Getting the Best Deal on Auto Insurance

Home

Getting the Best Deal on Auto Insurance

Shop around and do it yearly. Don’t just keep paying the invoice over and over without comparison shopping. Below are a few suggestions to help you get the best deal available on your automobile insurance policy.

Insurance agents really have a lot of leeway. They can price match and they can offer many discounts. There are also many decisions you can make about your policy that will save you a bundle. For example, if you change your deductible on your collision from a $50 deductible to a $1000 deductible, you’re inline for a huge premium savings. If you don’t think you could come up with $1000 out of pocket, then change it to a $500 deductible; you’ll still save a sizable amount on your annual premium payment.

You can also get more of a savings if you change your comprehensive deductible. Many people needlessly carry full coverage on their older vehicle. They originally purchased the vehicle new, paid for full coverage and to this day, continue to pay the same high rate. Their ten year old vehicle may be worth $1000 or less, yet they continue to pay $250-$450 every six months (total $500 to $900 dollars a year) to keep full coverage on their old vehicle.

However, if they have an accident and totaled their vehicle, the insurance company will only pay them the wholesale value of the vehicle. The amount they would receive could be $1000 or less. A vehicle that old just needs the insurance that protects the other person in case of an accident.

Another method to save more on your insurance is by combining your vehicles and other insurance together to get you additional savings. All insurance companies offer a multi-car discount (if yours doesn’t, it’s time to switch companies). Further, many will discount more if you have your homeowners or renters policy with them.

There are a few other discounts that you may not be taking advantage of. It seems obvious, but make sure you are getting the correct rate for your age. There are discounts for various ages than can save you lots of money. Check with your agent on this one. Also alarm systems on your vehicle are usually good for a discount. Additionally, anti-lock brakes and air bags can also help lower your premiums.

Don’t just keep paying the invoice when it comes in. Your insurance bill should be an automatic trigger for you to make a few phone calls to see if you can save even more money on your auto insurance premiums.

Car Insurance: Types of Insurance You Need to Understand Word Count:

With all this traveling in and out, back and forth around the maze that is the United States infrastructure, its easy to underst and why auto insurance is required in order to own an operate a car. For car buyers, an effort needs to be made on the part of insurance companies to provide information on the different types of auto insurance available. These include bodily injury and liability, collision, comprehensive, full glace, liability, medical coverage, personal injury protection, and underinsured or uninsured motorist.

Liability insurance coverage is imperative to have as a driver. This insurance covers any injuries or damages to property that may occur during an accident. Two types of liability include bodily injury liability insurance and property damage liability insurance.

Medical insurance is different in that it focuses on the driver and passengers of the car. This will cover any medical treatment for the driver and the passengers. In addition, the medical insurance may or may not offer disability insurance and pain and suffering compensation.

Uninsured or under-insured drivers insurance will pay any costs that you or your passengers may experience if an accident should occur with a driver who is uninsured or underinsured.

Collision insurance deals with the cost of damage caused by a collision to your car that may affect the book value. Comprehensive deals more with damage caused by v andalism, natural disasters, theft or other kinds of damage.

There are several other types of car insurance. These include glass replacement insurance, towing insurance etc. These types of insurance are often not required and are not popular as they are often costly.

Now that you know what types of car insurance are out there, the next step is to find a credible insurance agent. The first place to investigate this is through family and friends. Referrals will help you sort those agents that you want to investigate further. You will want to speak with several different agents before you make your final decisions. Ask any and all questions you may have. That is what the agent is there for.

Auto Insurance, Policy Assets, and Customer Assistance

One morning a friend of mine was running late for class at school. His wife was throwing together some kind of breakfast while he gathered his laptop, notebook, and picked out the books he was going to need for school that day. He zipped up his pack and ran outside to warm the car up. Except, there was no car. It had been stolen. My friend ran into one disappointment after another that week as he first found the insurance company wouldn’t pay for a rental, then that the damage the thief did to the car would only be covered up to the deductible and that somehow he was going to have to come up with the 500 dollars before the car could be fixed.

He had supposed he had done due diligence by going to one of those car insurance quotes sites and finding the lowest priced quote. He had thought by getting cheap car insurance he had beat the system somehow. In reality, his cheap car insurance turned out to be crappy car insurance. His problem stemmed from a lack of information about his car insurance.

Before you buy your next auto insurance policy be sure you know all of the facts about the company’s service policies. Cheap car insurance is only cheap if the product is as good as the more expensive car insurance. A good place to start is with a free car insurance quote, however obtaining an auto insurance quote is not going to be enough unless you know what kind of service you expect and whether or not the company quoted will provide it. The two A’s will keep you straight. They are, Assets and Assistance.

Assets

You want to make certain that your car insurance quote includes every asset you could want or need in an emergency. When you are high and dry without a car, will your insurance cover your transportation needs? Check to make certain that the company you are buying car insurance from will provide you with an auto rental if something goes wrong. If your car is stolen–as my friend’s was– undrivable, or in the car repair shop for a few days you want to make certain that a car will be available to you. If not, you will be forced to call your in-laws and give them one more reason why you aren’t good enough for their daughter. Check that you have road-side assistance, some variation on lock-out service, and towing service provided by some insurance company. Remember the car insurance quote is only low if the car insurance product is good.

Assistance

Find out what the auto insurance company’s customer service is like before you buy from them. How do you find out something like that? First, there is no way to know for certain what type of people you will end up dealing with, but there are ways to know the probability of having a good experience. First, there is the low tech way of asking your family and friends what their experiences have been. The lemon auto insurance companies will immediately pop up in a network search of that kind, but let’s say that you are a hermit and have no family or friends, or like one friend of mine, your family is all from the catskill mountains without cars or running water. If that is the case then you will need to try the high tech method: use the internet. One way is to make use of the Better Business Bureau’s search engine. At www.betterbusinessbureau.org you can find if any complaints have been registered against the auto insurance company in question and whether or not the company has resolved those complaints. I have checked the auto insurance companies that have treated my family poorly and they all seem to have a complaint–not made by me–against their name.

Another way to check the customer service of a company is to find a claims telephone number on their website and call it up. If their claims people are nice to you, the likelihood of the customer service being a positive team has just raised. After you have assessed the courtesy level of the auto insurance company’s service department, then politely thank them for their time and hang up. No explanation necessary, they will just move on to their next call without giving you another thought. This technique is based on the theory that there are two kinds of companies: the ones who stock their sales teams with friendly people and put all the low-paid mean folks in their claims departments and the ones who stock both with friendly, professionals. Usually, this simple test will tell you the type of company with which you are dealing.

If the quoted auto insurance policy has both the assets you desire and a high quality of customer service, then the quote is a true quote. Remember if you think you might end up actually using the car insurance–which we should all assume we will–then check these two things before running after the apparently low premiums.

All Auto Insurance Is Not Created Equal!

Well the first thing you may want to do is visit the all auto insurance center which is a resource center that explains auto insurance in detail. You can also search the net and visit plenty of other good sites to better underst and your coverage.

There are many things that affect your insurance rates. Your driving record, how many tickets you’ve had in the past, where you live, how much you drive, what type of car you have, what type of coverage you buy, and where you buy your insurance company.

Many people have reported saving up to 40% by purchasing auto insurance online. The most important thing to remember when shopping online is to purchase your insurance from a reputable insurance company. You can always check the rating of the insurance company you are planning to deal with.

You should always get at least 5 or 6 quotes so you can compare thoroughly. When comparing make sure you are comparing same policies. If not it would rather be like comparing Victoria Secrets lingerie to Walmart lingerie. Not a fair comparison!

You will need to be able to provide the company you are asking for a quote from with information relating to your driving record. There is no point in fibbing. Because the auto insurance company will validate all information you provide. If you lie your rates will go up or the insurance company may cancel your policy.

All auto insurance is not created equal for many reasons. Companies use a formula to determine rates. We won’t get into the details of the formula but basically they calculate out the number of drivers they cover, the costs for the previous year including operating, accident, and liability claims, then they do some math and come out with their rates. Much is determined by the amount of payouts they’ve had.

We mentioned earlier about purchasing from an insurance company that is rated well. If you save a bundle of money but the insurance company you purchased your policy from has a tendency not to honor and pay out on claims but rather weasels their way out. Then the savings aren’t worth anything. Or if the insurance company is a fly by night operation here today and gone tomorrow, they’ll be gone with your money and you won’t have insurance. No savings in that scenario! So make sure to check! Unless of course you recognize the insurance company.

Companies like Geico, Allstate, Hartford, State Farm, Progressive, and of course several other big companies can be found online.

Most companies offer online quotes which is very h andy. No more sitting on the telephone waiting to speak to an agent. No more driving half way across the city to get rates then driving half way around the city to get another rate then…. Okay I’m sure you get the picture! It’s tiring just thinking about it. It’s so much easier just to pull up a chair and put your mouse to work.

Hopefully we’ve brought to your attention that all auto insurance is not created equal. We thought we’d mention it again just incase ? So shop around and save money!

All about Car Insurance Quotes

When quoting the car insurance there are various factors which will be taken in to the consideration such as registration number, the vehicle condition, which type of vehicle, how old is the vehicle like this their will be various factors which will be taken in to consideration, there are also so many sites given online which will give you the information on the quotes.

While taking the quote there are many conditions which will taken in to consideration such as who will drive the vehicle, have you claim the insurance while met with an accidents, on what factors you are insuraning the vehicle like this there are many factors which taken in to consideration.

Now a days there are consultancies are also providing the insurance quotes. At first their are only insurance companies which will provide the car insurance quote but now there are consultancies who also provide the quotes. After deciding the best car quote you have to fill one of the form and then the agent will calculate the car insurance policy and will give you the car insurance quotes. According to various resources the car insurance quote will vary.

When you want to go ahead and get the Car insurance, you will first think of selecting a company which can provide an insurance to your car, however, selecting the right company for your car insurance some times becomes a herculean task for you, very first step is to decide what type of car insurance plan you are looking forward then you can goahead with, however after selecting the right insurance plan for your car insurance the next big thing comes is getting the car insurance quotes so that you can select the ritht company which can suit both your needs and budget.

Getting Car insurance quotes is not a big hassle for an individual as you can find the insurance quotes very easily, you have to be very catious while getting the insurance quotes, basically the car insurance quotes depends on the information which your provide while filling an online application form which gives you instant updated online quotes. It requires basic information from you. There are other means by which you can easily get the car insurance quotes like advertisments and getting information from magazines. However, the best, cheap and the easiest way to get the car insurance quotes is by going online.

When you go online for getting car insurance quotes, some online companies will not only provide you information for one company but from three to four different companies wherein by comparing the quotes given by different companies you always have a chance of comparing the quotes and selecting one which suits your needs and budget. Car insruance quotes also depends on other factors like type of engine, model of the car, if you have any extra devices atttached for which you want to insure your car.

Most importantly the car insurance quotes depends on many other factors apart from this like the number of speeding up tickets your have, the number of accidents you have involved with, your age, your sex, your occupation, the car you are insuring is used for the business purpose or personal use. Many other factors apart from this are considered while you buy the car insurance for your vehicle. However, going online to get car insurance quotes are considered to be the best and the easiest way for getting a car insurance quote.

Accident Insurance Claim Personal Injury Insights

Besides botching up your body ( and sometimes your love life) what else does the injury mean to you? It means a ton of financial expense’s, including repairing your motor vehicle, lost wages, a shock to your life style, a tremendous inconvenience and short or long periods of pain and discomfort – – all of it a direct result of your injuries.

Plus, there’s a long list of possible medical expenses. For example: Doctor/Chiropractor, Prescription Drug Bills, Ambulance, Emergency Room Care, Hospital or Clinic, Specialist and/or Dentist, Laboratory Fees and Services, Diagnostic Tests, X-Rays and (CT) Scan, Prosthetic Appliances or Surgical Apparatus (Canes & Crutches), Physical Therapy, Registered and/or Practical Nurse Fees, Gauze and Tape, Ace B andages all of which the insurance company must pay whether they like it or not!

Also, Creams, Lotions, Ointments, Balms and Salves, etc. (Should the lady in your life apply any of these to your aching body I’m sorry to tell you this but her labor is not an expense you can claim).

YOU MUST BE COMPENSATED BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE: It’s true that a very small percentage of motor vehicle accidents cause big, serious injuries but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be paid big, serious bucks!

EXAMINATION BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY DOCTOR: Claims Adjuster Henry Hard-Nose of Rock Solid Insurance will usually try to pull a fast one insisting he wants you to be examined by the physician of his choice, the local medical con-man of all time, Dr. Nuttin’ Wrong. Beware of such a request. Doctors assigned by the insurance company are notorious for stating, in the report they’re paid big bucks to execute, “There is no objective basis”, for your complaints.

You don’t have to agree to be examined by Dr. Nuttin’ Wrong. Rock Solid Insurance cannot insist that you submit to their doctor for an examination unless your claim actually becomes a formal court case. So, hold your ground until your attending physician, Ole “Doc” Comfort, has released you. After that it’s okay to agree to be examined because by then it’s too late! So much time will have passed it will be impossible for Dr. Wrong to minimize the pain, discomfort and suffering your injury has caused you.

WHAT TO DO ABOUT YOUR MEDICAL BILLS IF YOU MAKE THE MISTAKE OF OBTAINING LEGAL HELP FROM ATTORNEY I. M. SHARP: Should yours be a case in which there’s no question that you’re not at fault, make it clear to the Legal Beagle you’ve hired, I. M. Sharp, Esquire, that you expect his Contingency Fee will not apply to that which he recovers for the damage to your car, your medical bills, and/or your payment for lost wages. You tell him these are damages you would have collected ANYWAY – – whether he was h andling the case for you or if you settled it yourself. Don’t you dare be foolish enough to h and him a huge percentage of that which you were going to be paid by the insurance company, whether Attorney Sharp h andled the case or not. To do so is the height of financial stupidity!

YOUR BODILY INJURIES: It’s a proven fact that the vast majority of motor vehicle accidents cause minor injuries. While bodily injury pain can be specifically measured the limits of what you can endure cannot. Each of us has a different “pain threshold” – – that is, the point at which we begin to feel physical pain. The amount and quality of pain you feel is not strictly dependent on the bodily injury inflicted. It has a lot to do with your previous experience, how well you remember it, and your ability to underst and what caused you that pain, and its consequences, the last time around.

Stress and strain magnify physical pain plus personal anxiety will greatly increase it. There are also emotional reactions to the injury. A bodily injury is bound to cause some degree of mental distress. The duration and severity that depends on a number of factors: The type of individual you are, the ultimate consequences of the injury you sustained, and the life stresses or strengths you’re experiencing at the time of your injury. (If you can’t st and her and she takes a powder you’ll h andle your pain better if you really dig the chick and she dumped you for your best friend)!

When it comes to muscle injuries one thing you must keep in mind is that when one part of the body dem ands rest (by sending out a pain signal) and – – without your even realizing it – – you help your body by placing a new burden on other muscles. It gets complicated because although those muscles may not have been directly injured in the accident, they can still get buggered up and produce a lot of pain because of their new role.

DISCLAIMER: The only purpose of this claim tip is to help people underst and the motor vehicle motor vehicle accident claim process. Neither Dan Baldyga nor (name the magazine/newsletter and/or web site) make any guarantee of any kind whatsoever; NOR do they purport to engage in rendering any professional or legal service, NOR to substitute for a lawyer, an insurance adjuster, or claims consultant, or the like. Where such professional help is desired it is the INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSIBILITY to obtain said services.

20 Tips To Cheaper Car Insurance

1. Buy from the internet.Most companies offer a discount for online applications as this is automated process and costs them a lot less to process your application, you can usually see discounts of 5%-10%.Click here to get a instant online insurance quote

2. Shop around.All insurance companies use different formulas to calculate your insurance premium by adding or detracting money after each question the ask you.By shopping around you could find big savings on your insurance premium.

3. Buy extra products.Most insurance companies also do other insurance products ie”Building’s and content’s insurance”.Most insurance companies will give extra discounts for purchasing more than one product,by doing this you could save a fair amount on all your insurance premiums.

4. Pay your insurance premium in one go.By paying your insurance premium in full you can avoid paying costly interest charges that would be added if you paid your insurance premium by instalments.Some insurance companies may charge as much as 15% APR on instalments.You may even receive a discount for paying in full.If you can not afford to pay in full check out what rate a small loan would be you may still save some money.Fill out a online loan application.

5. Increase your voluntary excess.Your excess is the amount paid by you in the event of a claim,by increasing this your insurance company should reduce your premium.

6. Lower your annual mileage.Lowering your annual mileage can reduce your premium,most insurance companies will quote you for around 12,000 miles a year.Try and work out how many mile’s you will do if it’s likely to be less you may get a discount.Be honest about this as your insurance company may ask to see old MOT’S and service history to verify your mileage in the event of a accident.

7. Have a Alarm,Immobiliser or Tracker fitted.Theft of and from your vehicle play a major role in the calculation of your insurance premium.Having a alarm or immobiliser fitted will give you a small discount to your premium and having a tracker fitted could make you quite a saving.

8. Take the advanced driving test.Passing your advanced driving test will show your insurance company that you have extra skill when driving and are less likely to be involved in a accident.

9. Don’t inflate the value of your car.Adding extra value to your car when you apply for your insurance quote will do nothing for you apart from increase you premium.In the event your car is stolen or written off you will only be paid the market value of your car at the time of your accident.

10.Look after your credit rating.Insurance companies are now looking at your credit score as part of the calculation for your insurance premium.Maintaining a good credit rating could avoid unnecessary additions to your premium.

11. Insure your car Third Party Only.Third party only is the minimum cover you are required to have by law it’s also the cheapest.If your vehicle is of a low value then you could consider this type of cover.You need to remember that with this type of cover if you was to have a accident that any damage to your vehicle would not be covered for repair.

12. Keep a clean licenceInsurance companies take driving convictions very seriously and can dramatically increase your car insurance premium,by maintaining a clean licence proves to the insurance you are a safe and careful driver.

13. Remove any unnecessary drivers.If you have a young driver on your insurance policy that no longer use’s the vehicle you should remove them as this will reduce your premium.

14. Young driver’s add a older driver.Some insurance companies will reduce young drivers premiums if they have a older named driver on the insurance.

15. Build up your no-claims discountOne of the biggest factors affecting your car insurance premium is the number of years no-claim’s discount.You could receive up to 75% discount for around 5 years of no claims.The more years you can stay claim free the safer driver your insurance company will see you as.

16. Protect your no-claims discount.Although this will increase your insurance premium if you have a lot of years of no-claims you may want to protect this as a small claim may increase your premium by up to 75%.

17. Buy a lower insurance group car.A very important factor to your insurance premium is what car you drive.Most insurance companies adopt the Association Of British Insurance Group Rating.This rates vehicle’s from 1 – 20 generally speaking the higher the group the higher the premium.By buying a car with a lower group rating can lower your premium especially for young or inexperienced drivers.

18. Join a car club.If your vehicle is a classic or specialist consider joining a club related to your car most clubs offer insurance schemes which have very good premium rates.

19. Put your spouse as a named driver.Some insurance companies offer discounts when you add a spouse as a named driver as opposed to unmarried couples,they see marriage as a sign of stability and associate stability with safe driving and there for give you a discount.

20. Take pass plus.If you are a new driver consider taking your pass plus.some insurance companies could give you as much as a 25% discount and when you have just passed your test and have no no-claims this could make a considerable saving.

10 Ways To Lower Your Auto Insurance

And the insurance rates you pay are hugely dependent on the insurance company or agent, your age, your car type, your driving record, and even the area you reside in!

You should never go without auto insurance though, despite the costs. Almost all the states require you to protect yourself with a minimum amount of liability coverage. Naturally, the bare minimum is not adequate enough for the average car owner. And as you add in additional coverage for your car, you realize that you will be paying a fairly large sum annually.

So, underst anding auto insurance can actually help you to decide on a suitable insurance policy that won’t vacuum clean your wallet! Here, we have gathered 10 of the best tips for lowering your auto insurance, by as much as 40%!

Always compare insurance policies. There are states which regulate auto insurance rates, but the insurance premiums can vary by hundreds of dollars for the exact same coverage. It is definitely worthwhile to shop around. The first thing you can do is to check with your state insurance department. They often provide information about the coverage you need, as well as sample rates from the biggest companies. You can also ask your friends or look up the yellow pages. Checking consumer guides and asking insurance agents can pay off as well. You can easily find out the price range for your insurance policy, as well as discover the lowest prices in town.

However, you should not be shopping based on price along. The insurance company should provide good service at the best price. Excellent personal service is available as well, and they provide added conveniences, although they cost a fair bit more. Ask the company how you can lower your costs, and also check their financial ratings. The rule of thumb is always to get three price quotes from three different companies, and pick the one with the best value.

It can also be a good idea to increase your deductibles. When you file a claim, the deductible is the amount you pay before the insurance company pays for the rest of the damage. A higher deductible on collision and comprehensive coverage can lead to a much lower premium. For example, increasing your deductible from $200 to $400 can reduce your premiums by up to 25%. However, you must ensure that you have the financial resources to h andle the largest deductible when the time comes.

Remove certain types of coverage from your policy. Almost all the states require liability coverage for your car, but the rest of the coverage is probably dispensable. However, you do not want to be underinsured if you’re in an accident, so it isn’t advisable to remove all of your additional coverage. Optional coverage includes medical payments, uninsured motorist, collision, and comprehensive coverage.

Drop collision and comprehensive coverage for older cars. If you drive an older car that’s worth less than $2,000, it’s probably more cost-effective to drop collision and comprehensive coverage since you’ll probably pay more for the coverage than you’ll collect for a claim. You can find out the worth of your car by asking auto dealers and banks.

Make sure your credit report looks good. Car insurance companies often look at your credit history as there is a correlation between the risk to the company and your credit history. If you pay your bills on time and maintain a good credit history, you can enjoy lower insurance rates.

Drive less. Insurance companies often offer low-mileage discounts to motorists who drive less than a predetermined number of miles each year. You can use public transportation more often, car-pool with friends, and take the train or a plane instead of driving to another state. And you’ll save on more than your coverage as you’ll need to spend less on gasoline (of which prices are incredibly high).

Maintain a clean driving record. The company will give you a price break and you can save on your insurance policy after a specified period of a clean driving record. This means that you have no accidents, no serious driving violations etc, during this period of time. The simplest and surefire way to qualify for this discount is to drive carefully and defensively all the time.

Choose a low-profile car. Insurance rates vary among difference models of vehicles. Generally, sports cars and high-performance cars tend to cost more to insure, mainly because they represent more risk of theft and the drivers are often the people who drive more recklessly. Newer cars will cost more to repair or replace than older ones, so naturally they can more to insure. Low-risk vehicles include station wagons and sedans.

Ask about safety and security discounts. The insurance companies sometimes offer discounts on your insurance if your car is equipped with the following: anti-lock brakes, air bags, automatic seat belts, car alarms, tracking systems. These reduce the injury risk to you, as well as the chances of your car being v andalized or stolen.

Finally, ask about other discounts. You may receive a discount if you buy more than one type of insurance from the same company or if you insure multiple cars under the same policy or company. You may also receive discounts for taking a defensive driving course, staying with the same company for a few years, being a driver over 50, good-student discounts, and being an AAA member. If you already have adequate health insurance, you can also eliminate paying for duplicate medical coverage, thus lowering your personal injury protection costs by a substantial amount.

7 Easy Ways To Slash Your Auto Insurance Costs

Here’s 7 easy ways to get the best possible auto insurance deal.

* Multiple Quotes

Get multiple quotes – use the internet and call a few brokers. It’s easy to gather some good comparison quotes.

Remember to get different types of quotes e.g one from a direct-sell insurance company; another from an offline broker who keeps a database of quotes; and a couple from the internet.

Cheapest might not mean best. Will they pay out if you make a claim ? How financially secure ? How reputable ? Check around with family and friends, and look for online reviews.

* Different type of car

Insurance costs vary depending on car type. Obviously, that $100k sports model costs more to insure than your average runabout. If you’re planning to buy a new car, check insurance costs before you buy. I once set my heart on a beautiful, high performance, highly tuned Pontiac.

Luckily I checked the auto insurance before I bought it, because I couldn’t get insurance. Every broker, every insurance company flat turned me down because I lived in a high car-crime area. So I had to forget the car of my dreams until I moved up-town.

* Age and Value of Car

Maybe you’re buying a used car ? Maybe your car saw better days a few years ago, and now values much lower ? So why pay for high-priced auto insurance ? In particular, do you still need fully comprehensive coverage ?

A good rule of thumb multiplies insurance premium by 10, and compares that figure with your car value. So if you’re quoted $1000 premium and your car is worth less than $10,000 you may want to think if comprehensive represents good value. If you drop collision and/or comprehensive coverage, you should get big savings.

* Higher deductibles (excess charges)

Most auto insurance companies use deductibles to keep policy cost down. Deductibles, or excess charges, show what you pay before your auto insurance policy kicks in. Try requesting quotes with different levels of deductibles, and see how your quotes vary.

Most internet quote forms contain a box where you can specify preferred level of deductibles. Ask your broker his recommended level. For example, going from $250 to $500 deductible can slash your insurance costs by 20% or more. Go to $1000 and you save a lot of money. But you must pay the deductible if you need to make a claim !

* Multiple Insurances

I guess this might come under the ‘Get Multiple Quotes’ heading, but it’s still worth mentioning separately. You usually get an insurance break if you buy multiple policies with the same insurer.

This might mean multiple vehicles, or homeowner and auto insurance. Either way it’s worth asking about multi-policy discounts.

* Low Mileage

More and more people work at home. No more commuting. Fewer business trips. Low mileage on your car. Maybe you do travel to work, but car pool ?

Either way, look for low mileage discounts.

* Good Driving Record

A good driving record always reduces your auto insurance costs. Keep a clean drivers license. Don’t speed, don’t drive dangerously, and you’ll save money (apart from other benefits !)

* Bonus Tip

Okay, I said ‘7 Ways…’, but here’s some extra tips. Fit anti-theft devices to your car. Go on an advanced driver training course. Use daytime running lights. If you’re a college student away from home, consider adding to parents policy.

This short article covers the things you must consider when shopping for auto insurance. Follow these tips and you’ll slash your auto insurance costs.