Do you live in a place where vehicle crime is prevalent? If so, you might be in for a bit of sticker shock when you get insurance for your car.
Car thefts – and where they happen – matter. That’s a fact for any Georgia motorist shopping for auto insurance.
The effect of vehicle theft rates on insurance includes possibly paying more for coverage if you live in a part of the state — or even a section of a Georgia city — where auto thefts are more common than elsewhere. Get the facts.
Georgia’s Ongoing Battle with Auto Theft
In some recent years, Georgia has been ranked in the top 10 nationally for auto theft rate. That’s not a good classification in which to be on the leaderboard.
Within the state, those thefts are likely to occur in and near Atlanta, Savannah, and other more populated communities. Curiously, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is a major magnet for car thieves too. In 2024, more than 300 vehicles were taken from long-term parking at this location.
Connecting Increased Thefts to Spiking Premiums
Insurance underwriters do all they can to avoid paying out more in claims than their company collects in premiums. If that revenue imbalance happens with too many policyholders, insurers will go broke.
That’s why underwriters try to calculate all potential risks before selling you a policy. One such factor is the increased likelihood of your car being stolen or vandalized if you live and drive in certain locations.
If your address is in an area where vehicles carry a higher risk of being lost or damaged in this manner, that statistic will weigh heavier in the blend of factors insurers use to determine what you’ll pay for coverage. By the same token, your rates will be lower if you’re in a low theft-risk neighborhood or community.
Keep in mind, theft risk is only one factor of many that insurers put into the calculation to determine what you’ll pay for a policy. They’ll also consider your driving record, your insurance claims history, the make, model, and age of your vehicle, and many other factors.
As a result, you might not get dinged too much for living in a high-risk location for thievery if you’re judged more favorably in other areas.
Regional Risk Factors in Georgia
Does living in an unsafe neighborhood raise car insurance rates?
One easy way to look at the subject is that the likelihood of car theft is highest in more densely populated areas where vehicles are most exposed to the public. To put it another way, opportunity breeds felony.
The theft at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport mentioned earlier is a leading example. Thousands of travelers park there, and they leave their vehicles for an extended period of time in a place open to the public. Thieves have time and opportunity, and they take advantage.
Car Theft Hot Spots
Take special care when leaving your car in high-crime areas of big cities — and the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, of course. But the risk goes even deeper.
One of the leaders in the Georgia region for high auto theft rates is Baldwin County, in the center of the state. Its largest city, Milledgeville, only has a population of about 16,000 people, and the whole county only numbers some 43,000 residents.
The bottom line is to be careful wherever you travel in the Peach State and beyond.
Urban vs. Rural: the Geographic Premium Divide
Do car thefts in my area affect my insurance rates?
Yes, your address matters when it comes to setting auto insurance rates. In general, the theft rate is higher in cities than in rural Georgia. For starters, there are simply more people in cities, so it’s likelier that some of them will be car thieves than in less populated areas.
The opportunity is greater in more populated areas too. Parking might be more challenging here. You might have to leave your car on a curb or in a less secure parking lot in urban communities, while you could be likelier to have the security of a garage in which to park if you live in a smaller town. If you live on a farm, your vehicles might be stored hundreds of yards from even a sparsely traveled road.
Therefore, the rates you’re charged for car insurance will be set based on the risk level connected to your address. If you live in a more rural environment, you typically will be seen as less at risk of losing your car to thieves, and therefore, you’ll pay less.
Preventive Measures for Protecting and Savings
You can modify the risk of auto theft in Georgia and its impact on your wallet by taking various precautions. For starters, always be aware of your surroundings. Don’t leave your vehicle in a location where car thieves would have plenty of time and opportunity to do their worst. That includes parking lots that are underlit or forlorn areas where the police are less likely to patrol.
In addition, you can buy and install various brands of steering wheel locks and alarms that can deter criminals. Furthermore, this step just might earn you an insurance rate reduction.
Before making that move, consult with a knowledgeable auto insurance agent who can show you comprehensive insurance policies that offer strong financial protection against thieves.
They can also steer you toward the anti-theft products that might earn you the best discounts and explain other car insurance tips and strategies for containing costs.