Flooding in Houston, storm surge on the East Coast, fires in California team-up to raise insurance rates all across the country. The purpose of insurance is to spread the risk among the policyholders, but mass disasters dip into the reserves.

Another factor is actuarials, a science that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk. The science is also used in finance, industry and other professions.

As applied to car insurance, it amounts to 15 or more factors that are used to determine insurability and rates. Hierarchy of risk probably varies from company to company but I know...