home coverage or one year of auto coverage).

Example – A gallon of gas costs $3.50. I pay $49 to fill up my car’s 14-gallon gas tank. The premium is $49. It’s the rate ($3.50) times the unit (14 gallons).

Insurance companies set prices to match the cost of future claims. To do this, insurance companies look at your personal risk factors (the type of car you drive or where you live). But they also look at how much they spend on all claims.

Insurance companies determine premiums and rates by looking at you

Insurance companies use many factors to calculate what they charge a customer. Each company’s premium formula is different.

For home insurance, common factors include:

  • Your home’s age.
  • Your home’s roof age and material.
  • Where you live.
  • The cost to replace your house.
  • Your claim history.
  • Your credit score.

How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated? (1)

For auto insurance, common factors include:

  • Your driving record and claims history.
  • Where you live and how much you drive.
  • Your age, gender, and marital status.
  • Your occupation.
  • The cost to replace the car you drive.
  • Your credit score.

If some of these factors changed since your last renewal, it could raise or lower your premium. This includes characteristics that change over time, such as how much your home or auto is worth. You may see such changes in a policy’s premium from one renewal to the next.

TDI doesn’t have information about your policy or what elements caused your premium to change. Your company should be able to tell you why it raised your premium.

But it’s not just you

How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated? (2)

Insurance companies also consider factors that affect the cost for all claims, which is spread across customers.

Other factors that insurance companies look at include:

  • Inflation can affect the cost of new and used vehicles, car parts, and repairs. It can also increase the cost of building materials and construction labor. Supply chain disruptions can affect the flow of construction materials and car parts from around the world.
  • Riskier driving results in more severe and costly accidents. As companies pay more claims (and higher vehicle repair and replacement costs), they’re more likely to raise rates to make up for those costs.
  • Weather events in Texas include freezes, hurricanes, hailstorms, tornadoes, wildfires, major thunderstorms, and more. The frequency and size of these events add to claim costs.
  • Reinsurance is a form of insurance for insurance companies. Companies buy reinsurance to spread their risk and be financially stable if a major disaster occurs. Higher reinsurance rates affect what insurance companies charge their customers.

TDI’s role

How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated? (3)

TDI doesn’t set insurance rates or premiums.

Insurance companies can change their rates and premium formulas by sending them to TDI. This is called a “rate filing.” Companies can use the new rates the same day they send them to TDI or can choose a later effective date.

Texas law doesn’t generally limit how often a company can file new rates, but companies are required to provide an analysis that supports the rate changes they file. TDI’s actuaries review this analysis and will ask for more information if it’s needed to evaluate whether the rate changes are supported and follow state law.

In the last year, TDI resolved issues in company rate filings that saved consumers $57 million.

State law requires that rates:

  • Be adequate.
  • Not be excessive.
  • Be based on sound actuarial principles.
  • Be reasonably related to all costs.
  • Not be based on the insured's race, creed, color, ethnicity, or national origin.

Ask about discounts and shop around

If your auto or home insurance bill is rising, ask your company to explain the increase and ask if you’re getting all available discounts.

You might need to shop for a better deal. You can start your search at HelpInsure.com to get sample estimates. Then call the companies you’re interested in to get price quotes. Also consider calling an independent insurance agent. They can help make sure you’re comparing the same type and amount of coverage.

Resources

  • Lower your car insurance rates: Tips for saving money
  • Lower your home insurance costs: Tips for saving money
  • Property and Casualty Rate Reviews
  • Print this page (PDF)

Questions? Call us at 800-252-3439.

Last updated: 2/21/2024

How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated? (2024)

FAQs

How are your auto and homeowners insurance costs calculated? ›

Insurance companies set prices to match the cost of future claims. To do this, insurance companies look at your personal risk factors (the type of car you drive or where you live). But they also look at how much they spend on all claims.

What determines the cost of your homeowners insurance? ›

The cost of homeowners and tenants insurance depends on a number of factors including: location, age and type of building. use of building (residence and/or commercial) proximity of fire protection services.

How do insurance companies calculate the cost of insurance? ›

Insurance premiums vary based on the coverage and the person taking out the policy. Many variables factor into the amount that you'll pay, but the main considerations are the level of coverage that you'll receive and personal information such as age and personal information.

What factors determine how much you pay for your auto insurance? ›

The cost of car insurance is affected by factors including your age, gender, location and marital status; the vehicle you drive; your annual mileage; your driving record; your claims history and even your credit score.

How are home insurance premiums calculated? ›

Some are personal factors, like your claims history. In states that allow it, credit history may also be used as a rating factor. Other factors are related to your home, like the ZIP code, year it was built, square footage, general condition and your property's proximity to a fire station, to name a few.

What is the 80% rule in homeowners insurance? ›

When it comes to insuring your home, the 80% rule is an important guideline to keep in mind. This rule suggests you should insure your home for at least 80% of its total replacement cost to avoid penalties for being underinsured.

What are 3 factors that affect the cost of homeowners insurance? ›

Here's a rundown of 10 factors that could impact your home insurance costs.
  • Your Location. ...
  • The Size of Your Home. ...
  • The Condition of Your Home. ...
  • If You Own or Finance Your Home. ...
  • Your Level of Coverage. ...
  • Your Deductible. ...
  • Previous Homeowners Insurance Claims. ...
  • The Cost of Materials and Construction.
Jan 13, 2023

What is the formula for calculating insurance? ›

The simple way to calculate IRV is insurance life cover = current annual income X years left for retirement. For instance, if you are 40, and your annual salary is 15 lacs, the cover you will require is Rs. 3 Crore i.e., 15 lacs X 20.

What determines how much you pay for insurance? ›

Some factors that may affect your auto insurance premiums are your car, your driving habits, demographic factors and the coverages, limits and deductibles you choose. These factors may include things such as your age and your driving record.

How do you lower your auto insurance premium? ›

Here are some ways to save on car insurance1
  1. Increase your deductible.
  2. Check for discounts you qualify for.
  3. Compare auto insurance quotes.
  4. Maintain a good driving record.
  5. Participate in a safe driving program.
  6. Take a defensive driving course.
  7. Explore payment options.
  8. Improve your credit score.

What are three factors that could increase the amount you pay for auto insurance? ›

Below are the 15 rating factors most often used by car insurance companies, along with some associated costs by insurer.
  • Age. Age is a very significant rating factor, especially for young drivers. ...
  • Driving history. ...
  • Credit score. ...
  • Years of driving experience. ...
  • Location. ...
  • Gender. ...
  • Insurance history. ...
  • Annual mileage.

What are 6 other factors that can affect the cost of auto insurance? ›

What determines your car insurance rates
  • Location.
  • Driving record.
  • Credit history.
  • Gender.
  • Age.
  • Marital status.
  • Claims history.
  • Car make and model.
May 14, 2024

Is it cheaper if you bundle your home and auto insurance with the same company? ›

Bundling home and auto insurance from the same insurer, can often bring a discount on premiums from the insurer. Sticking with one insurer can also make it easier to manage your policies and pay your premiums.

What is the rule of thumb for estimating homeowners insurance? ›

A simple formula for estimating your dwelling coverage limit is to take the square footage of your home and multiply it by the per-square-foot building costs in your area to reflect the current cost of construction.

How is homeowners insurance determined? ›

Insurance companies use a calculation of the pure premium and the expense ratio to get the gross premium. That's sort of a base rate for home insurance in your area. From there, that premium will be adjusted based on your factors, including things like your credit score, claims history and the breed of dog you own.

How are the costs of insurance premiums calculated? ›

The premium rate for a life insurance policy is based on two underlying concepts: mortality and interest. A third variable is the expense factor which is the amount the company adds to the cost of the policy to cover operating costs of selling insurance, investing the premiums, and paying claims.

What is the most important factor that influences homeowners insurance premiums? ›

Location The geographical location of your home is perhaps one of the most significant factors influencing your insurance premium. Insurance companies consider various aspects of your location, including weather risks, crime rates, and proximity to emergency services like fire stations.

Why does my homeowners insurance keep going up? ›

As inflation increases, insurance companies respond by raising rates. That's because the cost of items in your home will cost more than they did last year. As the price for appliances and equipment escalates, rates will adjust as well.

What is house insurance based on? ›

The costs of homeowners insurance depend on a number of factors, including the coverages you select, features of your home and the value of your personal belongings. There may also be extra costs for additional coverage or increased coverage limits.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Rubie Ullrich

Last Updated:

Views: 6700

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (72 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Rubie Ullrich

Birthday: 1998-02-02

Address: 743 Stoltenberg Center, Genovevaville, NJ 59925-3119

Phone: +2202978377583

Job: Administration Engineer

Hobby: Surfing, Sailing, Listening to music, Web surfing, Kitesurfing, Geocaching, Backpacking

Introduction: My name is Rubie Ullrich, I am a enthusiastic, perfect, tender, vivacious, talented, famous, delightful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.