Glossary term
Base rate
Base rate: The starting premium for a coverage in a territory before individual factors and discounts.
Where this term matters
Guides and entries on this site that use the term.
Guide
The 12 Reasons Car Insurance Rates Are High
Every factor that sets a car insurance premium—record, age, location, vehicle, credit, coverage, market trends—ranked by how much each one typically moves the price.
Guide
Why Car Insurance Went Up With No Claims or Tickets
The reasons a premium rises when your record is clean: base-rate increases, territory re-rating, lost discounts, age-band changes, credit shifts and vehicle symbol updates.
Guide
How Your ZIP Code Affects Car Insurance
Why the same driver can pay twice as much in one ZIP code as in another: territory rating, urban density, theft, weather, litigation and uninsured drivers.
Entry
How to Get Car Insurance After a Coverage Lapse: Practical Steps and Costs
Understand what happens after a car insurance lapse, how insurers price coverage gaps, and practical steps to secure an affordable policy again.