Rates for Car Insurance

Your insurance agent hands you a bill for your car insurance.  You think that the premium is what you have to pay.  Not so fast.  Rates for car insurance do not have to be set in stone.  Just because your insurance agent says that your annual premium is one amount, does not mean that is what you will – or should – be paying. There may be discounts offered by your carrier that your agent has no idea you qualify for.  It is your job to stay informed and let him know when you think there’s a discount to be had.

There are dozens of ways to cut the rates for car insurance by 20-50%.  Yes, that’s right – as much as 50%!All you have to do to get these multiple discounts is to ask your insurer which ones they offer. Then start applying them to your own premium and watch your bill decrease.

So, what type of rate-cutting discounts should you be looking for?  Here are the most common:

• Multiple Vehicle Discount:  If you have ore than one vehicle insured with the same company then you should be getting some sort of discount.  Keep in mind that a vehicle can be a car, truck, motorcycle, RV, or other type of motor vehicle

• Multiple Driver Discount:  Families with more than one driver in the house, a discount is offered; especially if you have fewer cars insured than you have drivers. After all, if three of you are drivers and you only have two cars, that means someone will not on the road at all times. – and that means that  person can’t get into an accident.  

• Low Mileage Discount:  Drive your vehicle less than 7,000 miles per year and you probably qualify for a big low mileage discount.  Of course you will have to prove how little you drive through your inspection reports, but those are simple to get from your mechanic. Ask your carrier what their policy is regarding low mileage verification.

• Multi-Policy Discount:  All-too-often people disregard the benefits of using the same insurance carrier for all of your insurance needs.  By taking out policies for your car, house, life, etc. with a single provider, you may qualify for discounts on all of your insurance needs.

• Anti-Theft Discount:  Be sure to tell your agent about any anti-theft devices installed in your vehicle to receive a rebate or ongoing discount on your premiums.

• Safe Driver Discount:  Why should a good driver pay as much for insurance as a bad one? You don’t have to.  If you have not had an accident or claim in awhile, be sure to let your agent know that you expect a reduction in your rate.  Plus, if you register and attend a driver safety course you may qualify for an additional rate cut.

• Good Student Discount: Have a teenage driver?  If they are an A-student, be sure to register those good grades with your insurance carrier for a discount up to 20%! Most carriers are more than happy to reward good students with an insurance rate cut.

In addition to these standard car insurance discounts being offered by most of the main carriers across the U.S., there are some simple lifestyle changes you can make to help keep the rates for car insurance low:

• Drive Carefully (and slowly): Avoid getting caught speeding or getting any other type of traffic violation to keep your insurance rates as low as possible. Every traffic ticket you get is reported to your insurance carrier, which could raise your premiums.

• Keep your credit score high: Most people do not realize that their insurance carrier can use a poor credit rating to boost your insurance rates.  A bad credit score usually indicates an irresponsible consumer. Therefore, it has become common practice  for companies to periodically check a customers credit rating, and use a poor credit score as  areas on to spike their insurance premiums

• Downgrade your car.  Te fancier the car; the more insurance you will pay on it. The least expensive car sports the cheapest insurance rates and for good reasons: they are cheaper to fix after an accident.

• Get Married:  Single men are hot the hardest when it comes to buying car insurance. Get married and reap a discount up to 30%!

• Move to a better neighborhood. High crime areas sport the highest insurance rates. Move to a cheaper neighborhood (or the suburbs) and get a lower rate.

Cutting your rates for car insurance doesn’t have to be hard. All you really have to do is follow the tips listed above and watch your next bill clashed by a whopping 30-50%!