How many miles is considered low mileage for insurance?

Asked by: Karelle Weimann  |  Last update: February 11, 2022
Score: 4.4/5 (4 votes)

Most insurance providers consider someone who drives between 0 and 7,500 miles per year a "low-mileage driver." Most insurance consumers are initially rated by default at the standard U.S. average mileage of 12,000 miles per year. However, some motorists drive far fewer than 12,000 miles per year.

Is car insurance cheaper if you do less miles?

Car insurance premiums are based on risk. The further and more often you drive, the more likely you are to be involved in and accident and need to make a claim. So, the higher your annual mileage, the higher your premium is likely to cost.

What is considered low mileage on a car?

So, a car that is five years old would have about 75,000 miles to be considered “average.” Anything significantly more, and a car is considered to be “high mileage.” Anything significantly less, and it's a “low mileage” car.

Do insurance companies check your mileage?

Do insurance companies check mileage? – they certainly do. They need that information to calculate the premium. But you should also be aware of your driving habits.

How do car insurance companies know your mileage?

Generally speaking, insurers will ask you for an estimate of your total mileage, but they might also take an annual odometer reading for verification purposes as well. If they choose to use databases or repair shops' information, they could have an accurate odometer reading at any point in time.

How Long Can a Car Really Last

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What is a good amount of miles on a car?

As a general rule, you should assume that the average car owner puts 12,000 miles on a car each year. To determine whether a car has reasonable mileage, you can simply multiply 12,000 by its age. That means good mileage for a car that's 5 years old is 60,000.

Is my insurance void if I go over mileage?

If you are involved in an accident and need to make a claim your insurance provider will check how many miles you have done and if you have exceeded your mileage you run the risk of your policy being invalid and your claim rejected.

Is 3000 miles a year enough?

3,000 miles is very low. Torque converter seal and engine seal leaks can occur from not using the car enough. Average mileage in the USA is between 10,000 and 15,000 miles a year. I personally, would not buy a car that averaged 3,000 miles a year for 4 years or longer.

Is low mileage better than age?

The older a vehicle, the less it's worth. Again, because it's more likely to need repairs at some point, but also because it will fall behind the standards of newer models. Ultimately, car age and mileage both matter when buying a used car.

Is mileage more important than age?

When buying a used car, it comes down to two things — the miles on the vehicle and its age. Newer used vehicles typically cost more than older ones, as they usually have less wear and tear. And used cars with lower mileage usually cost more than those with higher mileage.

What happens to a car after 100k miles?

So here's what we're looking at at the 100,000 mile mark: Your vehicle's fluids break down the age, so change your oil, coolant, and transmission, brake and power steering fluid. Check your timing belt. At some point in its long life it will begin to wear and crack will eventually break, which can ruin your engine.

Is 5000 miles a year low?

There's no firm answer but generally speaking an average annual mileage might be 8-10,000 miles a year so a number below that could be seen as low. An annual mileage of 5,000 and under is certainly on the low side, though every insurer is likely to have its own criteria and method of assessment.

Can you lie about annual mileage?

Underreported mileage poses a huge problem to almost all insurance businesses. ... When policyholders lie about how much they drive, insurance providers will work with erroneous data and inaccurately calculate risk. The result is a large amount of premium leakage for insurance companies every single year.

What is the average annual mileage for a car?

The average annual miles driven in the United States is about 14,263, according to the latest U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration data from 2019.

What happens when you go over your mileage?

Excess mileage

Most leasing companies charge around 15 to 20 cents per mile over the amount allowed in the contract, commonly 12,000 miles per year. If you're way over the allowed mileage and looking at a big penalty, you still have options. ... In most cases, the buyout price is close to the current market value price.

Is driving 20 000 miles a year a lot?

20,000 miles a year can be considered a lot given the average miles driven by both, American men and women. Additionally, 20,000 miles a year on a car can easily be considered high but it all depends on maintenance. If a car is well maintained, 20,000 miles a year may not matter too much.

How is annual mileage calculated for insurance?

You can get an idea of your annual mileage by comparing the difference between the total miles travelled in your car each year. For example, if your total mileage is 20,000 in year 1, 40,000 in year 2, and 60,000 in year 3, you know you're driving roughly 20,000 miles per year.

What is the life span of a car?

A typical passenger car should last 200,000 miles or more, says Rich White, executive director of the nonprofit Car Care Council (which offers a free car care guide). Another way of looking at it: “The average lifespan [of a car] is now almost 12 years,” says Eric Lyman, chief analyst at TrueCar.

Is a car with 200k miles worth buying?

In some cases, you can be fine buying a used car with 150,000 or even 200,000 miles on it, because maintenance helps them last far beyond what many people have come to expect. When considering mileage on a used car, don't take it at face value.

How many miles is too high for a used car?

As long as a car is more than 10 years old, 100,000 miles is a reasonable number, but more on that later. 100,000 miles should be treated as high mileage. If you own a high mileage car, make sure to change the oil with high mileage formula oil, and change it as recommended by the oil manufacturer.

How many miles is too many for a new car?

The general rule, though, is that anything under 200 miles is acceptable for a new car. That allows enough capacity for transport from the shipping port or between dealerships if the car has to be sent to a new showroom. It's also unlikely that the car would suffer any technical issues with fewer than 200 miles.

What is the average annual mileage for a car UK?

Typical average annual mileage for cars in the UK

In 2019, the average car in the UK drove 7,400 miles – that's down a massive 20-percent than the figure in 2002. This is due to a drop in business driving and private driving, with commuting mileage holding steady at 2,700 miles a year on average per car.

What maintenance does my car need at 100K?

In all likelihood, your transmission fluid, oil, coolant, power steering fluid, and brake fluid will all require to be replaced during your 100,000 mile maintenance appointment.