There are millions of cars and trucks out there on the road, and the vast majority have one thing in common. No, not wheels — although that is true! What they have in common is insurance. Almost every vehicle is insured. It’s mandated by law. So when you need insurance, use these tips to get the best deal.
You may be able to save a bundle on car insurance by taking advantage of various discounts offered by your insurance company. Lower risk drivers often receive lower rates, so if you are older, married or have a clean driving record, check with your insurer to see if they will give you a better deal.
One great and underrated way to save on your monthly auto insurance premiums is to join an automobile club. Especially if you are driving a classic or rare vehicle, joining an auto club will allow you to join with a group discounted rate, ultimately saving you hundreds of dollars annually on your insurance premiums.
Move to a rural area. The closer you are to the city, the higher your premiums will be. Accidents, break-ins, and vandalism all increase inside city limits, so premiums have to be higher to cover the damages. The farther away from the city you go, the lower your premiums get.
Start carpooling. Many car insurance providers will charge you less if you do not drive your vehicle often. If you drive less than 7,500 miles a year, your premiums might be significantly lower. If you are unable to carpool, try taking the bus or some other form of public transportation.
Use the internet to get your car insurance plan. The internet is incredibly useful. Not only will you not have to deal with the hassle of going to the insurance provider yourself, you will also get a better deal if you shop for it online. Shopping online saves the provider money. Consequently, you save money as well.
Consider population when you are buying auto insurance. The population where your car is insured will greatly impact your rate for the positive or negative. Places with a larger population, like big cities, will have a much higher insurance rate than suburban areas. Rural areas tend to pay the least.
Shop for auto insurance yearly. Even if you have no intention of changing policies, or providers, take the time to compare your rate. You can often find savings within the insurance organization you already use, but you will not know to ask without good backup information. Question big rate disparities.
Consider your personal assets when looking for the right auto insurance. If your insurance coverage is good enough, you will never be in danger of losing your personal property from failure to have adequate insurance coverage. An injured party has the right to sue your estate if you do not have enough coverage.
Check your insurance policy very closely before reporting a claim. There may be certain stipulations that can prevent you from filing a claim. For instance, if a tree falls on your vehicle, and your policy outlines that as an act of god, then by the terms of the contract they legally do not have to pay for damages.
It will have a “consumer complaint ratio” measurement that would be applicable to all, or a good number of insurance providers that are located in your area. These statistics compare the number of complaints issued by consumers against particular carriers.
Compare rates before you buy. Different companies can charge vastly different rates for the same coverage, depending on how heavily they weigh such factors as your age, driving history, and credit history. Checking prices at a comparison site can help you save hundreds of dollars per year on auto insurance.
If your old car is not worth anything per the Kelly Blue Book value, think about dropping collision and comprehensive insurance coverage. When you make an insurance claim on a car, the insurer will compensate you for what the Kelly Blue Book value is. If your car is not worth anything, you will receive nothing from the insurer.
If you consider yourself to be a good, safe driver, then perhaps you should consider letting your insurance company put a monitor in your car. For great discounts, they will put a tracker in your car which monitors driving habits, whether good or bad, and base their rates and discounts on what type of driver you are.
Make sure you know what kind of coverage you have in your policy. Be aware of what your auto insurance is actually insuring. Many things affect the final cost of the policy. There is bodily injury liability, property damage liability, medical payments, uninsured motorist protection, collision coverage, and comprehensive coverage.
If you are renting a car for the weekend, you may not need to purchase the rental company’s auto insurance policy. In some cases, the rental insurance will cover the same things that your standard auto policy would cover. In other instances, if you are renting the car with a credit card, look into your credit card policy. Many major credit cards will provide free insurance coverage specifically for rental cars as part of the credit card agreement.
Make sure to compare insurance rates with many companies. Contacting only one company or agent to get pricing, and signing up right then, is never a good idea. You may be short on time, but you will more than likely lose out on more affordable insurance elsewhere. Sometimes, that savings can add up to quite a bit of money.
Make sure you understand all of the perks associated with a new vehicle and how it may impact your insurance needs. For example, many new vehicle purchases include roadside assistance during the warranty period. If so, you can drop roadside assistance, towing or other similar coverages from your auto policy without reducing your total protection.
Insurance is something you need so that you don’t get a ticket and lose your license, of course. But you also need it to protect you financially should you cause or be involved in an accident. Make sure you apply the tips you’ve learned above so that you can save on your next policy.
