The more you know about how auto insurance works, the more you’ll be able to save off your rates. Follow these simple tips and you’ll not only become a more informed driver, but you’ll have everything you need to know to get the lowest car insurance rate available.

1. Do your Auto Insurance Homework! Auto insurance coverage may be standard throughout your state, but insurance rates are another story. Policies from one company to the next can vary by hundreds of dollars, if not thousands! The only way to be sure you are getting the best rate for your auto insurance policy is to shop around and compare rates.

2. Make sure all your insurance policies are from the same insurance company . Every insurance company offers a “Multi-vehicle discount” for customers who insure more than one vehicle on the same policy. This can bring you a savings of up to 10 per cent off both cars. Some companies even offer discounts if you bring your home owners policy to them as well. This should drop you down another 5% off  both premiums.

3. Insure your vehicles and home with the same company. Again, this will qualify you for a discount called the “Multi-line discount”. Most companies offer this savings as an incentive to get your property insurance business too. It’s all perfectly legal and it’s a great way to get another five per cent off your insurance premiums.

4. Increase your deductibles. The more your deductibles, the cheaper your insurance premiums. Insurance was really meant to cover you for losses you could never afford on your own. If you can afford a $1000 repair job, then raise your deductibles to $1000 and pay a lower rate for your car insurance.

5. Older car? Think about dropping your collision coverage. If your car is getting older in age, you may want to think about eliminating the collision coverage on your auto insurance policy. You need to think about this one though – it’s not always a clear-cut decision. You need to weigh the cost of the collision coverage with the value of your car and your chosen deductibles. For example, if you had a 10-year-old car that was worth about $2000, and your deductible was $2000, that collision coverage is not going to be worth anything.

6. Be Cautious while driving.Your automobile driving record is one of the most influential factors in determining your car insurance rate. Tickets affect your insurance rates for up to three years and accidents stay on your record for at least six! With a bad driving record, you can end up paying a lot more for auto insurance over the years.

7. Drive a “low-risk” vehicle. Insurance rates for vehicles are based on the previous claims history for that vehicle. The more likely a car is to be stolen or in an accident, the more you pay for auto insurance. If you are buying a new car, check with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or compare rates to see how your dream-car scores. This may be the deciding factor in your purchase.

8. Don’t drive to work. The more you drive, the higer your chances are of getting in a car accident. Insurance rates are higher for people who commute to work. Take the bus, share a ride or Car-pool with your neighbors. It will not only help you save on parking and gas, but will help lower your insurance rates.

9. Are you a New driver? Take a driver’s training course Most auto insurance companies offer a discount to newly licensed drivers who have completed an approved driver training course in the last 3 years. Safer drivers pay cheaper auto insurance rates.

10. Get an anti-theft device installed in your car. Most car insurance companies recognize your car is less likely to be stolen if you have an anti-theft device installed in your car. Check to see if your insurance company offers this “Alarm or anti-theft discount” and consider if the cost of installing the device is worth the savings over the years. If you already have an approved, factory-installed alarm in your car, insurance companies will take this into account when determining your insurance premium.

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This entry was posted on Saturday, February 14th, 2009 at and is filed under Advice, Automotive, Autos, Insurance, Insurance & Registration. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Leave a reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Improve the web with Nofollow Reciprocity.