You’re surprised to learn that your car insurance rates have risen. You’re not looking forward to paying the higher bill, and you have questions for your insurer. You should know, though, that it’s not unusual for the cost of an auto insurance policy to rise or fall. In fact, there are many reasons car insurance rates to change.

Car insurance rates vary by area. If you’ve moved to a new community in Texas, then, your rates might rise or fall. Even if you move to a new neighborhood in Coppell, the same may happen. That’s because certain zip codes have less crime and fewer auto thefts or break-ins. Insurers charge you less for living in a safer area of Coppell because they have less risk of paying to repair a broken window that your car suffered during an auto break-in.

Your insurance rates will definitely change — rising sometimes dramatically — if you are given a speeding ticket or involved in an auto accident. It is the general policy of insurance companies to reward motorists with clean driving records with lower rates. Drivers with speeding tickets and accidents on their records, though, will pay more because insurance companies view them as riskier drivers more likely to cause them to have make a significant payout in the future.

Then there are family matters to consider. Once your children begin driving on your auto insurance, your rates will jump, often dramatically. As these children age, your rates will slowly fall. And once they leave your insurance and begin paying for their own auto insurance policy, your rates will again take a dip.

Insurance rates, then, are not set in stone. They rise and fall according to a whole host of factors. If you do have questions about your car insurance rates, call your local insurance agent. This professional can provide you with several reasons car insurance rates to change.