Let's start with you - or, more precisely, with the way you drive, because your driving habits can have the biggest effect on how much you end up paying for your automobile insurance.



Do you drive safely and legally at all times? Your driving record is probably the biggest factor in how much you'll pay for your automobile insurance. Even one speeding ticket or other moving violation and you will no longer be able to find automobile insurance at the best possible price.

If you manage to get convicted for a DUI (Driving Under the Influence) or for a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) then you can kiss saving money on your automobile insurance good-bye for a minimum of 3 years - and maybe longer. If you are convicted for either offense a second time you'll be lucky to get automobile insurance at any price.

That's what not to do - here's what you can do to put together a car insurance package that will save you the most money month after month.

If you're under 25 you're going to pay among the highest rates for automobile insurance. Besides keeping your driving record clean there are two things you can do to keep your rates down. Purchase your insurance through your parents' policy. This will cut your price somewhat.

The other thing you can do is to stay in school for as long as possible and get good grades. If you maintain a "B" average you should qualify for about a 5% Good Student Discount on your insurance every month.

If you can park your car in a garage at night you should get a discount. Let your agent know about your nighttime parking arrangement.

If you're over 55 you may notice that your rates are getting higher. Many companies (though not all of them) now offer older drivers the chance to take a Driver's Refresher Course. Pass it and you could save as much as 10% each month on your premiums.

How much do you drive each month? If you can keep your driving down at around 500 miles a month or less you probably qualify for a special Low Mileage Discount on your insurance. Using public transportation whenever possible can help keep your driving miles down.

If you have other insurance policies with the same company you can probably qualify for a Multi-Policy Discount.

If you've had your automobile insurance with the same company for at least 5 years you should qualify for a Long-Term Discount.

If you drive an older car, especially one that has no Kelly Blue Book value any longer, you are wasting your money if you continue paying for collision or comprehensive insurance. Save your money and cancel those two portions of your policy.

The last thing you need to consider before putting together your perfect auto insurance policy is how much you can afford to pay as a deductible if you should have a claim. Think long and hard about this because the amount you choose is how much money you will have to pull out of your own wallet any time you file a claim. The more you are willing to pay for a claim - that is, the larger your deductible - then the less you will be asked to pay each month for your insurance.

O.K. You've looked at all of the ways to save money and get discount automobile insurance in New Jersey and you've put together an insurance policy that should save you as much money as possible. Now it's time to get online and see exactly how much you're going to save.

Find at least 3 different websites that allow you to compare the prices of automobile insurance among various insurance companies and look for the best price you can find for the policy you've put together. Remember that you'll need to make your comparisons on at least 3 different websites if you want to be sure of finding the absolutely lowest rate possible. But once you've done that you can rest easy knowing that you've saved as much money as possible and gotten the best discount price available on automobile insurance here in New Jersey.