Truths About The 15% Auto Decrease
Despite what you’ve heard in the news, the promised rate reductions aren't instant, and will take time. The government has set a target to reduce rates on average by 15% over two years ending August 2015; 8% by August 2014 and; another 7% by August 2015. This means not everyone is guaranteed to see a 15% reduction - it'll depend on a number of factors:
- Your insurer – Companies that can demonstrate they can’t provide the reduction don’t have to.
- Where you live – Insurers price by territory claim experience, and can justify different rates depending on where you live.
- Your individual characteristics – It's an average, so some may get higher reductions while others will get lower reductions.
The rate reductions, particularly in the second year, will depend on how successful the government is in reducing the cost of fraud, mostly in health claims. The government is working on the licensing of health care clinics and regulating the towing industry, but this will take time. As a voter, you should encourage your politicians to try and fix the fraud problem as quickly as possible, because the faster fraud can be combated, the faster premiums can be lowered; it can’t be done overnight, and will take some time.