Other than thinking about the high price of gas, most people do not think about how many miles they drive in a day or a week. If you need to go to the grocery store in Bethlehem, PA, you get in your car and go. If you have to commute 100 miles each week to go to school, that is what you do. Even though you may not keep close track of how far you drive, you probably realize that the cost of owning and operating a vehicle goes up as you drive greater distances.

Obviously, your cost of fuel will be more if you drive 20,000 miles in a year instead of only 10,000 miles per year. Your tires will wear out faster and you will have to replace them with new ones. Maintenance and repair costs will also rise proportionately as you increase the number of miles you drive.

What you might not realize is that auto insurance companies pay close attention to how far you drive. They normally do not care if you drive 1,000 miles in a week to take a vacation or drive 20 miles each day to go to school. Generally speaking, your insurance cost is affected by the total amount of miles you drive in a year.

Insurance companies are not worried about how much you spend on gas or how many times you will have to change your oil. They are only concerned about mileage because it can increase your risk of being in an accident or suffering some type of loss. If your car is parked in the driveway and not being driven, there is a much lower chance of you filing a claim for a loss.

While miles driven is not as important as your driving record in determining your premium for auto insurance, it is a factor. If your circumstances change and you will only be driving half as many miles as you did the previous year, notify your independent agent. You may be able to get a reduction in your insurance cost.