To non-Coloradans, the State of Colorado would appear to live up to its motto of “Nothing without Providence” in the way that acts like an angry God towards its car driving citizens. Not only is it particularly complicated to be a legal young driver in Colorado, once you have a driving license it can be revoked for jumping a red light, having an unpaid parking ticket or failing to pay your child support!

Reinstatement of your license (which is only valid for five years anyway) costs $95.00, may require you to take a written test and/ or road test and you have to provide evidence of Colorado car insurance before you can get back into your car. If it was not for the inspiring and beautiful landscape, you would have to wonder why anybody bothers to drive a car in Colorado at all!

Colorado Car Insurance Requirements

Nonetheless, drive they do and, if you look at statistics released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Colorado drivers are getting better at it. A steady decline in the number of fatal road accidents and serious accidents where alcohol was a relevant factor has resulted in a fall in Colorado auto insurance rates over the past five years.

This reduction in Colorado auto insurance rates has brought the annual average car insurance premium below the national average of $1,434 (2009) despite the State law which requires drivers to also carry minimum medical payment coverage of $5,000. Other minimum liability limits are as follow:-

$25,000 for injury/death to one person

$50,000 for injury/death to more than one person

$15,000 for damage to property

Colorado Auto Insurance Laws

Although the Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) maintains a register of who has auto insurance, Colorado auto insurance laws state that you must carry proof of insurance in your vehicle at all times (as well as proof of identity, age, name and lawful presence in the United States). Your car insurance company will inform the DMV if your car insurance lapses and you may be required to show proof of SR-22 following certain license suspensions or revocations.

Colorado State is also very tough on drivers caught driving under the influence. As well as paying the costs of prosecution and potentially having your driving license revoked, you may have to attend alcohol education classes and face an increase of up to $1,800 on your Colorado car insurance premiums. You will be classified as “high-risk” during any period following a license suspension and have to get (and maintain) SR-22 auto insurance for a minimum of three years.

Recommended Colorado Car Insurance Coverage

Many insurance experts feel that Colorado´s minimum liability limits are too low. Inasmuch as the medical payment coverage is a good idea, it will only cover you for transportation to hospital and emergency treatment in the event of an accident. Although you may have additional private medical coverage to cover your own medical expenses, should you be at fault for a road traffic accident in which another driver is injured, the $25,000 coverage provided by your Colorado auto insurance policy is likely to be insufficient.

Therefore, the suggested level of Colorado car insurance for injury and death in at-fault road accidents is $100,000/$300,000. It is also a good idea to review your coverage for collisions with uninsured/under-insured motorists, or simply take out a fully comprehensive auto insurance policy. Indeed, many banks will insist on fully comprehensive car insurance in Colorado if you have purchased a car with an auto loan.

Cheap Colorado Car Insurance Quotes

The best way to get cheap Colorado car insurance quotes is to shop around on the Internet and ask for discounts. Many young drivers – who face some of the highest auto insurance rates in Colorado – do not realize that some Colorado car insurance companies will offer them discounts for good grades in school (it shows responsibility) or for taking a defensive driving course.

You can also reduce your car insurance premiums in Colorado by being prepared to pay a higher deductible and by adding security features to your car to make it less likely to get stolen. You can also choose to opt out of the medical payments coverage (it has to be offered to you by law), but the price you may ultimately have to pay may be more than the few dollars you will save trying to get cheap car insurance in Colorado.

Colorado Car Insurance Ratings

As well as your age and your driving history, there are a number of other factors which affect your auto insurance premiums in Colorado. Colorado car insurance ratings are compiled using historical data from accident and vehicle theft statistics to help the car insurance company determine what level of risk you present to them.

For example, drivers aged 16-19 present the risk of a crash in Colorado than drivers aged 65-69. However, 87.80 percent of road traffic accidents in Thornton (for example) are caused by male drivers. Therefore, if you are a female teenage driver, your Colorado car insurance premium will not be affected too much by your age – unless you drive a Honda and live in Denver (see below for an explanation).

Other factors which influence auto insurance quotes in Colorado include:-

• Where You Live – Thornton (mentioned above) has a dreadful record for road safety, and if you live in that area (or most places in Adams County) you are likely to pay more for your car insurance than you would in Boulder. Denver (also mentioned above) has the highest number of vehicle thefts per capita in Colorado State.
• Driving History – The longer you drive without causing an accident or making a claim on your Colorado auto insurance, the bigger discount you will receive from your car insurance company. Just one accident and the loss of your good driver discount can more than double your car insurance rates in Colorado.
• Year, Make and Model of Vehicle – Honda Civics and Honda Accords are good, reliable cars which are inexpensive to run. They are also the two most popular models of cars for vehicle thieves in Colorado. You need to have an “insurance friendly” vehicle if you want to save money on your auto insurance rates in Colorado.
• Vehicle Security – You can also save money on car insurance in Colorado if you lock your car in your garage at night rather than leave it on the drive. If you do not have the option of secure parking, fit an engine immobilizer or tracking device and advise your insurance company. You will save much more on your car insurance premiums in the long term.
• Vehicle Usage – The less you use your car, the less you are perceived as being a risk to Colorado car insurance companies. You are likely to pay more for auto insurance in Colorado if you use your car every day for commuting to work, and even if it is only used for the daily school run.

Most Commonly Stolen Cars and Vehicles in Colorado

Each year, the National Insurance Crime Bureau compiles a list of the most commonly stolen cars in specific States. The Hondas were already mentioned above as an example, but if your vehicle appears anywhere on the list below, it is likely that you will be penalized by your Colorado car insurance company.

The list of “popular” stolen vehicles in Colorado (2009)

1.       Honda Accord

2.       Honda Civic

3.       Acura Integra

4.       Dodge Ram

5.       Toyota Camry

6.       Grand Cherokee

7.       Ford F150 Pick Up

8.       Saturn SL

9.       Cherokee Jeep

10.     Ford F250 Pick Up

Where Your Car May Get Stolen in Colorado

Similarly the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) produces a list of “Hot Spots” – districts where the ratio of cars stolen per capita is particularly high. Only seven Colorado “Metropolitan Statistical Areas” appear in the NICB´s list of 360 nationwide Hot Spots, and only Denver makes the top 100 (National ranking shown in brackets). Nonetheless, if you live in any of the following areas, you are likely to be paying more for your Colorado auto insurance.

1.       Denver (63)

2.       Pueblo (119)

3.       Colorado Springs (139)

4.       Grand Junction (193)

5.       Greeley (202)

6.       Fort Collins (267)

7.       Boulder (301)

Typical Colorado Car Insurance Rates

There is a wide variety of Colorado car insurance rates – mostly driven by geography rather than the individual driver´s merits. The list below provides a selection of annual auto insurance rates for various locations within Colorado, and reflects the average premium paid in 2009. Your own Colorado car insurance quote will be influenced by your own personal circumstances.

Car insurance in Boulder – $1,005

Car insurance in Fort Collins – $1,063

Car insurance in Pueblo $1,411

Car insurance in Westminster – $1,434

Car insurance in Colorado Springs – $1,438

Car insurance in Denver – $1,439

Car insurance in Lakewood – $1,461

Car insurance in Arvada – $1,506

Car insurance in Aurora – $1,644

Car insurance in Thornton – $1,731

Colorado Car Insurance Companies

As mentioned above, it is often in your best interests to shop around in order to get the best car insurance in Colorado – the cheapest not always being the “best”! There are many, many car insurance companies in Colorado, and you are invited to speed up your search by taking advantage of the free search tool at the top of the page which will enable you to compare Colorado car insurance  quotes at the click of a button.