We’re all looking for ways to save money, these days! Budgets are stretched tighter than ever, and finding ways to cut back can only go so far. Most of us include car insurance premiums as a “must have” if you drive any type of automobile. We need our cars to get to and from work, school, the grocery store, and social events. 

And, since a car is a must-have, so too is car insurance. In fact, it’s legally required.

So how can you save on your car insurance, but not lose out on the perks you find beneficial? Let’s go over some lesser-known tips for savvy shoppers!

1. Be a Safe Driver

This may seem obvious, but the less you use your car insurance, the less of a liability you are to insure. Safe driving should be a simple instinct for most, but ensuring you are not in (or the cause of) accidents makes your rates go down.

Some companies offer a “Safe Driver” program, discounting rates annually when you are incident-free or checking your driving habits with a removable device. Either way, keeping your record clean brings costs down!

2. Accept a Higher Deductible

As you likely have seen when getting quotes for your car insurance, rates per month go down when the deductible, or price you are responsible for paying before insurance kicks in, goes up. Let’s say your current deductible is only $100. That means your monthly premiums are likely fairly high. You are assuming you’ll need to use the coverage often, and don’t want to be stuck with a high bill for yourself just to get the repairs you may need in the event of an accident.

However, if you are following step number one and driving as safely as possible, there is a lesser chance of needing to file a claim. If that is the case, you should feel safer raising the deductible amount, because you know you are less likely to need it. With a deductible of $500 or even $1000 instead of $100, you are likely to see a significant change in the monthly bottom line! 

3. Surf for the Best Price

The best part about being an independent insurance salesperson is that I am not bound to any one, individual company. I am not stuck selling the same product, no matter the driver. Instead, I am able to search high and low for the policy that fits you, uniquely to a “T.” 

This kind of flexibility leads to savings for you! By searching around for the best rates, which vary from company to company, you are bound to get the best monthly premium rates by simply shopping around. You wouldn’t hire a home repairman based on a single quote for the job, and nor should you accept the first price you see on car insurance. Let me do the legwork.

4. Bundle It Up!

No, I’m not talking about our dropping Minnesota temperatures. “Bundling” in the insurance industry has nothing to do with warmth. Instead, bundling means grouping your insurance policies under the same company umbrella. 

For instance, your car insurance rate may go down if you also have your homeowners’ insurance with the same organization. Likewise, adding policies such as life insurance, health insurance, or even supplemental plans can bring down the monthly cost of each if bundled or grouped with the same company.

5. Forget the Paper

As so many companies do these days, car insurance billing departments save money when they don’t have to print out, mail, and await the return of your hard copy bill. Instead, the luxuries of the Internet step in and replace the “Snail Mail” of yesterday. 

Because of these savings, many companies are willing to pass the bonus along to you, and discount your premiums should you select a “Paperless” option for billing. Likewise, adding an “auto-pay” feature, in which funds are automatically set to deduct from your account on a given day each month or quarter, can add to even more savings.

6. Seek Professional Help

The best way to be sure you are getting the absolute fairest price on car insurance is to work with a professional. Online sites are likely to trip up even the most savvy shopper. There are so many questions to answer, and without the guidance of a professional, you may be saddled with features you didn’t need or want, policies you don’t understand fully, or even higher premiums than you expected. 

By working directly with a professional such as myself, you are not only getting the care and compassion of someone truly looking out for your best interests but are also getting the knowledge of someone who works with such policies day in and day out! If you’d like to lower your car insurance premiums, come see me! Schedule an appointment today.