Car Insurance Tips To Lessen Your Financial Load 2012

Anyone who drives needs to pay for car insurance. Driving without insurance is illegal, to say nothing of the potentially huge cost of being in an accident without it. Nevertheless, no one wants to pay more than necessary for insurance. Here are NUMBER ways to significantly lower your car insurance premiums.
Raise Your Deductible. A deductible is the amount of money you are responsible for in the event of a claim. The higher your deductible, the lower your monthly premiums. Opting for an increased deductible can save you hundreds every year, but be careful. Put some of that money away each month to pay the higher deductible, just in case.
Reduce Coverage. If you drive an older vehicle with limited value, it may not be financially worthwhile to pay for full collision and comprehensive coverage. The most your insurance company will pay out in the event of a claim is the book value of the car. If that value isn't high enough to justify spending hundreds of dollars for full coverage, cut back to the minimum.
Consider Storage Insurance. Do you own a car that you only use for part of the year, or a spare vehicle that just sits in your garage? Why pay full price for insurance when you aren't actually driving the vehicle? Consider getting a storage insurance policy, which will not allow you to drive the car but covers any damage the vehicle might sustain during storage. Since the risk of an accident is so much lower, insurance companies charge much less for this type of insurance.
Get a Safer Car. Many factors go into calculating insurance premiums. One is your model's loss history, which is based on the number of filed claims involving your type of car. Many insurers also offer discounts for optional safety features, such as anti-lock brakes and car alarms. If you are in the market for a new vehicle, consider the cost of insurance before you buy. It may be worthwhile to buy a more expensive car and save money on premiums.
Look for Discounts. Different insurance companies offer different ranges of discounts. You may be able to qualify for safe driver discounts, long-term customer discounts or good student discounts. If your insurer offers a discount for low mileage, look into creative ways to reduce your mileage to qualify, and save on fuel costs to boot. Other insurance companies offer discounts for optional driver safety courses; see if those are available and save.
Live in a Safer Area. Are you planning to move soon? Insurers take the accident rate in your area into consideration when computing your premiums. Obviously, insurance costs are just one of many factors to consider when planning a move, but be sure to include them in your overall assessment.
Pay in Full. If, like most drivers, you pay your premiums every month, you are actually paying more than you owe. Ask your insurance agent about paying your whole premium every six months or every year. Arranging your budget to accommodate these large up-front costs instead of smaller monthly payments can be tricky, but the savings are often worth the effort.
Shop Around. Find out who's offering the best auto insurance quotes. Armed with all this knowledge, look at all of your insurance options to find the best deal. Opting for the company that offers the lowest base premium is not always the best choice. Find out where you can qualify for discounts and compute your premiums based on your whole situation. Choose the insurance company that offers you the best bottom line, and your finances will improve accordingly.

Jeffrey Wells has been promoting smart insurance purchase tips for decades, and is a semi-retired Kanetix auto insurance agent. Canadians who are interested in reducing their rates will appreciate the additional tips about auto insurance that Jeffrey has produced.

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Car Insurance Tips for College Students 2012

College is a time of expanding your horizons and learning about how the world works. Unfortunately, that also means that it is a time of increasing expenses and greater responsibility. One of the responsibilities that you'll encounter that can take a significant toll on your monthly expenses is car insurance. Many students consider the insurance carrier that they used while living at home to be sufficient for their auto insurance needs, but this may not be the case. Just because your parents' insurance company worked well for them, perhaps even saved them money, doesn't mean that the same will be true for you. In order to get the best bang for your buck, you'll have to take the time to do some research, get quotes and make certain that you're getting what you're paying for.
Evaluating Current Coverage
Look closely at the car insurance coverage you currently carry and determine if it suits your needs. You might find that you're paying for insurance that's appropriate for a new car when in fact you drive an old car that doesn't have as much value. Insurance companies aren't going to tell you you're overpaying. They're just going to collect the checks. If your vehicle is five years old or older, check its current value at an online vehicle valuation service and compare that to your deductible. If the deductible is $1,000 or more, and the car is only worth $3,000, then it doesn't make sense to carry full coverage that could cost $100 per month or more. You'll end up paying more out of pocket for the insurance than the car is worth. You may want to consider reducing your coverage in such a case so that you'll save some money every month.
Comparing Car Insurance
Occasionally, it's a good idea to shop around for car insurance rates and see what sort of discounts or lower prices other companies might be offering. If you don't shop your rates around, you'll find in time that your insurance company will gradually raise your rates, only to occasionally drop them small amounts during major life milestones, such as turning 25 or getting married. The overall effect, though, is that your insurance rates will gradually increase. Meanwhile, competing insurance companies are all trying to earn your business, so their rates will be quoted lower. The Kanetix.ca auto insurance quotes comparison service is a popular free service.
Every two years, obtain quotes from at least three competing insurance companies, being certain to get quotes that reflect the same level of coverage. Before you move your insurance, though, take the quotes to your current insurance company and ask them if they can beat them. If not, then your best recourse is to switch insurance carriers.
Switching Insurance Carriers
The process of switching insurance carriers is simple during college. If you only carry auto insurance, the process is just that much easier. All you have to do is sign up with the new insurance company, and your new agent will request all the information from your current insurance company. You'll have a few papers to sign and return in some cases, and then you'll receive a check in the mail for any insurance from your current insurance company for which you have already paid.
Bundling Insurance
Insurance bundling isn't just for parents and homeowners. College students can benefit from bundling their insurance products, as well. In the insurance industry, this is known as having multiple lines. It can include renter's insurance, life insurance and just about any other insurance product you carry. Ask your insurance provider what discounts are available for having multiple lines, and you might just be surprised how much you can save.
Rather than avoiding insurance during college, make certain that your auto insurance is exactly what you need at the time. This way, you'll not only save money, but you'll have peace of mind to keep your attention on your studies, as well.

As a retired insurance adjuster of 20 years experience, Colin Woods enjoys spending time discussing various insurance issues and ways to improve the experience that people have when shopping for their car policy. An essential tip for students is comparison shopping as much as possible, as the difference in insurance quotes is most staggering for younger aged individuals.

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