Understanding Auto Insurance Rates
INSURANCE
Insurance means the undertaking by one person to indemnify another person against loss or liability for loss in respect of a certain risk or peril to which the object of the insurance may be exposed, or to pay a sum of money or other thing of value upon the happening of a certain event (Insurance Act, R.S.N.B. 1973, c. I-12).
Insurance provides a mechanism in which the losses of the few are shared by the many. Insurance can be viewed as a large pot into which all insureds place their premiums. In addition to paying the cost of running the business, this pot has to provide for payment of the losses of those who have claims. The ability to contribute to a fund - to share the losses of the few among the many - is the major function of insurance.
INSURANCE PREMIUMS
In New Brunswick, rates are used to determine a premium, which is what an individual driver will pay for their insurance coverage. Factors used to determine the premium charged could include driving record, value and type of vehicle, what the vehicle is used for, number of kilometers driven annually, and the territory the driver resides in. Different liability limits and deductibles also have an effect on premium. A higher deductible can reduce premium where a lower deductible will be priced higher. New drivers are entitled to the First Chance Discount. Legislation prohibits ratings based on age, gender and marital status.
The insurance company has to develop a selling price before all costs are known. Rates are developed by the insurer today, for future rates, based on past claims (experience) of the company and/or industry for New Brunswick.
Automobile experience data is collected to provide premium and claim information, which is used to develop and support fair automobile insurance rates. The statistical and financial data collected support the following public policy objectives:
- Monitoring the adequacy of rates to ensure that they are not excessive or unfairly discriminatory;
- Monitoring the adequacy of market structure and performance, and taking steps, if necessary, to restore competition or remedy the problems caused by market instability; and
- Ensuring informed pricing decisions based on aggregate industry experience.
GISA.ca
GISA collects data over a long period of time representing as large a sampling of claims data as possible. A company will have an actuary analyze this data to develop the rates required to cover all losses and pay expenses as well as to provide a reasonable profit. The company will also take into consideration the competitive philosophy and current market conditions. An insurer does not want to be priced too low and not have enough premium to cover losses or too high and risk losing market share. A company looks at many factors before determining the final rate change that will be presented to the Board for approval.
The Statement of Principles Ratemaking defines ratemaking as “the process of establishing rates used in insurance or other risk transfer mechanisms.” (Casualty Actuarial Society, 1988, p.1) The ratemaking process involves numerous considerations including marketing goals and competition as well as legal and regulatory restrictions to the extent that they affect the estimation of future costs associated with the transfer of risk or they affect how the product can be priced. The Statement of Principles Ratemaking sets out four principles for ratemaking.
- Principle 1: A rate is an estimate of the expected value of future costs.
- Principle 2: A rate provides for all costs associated with the transfer of risk.
- Principle 3: A rate provides for the costs associated with an individual risk transfer.
- Principle 4: A rate is reasonable and not excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory if it is an actuarially sound estimate of the expected value of all future costs associated with an individual risk transfer.
(Casualty Actuarial Society, 1988, p. 6)” Society of Actuaries, Fundamentals of General Insurance Actuarial Analysis, 2013, p. 549)
These rates and the assumptions and justification for them are then required to be submitted to the NBIB for review on an annual basis. The Board will determine whether to approve rates as presented by companies or to hold a hearing in order to determine if rates are just and reasonable.
The Canadian Loss Experience Automobile Rating (CLEAR) system identifies the average size and frequency of insurance claims for most makes and models of cars. Most insurance companies use CLEAR to rate vehicles based on their safety record and the cost to repair or replace them, and then offer lower premiums to drivers who buy cars with better ratings. For example, some vehicles may be more susceptible to theft than others; some may be better designed and less likely to sustain serious damage; some are less expensive to repair; and some protect their occupants in collisions better than others.
GISA.ca
MANDATORY COVERAGES
Bodily Injury:
most people don’t have the money to pay for the losses they might cause while driving (self insured), so the provincial government requires drivers to carry at least a minimum of $200,000 third- party liability coverage for any losses they might cause others to suffer. In New Brunswick, the person who is not at fault has the right to sue the at-fault driver in certain circumstances for additional costs and damages not covered by accident benefits coverage.
If you were sued for more than the liability limit in your auto insurance policy, the balance of the settlement would be paid out of your pocket unless you have underinsured motorist optional coverage.
Property Damage:
covers costs to repair or replace property other than vehicles (i.e. damage caused by your vehicle to a telephone pole, landscaping, a house).
Direct Compensation Property Damage:
the DCPD section of the automobile policy covers damages to your vehicle or its contents to the extent that another person operating a vehicle also covered by DCPD is at-fault for the accident. It is called Direct Compensation because the insured collects from their own insurer instead of from the insurance company of the at-fault driver. This saves money and time for policyholders as they are dealing with their own insurance company. The company when setting rates knows in advance what vehicles have the potential to have claims and can price accordingly. Because they already have you in their system, administrative costs can be cut also.
Accident Benefits:
pays for medical treatment, income replacement and other benefits to help you recover if you are injured in a collision. This coverage also provides funeral expenses and payments to your survivors if you are killed in a collision. These benefits may also be referred to as “no-fault benefits”, which means they are paid to you by your insurer regardless of who caused the collision. This coverage is referred to as “Section B” benefits.
Uninsured Auto:
insures you for bodily injury and death as a result of an accident with an uninsured or unidentified vehicle. It also covers loss of use of your vehicle. Coverage responds to the degree of fault of the owner or driver of the uninsured or unidentified auto and a deductible applies.
OPTIONAL COVERAGES
What is covered:
the driver, the passengers and anyone else involved in a collision involving your car on your policy, the car itself.
What is not covered:
briefcases, purses, sport equipment, smart phones or other items that may be stolen from your car or damaged in a collision may be covered by your home, condominium or tenant insurance.
Underinsured Motorist:
also known as the SEF 44, pays for injuries to you and your family from the actions of an at-fault underinsured driver. Your insurer will cover your damages up to a maximum of your own third party liability coverage, minus the underinsured driver’s third party liability policy coverage (ie. if you are travelling in a province where the mandatory liability coverage is low, this coverage ensures that you and your family are covered up to your own policy’s limits regardless of the other person’s coverage levels).
Collision:
pays for the cost of repairing your car following a collision with another car or an object such as a tree, animal, guardrail or pothole. This coverage is referred to as “Section C” benefits.
Comprehensive:
insures against loss or damage to your car resulting from miscellaneous causes including fire, theft, windstorm, hail, rising water, malicious mischief, riot or civil commotion, explosion, earthquake, falling or flying objects, vandalism, missiles, etc. but normally not including loss by collision or upset.
Specified Perils:
pays only for losses caused by perils specifically listed in your policy. These perils are; fire, theft or attempted theft, lightning, hail, rising water, earthquake, windstorm, explosion, riot or civil disturbance, the falling or forced landing of aircraft or parts of aircraft, the stranding, sinking, burning, derailment or collision of any kind of transport in, or upon which, a described automobile is being carried on land or water.
All Perils:
combines and broadens the protection provided by collision and comprehensive. It is all risks coverage defined by exclusions.