With a stagnant economy, prices on everything rising, the constant threat of high gas prices, and recent sales and state tax hikes on our automobiles has made it important to find ways to save anywhere we can. A big and easy area to save lots of money is auto insurance. It is amazing that regardless of the commercials like Geico and Progressive telling people to shop for the best rate that 90 percent or more never do. You need to make sure you are getting the best deal possible. You work too hard to through easy money away and make insurance representatives and executives rich. Recent research shows that you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars just by making a few phone calls and shopping around a little bit.
According to the Insurance Research Council the average savings by shopping around auto insurance carriers is $847. That is $847 per year and that is a lot of money to throw away. To start saving first call your auto insurance company and ask if you are getting all the discounts you qualify for. Most will happily oblige you on this as they want to keep their customers happy. Discounts could be for things like no accidents, age, sex, driving history, college student, even good grades (I believe just Allstate has this one right now). Discounts of 2 percent to 5 percent may not seem like much but could easily become several hundred dollars or more per year really fast. The biggest deduction is usually a clean, accident free driving record and that can be from 4 to 20 percent or more per year in savings. Just be careful as it only takes 1 infraction to nullify most or all of these discounts.
Check and see if you have any points on your license. If you do not remember if you have had a recent (last 4 years in most cases except DUI), just call your auto insurance agency. They can tell you exactly how many points, why or what the infraction was and what you can do to fix or reduce them. Many auto insurance agencies or companies sponsor safe driving classes if yours does not a simple call or visit to your local DMV will reveal many classes that can remove or lower points and reduce insurance costs or award deductions. Many of these classes are only a one day affair for 4 to 5 hours. Some are free and some may cost $20 to around $50. Regardless, in what they will save you in one year alone it is well worth it.
And the big one, shop around. You need to do this every few years even if your current auto insurer is the best, they may not be in two years. Rates are constantly changing along with crash test and theft recovery numbers. It also depends on where you live. If you have recently moved or are planning a move then shop your auto insurance. The same auto insurance company may have totally different rates (and probably does) in different cities. Even if you have had some recent infractions or just received one, shop your rate. You need to do this as you will save big money. The average savings for all insured persons that shop their rate is $847. The average for those that do not is obviously a big fat zero. Definitely include Progressive and Geico in your shopping as they will usually have the lowest rates and best service. I have personally found Progressive to have the lowest rates in New York and North Carolina.
It is also a good idea to drive safely and to continue to drive safely (non aggressively). It will not only save you big on insurance, but it could save your life or the life of someone else. And never pass a stopped school bus. There is a reason why its 4 points or more on your license, respect school buses and kids for they may not always see you and if something bad were to happen you would never forget or forgive yourself.
It is an exciting time for a teenager when they legally sit behind the wheel of a car by themselves for the first time. It is sort of like a right of passing, a time in which adulthood seems a little more within reach, or even a time in which they realize they are getting a little more freedom. Whatever the thoughts of the teenager at that very moment, mom and dad have something else to contend with and that is the car insurance premium.
By this point the car insurance should already be taken care of, but now there are many payments to come. Aside from making the teenager get a job, the premium has to be paid somehow and oftentimes it is not what many would call "pretty." That is why it is a great idea to find out what ways can reduce a teenager's auto insurance policy so that mom and dad has one less worry on their plate when it comes to having a teenager behind the wheel of the car.
Fortunately, there are ways to reduce the cost of auto insurance for teenagers, which is certainly good news for parents. Since teenagers are considered inexperienced, that puts them on the list of high risk drivers, which is why their premiums are so high. So here are some ways, and some with the teenager's cooperation, that can reduce the cost of the auto insurance policy for a teenager:
Raise the deductible: If the deductible is $500, then raise it to $2,000 or an amount that results in a comfortable payment. Just keep in mind that if an accident should occur, it is important that the deductible is one that can be paid. Good student discount: When students carry a certain grade in school, the insurance company will apply a good student discount. This does require bringing the teenager's report card to the insurance company each time it is received to ensure the discount can stay. Make the teenager the primary driver on an older vehicle, which is usually the cheapest vehicle. Insurance tends to be more expensive if the teenager is the primary driver on the most expensive car. Take a defensive driving course: If the student takes a driving course and provides proof that to the insurance company that they passed it, then the insurance company will apply a discount since that makes the teenager less of a risk behind the wheel. Buy the teenager a cheaper car: Sometimes it is feasible to buy a cheaper car for the teenager to use until they turn 18 or the age in which insurance premium will go down. Buy a car with a high safety rating: Safety rating has a lot to do with how much the premium is on a car. The lower the safety rating the higher the insurance. A car with a great safety rating will be cheaper. Be sure to shop around: Some companies are cheaper than others, so it is good to get insurance quotes from at least three insurance companies to see which one offers the best rates for teenagers.
Although teenagers tend to be more reckless behind the wheel of a car, that doesn't mean the insurance premiums have to reflect it. Also, not all teenagers are in car accidents, but the premiums are based on the probability due to inexperience. Needless to say, by implementing the above steps, a lower insurance premium can definitely be achieved and mom and dad can at least feel relieved about one aspect of the experience.
Both David Maillie & Elizabeth Murphy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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