Esurance Launches 'What If Calculator' For Potential Premium Changes

San Francisco-based Esurance has launched a "What If Calculator" on its website to help policyholders understand how moving to a new address, adding a vehicle to their policy, or filing an accident-related claim could impact the price of their car insurance.

Users can get information about the following scenarios:

• Tickets: various types of traffic tickets or moving violations can impact rates differently; for example, a driver can see how a reckless driving violation increases their premium

• Accidents -- an accident-related claim can impact premiums

• Changing vehicles -- certain cars that have safety features, such as passive restraints and airbags, can help lower a premium

• Moving -- moving to a different ZIP code in the same state can often change a premium

[Esurance takes on distracted driving]

The tool is purely informational: Actual changes will not be made to the policy. That's because, for example, the amount of time it takes for tickets to impact a consumer's rate varies by ticket type and state, Esurance says.

Nathan Golia is senior editor of Insurance & Technology. He joined the publication in 2010 as associate editor and covers all aspects of the nexus between insurance and information technology, including mobility, distribution, core systems, customer interaction, and risk ... View Full Bio