With vacations in full swing and three out of four Americans hitting the road this summer, the likelihood of filing an auto claim is on the rise. At the same time, a recent Nationwide survey showed consumers largely agree that driving has become more dangerous, with most citing an increase in aggressive and reckless behavior. More than a third of consumers agree that driving is stressful, primarily because of reckless driving from others, traffic congestion and navigation challenges, Nationwide said. Other driving stresses include:

• Calls or texts from friends and family members;
• Having too much to do while driving;
• Running late;
• Rork responsibilities; and
• Managing or attending to children.

Nationwide said distractions for U.S. drivers are multiplying as a third of surveyed consumers say GPS and other navigational technologies have also become a distraction alongside operating the radio and fielding work-related messages or emails. Meanwhile, policyholders have watched their auto premiums surge roughly 11.2% over the last year. Despite the rate hikes, drivers have shown faith in insurance carriers that talk to them about their premium increases. "Carriers who get in front of the increases are able to maintain high levels of trust with their customers versus carriers who don't communicate the increase and why," J.D. Power's Director of Global Insurance Intelligence, Breanne Armstrong, told PropertyCasualty360.com. "Trust for a premium decrease is 736 on a 1,000-point scale compared to 735 for an increase when the customer expected it and understood why," she said. "But, even before insurers are saddled with having to communicate why prices are going up, they can form a solid foundation for a trusting relationship with their customers by ensuring they completely understand their policy and what it covers." The slideshow above illustrates the cheapest auto insurers as determined by MarketWatch.

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