Owning a vehicle and choosing to drive means you must maintain appropriate car insurance. While it is an option to not drive, most working families find that option to be more cumbersome and costly than the expense of car insurance. Therefore, many families are looking for the second effective option: lowering the cost of car insurance.  An educated consumer can find ways to help lower the cost of insurance while maintaining appropriate coverage required by law.

The First Steps

Before you even purchase a vehicle, do your research. Some cars are much more expensive to cover than others. For instance, a car that costs $30,000 off the lot is going to cost more to cover than a car that costs $20,000, but less than one that costs $45,000. However, if the added costs are associated with safety and anti-theft add-ons, those features may actually lower car insurance quotes.  Never assume anything, though; many car insurance companies provide you with the ability to get an estimate of the cost to insure a vehicle before you make the purchase.

Along with researching the vehicle insurance cost, shop around for a good insurance carrier.  Some carriers offer more coverage for less money or offer certain discounts that other carriers may not.  Some may offer student discounts or veteran discounts, while others may offer low-risk employment related discounts and low mileage discounts. If you work for a larger company, your employer may have discounted insurance plans through certain carriers as well. Note the quotes given by other agencies to use as leverage when shopping around. While insurance is, in part, regulated by the laws of the state, there is some room for negotiations.

Finally, take a safe driver course.  Many companies offer discounts for approved safe driver courses. These discounts may be substantial in the long run, especially for newer drivers. The added benefit is you may learn something to help you avoid tickets and accidents, which keeps your costs from skyrocketing.

Keep It Up

Once you choose your provider, there are methods to take advantage of additional discounts and lower your rates.  For instance, insuring more than one vehicle and person with the same company may reduce your rates, mostly because the insurance company wants a higher volume of business. The same holds true if you insure your home and your car with the same company.

Also, review your policy in detail. Remove any unnecessary coverages, such as roadside assistance or vehicle rental if you already carry that coverage elsewhere.  If you carry a service like AAA, you already have those services and do not need to pay for those through your car insurance as well. This is also the time to review your deductibles and potentially raise them. Obviously, the more you pay to repair a problem, the less you pay to insure it.

Once you have looked at the policy discounts, determine whether paying up front will save money.  Many policies charge a fee to accept monthly or quarterly payments, raising your insurance by a bit of money every year.  If you make one payment up front, you will save that added premium.

Finally, fix your credit score and maintain it. Unfortunately, many insurance providers consider your credit score when calculating your premium. The better your credit, the lower your premium. To learn more about lowering your premium and obtaining protection for your vehicles and family, contact the agents at Protective Agency Insurance at (877) 739-9367.