How to Get a Car Insurance Plan at a
Rate You Can Afford!
Once a year, or maybe once every six months, the car insurance
bill arrives, and with it, the accompanying pinching feeling in
our wallets. Everyone who drives has to carry car insurance, but
it seems like it's getting more expensive every year. The average
rate for owning and maintaining a car in the past few years has
been almost eight thousand dollars a year! If you want to reduce
your car insurance bill, and save hundreds of dollars off of the cost of your policy, there
are a few things you can do.
Don't find yourself facing a high
annual premium when you can tweak your coverage and get a rate
you can afford. In this article we show you how you can be be smart and get a good rate on your car insurance plan without sacrificing your safety.
Here Are Six Ways To Get A Car Insurance Plan At A Rate You CAN Afford!
First, if you can, you should drive a low-risk car. If you drive
an SUV, sports car, high-performance vehicle, or luxury car, you
could be paying very high premiums.
Secondly, cars that are at a high risk
for theft are also very expensive to insure. Be cost conscious
if you're buying a new car and get a dependable vehicle, like a
minivan, compact, or sedan, that insurers won't see as a risk.
These vehicles are less likely to be in accidents and are less
tempting to thieves. They're also cheaper to insure.
Thirdly, you can further
improve your risk category by adding on or reporting features such
as anti-lock brakes, microchipped keys, VIN etching, automatic
seat belts, child safety locks, and other anti-theft and safety
features that insurance companies like to see.
This is particularly important if you are a young or inexperienced driver looking for cheap car insurance for new drivers, because you won't have much (if any) driving track record, and so you need to have as many positive elements that you can control as possible if you are going to be able to get an inexpensive car insurance policy arranged.
Fourthly, concentrate on keeping a good driving record, as the insurance companies DO take into account any blemishes on your licence such as DUI convictions.
If your record isn't quite so spotless,
see if your state offers a program to remove those black marks from your record by taking
a driving course that the insurance company approves of. It is worth checking with them fist if there are any specific courses that they recommend and which they give extra discount credit to people who attend.
Even if you can't do this, a defensive driving
class will often improve your premiums.
Fifthly, consider consolidating all your current insurance to improve rates across
the board. Insuring multiple vehicles or having your health and
life insurance with the same company as your auto insurance can
bring in a nice discount.
Keeping everything with one insurer is
also easier, as well as being cheaper in the long run.
Sixthly, remember, if you feel
like you're getting a bad rate this year, you can also try shopping
around for a better one when renewal time comes up. Even if you
don't go with the other company, you can use a lower quote to bargain
for a better rate with your existing insurer. Many insurance companies
build a lot of wiggle room into their policy rates, and negotiation
could get you the perfect premium.
Getting inexpensive car insurance doesn't have to be some kind of impossible nightmare if you're
willing to compare rates and share good information about your vehicles safety
and your own positive driving habits with the insurance company.
Everybody has to pay for car insurance,
but if you shop smart, you can get it far cheaper than you ever imagined possible.