Buy Car Insurance Cheap

In today’s tough economy, consumers are looking for value anywhere they can find it, and their car insurance is no exception.  Since car insurance premiums are not a fixed price, it is one of those costs that can be tweaked to best meet your needs and budget. But how do you go about buying car insurance cheap? 

First, you have to understand how car insurance works.  You choose your coverage (or pick a prepackaged plan), and then tweak the price with a good driving record and appropriate discounts. Just because your agent says that your premium will cost a certain amount does not mean that is what you will ultimately pay. Buy car insurance cheap by using some of these tried and true cost cutting strategies:

Drive the cheapest car you can

You might dream of hitting the street in a flashy sports car or loaded SUV, but if cheap insurance is what you are after, you’d be smart to buy a cheap sedan to get to and from work.  Less expensive (and by that I mean cheap) vehicles cost far less to insure; as do older models. The best way to keep your premiums low id to drive the cheapest and oldest car you can find that can still get you where you need to go.

Increase your deductible

Sure, a small deductible will save you cash if you need to file a claim, but you will pay for that luxury in higher premiums now.  Instead, put some money in the bank to cover that deductible and save as much as 10% on your overall premium.

Buy only the coverage you absolutely need

Take a good look at your insurance policy.  Do you really need all of that coverage? The odds are that you don’t.  For instance, if you have a second car (or one that you could borrow in an emergency), ditch the rental coverage on your policy.  It can cost a hundred dollars or more a year and the odds are good you will never use it. Consider this: if you spend $75 a year for 10 years on rental coverage, you could rent a quality car for more than a month in most regions of the country –depending on the car you rent you may even be able to get one for ala longer period of time.  Now, think about how long you will likely need a rental if you are in an accident (maybe 2 weeks)?  That is a lot of wasted premium money.

Live in the safest area you can afford or even consider a move to the suburbs

The safer the neighborhood you keep your car, the less expensive your insurance will be. Better yet, move to the suburbs and watch your insurance premiums plummet.

Drive less

The less you drive the less chance you have of getting in an accident.  That is why driving less can save you money on your car insurance premiums.  If you can prove that you drive less than 10,000 miles per year, you can enjoy a discount.  The next time you have your car inspected, have your mechanic certify the mileage and then submit that report to your insurance agent for review.

Get married

Married couples traditionally spend less on car insurance than singles.  One reason may be the multi-driver discount they enjoy.

Shop around

The absolute best way to buy cheap car insurance is to shop around. Not every carrier offers the same plans or fees.  Be sure to check with a variety of companies and brokers for the best deal.  Use the insurance comparison charts on the internet to helps find cheap insurance in the area in which you live. But, be careful not to cut rate yourself to the point of buying insurance that will not give you the protective coverage that you need. It is fine to look for a discount plan, just as long as the policy you pay for will indeed cover your costs in the event of an accident.

When it comes to finding a way to buy cheap car insurance, it is always best to look for a reputable company and then ask about the variety of discounts that they may offer.   In addition to the cost savings methods listed above, you can also see if your insurance carrier offers these common discounts:

• Multi-Vehicle discount for drivers with more than one vehicle

• Safe Driver discount offered to drivers who remain accident free for a certain period of time

• Multi-driver discount offered to households with more than one river

• Theft protection discount offered to vehicles  sporting any one of several anti -theft devices

Business Car Insurance Quote

Every business should have a separate car insurance policy for their business vehicles – especially if those vehicles will be driven by any of their employees.  Since you are insuring more than just your vehicles and your drivers (after all, you have to protect all of your business assets in the event of a crash), it is important to understand what a business car insurance quote covers before either signing on the dotted line or deciding against a certain policy.

In most cases, getting a solid business car insurance quote requires knowing what type of policy you need.  For instance, if you own a limousine service, you will want and need more comprehensive coverage than a small business owner who only drives his business vehicle to met with clients; go to the post office and make business-related errands.  Another thing to consider: who will be using your business vehicle – and for what purposes.

Once you have determined the real use of your business vehicle, your insurance agent should be bale to customize an insurance package that includes the coverage you need and takes out what you do not. This can help save hundreds in premium costs.  Be wary of agents who are unwilling to customize a package for your particular business since their insurance will likely cost more and provide gaps in some services.

The Things That Will Impact Your Business Policy

When determining your business insurance needs and obtaining a good business car insurance quote, consider these important things:

• The type of vehicle(s) being insured.  As is the case with all auto insurance, the newer and more expensive the car being insured, the more expensive the annual premiums will be.  One of the best ways to save money on business auto insurance is to keep only use the type of vehicles that are necessary to make your business look good.  For instance, if a basic van or truck will get the job done, don’t splurge on an SUV.  Also, consider how many vehicles you must have on the road.  While you may get a good discount for an entire fleet of business trucks, if you only need three or four to get the job done right, why waste the money on 7-8 trucks on the road?

• The type of coverage you need.  Look over your policy carefully on the lookout for unnecessary coverage. For instance, if your work trucks are older, you may not need comprehensive coverage. But, if your main business vehicles are newer, you probably will want that added protection. 

• The deductibles.  How high or low your deductible will have a big impact on your overall insurance costs. Carefully determine how much you are willing to spend should your business vehicle be involved in an accident.

• Who will be the primary and secondary drivers for your business vehicles?  Keeps a close eye on your employees driving records to help keep your own auto insurance rates low.  If you notice that an employee has a poor driving record, you may want to consider getting them off the road and off of your business policy!

What to Look For in Business Insurance for Your Vehicle Fleet

Once you have determined the things that can impact your insurance rate, getting a business car insurance quote that you can rely on (and that provides the coverage you need), requires finding a reputable insurance carrier that is easy to work with.  Some of the main factors to look for when shopping around for business insurance for your vehicle fleet include:


• Finding an agent with a lot of knowledge regarding business auto insurance. Not every carrier – or every agent – has experience working with business policies.  Be sure to find one that is.
• Getting a complete quote.  You may get a great quote form one agent, but look carefully. Does the policy include everything the others do?  Are there nay add-on fees, or riders you will be required to pay for later on? What about your deductibles?  There may be a good reason why one quote is much lower than the rest – and that reasons could cost you a small fortune later on.
• The carriers track record.  Look carefully at a company’s track record of paying claims to their business customers.  Find out how long it takes for them to complete a claim; what their percentage of paid claims is; what the claim procedure is like etc.  In some cases it may be worth paying just a little more to ensure an easy and quick response to claims by your insurer.
• Does the company offer 24/7 claims service and help? If not, working with them could be a hassle that you do not have time for.
• What payment options do they offer: flexible plans; pay by phone options; monthly, quarterly or annual payments; or automatic withdrawal?
• Finally, do they offer competitive (and comparable) rates?  Check with several providers to ensure that you are indeed getting the best deal on business insurance that you can.

Insuring your business vehicles doesn’t have to be a hassle, if of course, you find the right carrier and a qualified agent to handle your policy.  Use the tips above to help you decide what type of business policy you need and how to find just the right carrier to cover your auto insurance needs to keep your business running smoothly – and hassle-free.