Rates Can Vary Widely, Survey Finds
The cost of obtaining automobile insurance can vary substantially, depending on where a driver lives and the insurance company he selects, according to a survey completed recently by the state Department of Insurance.
The survey compares annual insurance rates charged by 18 companies that collectively write more than three-fourths of all the state’s private-passenger automobile insurance.
The study, which breaks down insurance costs in more than 100 cities and ZIP code areas throughout Los Angeles County, compared the various companies’ rates that would be imposed in various hypothetical cases.
It showed, for example, that a 23-year-old single woman from Beverly Hills who drives her Chevrolet Monte Carlo less than 15,000 miles a year and 10 miles a day to work, with no tickets or accidents, would pay anywhere from $843 to $2,815 for roughly the same insurance, depending on the company she picks. The $843 rate is from 20th Century, which primarily insures the lowest-risk drivers. Farmers would charge $2,815, the study found.
The cost of insurance also depends on where the driver lives. The Automobile Club would charge the 23-year-old driver mentioned above $972 if she lived in Santa Monica or Culver City, $1,309 in Beverly Hills and $1,309 to $1,341 in Hollywood.
The study also found that a 42-year-old married man from Santa Monica who has one at-fault accident in the last two years, who drives his Dodge Colt less than 12,000 miles a year and three miles to work, would be charged $582 by Mercury Casualty and $1,534 by Hartford Casualty for roughly the same coverage.
Farmers would charge this driver $1,027 if he lived in Topanga, $1,266 in Santa Monica and $2,047 in Beverly Hills.
The Department of Insurance study should be used only as a general indicator of coverage costs, because exact prices depend on individual variables, which can produce different figures than the ones quoted, said Everett Brookhart, the department’s chief of consumer affairs.
The rates quoted in the study were in effect Nov. 15, 1985. They are preferred-risk rates, under which the majority of the state’s drivers receive coverage. Assigned risk was not included.
Companies sometimes offer special features on their policies that are not reflected in the figures in the survey, officials said.
The insurance department will send its full Los Angeles County rate survey to anyone who sends a self-addressed 9-by-12-inch envelope with stamps totaling 70 cents. The address is Department of Insurance Rate Survey, 600 S. Commonwealth Ave., Los Angeles, Calif. 90005. COMPARATIVE CAR INSURANCE RATES: THE WESTSIDE The California Department of Insurance made public these comparative annual insurance rates, effective last November, grouped by accumulated ZIP code areas in the Westside. Rates for individual drivers may vary.
DRIVER 1 (FIGURES ARE IN BOLD TYPE) Driver 1 is a 23-year-old single woman who drives 10 miles to work and drives less than 15,000 miles a year. She has no traffic citations and no accidents. She drives a 1984 car that cost between $8,001 and $10,000 new--a Chevrolet Monte Carlo 2-door, a Honda LX or a Ford Mustang “L.” Insurance coverage includes injury liability of $15,000 per person with a maximum of $30,000 per accident; property damage liability of $10,000 per accident; medical payments of $2,000 per person; uninsured motorist (U/M) $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident; comprehensive with a $100 deductible and collision with $200 deductible.
DRIVER 2 (FIGURES ARE IN LIGHT TYPE) Driver 2, 42, is a married man who drives three miles to work and less than 12,000 miles a year. He has no citations but one at-fault accident 2 years ago. He drives a 1981 car that cost between $6,500 and $8,000 new--Dodge Colt, Mercury Zephyr sedan, Toyota Tercel 2-door or Corolla. Insurance coverage includes injury liability of $100,000 per person with a maximum of $300,000 per accident; property damage liability of $50,000 per accident; medical payments of $5,000 per person; uninsured motorist (U/M) $25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident; comprehensive with a $200 deductible and collision with $500 deductible.
City State Auto Club 20th Zip Code Farm Farmers of So. Cal. Allstate Century Avalon 727 927 600 809 450 90704 481 605 661 553 483 Bel-Air 1493 1846 972 --- 632 90077 1068 1266 1050 --- 687 Beverly Hills 1358-2003 2815 1309 1608-2207 843 90210-12 977-1497 2047 1436 1169-1649 957 Century City 1493 1846 972 1622 632 90067 1068 1266 1050 1177 687 Culver City 1350 1846 972 1622 567 90230-32 1007 1266 1050 1177 611 Hollywood 1358-2003 1703-2815 1309-1341 1525-2207 567-843 90068-71 977-1497 1201-2047 1436-1518 1154-1649 611-957 Los Angeles 2003 1846-2815 1341 1525-2213 567-843 90001-10 1497 1266-2047 1518 1154-1694 611-957 Los Angeles 2003 2354-2815 1021-1341 1525-2213 843 90011-20 1497 1763-2047 1132-1518 1154-1694 957 Los Angeles 1209-2003 1545-2815 732-1341 1100-2207 632-843 90021-29 895-1497 1150-2047 784-1518 785-1649 687-957 Los Angeles 1209-2003 1545-2815 927-1341 1525-2213 567-843 90030-39 895-1497 1150-2047 1006-1518 1154-1694 611-957 Los Angeles 910-2003 1238-2815 629-1341 1100-2213 567-843 90040-49 657-1497 834-2047 701-1518 779-1694 611-957 Los Angeles 1350-2003 1545-2815 927-1341 1525-2207 567-843 90056-60 1007-1497 1150-2047 1006-1518 1154-1649 611-957 Los Angeles 1209-2003 1238-2815 927-1341 1525-2213 632-843 90061-66 895-1497 834-2047 1006-1518 1154-1694 687-954 Malibu 1493 1490 972 1424 597 90265 1068 1027 1050 1017 647 Marina del Rey 1493 1846 972 1622 632 90292 1068 1266 1050 1177 687 Pacific Palisades 1493 1846 972 1622 632 90272 1068 1266 1050 1177 687 Playa del Rey 910 1411 629 1100 632 90293 657 965 701 779 687 Santa Monica 1493 1846 972 1622 632 90401-05 1068 1266 1050 1177 687 Topanga 1493 1490 972 1424 597 90290 1068 1027 1050 1017 647 Venice 1493 1846 972 1622 632 90291 1068 1266 1050 1117 687
City Ohio Mercury Zip Code U.S.A.A.* SAFECO GEICO Casualty Casualty Avalon 711 1099 --- --- 717 90704 568 873 --- --- 492 Bel-Air --- --- 1320 --- 951 90077 --- --- 1128 --- 683 Beverly Hills 1116 1224-1714 1827 1063-1588 1146 90210-12 943 932-1411 1717 785-1174 849 Century City 913 1311 1320 1063 951 90067 741 1035 1128 785 683 Culver City 948 1311-1772 1320 1063-1545 951 90230-32 772 1035-1457 1128 785-1156 683 Hollywood 1116-1241 1224-1772 1819-1827 1144-1588 916-1146 90068-71 943-1080 932-1457 1717-1718 823-1114 655-849 Los Angeles 1241 1311-1772 1767-1819 1063-1545 1146-1347 90001-10 1080 1035-1457 1661-1718 785-1156 849-1013 Los Angeles 1138-1241 1311-1772 1767-1819 1063-1545 1146-1347 90011-20 968-1080 1035-1457 1661-1718 785-1156 849-1013 Los Angeles 700-1241 886-1772 1320-1827 1063-1588 764-1347 90021-29 556-1080 642-1457 1128-1718 785-1174 553-1013 Los Angeles 948-1241 1311-1772 1320-1827 1063-1588 764-1347 90030-39 772-1080 1035-1457 1128-1718 785-1174 553-1013 Los Angeles 777-1241 1055-1772 1005-1827 786-1588 749-1347 90040-49 643-1080 751-1457 907-1718 577-1174 529-1013 Los Angeles 926-1241 1099-1772 1354-1819 1063-1545 1146-1347 90056-60 767-1080 873-1457 1221-1718 785-1156 849-1013 Los Angeles 913-1241 1055-1772 1320-1767 810-1545 764-1347 90061-66 741-1080 751-1457 1128-1661 604-1556 553-1013 Malibu 913 1311 1240 1063-1133 893 90265 741 1035 1141 785-817 636 Marina del Rey --- 882 1320 --- 954 90292 --- 672 1128 --- 683 Pacific Palisades 913 1311 971 1063 812 90272 741 1035 902 785 582 Playa del Rey --- 882 --- --- 913 90293 --- 672 --- --- 664 Santa Monica 913 1311 1320 1063 812 90401-05 741 1035 1128 785 582 Topanga 913 1186-1311 1240 1063-1133 893 90290 741 894-1035 1141 785-817 636 Venice 913 882-1311 1320 1063 954 90291 741 672-1035 1128 785 683
* Military and dependents only.
Liberty California Continental Nationwide Mutual Casualty Avalon 979 --- --- 904 90704 772 --- --- 685 Bel-Air 1642 1069 1383 --- 90077 1168 1003 1261 --- Beverly Hills 2181 954-1438 1780 1928 90210-12 1643 904-1387 1689 1555 Century City 1642 1069 1383 1560 90067 1168 1003 1261 1212 Culver City 1642-2181 981 1221 1452 90230-32 1168-1643 937 1150 1148 Hollywood 2181 954-1438 1169-1780 1426-1928 90068-71 1643 904-1387 1081-1689 1115-1555 Los Angeles 2181 1438 1221-1780 1928 90001-10 1643 1387 1150-1689 1555 Los Angeles 1642-2181 1438 1164-1780 1928 90011-20 1168-1643 1387 1092-1689 1555 Los Angeles 1642-2181 901-1438 1164-1780 1452-1928 90021-29 1168-1643 858-1387 1092-1689 1148-1555 Los Angeles 1642-2181 901-1438 1164-1780 1452-1928 90030-39 1168-1643 858-1387 1092-1689 1148-1555 Los Angeles 694-2181 661-1438 831-1780 1327-1928 90040-49 912-1643 620-1387 765-1689 1049-1555 Los Angeles 1591-2181 981-1438 1164-1780 1452-1928 90056-60 1261-1643 937-1387 1092-1689 1148-1555 Los Angeles 694-2181 901-1438 1164-1780 1560-1928 90061-66 912-1643 858-1387 1092-1689 1212-1555 Malibu 1334 1069 1213 1560 90265 1070 1003 1141 1212 Marina del Rey 1642 1069 1383 1560 90292 1168 1003 1261 1212 Pacific Palisades 1642 1069 1383 1560 90272 1168 1003 1261 1212 Playa del Rey 1642 661 831 1560 90293 1168 620 765 1212 Santa Monica 1642 1069 1383 1560 90401-05 1168 1003 1261 1212 Topanga 1334 1069 1213 1560 90290 1070 1003 1141 1212 Venice 1642 1069 1383 1560 90291 1168 1003 1261 1212
Aetna Civil City Casualty J.C. Service Hartford Zip Code Surety Penney Employees Casualty Avalon 798 930 873 --- 90704 718 728 724 --- Bel-Air 1202 1156 1206 2292 90077 1026 922 1047 2480 Beverly Hills 1770 2318 1325-1742 2210 90210-12 1556 1946 1147-1568 2394 Century City 1202 1732 1205 1418 90067 1026 1406 1047 1534 Culver City 1302 1732 1742 1418 90230-32 1130 1406 1568 1534 Hollywood 1770 2118-2318 837-1742 2210-2292 90068-71 1556 1760-1946 724-1568 2394-2480 Los Angeles 1770 2286-2318 2260 2292 90001-10 1556 1926-1946 2025 2480 Los Angeles 1770 1530-2318 2260 2292 90011-20 1556 1276-1946 2025 2480 Los Angeles 1202-1770 1530-2318 1206-2260 1418-2292 90021-29 1026-1556 1276-1946 1047-2025 1534-2480 Los Angeles 1302-1770 1530-2318 1457-2250 1418-2292 90030-39 1130-1556 1276-1946 1265-2025 1534-2480 Los Angeles 848-1770 1182-2318 926-2260 940-2292 90040-49 722-1556 958-1946 789-2025 1030-2480 Los Angeles 1302-1770 1530-2286 1457-2260 1418-2292 90056-60 1130-1556 1276-1926 1265-2505 1534-2480 Los Angeles 1202-1770 1732-2286 926-2260 940-2292 90061-66 1026-1556 1406-1926 789-2025 1030-2460 Malibu 1202 1542 1206 1500 90265 1026 1264 1047 1640 Marina del Rey 1202 1732 1206 1418 90292 1026 1406 1047 1534 Pacific Palisades 1202 1732 1206 1418 90272 1026 1406 1047 1534 Playa del Rey --- 1732 1206 1418 90293 --- 1406 1047 1534 Santa Monica 1202 1732 1206 1418 90401-05 1026 1406 1047 1534 Topanga 1202 1542 1206 1590 90290 1026 1264 1047 1640 Venice 1202 1732 1206 1418 90291 1026 1406 1047 1534
