Does Your Job Affect Auto Insurance Rates?

Perhaps you’re wondering why your insurance agent asked about your job—small talk or something more? Does your occupation truly affect your car insurance rate? How does being a teacher say anything more than that you like to teach?

Remember, all auto insurers are simply trying to calculate your risk. There are many factors that go into your driver profile and every insurer has their own unique calculations, data and statistics. Some may take your credit score into account, except in California, Hawaii and Massachusetts, and all will look at your vehicle model and location. Similarly, some insurers may see a correlation between job type and filed claims.

While your job position is unlikely to have a huge effect on raising or lowering your auto insurance premium—your job isn’t your driving record—knowing which occupations raise or lower your rate may offer up some valuable insight.

Based on EverQuote data, we found…

The following occupations had the lowest amount of traffic violations:

1. Architect
2. Military Officers
3. Dentist
4. Business Owner

The following occupations had the highest amount of traffic violations:

1. Sales
2. Construction Trades
3. Administrative and Clerical
4. Retail

These results aren’t too surprising when you consider what these jobs entail. Architects, military officers and dentists are all required to be very detail-oriented and orderly in their day-to-day lives. 

On the other hand, sales and construction trades both require a different subset of skills. That doesn’t automatically mean that people with those careers are bad drivers, it only suggests that a group of people with those careers received more traffic violations in a set period of time. Perhaps, they have to drive further for their job or work late hours, as is often the case for retail workers.

Your insurer may have their own stats about which careers lead to safer drivers. However, having multiple traffic violations can raise your car insurance rates, as tickets signify that you may be careless on the road. Show your insurer that you are a safe driver, regardless of your job, with a clean driving record without tickets.

It goes without saying, but be sure to always answer your insurer truthfully, as lying about your occupation (or anything else) could put you on an insurance fraud list, which would bring your rate up much higher than a risky job would.

Not all car insurers will take your occupation into account, but some will. That’s why it’s best practice to compare a few quotes from various insurers to find the best car insurance coverage for you. If you dislike the idea of being compared to collective data, consider switching to a usage-based insurance policy where your premium will be based more on your driving habits than how you make a living.

Don’t forget to ask about discounts. If you have an affinity to a certain employer, organization or professional group, be sure to mention it. Some professional groups and universities have discounts with carriers that can help you save.