Chances are, if you’ve been operating a vehicle for any amount of time, you’ve gotten some sort of traffic violation, been involved in an accident or had something else happen to blemish your driving record. If so, finding a good deal on auto insurance is tough. But armed with a little knowledge, your chance of securing a decent rate is much better.
Make the most of any discounts your insurance company offers. If you get a new security device, be sure to tell your insurance agent. You may very well be eligible for a discount. If you take a defensive driving course, be sure to let your agent know. It could save you money. If you are taking classes, find out if your car insurance company provides a student discount.
Keep your record clean! Your driving record is the main thing that insurance companies look at when deciding what to charge you. It is more important than the car you drive and your credit rating together. Even getting a simple speeding ticket can set your premiums higher, so keep your nose clean!
Stay far away from vehicles with the word “sport” included on them. Anything that goes fast is viewed negatively by insurance companies, as these can influence drivers to take more risks, which in turn costs them more money. Steer clear of sporty vehicles unless you want your premiums to get higher.
When you are driving on the road, make sure that you obey the speed limit. There is no reason to get unnecessary tickets, which can cost you a lot of money and raise your insurance rates over the year. Drive safely if you want to increase your cash at hand.
Before choosing your next car, make sure you understand what it will do to your insurance policy. We all know that some cars will have a higher premium than others, but most people don’t really know which ones are which. Ask your insurance company for recommendations of cars that are lower risk and thus, have a lower insurance premium attached.
Join an automobile club. If you own a classic or a car that is otherwise desirable in some way, research automobile clubs for it. Many of these clubs offer perks for joining. One of these perks is sometimes a discount on your insurance premiums. Just make sure that the benefits of joining the club outweigh anything else you might have to do or pay in order to join.
Verify that the information that is on your car insurance policy is accurate. Confirm the vehicle information as well as the driver information. This is one thing that many people do not do and if the information is incorrect, they could be paying more than they should be each month.
Having your VIN number etched into your window can lower your insurance premiums up to 15 percent. Sometimes the VIN number is already etched into the car’s window, but will raise the price of the car $300 to $900. You can also etch the number into the window yourself for $19.95.
Before deciding on an auto insurance policy, learn about what each of the options cover. You will be able to obtain great savings if you understand what you actually need in an auto insurance policy. Do you need the towing option? Or did your new car come with that option? Thoroughly study your policy before signing on the dotted line.
Your insurance should not be too expensive if you drive less than 7500 miles a year. You can drive less by taking public transportation instead, or by sharing rides with your coworkers. Make sure you can provide a proof to your insurance company that you drive under 7500 miles a year.
With auto insurance, is it better to have a policy with a call center or one with a local office? It is nice to talk face to face with an agent, but he may have an interest in giving more coverage than you actually need–since he benefits personally from this.
Check with your automotive insurer to see if you can qualify for a premium discount by enrolling in a defensive driving course. Such courses are becoming very common, and many insurance companies offer discounts to drivers who attend them. Remember that proper documentation of your course will be vital to securing a discount.
Bundle all of your insurance needs to save money. When you are looking for cheaper auto insurance, consider asking the company that carries your home-owner policy, or renter’s insurance, if they also have car insurance policies. You will often save quite a bit of money by having all of your insurance in one place.
If you are aiming to get affordable auto insurance, you should know your financing requirements. If you finance your vehicle, you may have more requirements set by the financing company that you have to maintain. This will likely affect the amount of your deductible, so you should know these requirements before raising your deductible.
When dealing with an auto insurance claim, always keep all of the information related to the claim with you at all times, in a pocket or a purse. Claim settlements are often slowed down by the client not having information handy with the insurance company contacts them, meaning they’ll have to wait until that evening to get things moving.
When looking at liability coverage for your insurance, you should consider how many assets you have. This is important because if you have a lot of personal assets and you are at fault in an accident, then the lawyer from the other party may go after your personal assets to cover all the other necessary bills for the other party.
With a spotty driving record, finding cheap automobile insurance won’t be easy, but it doesn’t have to be impossible. Just remember that the insurance companies want and need your business. Follow the tips that you’ve learned, to make sure the insurance company is willing to work with you, to offer the lowest auto insurance rate possible.
