While shifting homes, you’d probably be obsessed with the changes that come about in your daily life.
Along with updating your new address to your bank, office, and other institutions, it’s imperative to change address on car insurance. Forgetting to do so can lead to the denial of claims and even cancellation of your policy.
Whether you relocate to a different province or just move a few blocks away, make sure to update the address to your car insurer. Your postal code directly determines how the insurers would calculate your premium — insurance experts like the team at Surex can guide you on how you should make the changes.
How does a change in address affect car insurance premiums?
A change in address affects the insurance premium you need to shell out. Therefore, it’s your responsibility to inform the insurer about this change. While the same policy benefits would apply, the insurer would adjust the premium after updating the address.
If the insurance company notices additional perils around the new address, they might advise you to get some additional protection by making changes to your policy. For instance, you might move somewhere prone to floods. In these cases, you may require an add-on policy to cover this peril.
Here are some factors that determine how an address change can affect your auto insurance premium.
- Local traffic near the new address
While calculating the premium, your automobile insurer would consider the locality where you are moving to. For example, when you get a house close to accident-prone zones, the insurer will charge higher premiums due to the additional risk associated. Take the instance of downtown Toronto, which experiences more driving violations and trafficking tickets.
Car insurers periodically evaluate the number of tickets or accidents in a particular zone. Accordingly, they adjust the insurance premiums to cover the potential risk.
- Distance from workplace
In case you use your car to commute to your workplace, the distance between your home and office would be a key determinant of the premium. The risk of encountering an accident is higher if you remain on the road for longer.
- Crime rate of the new address
The new car insurance premium you need to pay also depends on the area’s safety. Be prepared to fork out higher auto insurance premiums if you move to a locality where vandalism and crime are common. Thus, it would be wise to move to a safer neighbourhood to keep the insurance rates low.
How to change the address on car insurance?
Car owners often wonder how to change address on car insurance policies. However, this process is straightforward and wouldn’t require you to pay anything. You only need to convey the information about your change in address to the insurer.
- You would find a policy page on the official website of the insurance company. Here, you should be able to manage your account. Visit the website and submit a request for an update of your address. When the company finds that you are willing to change the address, they will contact you and notify you regarding the changes in premium, if any.
- Alternatively, you might contact your insurance broker and request them to update the address with the insurer.
- Besides, you have the option of calling the customer care number of the respective car insurance company directly. This way, you can personally contact the insurer and request them to change your address.
- Few insurance companies require their clients to submit a request for a change in address in writing.
When to change address on car insurance?
Make sure to inform your car insurer about the address change well in advance. Try to convey the information to them at least 30 days before you make the move.
Once the insurance company updates the new address in their system, you will receive the documents and bills there. You might miss out on important documents in case they send them to the old address.
Besides, you would get enough window to know the change in premium. So, make sure to contact your insurer at least a month before you relocate to your new address.
How does moving to a big city affect your premium?
If you move to a downtown neighbourhood with low traffic, the insurance premium would probably decrease.
In particular, insurance rates tend to be low when you reside in a locality where people primarily use public transport, use their bikes, or simply walk. You can benefit from driver insurance discounts for low mileage when you reside in these places. Your car would undergo lower wear and tear. Besides, you would be saving money on fuel.
On the other hand, if you move to a locality with high population density and traffic congestion, the insurance premium would rise. Cities with a large number of one-way roads tend to attract high premiums. Also, if you park your car on the street for long hours, be prepared to shell out higher premiums.
How does moving away from your city affect your premium?
Many factors determine the premium you need to pay while moving away from the city. The insurance company might factor in aspects like the lack of proper infrastructure and repair stores in the area. Also, you might have to commute long distances to your workplace.
Therefore, the insurer would scrutinize how well the roads are paved or maintained. If you have gravel roads around, the chances of damaging your car are high. Also, the insurer would assess the availability of emergency services in case of fire or accident. Accordingly, they would calculate the new insurance premium.
Endnote
Make sure to change address on car insurance as soon as you start planning to relocate to the new locality. Failure to do so might lead to the cancellation of your policy.
In case something adverse befalls your car, the insurer wouldn’t even entertain your claim. It would be a logical decision to reach out to the insurance experts who help their clients update their addresses with the insurer.
