For most people, car insurance is the single largest Insurance expense after health insurance. It seems that its rates are high and are forever climbing. So if you want to save money, here are some tips to lower your car insurance.
It pays to shop and compare. Regulatory changes at the state level may have encouraged new companies to jump into the market, thereby increasing competition and reducing rates per consumers.
Another way to reduce the rates is to increase your deductibles. A 200-dollar deductible sounds wise until you learn that the cost for having a deductible at this threshold can drive your rates through the roof. Considering a deductible of $1000 to save on premiums, you can fix minor mishaps on your own.
Consider dropping collision if your automobile is worth less than two or three thousand dollars. if your car is totaled, you assure that you will get nothing from your insurer. But the savings you realize by dropping collision coverage can be used as a down payment for your nest car.
Most companies give discounts if your car has safety features like airbags and anti-theft immobilizers. Older cars, for the most part, do not have airbags, but if you have a model that has airbags, you will save money on your insurance.
If you drive your car for business, a portion of your insurance costs may be deductible. On the other way around, you rates may be increased if your insurer knows that you use car more for business than pleasure.
Another one is to combine policies. Purchase your homeowners, auto and life insurance policies from the same broker and you may save on your premiums. Sam insurance companies reward policy holder if they ?one shop? purchase all of their insurance needs through one company.
Consider the car before you buy it. Maybe a less sporty model car would be ideal than a Porsche Boxster that could sharply raise your insurance rates.
Driver's Education course is also a factor in determining you premium. Let your insurance company know that you are a safe driver.
If you had moving violations that were reported to you insurance company, make sure that your insurer adjusts your premium downward if several years have gone by since the occurrence. You could be paying a higher premium that you actually don't deserve.
It is also a must to check you policy if the insurer has the wrong address, town or zip code on your policy, you could find yourself paying more than you should.
Reducing your car insurance costs should not be an impossible feat. These few tips can help you realize how much savings you can get the next time your policy comes up for review.
Tips On How To Save
1. Save money on air conditioning. If there are only a few weeks of hot weather in your area, you may get by with just fans. You can have one blow cooler air up the stairs from the basement. You can also put a box fan in the windows on the shaded side of the house.
2. Save money on airfare. Use a drive/fly combo. It might take two hours to drive to a larger airport, but it could save you hundreds of dollars on the connecting flight.
3. Save on appliances. Buy store returns. Sometimes you can get store returns that still have a guarantee. I once bought a $400 clothes dryer for $99 this way. It had been use for a couple weeks, but still came with a full warrantee.
4. Save on boats. Consider renting instead of buying. Add all costs for a year (insurance, licenses, gas, maintenance, equipment, repairs, dock fees, storage fees, depreciation, trailer, trailer hitch, etc). Divide this by the number of times you are likely to use the boat. This gives you your cost-per-use. Now double this, because you'll never use it as often as you think. If this figure is more than the cost of a daily rental, just rent.
5. Save money on carpet cleaning. Ask your carpet cleaner if he will discount the price for just doing the "traffic" areas. This means he won't move anything, but just clean the visible areas (that's where the dirt is anyhow). Some cleaners may not move things much anyhow, and will charge for the full square footage of the room if you don't ask.
6. Save money on a new car. Bring a friend. His job will be to say things like,"Why don't you wait until next week to decide." This keeps the pressure on the salesperson to give you the best deal going. Your friend can also watch for things you might miss, like extra charges, scratches in the car, etc.
7. Save money on a used car. Pay cash. Paying cash will always save you money on interest, of course. If you have car that is drivable now, with no loan on it, reconsider borrowing to buy a new one. Whatever payment you think you can afford, start putting that much in the bank until you can afford a good used car.
8. Save on electricity. See if your electronics are on "stand-by." Unplug VCRs and other electronics that have "stand-by" modes. They often are using 25 watts even when they are "off."
9. Save on heating costs. Warm yourself instead of the room. A sweater and a cup of tea as a habit can let you knock a few degrees off the thermostat with no loss of comfort.
10. How to save money on hotels? Negotiate. We paid just $6 per night for a great room in a resort town in Ecuador, instead of the usual rate of $12, just because we were willing to walk away. Even here in the United States, where negotiating room rates is less common, we have asked for and received a lower rate a number of times.
Both Marie Cheska Ricafort & Steve Gillman 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.