You've probably noticed that some people get lower car insurance quotes
than you though they seem to have the same situation than yours. Here are 16
things you can do to lower your car insurance quotes.
1. Shop Around
This is such a common sense one that it shouldn't be here. But life is
hectic, makes people skip it or not do it well. What one company considers high
risk another one deems to be a medium risk. The difference in price can be
significant.
Each company asks you the same questions about your driving habits and
where you live. But different companies can have a different take on every
single answer you give. And that's why you shop around. Just make sure that all
car insurance quotes you get are for the very same coverage.
2. Buy a Lower Risk Car
Insurance companies take your car into account when you get car insurance
quotes. Makes sense. They group cars by risk. There are 20 different groups.
Generally speaking, the lower the risk they assign your car group (i.e., the
higher the rating), the lower the car insurance quotes you're going to get.
Some car models are stolen more often than others, some have worse accident
ratings than others, some are involved in more accidents than others (you're a
lot less likely to drag race a Dodge Caravan than a Mustang).
3. Consider Getting Only the Minimum Coverage Required By Law
The minimum coverage the law requires you to have is the cheapest. If you
have an old car with little value left in it, you should get insurance that
covers the other car, people, not your old clunker. If the value of your car is
less than what it would cost you to cover it for one year, should you cover it?
4. Keep Your Credit Scores High
An insurance guy I know assures me that there's a close correlation between
credit scores and the chances you'll file a claim. That's why, he says,
insurance companies rely these days on credit scores to figure out what kind of
a risk you are.
Whether you agree with him or not, know that, indeed, the lower your credit
scores, the higher the car insurance quotes you'll hear.
5. Buy Online
You can find lower car insurance quotes online these days. Many insurers
offer discounts for buying online: they save money since you're not getting a
human being involved (human beings require salaries). Plus, you save them on
their phone bill.
6. Raise Your Deductible
This one is easy to understand. The higher your deductible the less the
insurer pays. The less it pays, the lower the car insurance quotes it can
afford to have. Of course, in the case you make a claim, you pay more out of
pocket.
7. Drive Less
The more you drive each month, the higher the chances that you get into a
car accident. At the very least, don't overestimate. Don't lie about them (it's
neither legal nor nice) but count them well.
8. Have a Clean Driving Record
The car insurance quotes you get depend on this one too. The more they
catch you speeding, the higher the quotes, etc. And it stands to reason:
statistically, people with blemished driving records have more accidents than
people with clean ones.
9. Don't Make Small Claims
People make claims for small things. You buy insurance to have protection
against large expenses, expenses you cannot, or cannot easily, pay. For some
people a $1,000 payment is a lot. But if you can make it, make it. Insurance
companies do raise your premiums if you make claims.
10. Insure the Real Value of Your Car
If your car is worth $15,000 your insurance policy should cover $15,000. If
you estimate your car value at $20,000 and it's worth $15,000 you only get
$15,000 back if it's totaled. But you pay a higher premium. So don't claim your
car is in good condition if it's in average condition.
11. Reduce the Number of Additional Drivers Named On Your Policy
If you can. The more people covered, the higher the premium as the risk of
having a claim goes up.
12. Improve Your Car Security
Most insurance companies will give you a discount if you have car alarm, if
you park your car in a garage not on the street, if you have a tracking device.
The discount varies depending on what theft prevention item you have.
14. Don't Pay Your Premium in Installments
When you pay your premium over several months, your insurance company will
add a couple of dollars to each monthly bill. It may not be a lot each month,
but there are 12 months in a year, so it adds up.
15. Move
Well, don't move just to lower your premiums. But car insurance quotes are
based on where you live, so the next time you move, talk to your agent about
the neighborhoods you're considering moving into. Vandalism and car thefts are
higher in some neighborhoods than in other.
16. Get Good Grades
If you're young, you're going to hear car insurance quotes that are quite
high. You can lower them some by being a good student.
The more of the above you do, the lower the car insurance quotes you'll
get.
Dan M. Kennedy's insurance articles have appeared in many online
publications.
If you're looking into Chicago car insurance, visit Swias.com and
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information even if you're looking for other types of Chicago insurance.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6582025
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