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Money & Career
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Students can conquer woes of car insurance
By Mark McMaster
Kansan Correspondent
Car owners burdened with automobile insurance may find themselves driven someplace they don't want to be — into debt.
What many students don't know is that while they attend the University of Kansas, they could take advantage of Lawrence's relatively low car insurance rates.
With minimal paperwork and little contact with an insurance salesman, some could save hundreds of dollars annually.
"The insurance cost for a certain city is basically governed by the amount of cars on the road and the crime rate," said David Miller, an independent insurance agent. "Lawrence is cheaper than Topeka, Overland Park or Wichita."
In most cases, the cost difference between Lawrence and larger cities is substantial. For example, insuring a 1991 fourdoor Honda Accord DX to an 18-year-old with a spotty driving record in Overland Park would cost $1,091 every six months.
since I still live in Indiana over the summer, I figured there was no need to go through the hassle of changing my insurance."
Usually, the larger the city, the higher the rate, which means that KU students insured in cities such as Chicago or St. Louis pay far more than they should be. However, few students notify their insurers that they will be attending college in Lawrence.
"I'm from the Indianapolis area, which has incredibly expensive rates — some of the highest in the nation," said Andy Mathews, Greenwood, Ind., freshman. "But
But Mathews doesn't need to worry about an inconvenience, said insurance agent Gary Beasley. Out-of-state car owners don't need to change their property registration or obtain Kansas tags to get Lawrence rates.
"All they have to do is call up their insurance agent, tell them that their car will be used here, and they can pay the Lawrence rate," he said.
Miller suggested that students also should contact a local branch of their insurer to process the change. He warned that not all agents or companies are qualified to sell insurance in Kansas, so out-of-state customers should verify that their insurer sells insurance in Lawrence.
Students also have an option of declaring their car "off-road," which means that it will not be driven at any time and must be stored on private property. However, Miller said that most states require registered cars to be insured at all times.
Miller also advised students to look into "good student" discounts.
But other than these options, high insurance rates are simply a fact of life for young car owners.
"Single males under 25 and single females under 25 are the highest-risk groups to insure, so they are going to pay a lot more for coverage," Miller said. "But the older you are, the less expensive it is. Each year it's a little cheaper."
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The Hill September 12, 1996
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The City Scene
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