SAN ANTONIO — As technology advances vehicles come with more bells and whistles. And in tonight’s Verify, we learn how those technological enhancements can make your car last longer, but when it comes to insurance, it often leads to higher bills.
Most of us know, the more expensive your car, the higher your insurance rate. But starting next year for many drivers in Texas car inspections will no longer be required.
THE QUESTION
With the elimination of the state’s required vehicle inspection will this cause insurance premiums to go up?
THE SOURCES
- Chris Schafer, a senior editor with Insurify
- Rod Griffin, the Senior Director of Consumer Education and Advocacy with Experian
- Omar Ochoa, the managing attorney of The Ochoa Law Office
THE ANSWER
TRUE
WHAT WE FOUND
Schafer says the law won’t make premiums go up, but it could lead to more accidents.
“The fact that cars that are not being inspected, particularly when we’re talking about issues like brakes and tires, all of a sudden lead to more accidents which lead to higher premiums,” he said.
Ochoa tells us premiums could rise because drivers may not be using proper maintenance.
“One of the biggest examples is that a requirement of the vehicle inspection is that your tires have enough tread. A lot of people just don’t really check that on a day to day basis,” Ochoa said.
Griffin says there are several other reasons why your insurance rate might continue to go up next year.
“They’ll look at your past claims behavior, see your driving record in the past. They will look at the type of car you drive. It is it costs more to repair. If so, your rates could be higher,” Griffin added.
So yes, it is true, the elimination of the state’s required vehicle inspection could cause insurance rates to go up.
Experian has an insurance marketplace to help you shop around for the kind of insurance you want at the right price.