One state senator is looking to change that. Sen. Martha G. Scott, D-Highland Park, has introduced a bill to make it illegal for insurance companies to base rates on where a driver lives.

Scott, who has been advocating for insurance reform since 2003, will be holding a rally to fight against insurance companies at the Capitol on Sept. 26.

“(Insurance) should be based on the individual themselves, their driving record, the kind of car and the distance,” Scott said. “Years ago, that’s the way it used to be, and I think that’s a fair way. We cannot mandate that people have insurance if it’s not affordable.”

However, drivers may have to do the legwork to find the cheapest insurance rates.

“Discounts are given for all kinds of things, we ask people to shop around and some companies give discounts for students with good grades,” said Kathy Fagan, spokeswoman for the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Growth.

Elementary education senior Sarah Everett parents pay for her car insurance and utilize discounts through American Automobile Association, or AAA.

“We get good deals, like when your children get at least a 3.0 GPA you get a good discount with AAA,” Everett said.

According to the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Services guide, in Lansing, an 18-year- old with no tickets or accidents in a 1999 Ford Ranger pickup with no-fault insurance can expect to pay up to $2,717 each year, excluding membership fees. By comparison, the same driver may pay up to $7,968 each year in Southwest Detroit.

“I think insurance companies have a right to increase prices. They are assuming the risk if a car is parked in a garage or driveway versus parked in the Commuter Lot where people can break in,” Moyers said.