How To Slash Your Car Insurance Costs Up To 54% In 10 Easy Steps - Part 2
If you're one of the 15% of people who have switched to a new car insurance company in the last year, don't worry! Your credit may not be perfect, but there are still ways to save. In this post we will show you 10 more easy steps that will slash your car insurance premium up to 54%.
In Part 1 we discussed 5 tips for saving on auto insurance costs. Here are 10 more tips that will help you save an average of 22% on your auto insurance bill.
10. Change Your Address
Most drivers have multiple addresses due to their work, school and other commitments. Instead of listing all these addresses on your car insurance policy, it would be better to list only one and update it every year or so. The reason is that most car insurance companies charge you a fee for each policy you hold. If you have three policies and two addresses each, you will end up paying an extra $30 on your auto insurance bill every year. This simple step alone can save you a lot of money.
2. Install An Alarm System In Your Car
Engaging in criminal activity, speeding, driving without a license or without car insurance all affect your auto insurance premium adversely. Most alarm systems cost as little as $20 to install and they can lower your auto insurance premium by as much as 25%.
3. Get A Reflex Mirror
Reflex mirrors cost around $50 and are mandatory in the European Union and many other countries. They can lower your auto insurance premium by 5 to 10% for this reason.
4. Get Your Car Safety Inspected At Least Once A Year
Car safety inspections are required in many states in the US. If your state doesn't require it, you should do it anyway. It costs less than $50 and can lower your car insurance premium by up to 5%.
5. Buy Your Car From A Dealership
Dealer cars are cheaper to insure because their owners tend to maintain them better and they receive special discounts from the insurance companies. You may have seen or heard that it is cheaper to insure a "new" used car than a "used" new one, but that is not necessarily true. Buy a used car from a dealership and you will save $250 to $350 on your car insurance premium.
6. Get A Car That Is The Cheapest To Repair
Some cars are easier to repair than others. The less expensive the car, the cheaper to repair it will cost. Sport utility vehicles and luxury sedans are more expensive to repair because they have a lot of gadgets that can be damaged easily. If you drive a sports utility vehicle or an SUV, you will save at least 10% by switching to a small economy vehicle such as a compact or pickup truck.
7. Purchase Multiple Policies From One Company
Dedicating your car insurance policy to one company is always a good idea. That way, you will receive comprehensive coverage for all your needs. However, if you are already doing that it would be a better idea to purchase multiple policies from the same company. The reason is that they can combine all their experience with you and give you much better rates than other companies can give you.
8. Increase Your Deductible
Offering a higher deductible is always an attractive option to lower your car insurance premium because no one wants to pay $1,000 when the bill is only $500 or so. Increasing your deductible will reduce costs only for minor repairs such as replacing windshield wipers and changing brake pads. Make sure you have enough money to cover the deductible if you decide to raise it.
9. Live In A Safe Neighborhood
Being in a safe neighborhood can save up to 10% on your car insurance bill, but it is not always easy to determine which ones are safe and which are not. If you have a choice of neighborhoods try driving through them at random times of the day and night and see how many people are out and about. If there are only a few cars on the street compared to all the homes around, it is probably a safe neighborhood.
10. Switch To A Different Company
You can easily switch to another car insurance company and start saving money right away. All you need is a low down payment and they will automatically transfer the old insurance contract to your new one. If you do not like the low rates offered by your current car insurance company you can always switch back later on.
11. Buy Used Cars From A Dealer
Buying cars from a dealer is always cheaper than buying them from private owners because they purchase them more frequently, thus getting better deals on cars that have just been purchased. You can also negotiate a better deal with the dealer if this is your first time buying a car without testing drive it first with them.
12. Buy A 10 Year Car Insurance Policy
Many car insurance companies offer a 10 year long term insurance policy that offers lower rates than a 6 month policy and also guarantees you will not be at high risk for price increases in the following years. If you opt for this kind of policy, make sure that your monthly payments are less than $200.
13. Install An Uniden BC785 Home Alarm System
Uniden home alarm systems cost between $20 and $60 depending on their features, but they are responsible for up to 50% of all vehicle insurance claims each year in the US. They can slash between 5% to 20% off your car insurance premium by doing this.
14. Get A Car That Is The Cheapest To Insure
Some cars are cheaper to insure than others, but determining which ones are and which ones are not is not easy. Ask around your neighborhood to see what other people drive and then check the car insurance premiums for each of them. If you already have a car and want to find out if it is expensive or cheap to insure, ask your current insurer if they have data on the insurance cost of that particular vehicle.
15. Get A Driver's Education Course
Some driver's education courses can lower your insurance premium by up to 5% for three years after you take the course.
Conclusion
It's important to keep in mind, however, that the most common reason why certain cars are more expensive to insure is that they tend to be more involved in accidents. A car like the Toyota Camry may not have a high theft rate, but it does have a high accident rate because Camrys are extremely popular. When it comes to deciding which cars are cheap and which ones are expensive to insure, you will find that there is no such thing as an ideal car.
Source: Insuranceclaimsme.com
Image Credit: www.carsid.com/cars-that-cost-more-and-less-to-insure/
What You Can Do To Lower Your Car Insurance Premium
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