Is the Cost of Automobile Insurance Breaking You?

Stacey Zimmerman

Follow These Tips To Lower Your Rates

When it comes to automobile insurance, many of us get frustrated. In most states, it is required by law to have it and the prices for it can be astronomical. The fact is automobile insurance does not have to be. The following are ways that you may be able to lower your rates.

One of the most important things you can do to lower your rates is to shop around. Make certain you get at least three different price quotes and you'll even be able to access this type of information by using the Internet. Prices of automobile insurance vary from one company to the next, so you'll want to ask others you know where they get their insurance from. It will pay to compare prices on the same coverage.

Another way to lower the cost of your automobile insurance is to ask for a higher deductible. The fact is if you increase your deductible by even $400, you can reduce your coverage by up to 30 percent. However, if you do raise your deductible, you'll want to make sure that you would be able to pay it if there was a claim.

Make sure you check with your insurer to find out if they offer any discounts. Many will offer discounts for having a higher deductible, more than one vehicle on the automobile insurance, having a clean driving record for so many years, taking a defensive driving course, and even having low annual mileage. Many will offer a discount if you work within a certain amount of miles from your home. The fact is there may be many discounts that would apply to you but are not given to you since you didn't ask.

You may also find lower rates by not having multiple drivers on your policy. If you are the only one to drive your car, there is no reason to have all people in the household on it. You may also be able to lower your rates by letting them know the exact value of your vehicle. The fact is many of us think are cars are worth more than they actually are. If you bought your vehicle four years ago, obviously the value of the car has gone down considerable. Don't overpay on your vehicle if you do not have to.

If you have several types of insurance, such as homeowner's insurance and life insurance, you may be entitled to a discount by getting all your insurance needs through one insurance company. Many may offer reduced rates for this, but it is still important to shop around multi-policy rates.

Many of us are paying a lot more than we should have to for automobile insurance. Keeping your driving record clean is, of course, a must to keep your rates lowered. You'll find many of us could have much lower rates if we simply price compared and asked about what discounts may be available to us. Don't pay too much for your automobile insurance. Start your price comparing today!

Copyright 2006 Stacey Zimmerman