Taking out car insurance involves several analyzes by insurers, and one of the most important is your driving history. This history gathers information about infractions, accidents, fines and risky behavior in traffic. Based on this data, the insurer assesses the level of risk involved in insuring a particular driver.
Drivers with a clean record, without records of serious infractions or accidents, are often seen as less likely to generate costs for the insurance company. Therefore, they tend to receive proposals with more affordable prices. Those with a problematic history may end up paying more, precisely because of the greater risk associated.
In this guide, you will understand why insurance companies analyze driving history, which records have the greatest impact on the policy and how maintaining good driving behavior can help you save on insurance. We will also explain how long infractions remain on the record and how this can affect your pocket in the long term.
Why do insurance companies look at your driving record?
Insurance companies use risk calculations to define the amount that will be charged to each client. Driving history is one of the main factors in this analysis, as it helps predict the driver’s chance of being involved in accidents or claiming insurance.
This process is essential to maintain the sustainability of the insurance company’s operations. A driver who accumulates fines for speeding, violations for using a cell phone while driving or frequently involved in collisions is considered more likely to generate expenses for the company.
On the other hand, drivers with a clean record demonstrate responsibility and prudence, which reduces the chances of accidents. This type of behavior is rewarded by insurance companies, which tend to offer policies with lower values as a way of encouraging safe driving.
Additionally, historical analysis allows insurers to define customer profiles and create more personalized products. With this information, it is possible to develop specific plans for different types of drivers, making the insurance market fairer and more competitive.
Which records most impact the insurance value?
Various records present in the driving history can influence the insurance value. Among the most relevant are traffic violations, such as speeding, running a red light, using a cell phone while driving and driving under the influence of alcohol.
In addition to infractions, involvement in accidents is also taken into consideration. Previous accidents, especially those that resulted in compensation, indicate to the insurer that there is a greater probability of new accidents in the future, which directly impacts the cost of the policy.
Other factors that may appear in the history and affect the value of the insurance include legal proceedings involving accidents, suspension or revocation of the driver’s license and even the points accumulated on the driver’s license. The more serious and recurrent the behavior, the greater the negative impact on the final insurance value.
It is worth highlighting that the objective of insurance companies is not just to punish, but to create a risk profile for each driver. This way, they are able to offer fairer prices, rewarding those who drive safely and responsibly.
How can a good history help reduce insurance premiums?
Maintaining a good driving record is one of the most effective ways to get cheaper car insurance. Drivers who avoid infractions and demonstrate responsibility in traffic are considered low risk by insurance companies. As a result, these drivers often receive lower bids.
Many insurers adopt discount practices for drivers who drive safely, directly benefiting those with a clean record. This is a way of rewarding those who follow traffic laws and contribute to safer traffic.
Additionally, a good track record can increase your chances of being accepted into driving monitoring programs, such as those that use apps or devices installed in the vehicle to evaluate driver behavior. These programs offer rewards based on how the driver accelerates, brakes and turns.
Therefore, maintaining a good driving record not only brings safety in everyday life, but also represents a significant financial advantage. By adopting responsible driving habits, you protect your life, that of other drivers and can even save on your vehicle insurance.
How long do violations remain on the driving record?
A common question among drivers is how long an infraction continues to affect the insurance value. In general, light, medium and serious infractions usually remain on the record for around 12 months. Very serious infractions can influence the history for up to 5 years, depending on the severity and the insurance company.
Insurers use this information during risk analysis to calculate the premium amount. Even if an infraction occurred some time ago, it can still impact the price of insurance. Therefore, it is important to maintain consistent behavior over time, avoiding the accumulation of points on your driver’s license and longer-lasting penalties.
It is worth mentioning that the CNH scoring system is also taken into account in the evaluation. Frequent accumulations or those close to the legal limit indicate that the driver is more likely to commit infractions, which generates a warning for insurance companies.
The good news is that, with time and more prudent behavior, it is possible to “clean” your history and reduce the impact of past infractions. If the driver manages to go a long period without negative records, the tendency is for the insurance value to gradually decrease, reflecting the improvement in their risk profile.
Conclusion
Understanding how your driving history affects the cost of your car insurance is essential to making more informed and cost-effective decisions. Insurers evaluate several factors when setting the price of the policy, and your behavior in traffic is one of the most relevant in this process.
Maintaining a clean record not only helps ensure your safety and that of others, but it can also help you get discounts and more advantageous conditions from the insurance company. The more responsible you drive, the greater the chance of obtaining a lower premium.
So, if you want to save on car insurance, start by adopting a more prudent approach when driving. Over time, this care will be reflected in your history and, consequently, in the value of your policy.
