If you are a driver in Vancouver, WA you most likely have automobile insurance.  There really should not be a "maybe" about it because the state of Washington demands that people have car insurance if they are operating a motor vehicle on any public road.

As a business owner of a car insurance Vancouver WA company that operates in the local area I can tell you that many people are not aware what makes their premiums go up or go down. 

So I thought I would start this site and shed some light on the matter. This is an important subject to educate yourself on because you, and most people, will be driving for a very long time.

Consider your driving record first.  People with clean driving records will pay less than people who do not have a clean history of safe driving.  You need to avoid speeding tickets, running red lights, not stopping at stop signs, driving too fast in a school zone, and other infractions.  When auto insurance companies see a lot of these on somebody's record the words"high risk" pop up.

Next, your insurance will go down as you get older.  Age affects auto insurance premiums. Younger people have less experience and therefore are responsible for more accidents than the percentage they represent as the total driving population.

Many young kids that come through my Vancouver, WA office are involved in a collision within several months of getting their car and license.

If you are young and a really safe driver then I am sorry. Your peers are not as safe as you are and you are lumped into the same group as them.

The type of vehicle you own matter.  Cars and SUVs each have a rating and based off this is how likely they are to be involved in an accident or be stolen.

While we do not have a huge crime rate in Vancouver the fact remains that some vehicles are more prone to being stolen than others. 

Finally, consider you marital status.  When you get married your rates will drastically go down.  Some people argue this but married people are less likely to engage themselves in risky activities.  They have too much to loose. When you have a huge mortgage, kids, and other liabilities you are most likely not going to be racing someone on the highway.

These are some of the main things that affect your current rates.  Some of them you can change and some you cannot.

It is good to keep all of this in mind when you are shopping for car insurance Vancouver WA.  You will know why your rates are what they are and how you can do your part, however small it may be, to reduce them.

If you need more information on auto insurance Vancouver WA please visit an informative Hub pages article I wrote that talks about this more.