Shopping for car insurance quotes has become infinitely easier over the past few years. These days, it only takes a moment to fill out one online application and instantly receive competing quotes from multiple companies. It sure beats the days of shopping with the Yellow Pages and a telephone! But before you fire up your favorite browser and start shopping for car insurance, there are ten tips you want to keep in mind. Some are easy, some a bit harder, but all are designed to help you get the lowest possible car insurance rates.
1. Pull a copy of your credit report. Did you know that some insurance companies use your credit rating as one of the ways of determining your insurance premium? They apparently believe that responsible bill payers also make for responsible drivers. So pay those bills on time, or take a few months to clean up your credit before shopping for car insurance quotes.
2. Park your car in a garage. Cars kept in a garage are less likely to be stolen or vandalized. Makes sense, doesn’t it? The insurance companies think so.
3. Start taking the bus to work. By parking your car in a garage, and then leaving it there, you may be able to reduce your miles driven to less than 7,500 annually. You may then qualify for a low-mileage discount on your insurance. So think green, save green.
4. Trade in the red sports car for a blue sedan. Did you know that the Highway Loss Data Institute keeps statistics on the makes and models of cars that are involved in accidents? Your insurance company will most likely apply this data to the make and model of your vehicle. It your car is determined to be more likely to be in an accident, more likely to be vandalized or more expensive to repair than the average vehicle, you can expect to pay a higher insurance premium.
5. Load up on safety features. Once you have that blue sedan, make sure you have installed every possible safety feature. As the number of safety features goes up, your insurance rate goes down. So install those anti-lock brakes, airbags and automatic seatbelts. You will increase the safety of yourself and your passengers while shrinking your insurance bill.
6. Don’t be shy. This is the time to ask about any and all discounts for which you might qualify. Do you participate in a car pool to work? Make it known on your application. Do you have more than one vehicle to insure? A boat? A motorcycle? Be sure to ask for a multiple vehicle discount. Own a house? The insurance companies will love to give you a quote for homeowner’s insurance along with your car insurance quote — at a discount, of course.
7. Raise your deductible. Yes, you have heard it before, but the higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premiums. If you have not yet bitten the bullet and done it, now is the time to jack that deductible to nosebleed heights. Even if you have to make an insurance claim and pay it, the higher deductible is still likely to save you money over the course of several years.
8. Don’t let your policy expire. Once your policy has lapsed, you will lose your discount for continuous coverage. If you are planning to quit your current insurer, make sure you maintain coverage while you are shopping around.
9. Pay your entire bill upfront. While it can take a bite out of your bank account to pay a full year of premiums upfront, it will save you money to do so. When you make monthly insurance payments, you are effectively asking your insurance company to finance your premiums, and you can expect to pay finance fees each and every month.
10. Move. Yes, it is a drastic suggestion, but one that can have a dramatic effect on your car insurance rates. Living in the city increases the odds of accidents, vandalism and theft of your vehicle. The insurance companies know this and charge accordingly. So this might just be the time to de-stress your life and move to the country, increasing your quality of living while decreasing your cost of living.
