Your driving habits may change as you get older which will affect both your driving behaviour and your insurance. In this post we’ll outline how your car usage may shift throughout your last 20s, 30s and 40s, and discuss how this might affect the time you spend on the road.
Driving in Your 30s and 40s – What Changes and Why Can It Affect Insurance?
As you reach your 30s and 40s, you might start to notice gradual changes to the way you use your car. It’s changes like these that affect your risk and ultimately, your insurance premiums.
Commuting Changes
You may find yourself commuting shorter or longer distances as your job or career shifts. Or, given the growing numbers of employees who work from home either part- or full-time, you may find yourself commuting less overall. Your annual mileage will affect your premiums, and as if it rises, your insurance is likely to go up.
Increased Family Commitments
You may choose to start a family, or your kids may be getting older. In any case, family commitments will affect your driving habits.
You’ll face the school run, for example, potentially along with more errands and lifts. There may be long road trips a few times a year as part of your family holidays. Once your kids get to a certain age, you may have to help them travel to and from university.
Increased Choice of Different Cars
Young drivers and first-time drivers often choose whatever car they can afford, or they’ll drive whichever car is available. In your 30s and 40s, with your increased experience and your growing financial security, you may have a lot more flexibility to choose exactly which car you want to drive.
You may choose to drive an SUV for practical reasons, or you may choose to treat yourself to a high performance sports car. Or maybe you’ll decide to go fully electric, along with all the practicalities that this would entail.
In any case, the specific type of car you drive will have a direct impact on your experience on the roads. It will affect the speeds you travel at, the space you take up, and potentially, the amount of time you spend on the road overall.
Health Changes
Your overall health may change as you get older. In your 30s and 40s, for example, you may start to notice that your eyesight is getting worse and start wearing glasses or contact lenses while driving. The older you get, the more you’ll have to consider how your overall health might impact your driving.
Why is Car Insurance Cheaper at 25 and Above?
Car insurance costs are based on risk, and your age is one of the factors insurers use to estimate that risk. Generally, newer drivers tend to pay more for cover because they have less experience on the road, while more experienced drivers often pay less as they build up a safe driving record and no claim discount.
However, age is only one part of the equation. Insurers also consider things like your driving history, the type of vehicle you drive, and how you use it. As drivers gain experience and maintain good driving habits, their premiums often decrease over time, reflecting the lower risk they present to insurers.
Affordable Comprehensive Car Insurance Cover At Every Stage Of Your Life Journey
At Insure 2 Drive, we offer comprehensive car insurance cover no matter how old you are – whether you’re a young driver right at the start of your driving life, or a more seasoned driver.
