Living in a majority-Black community is costly when it comes to car insurance. People who live in a majority-Black zip codes in Georgia are charged 11.1% more than drives in less diverse communities, according to a a study by ValuePenguin’s State Auto Insurance.
Although it’s illegal for car insurance companies to discriminate based on rates, the companies are legitimatizing the form of discrimination through zip codes by factoring in environmental issues such as accident rates and crime.
When it comes to areas where Black people make up at least 70% of the population, the rate increases to over 25%. For example, the annual car insurance premiums for residents in majority Black communities is $4,423 compared to $3,537 average for other zip codes in Georgia. The study found that residents in majority-White zip codes paid less than all zip codes with an annual car insurance rate of $3,342.
The study also breaks down which car insurance companies have the biggest and least disparities when it comes to insuring Black zip codes. Geico insurance premiums are 33.5% higher for residents living in Black-majority ZIP codes compared to white-majority ZIP codes. When it comes to zip codes that are 70% Black, the rate rises to 63.3%, according to the study.
In turn, Farm Bureau premiums are about 6.5% higher for residents who live in majority areas and 15.6% higher in predominantly Black areas.
Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner candidate Raphael Baker shared thoughts on the racial disparities in car insurance premiums.
“There are socioeconomic factors that have nothing to do with your driving history, such as your credit score, whether or not you own a home, and your marital status,” Baker told WXIA. “It disproportionately affects Black people.”