Looking to Save Money on Car Insurance? Top Tips and Tricks
Are you spending too much money on car insurance? We've got the 10 best tips and tricks for how to save money on car insurance. Let's get to it.
March 9 2023, Published 6:32 p.m. ET
Amid high inflation and financial strain, insurance plans of all kinds can become increasingly expensive depending on what you may need. Finding ways to save while protecting your liabilities can turn into a costly necessity. There are ways to save money on car insurance that keep inflated price points from overwhelming your bank account. These discounts are often hidden but not too hard to acquire.
Are you spending to much on car insurance and want to know how to save money? We've got the 10 best tips and tricks for how to save money on car insurance.
1. Compare car insurance rates and companies
Comparing rates across companies is one of the easiest places to start when looking into how to save money on car insurance. Different companies like to measure their rates on a driver-by-driver basis depending on demographics and driving history to determine their price point, after you've gotten different quotes from multiple insurance agencies, you will be able to identify which plan would be at the lowest cost to you. From there, you can make your decision about your insurance plan.
Comparing the differences between rates or companies can also weed out any potential pros and cons that may arise when understanding what you value in an insurance agency.
2. Having a clean driving record lowers your rates
You can save money on car insurance by driving cautiously and maintaining a good driving history. Auto insurance companies consider your driving record when dishing out your insurance prices. Drivers who have kept their backgrounds free of any significant notes such as speeding tickets or accidents will get lower rates. It's almost an incentive for conscious driving.
Safe driving habits are totally encouraged, but if you do happen to get a violation, attending traffic school classes is one to get the violation removed from your history and keep your auto insurance rates in check.
3. Remove cars from your insurance that don't need coverage
Older cars don't require the same attention as newer ones that are used more frequently. Cut costs and save money on car insurance by removing certain protection plans for cars that don't need them. Collision and comprehensive insurance plans may not be necessary for cars that are no longer driven regularly or barely driven at all. If a car's overall value is less than the auto insurance deductible you're paying on it, it may be time to cut it from the plan.
4. Increase your credit score
You will be able to save money on car insurance by improving your credit score. If you want to find easy answers to how you can save money on car insurance, your credit score can play a big role in how auto insurance companies decide to ding your rates. Car insurance companies look at your credit score when deciding your insurance rates.
Loans being paid on time and other money-borrowing factors are also considered when insurance companies determine rates.
5. Opt for user-based insurance
For those who don't spend much time behind the wheel and who still feel the heat of rising payments, there's a way to save money on car insurance. If you don't mind car insurance companies monitoring your driving behavior, you can opt into a user-based insurance plan. The insurance company would reduce rates based on how frequently you actually use your cars. Insurance companies may request to use apps or tracking devices in your car that'll keep track of your driving history.
Some auto insurance companies offer pay-per-mile rates that can help you save money on car insurance and offer car insurance discounts. These plans are typically rooted in a base payment determined by the car insurance company, and from there, they'll add on pay-per-mile rates depending on when and how far you drive. This is especially idea for people living in dense urban areas or walkable cities and only drive occasionally.
6. Go to driving school
Insurance companies target young, new drivers when looking for those who are ready to purchase car insurance. New drivers who have purchased their first car (or inherited it) may be ready to look at a way to protect themselves and their vehicle on the open road. Some insurance companies are willing to offer car insurance discounts for those who attend driver's education classes. Because they know that young drivers will be learning more before they're behind the wheel, there's a lower chance of accidents.
But driver's education car insurance discounts aren't just limited to teens who have just received their licenses. Older drivers who participate in driver's education classes may also be eligible to participate and save money on car insurance.
7. Look into discounts you're entitled to
Finding ways to save on car insurance doesn't have to feel like an impossible challenge. Policy discounts, affiliation discounts, vehicle-based discounts, and driver behavior discounts are all ways to save on car insurance. Car insurance discounts aren't always buried beneath policy withholdings and often appear in a variety of cash cuts to your rates. Automatic payment discounts, loyalty programs, and paperless discounts are a few examples.
Good students with higher marks are usually able to receive discounts on their insurance plans. Students who are listed on insurance plans but aren't driving currently because they live at school, may qualify for other car insurance discounts if they leave their car behind. Employer-based discounts, profession-based discounts, and other organizational rates may lower your monthly payments.
8. Update your policy on an annual basis
While it's usually an afterthought, switching your policy around is a tactic for saving money on car insurance. By going back and re-evaluating what your plan needs (or doesn't), you're able to eliminate any unnecessary costs that have been weighing down your plan over time. Keeping your current plan feels like it's the most convenient option, but significant discounts can be added to your overall rate if you take the time to look into what exactly you're paying for.
9. Bundle your car insurance coverage
Bundling your car insurance with other insurance plans can also help lower your rates. Bundling home, auto, life, medical, and other plans can greatly reduce the rate you're paying insurance companies while receiving all-around protection for whatever life may throw at you. It's common for insurance companies to offer bundled rates that combine popular coverage plans at a discount.
10. Go for a higher deductible
Insurance policies with a high deductible can lower the overall cost of car insurance. It isn't the most orthodox or favorable way to save money on car insurance, but it's wise to consider that auto insurance is a risk-based industry. The more you're willing to pay now, the greater the discounts will be when you're paying rates off later down the line. By cashing out ahead of time, there's less for you to pay when looking at monthly costs in the future.