Thursday, January 25, 2007

Cheap auto insurance quote


Finding auto insurance quotes online is easy, but finding the cheapest auto insurance rates can be more of a challenge. To get the lowest quotes, follow these tips to help you find ways to trim possibly hundreds off your auto insurance quotes.

1. Give them details – If you don’t provide information about your zip code, marital status, car’s safety features, and annual commuting miles, by default insurance companies will quote you a higher auto insurance rate. Provide as much detail as possible to make sure you get each discount that you qualify for.

2. Shop around – Auto insurance rates can vary as much as 300% between companies for the same coverage. You can save hundreds of dollars a year by comparing prices between companies. Don’t forget to check out your current insurance company, they may have lower rates for new customers that you may be able to negotiate for yourself.

3. Raise your deductible – Higher deductibles equal lower insurance premiums. For example, increasing your deductible from $250 to $500, can save you a hundred dollars or more on your annual premium. However, plan on having additional financial resources to cover the deductible in case of an accident.

4. Cut the miles you drive – For drivers who travel on average 40 miles or less a day, they qualify for a low mileage discount with most insurance companies. Consider carpooling or taking public transit a couple of days a week to reduce your car’s mileage to qualify for the discount. By flying or taking a train for vacations instead of driving, you can further reduce the miles on your car.

5. Switch drivers – For married couples, compare insurance quotes between the male as the main driver and the female as the main driver. You may get a lower quote if the female is insured on a truck and the male is insured on the minivan. Teens should also be insured on safer cars such as the family sedan, rather than a sports car.

6. Add an anti-theft device – By installing car alarms or a tracking system in your car, you will get a discount from auto insurance companies. Since anti-theft devices reduce the risk of your car being stolen, insurance companies pass on the savings to you. A certified defensive-driving class can also reduce your premium for three years with most insurance companies.

Cheap car insurance for teenagers




Many elements determine a car insurance policy. Car insurance companies look at the person’s age, his or her driving record, and even the kind of car the person drives before offering a car insurance quote. Unfortunately, these factors can work against teens who are searching for cheap car insurance.

Teens are young, so they don’t have much driving experience. This lack of driving experience sometimes results in car accidents and traffic infractions, both of which are documented on their driving records.

One way to get cheap car insurance for your teen is to add him or her onto your existing car insurance policy. This may raise your car insurance premium a bit, but the increase in premium will still be cheaper than a separate car insurance policy for your teen.

There are benefits for parents who add their teen drivers to their existing car insurance policies.

You may get a discount for adding another car to your policy. Many car insurance companies offer discounts to policyholders who add additional cars to their existing policies. Depending on the amount of the discount, it may help you make up the difference for any increase in premium you experience.

You may get a discount if your teen makes the grades. Teens who take, and pass, driver education courses tend to get cheaper car insurance rates than teens that do not. Some car insurance companies offer discounts to teens who make good grades in their other classes. Driver education courses are offered as part of the curriculum in most high schools, and many states require teens to take approved driver education courses before they can obtain their driver licenses.

You are teaching your teen responsibility. If you add your teen to your existing car insurance policy, have your teen pay you for his or her part of the premium. This will help your teen save money and better understand the value of a dollar.