MIE’s Shannon Roberts Advises WalletHub on the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Massachusetts

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For the fourth time in the last two years, Shannon Roberts, an associate professor in the UMass Amherst Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (MIE) Department and an expert on driver-vehicle interactions, has been featured as a national authority on automobile transportation for the popular website WalletHub, a personal-finance website that, as it says, “empowers consumers to lead financially healthy lives.” Now, in its July 19th edition, WalletHub has recruited Roberts to give readers some practical and useful guidance on the least-expensive auto-insurance companies in Massachusetts. See Who Has the Cheapest Auto Insurance Quotes in Massachusetts? (wallethub.com).

As the WalletHub spread began: “The cheapest car-insurance companies in Massachusetts are National General, State Farm, and Geico. The difference between the cheapest and most-expensive car insurance in Massachusetts is $1,852 per year, so it pays to compare quotes.”

To illustrate this point, WalletHub then went on to give in-depth figures, statistics, and graphs that detail the vast assortment of auto-insurance rates in Massachusetts.

In that context, WalletHub asked Roberts to respond to questions involving the effects on car-insurance prices related to aspects of her research expertise; in this instance, inexperienced drivers, electric vehicles, and new automobile technologies. The Roberts Research Group studies human factors in transportation safety, works to understand how drivers interact with technology and infrastructure, and performs research to guide the design of driver-vehicle interactions. Much of Roberts’ research is conducted at the UMass Amherst Human Performance Laboratory.

The following interactions show how Roberts responded to the specific questions that WalletHub asked her and thus offered well-informed advice to Massachusetts drivers.

WalletHub: What advice do you have for new drivers when it comes to car insurance?

According to Roberts, “New drivers should take advantage of programs offered by insurance companies and other agencies that can help reduce car insurance. For example, undergoing driver training or taking a driver’s-education course often lowers car insurance because it demonstrates that you are willing to educate yourself about the rules of the road.” 

Roberts went on to say that “As another example, some car-insurance companies offer usage-based incentive programs wherein your driving behavior is tracked and could result in lower premiums. Last, if you are able, it is best to purchase a newer vehicle with advanced safety features. Newer vehicles with safety features have the lowest insurance rates because they reduce your likelihood of being in a crash or receiving a citation.”

WalletHub: How do you think increased adoption of electric vehicles will change the car-insurance landscape?

As Roberts replied, “In general, electric vehicles are better for the environment in terms of emissions. However, using an electric vehicle can have unintended negative consequences as well. For example, most electric vehicles are newer and have advanced technology, such as partial automation. But, in some instances, driving with partial automation (in an electric vehicle) leads one to engage in more speeding than if one were not driving with automation.” 

Roberts also said that “Additionally, electric vehicles have large batteries, which come with both benefits and drawbacks when it comes to crashes, reliability, etc. In short, electric vehicles will change the car-insurance landscape, but the exact impact is yet to be determined.”

WalletHub: To what extent has technology disrupted the car-insurance industry relative to others?

According to Roberts, “Since cars were invented, technology has slowly (or abruptly) changed the driving landscape. We respond to these changes by adapting and evolving our driving practices, usually in a positive way. That is to say, as more technology is introduced into vehicles, our roadways become safer: There are fewer crashes, there are fewer injuries from crashes, and there are fewer fatalities from crashes.”

As Roberts concluded, “Irrespective of whether it's disruptive, technology that makes our roadways safer is a good thing for everyone, including the car-insurance industry.” (August 2024)