If you need to save money on your auto insurance, there are dozens of ways to do it. Some of them are out of your control; for instance, you cant do anything about an accident you had last year thats raising your premiums. However, there are plenty of small ways that you can affect your insurance premiums. Here is a selection of the ways you can save money on your insurance.
First, spend some serious time comparison shopping. You may find that your state regulates insurance rates so thoroughly that one quote is much like another, or you may find a wide variation in auto insurance quotes. Get several quotes for your area. Also ask whether the insurance company offers multi car discounts or discounts for people who get both homeowners or rental insurance and auto insurance through them.
When you discuss your policy with the insurance agent, make sure you are getting all the discounts you are entitled to. Many agencies offer discounts for people who have been safe drivers for a certain number of years or who have held a drivers license for a certain length of time, and for cars that have features like anti lock brakes, automatic seatbelts, and anti theft devices. Belonging to the American Automotive Association (AAA) can also get you a small discount of about 3%. Driving very little can also lower your premiums: Some auto insurance companies offer lower rates to drivers who drive under a certain number of miles (say, 7,000) per year.
Rather than buying every option that sounds good, determine whether certain types of insurance coverage are necessary for your area. For instance, if you live in a state that requires insurance for all drivers and uninsured drivers from out of state are rare, you can probably omit uninsured driver coverage. Also consider whether you can afford to raise your deductible. A higher deductible can lower your premium significantly, but it is cost effective only if you can also afford to pay the higher deductible if something should happen.
Rather than taking out three month or six month policies, take out a policy for an entire year. Insurance companies often charge less the longer the term of your policy is. Also compare the cost for different payment methods. Many agencies offer slightly reduced premiums for customers who pay the whole year up front or who arrange to pay through automatic deductions from their checking account.
And, of course, consider the drivers and cars you are insuring. Are you the only person on the policy, or are there other drivers? Being under 25 or having had a recent accident raises a drivers premiums, so if you are sharing an insurance policy with a riskier driver, removing them could drop your premium markedly. Also, are you insuring only cars in active use? If a car on your auto insurance is not being driven, and your state does not require all registered cars to have insurance regardless of their operability, then strike your inoperative cars off your insurance.
There are plenty more ways to save money on your insurance that are not on this list. The ways to save money on auto insurance are legion. Take into account not only your driving record and your insurance company, but all your driving habits, the equipment installed in your car, and the potential of outside elements like auto club memberships and driving classes. When you are done adding up all the available reductions to your premiums, you are likely to find that your auto insurance costs much less.

About the Author

Get more info about discount auto insurance, visit www.insurancetree.com/auto-insurance.