If you’ve ever visited the Dallas-Fort Worth area you know how massive and sprawling the region is. The city of Dallas itself is split between five different counties and has a population of 1.2 million, while the entire Dallas metropolitan area is the largest in the southern United States and the fourth largest in the nation with a total population of more than 6.5 million. With that many people, and the total number of square miles the city covers, it should be no surprise that drivers in Dallas pay about 19% more for car insurance then the rest of Texas residents.

Dallas Car Insurance

The average cost for car insurance in the greater Dallas area is just over $1,500 annually. While that high by Texas standards, it’s only about $100 more per year than the average price across the country. Keep in mind that residents in large metropolitan areas such as this tend to pay slightly higher car insurance rates than those who live in more rural areas. This isn’t a matter of insurance companies picking on city residents; it’s just a mathematical equation. The more people concentrated in a single area, the more likely you are to have an accident or be found guilty of a violation. Hence, insurance rates in large metropolitan areas tend to be higher.

Dallas Demographics

Demographics and other statistical data play an important role in determining how much individual drivers pay for car insurance. For example, young male drivers between the ages of 16 and 25 pay the highest rates for car insurance among all drivers. This is because they have been statistically proven to be the drivers most likely to have accidents or to be caught speeding. The young man who gets married prior to the age of 25 will see a slight decrease in his rates because married men tend to be more reliable and stable.

Elderly drivers may also pay higher insurance rates if they have a history of accidents or violations. That type of scenario is rare however, since many adult children will pull their parents off the road at such time as their driving habits become dangerous. As far as the safest drivers on the road, these are middle-aged women between the ages of 26 and 55. They have the best insurance rates not only in Dallas, but all across the country.

Recent census data shows that drivers in the greater Dallas region are split just about 50-50 between men and women. That ratio is good news for Dallas drivers because it lowers the general risk assessment as compared to a city where male drivers make up 60 to 70%. Also of note is the fact that only 21% of all Dallas drivers are those high-risk males between the ages of 16 and 25. High-risk elderly drivers only make up about 6% of the population.

Looking at accident data in Dallas for 2008 shows some alarming statistics among male drivers. For example, nearly 94% of all car accidents were caused by men. That is astounding when you consider the national average is significantly lower. Along with that statistic is the fact that the average speed of the vehicles involved was 60 miles an hour. Finally, the state registered 40 fatalities in the Dallas area for 2008. All of these factors work together to determine the average insurance costs for area residents.

Dallas Insurance Agents

Because of Dallas’ immense size and population there are literally thousands of independent insurance agents representing hundreds of companies. These agents represent regional insurance carriers, state insurance carriers, and the nationally-known companies like Prudential, 21st century, and Farmer’s. If you choose to use a local agent for your car insurance you will have the added benefit of an individual who can compare the prices and coverage from multiple companies to provide you with the best deal.

If you prefer to bypass the local agent and deal directly with the insurance company yourself, most major insurance companies make that possible through their websites. In cases where it’s not, you can always contact them by phone and deal with them directly.