Nowadays, auto insurance is really expensive. A typical insurance policy can cost a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars a year. And the insurance rates you pay are hugely dependent on the insurance company or agent, your age, your car type, your driving record, and even the area you reside in!

You should never go without auto insurance though, despite the costs. Almost all the states require you to protect yourself with a minimum amount of liability coverage. Naturally, the bare minimum is not adequate enough for the average car owner. And as you add in additional coverage for your car, you realize that you will be paying a fairly large sum annually.

So, understanding auto insurance can actually help you to decide on a suitable insurance policy that won’t vacuum clean your wallet! Here, we have gathered 10 of the best tips for lowering your auto insurance, by as much as 40%!

Always compare insurance policies. There are states which regulate auto insurance rates, but the insurance premiums can vary by hundreds of dollars for the exact same coverage. It is definitely worthwhile to shop around. The first thing you can do is to check with your state insurance department. They often provide information about the coverage you need, as well as sample rates from the biggest companies. You can also ask your friends or look up the yellow pages. Checking consumer guides and asking insurance agents can pay off as well. You can easily find out the price range for your insurance policy, as well as discover the lowest prices in town.

Vehicle insurance – a cost we all must bear if we want to drive. But you might be surprised at how varied the rates for car insurance can be in your area. Definitely shop around for your car insurance. Dont just go with the first agent you speak with.

Now, thanks to the internet, you can shop around right from the comfort of home. Go ahead and get at least three price quotes from different kinds of insurance companies.

If youre in the market for a new car, call to see how much it will cost to insure in the first place. Having a car alarm and other anti-theft devices can help lower your costs.

Always ask about discounts. Dont be shy. Companies expect this!

Whats my cost if I have a $500 deductible? (Increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage cost by as much as 30 percent.)

How about a $1,000 deductible? Going to a $1,000 deductible can save you 40 percent or more. (Now if you dont keep at least this much in the bank, dont choose this option!)

If your car is worth less than 10 times the annual insurance premium, purchasing extra coverage may not be cost effective. Thats one great thing about owning an old car!

My credit rating is excellent. I always pay my bills on time.

What if we insure more than 1 car with your company?

The Right Auto Insurance Can Save You Money!

by: Mike Yeager

Auto insurance is a protective feature that everyone needs who owns a car. Auto insurance allows you to have financial coverage in case you are involved in an auto accident; regardless of who is at fault. When shopping for auto insurance keep in mind that rates will vary dramatically for the same driver, depending on which company you ask. The key to savings lies in comparing many auto insurance quotes, to find the insurer that will give you the best rates.

If the auto insurance company youre investigating is sound then its possible to purchase cheap auto insurance coverage that will give you peace of mind. Most states require you to purchase a minimum amount of auto insurance. In order to even drive your car you need to have at least liability insurance, in other words you have insurance to cover the expenses of the other party if you cause an insurance. If you are at fault in an accident, your liability insurance will pay for the bodily injury and property damage expenses caused to others in the accident, including your legal bills.

There are some insurance companies that offer discounts to those drivers who put fewer than a predetermined number of miles on their cars each year. Considering the high price of gasoline, carpooling and taking public transportation such as buses around town can help you save more than just premium dollars.

Youll find that there are many places to locate cheap auto insurance to not only save you money but to also give you adequate coverage and protection.

Take your time to look around and youll find that you can save on your auto insurance rates.

How Your Auto Insurance Rates Are Determined

by: A. Chris Tijerina

Your auto insurance rates are determined by a number of factors:

• driving record
• usage, how you are using the vehicle, work, pleasure, business
• how many drivers you have and their ages
• how many vehicles you have
• what kind of coverage limits you want
• what area you live in
• your payment history
• what color car you drive
• your insurance credit score
• your claims history
• your occupation and how many years you have lived at your current residence
• how fast you can solve a Rubix cube
• your daily, weekly, annual mileage

There is a lot of information about you that is used to determine your rates. You are grouped or pooled together with similar drives of the same background that way you are not paying for drivers that are much worse than you.

Similar risks will pay similar rates.

Your usage affects your rates because if you are driving to and from work or school 5 days a week, 15 miles one way you have a higher chance of getting in a accident than someone who only drives 1 mile 1 way 3 days a week or someone who works from home and only drives to get groceries. So business, work, and school usage is higher than pleasure usage.

The area you live in affects your rates due to the fact that one area or town may have a higher incidence of claims than another area. One area may have higher lawsuit payouts or higher theft rates than another area. Even if you live in a affulent area your rates may be higher due to the higher value vehicles in your area cost more to fix than in an area with lower value vehicles.

Although you may have heard that if you drive a red car you will pay higher rates but this is not true. It is a myth. GEICO, USAA (For Military Only), and Allstate, to name a few, don’t even ask what color car you drive when you apply for a quote. And your VIN number doesn’t give this info either.

If you have one car and three drivers you will pay more because that car will get used alot more than if you had only 1 driver and 1 car.

If you have had a poor payment history or your policy has cancelled due to non payment you will have higher rates when you try to reapply for insurance.

The higher your insurance credit score the better. The insurance credit score is similar to your FICO credit score such that the higher your FICO score the lower your interest rate and the higher your insurance credit score the lower your insurance premium.

Your claims history will affect you for a minimum of 3 years. If you have filed a claimed or if you even mentioned a claim to your insurance company it can and most likely will affect your rates.

How Do I Lower My Auto Insurance Rates?

by: A. Chris Tijerina

Since there are many factors that go into determining your auto insurance rates, there are many chances to lower your rates.

If you change jobs and your drive to work changes or you stop working or you work from home, you should contact your insurance company.

If you have a teen driver and they go to school over 100 miles away without a car then you should be able to get a discount.

If you get married and are in your teens or twenties call your insurance company and see about combining your policies.

Take defensive driving if your state allows it for a discount.

See if increasing your comprehsive and collision deductibles will save you a lot of money. You need to compare what you’re saving and how much more you will have to pay if you file a claim. For example, if you go from $500 to a $1000 deductible and it lowers your insurance $50 per 6 months then it saves you $100 a year.

It will take you 5 years to break even from what you are saving compared to how much more you have to pay.

Now, if it saves you $250 every six months then it would be more worth your while.

See if combining your auto and home insurance polices will qualify for a multi policy discount with your current company. This could be a substantial discount.

One of the biggest ways you could save $200-$500 or more a year is shopping around for insurance. The auto insurance industry is very competitive and this is great news for smart consumers like yourself. Shop for auto insurance quotes here and see how much you can save.