Can anyone tell me what steps to take to get a lower rate on my Dallas auto insurance rates? I have two cars, both about 5 years old and nothing too fancy, both are American made in good shape and reliable.



Dallas, TX

Answer: Hi Cheryl, you will be happy to know that there are tons of options available to you get help you reduce your current auto insurance premiums. Dallas Texas is a great place to live in terms of negotiating a lower rate and getting better coverage. Do you quality for any of these discount opportunities?

1. Are you in the military or retired military

2. Are you member of a credit union or other large organization like a teachers labor union?

3. Are you a student with good grades

4. Do you have good credit, increasing your credit score can improve your chances of a better auto insurance rate.

5. Are you an AARP member or senior citizen

6. Can you combine your other insurance products into one? Combine home and auto together will reduce your rates generally

7. Are you a good driver, safe drivers obviously will get lower rates

9 .Do you only use your vehicle for driving short distances, like just to go to work. This is called "limited use".

10. Are you married, make sure your agent knows if you are. Your rates are likely to decrease by getting hitched.

The internet makes things so easy these days, so my recommendation is to start online and compare rates there. Some websites offer multiple rate comparisons at the same time. This is very helpful and will show you very easily and quickly the differences in coverages and costs. I would also recommend you do not use your home phone number or your main email address when you fill out the quote form just so you don't get hassled with phone and email solicitations.

Increasing your deductible amount is probably the single biggest factor in lowering your rate. Carry a deductible as high as a $1,000 if you can, you will see a dramatic savings over the years. Remember you only pay the deductible amount when you file a claim AND your insurance carrier is responsible for paying out the claim. If you get into an accident and the other driver is responsible, you do not pay a deductible.

If you are a good driver with a clean driving record, you should have nothing to worry about and will enjoy the huge savings on your annual premiums. If you are a high risk driver....you might want to start putting some extra money aside to cover your deductible amount when the time comes.

There is one site that I highly recommend to get a rate quote, and it was the easiest and fastest I found on the Internet....so you might want to try it out for yourself. The economy is tough, but that does not mean you have to pay more than you should, and good chance that is what you have been doing.