Kevin Drum has a short piece on the recent surge in auto insurance rates. He doesn’t offer any explanation in his post, but the comment thread has suggestions:

• a combination of increase in bad driving and lack of enforcement;

• fender benders are much more costly since all the self-driving gear as well as lane alerts, back up and blind spot cameras, etc., are in the bumpers, windshields and side view mirrors;

• the increased number of EVs on the road, which some commenters assert are more expensive to repair;

• increased damage due to climate change (fires, floods).

Commenters note that insurance rates have also surged in Canada and Germany, so it’s apparently not just a US thing.

Discuss.

Explaining the surge in auto insurance rates