A hard reality of driving a car is that you need car insurance. However, if you put a little time into a thorough search for the insurance carrier that is best for you, it will pay off. In fact, you should think about finding a great deal for car insurance, or any insurance for that matter, as part of your day job. If it takes a few hours out of your work week, it will be worth it if you end up saving $500 or even more. You could try our car insurance calculator to see how much people like you pay for car insurance and ways to save.
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Read below to find out about new tips for saving money on car insurance.
Tip 1: Drive Safe
Know that if you have had claims in the last few years, your rates will be higher. Keep your license clean, drive safely, and park your car where it won’t be scraped or stolen. If you have had claims that are raising your rates, a clean record from here on out will erase each claim about three years from the incident.
Tip 2: Talk to a real person
Find someone at an insurance company who you can talk to and explain your personal circumstances. You can do this by asking people you know who services their car insurance. Rather than calling Geico’s 800 number, ask a relative, friend, or colleague who they use for their car insurance, and get their contact’s direct phone number and extension or email. When you reach out, mention that you were given their information by your relative, friend, or colleague, that you need car insurance, and that you’d like to inquire on rates. As in most cases in life, having the personal touch and reaching out to connect with another human will pay off. Be ready to provide information, such as your driver’s license number and your vehicle’s identification number (VIN). Then let the insurance salesperson do their work and come back to you with a quote.
While the salesperson is getting you a quote, repeat the process with another few salespeople at different companies. Again, get direct contact information to a number of salespeople from your relatives, friends, and/or colleagues. Have the same information on hand. Get a number of quotes, and then choose the one that is best for you.
Tip 3: Consider insurance brokers
In addition to reaching out directly to salespeople at the car insurance companies, you can reach out to insurance brokers. Your friends, relatives, and/or colleagues may have gotten their insurance this way. The process isn’t really any different. Get a direct number or email address to the broker, tell them about yourself and that you’d like to inquire about car insurance rates, answer any questions they have by having your personal and driving information on hand, then let them go to work to find you quotes.
Usually brokers will reach out to a number of insurance companies at once, and will come back to you with a few options. The brokers can provide expertise to help you pick the right option for you. Another benefit of going through an insurance broker rather than directly to a company like Geico is that you get a more personal touch should you have questions or concerns. In the future, if you want to explore lower rates at other carriers, your insurance broker can provide guidance regarding the market and can find you new quotes. This will save you the time of calling three to six companies yourself for quotes. Additionally, if you are a homeowner, brokers can often save you money by putting your car and homeowner’s insurance into a package at a single company. Even if you recently purchased a homeowner’s policy from another company, switching is often worth it, as it can save you hundreds of dollars.
Our partner Insurify offers a fast, simple, and easy way to compare coverage prices and discounts. They help people save over $400 on average.
Tip 4: Look at the policy, not just the price
when deciding on your insurance carrier, in addition to looking at what the premium will cost, make sure that the coverage is reasonable. Don’t just compare prices—compare the bodily injury and property damage coverage limits. Look at the auto collision and comprehensive insurance. Does one company offer rental reimbursement? Take notes when speaking with a salesperson. Ask questions and learn. Also, look at the deductible: the amount you pay in a claim before the insurance steps in. If you’re tight on cash, a smaller deductible, such as $500, might be right for you. But if you think you can handle a $1,000 deductible should something happen, then your premium would be lower.
That is how you can save on car insurance.