There are many factors that determine the rate you pay for your car insurance. One of the larger criteria is where you live.

Let’s take a look at some of the location-specific elements that may have an impact on your car insurance rates.

The tires on your car take a heck of a beating. Most passenger tires can handle 40,000 miles or more before needing replaced, and that’s a lot of pot holes, curb checks and hard braking.

Occasionally the life of a tire will be cut short by a puncture, generally in the sidewall, that is not fixable like a nail hole in the tread area.

Years ago, the only way to buy insurance was through a local insurance agent. Even small towns had multiple agencies that often competed directly across the street from each other. There was no internet, no online quotes and no way to contact many companies except through an agent.

Boy times have changed.

Most people think the purpose of car insurance is to reimburse you if your car gets damaged. If your car sustains $1,500 worth of damage from a hail storm you expect to be paid that amount minus your comprehensive deductible.

If you’ve received a DUI, chances are you’ve been beaten up pretty good by court costs, fines and attorney’s fees. The last thing you need to worry about is finding DUI car insurance.

You may have gotten by for a little while on your current policy before your car insurance company discovered your DUI on your driving record.

The day you’ve always dreaded is finally here. You’re getting ready to add your teen driver to your car insurance policy and bracing for the huge premium increase thanks to Junior’s inexperience behind the wheel.

We can’t blame car insurance companies for charging more to insure our teenagers.

Unless you’ve been under a rock recently, you’ve probably seen Progressive’s new marketing campaign advertising their new Snapshot device.

The Progressive Snapshot is a small digital device that plugs into the diagnostic port on most 1995 and newer vehicles. By using Snapshot, Progressive claims you can save up to 30% off your car insurance rates.