Why would the death of my spouse affect my auto and home insurance premiums?

Insurance premiums for home and auto insurance are based on many different factors. Age, credit score, insurance history and location are all important, and you could find that your rates go up after the death of a spouse because you are being evaluated on your own merits rather than on those of your spouse.

One example of this might be with your credit score. If your spouse had a higher credit score than you and the policy was issued under their name, your premiums could go up when your own credit score becomes the primary credit comparison. Similarly, if you have a history of filing personal insurance claims and your spouse did not, then the rates you pay will change based on your own insurance-related activities. By the same token, if you are older than your spouse was, you may not qualify for the same discounts as the spouse did, causing a rise in your premiums.

If your rates have gone up because of the death of a spouse, it might be time to shop for new insurance policies. Use the free insurance quotes and comparisons offered on this website to look for lower rates. If you are looking for more than type of policy, such as car insurance and home insurance, keep in mind that you may qualify for a discount by purchasing both policies from the same company. You might also want to drop some unnecessary coverages, such as collision or comprehensive coverage on a vehicle that is paid off.

You may not be able to find rates as low as what you paid when your spouse was alive for a number of reasons, but you can almost certainly find lower rates than what you are paying now. The trick is to know what discounts you qualify for and to use rate comparisons to compare the premiums from different insurance companies. It is not unusual for the death of a spouse to have negative implications on your insurance, but you are always free to shop for lower prices with another company.