Car Auto Insurance Coverage, Quotes and Tips

Ways to Lower Your Premium
There are many actions you can take to lower the cost of your automobile insurance.

• Safe Driving
  Your driving record is very important in determining your premiums. Most insurers charge more—often substantially more—for people that have a recent history of accidents and/or moving violations than for people with relatively clean records. Therefore, it is important that you ask your
  agent to go over all facts concerning your driving record with you and check all other information for accuracy on your application for a policy. A mistake on your application
  could cost you money or result in the cancellation of your insurance policy.
  
• Take Advantage of Discounts
  Every auto insurer has its own package of “special” discounts to attract particular types of customers. Below is a sample of discounts to ask your agent about.

  
  Package discount—up to 15% is offered to customers who insure both their home and automobile with the same insurer;
  Multiple automobile discounts—
  insuring more than one automobile
  almost always qualifies an insured for a discount;
  Good student discount—typically a 10 to 20% discount is offered if a youthful driver maintains a “B” or better grade average in high school or college;
  Nonsmokers discount—a few insurers offer discounts of 5 to 10% for insureds who do not smoke;
  Passive restraints—several companies offer discounts of up to 40% on medical payment coverages for driver and/or passenger air bags, automatic seat belts, or anti-lock brakes;
  Accident free records—insurers
  commonly reduce premiums for most coverages by about 5% for any person that has been continuously insured by them without an accident for three
  years.

  
  A good agent will be sure to inquire about your particular circumstances to acquaint you with all applicable discount packages offered by the insurer he or she represents.

• Increase Deductibles
  Many of the factors that go into setting your auto premium are relatively fixed by your household make-up and lifestyle. One thing you can easily change, however, is the amount of your deductible (usually only applies to comprehensive or collision coverage).
  A deductible is the dollar amount you must pay out-ofpocket for each covered claim. Deductibles on collision coverage can range from $100 to $1,000. On comprehensive they can range from $100 to $500 or higher. Before deciding the level of deductible you must consider your ability to absorb unexpected financial demands. For example, if a loss of $500 occurs and you have a deductible of $250, you pay $250 (your deductible) and you collect $250 from your insurer. If a loss of less than $250 occurs, you pay for all of it yourself.
  If you take a deductible and pay for small losses yourself, your insurer can give you a discount. This way you can cut your insurance premium costs and still be protected against large losses.