Around the country, car insurance premiums are going up. According to a January 2024 article from CBS News, “auto insurance rates jumped 20%” from December 2022 to December 2023, and “Insurance coverage far outpaced the rate of inflation, rising six times faster than consumer prices overall last year.”
“In 2023, the average U.S. rate for full auto coverage rose to $2,019 per year, up 24% from $1,633 in 2022 and nearly 29% from $1,567 the prior year, according to insurance comparison shopping site Insurify,” writes author Kate Gibson. “A bare-bones policy required by states climbed to $1,154 a year in 2023.”
To hear insurance companies explain it, they are being forced to increase prices due to rising costs.
“Vehicles are more expensive and costlier to replace, with inflation driving up the cost of computer components and other parts required for repairs,” writes Gibson. Other sources have cited issues such as weather and “riskier driving behavior.”
However, some say these price increases can be chalked up to, in part, corporate greed.
“The spiking of insurance premiums is far outpacing inflation. And these rate increases come on the heels of massive insurer windfalls during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they got massive profits,” said Michael DeLong of the Consumer Federation of America, speaking to the Columbus Dispatch. “When times were tough only for consumers, insurers kept most of the money for themselves and gave their CEOs and senior executives and stockholders big rewards. And now that times are tough for insurers, they claim they need to raise rates.”
Regardless of the reason, internet users aren’t too happy about it. One user sparked discussion after claiming Geico raised his rate from $289 to $436 for “no reason.” Others have simply shared advice on how to lower car insurance rates.
Now, a user on TikTok has gone viral after sharing his own car insurance gripes. In a video with over 2.6 million views as of Sunday, TikTok user Jojo Scarlotta (@jojoscarlotta) says that car insurance is “getting out of hand now.”
“I don’t know what they expect people to do. My credit score is 800, I’ll be 25 in two f*cking weeks. Yet my car insurance in the last two years went from 220 to 270, now to 320,” says Scarlotta.
“I give them a call,” he continues. “They said, ‘Sir, there’s nothing we can do, we’re getting calls — our phones are off the f*cking hook,’ because people all over the place, apparently, their insurance went up too.”
“Am I alone in this f*cking sh*t?” Scarlotta asks. “I’m paying nearly $900 a month for a Nissan Rogue Sport. I’m paying $1,000 a month to not look masculine at all.”
@jojoscarlotta Getting out of hand now! 💀🤣 #fyp ♬ original sound – JojoScarlotta
In the comments, users shared in the TikToker’s dismay at the current state of the insurance market.
“The only thing I’ve found that lowers my car insurance is to switch,” said a user. “They don’t give discounts to loyal customers but they do new customers.”
“We should get reimbursed at the end of the year for driving safe,” declared another.
“Apparently mine was supposed to go down.. I’m 33 and it’s getting higher every 6 months,” offered a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Scarlotta via email.
