1. Vision and medical history

Wearing glasses, as well as the results of your most recent health checkup, have no bearing on your car insurance rates. According to the survey, roughly one-third of Americans (34%) believe that vision impairment — the need to wear glasses or contacts — can be factored into auto insurance rates, and a quarter of Americans (25%) believe the same about medical history.

It's worth noting that, while those who require glasses or contacts will not face higher insurance rates, there are state vision requirements in order to obtain a driver's license. There may also be limitations on obtaining a license for those suffering from certain medical conditions, such as epileptic seizures.

2. Whether you have kids

Children can be distracting, both in and out of the car, but having children in the car will not raise your insurance rates. Nonetheless, 28% of Americans believe that whether or not a person has children has an impact on their auto insurance rates.

The number of insured drivers in your household has an effect on your rates. As a result, when your children become licensed drivers, you should expect to pay high premiums because younger, less-experienced drivers have higher rates.

3. Salary

According to the survey, nearly a quarter of Americans (24 percent) believe salary is taken into account when determining auto insurance rates, but this is not the case. However, your job may have an impact on your premiums.

Some insurers may charge drivers with certain occupations higher insurance rates because they are more likely to file claims than drivers with other occupations. Many insurers also provide discounts for specific occupations or collaborate with employers or professional associations, so your job may have an impact on the amount you pay in premiums.

4. Race

Your racial identity is also not taken into account when calculating auto insurance premiums. However, 19% of Americans believe that racial or ethnic background influences auto insurance rates.

While it is illegal to consider a person's race when calculating premiums, other factors commonly used in auto insurance rates can disproportionately affect some races more than others. Location, for example, is a factor in determining insurance rates, and studies have shown that predominantly Black neighborhoods pay higher average auto insurance rates than predominantly white neighborhoods.

Another factor that may be used in calculating insurance rates is credit history, which can also have a disproportionately negative impact on Black consumers. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there is a significant homeownership gap between Black and white Americans — 45 percent compared to 74 percent as of Q2 2021 — and on-time rent payments aren't reported to credit bureaus like on-time mortgage payments are.

5. Credit history (in some states)

Above, we stated that credit history can be used to calculate insurance rates, which is correct, but not for everyone. Insurance companies are currently prohibited from using credit history when calculating insurance premiums in five states: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Washington. So, when a survey finds that half of Americans believe credit history has an impact on these rates, whether they're correct or not depends on where they live.