You may be thinking the same thing as me: If I see one more talking gecko or perky Flo commercial, I’ll get sick. But more than likely you have long since resigned yourself to viewing TV ads from Geico, State Farm, Allstate, Progressive, Nationwide and Liberty Mutual over and over again.
The insurance industry is big business with mostly every driving adult in America having some form of car insurance policy to their name. Tens of millions of drivers means tens of billions of dollars in insurance premiums annually. That’s a lot of money with advertising helping to persuade consumers to make the switch.
Lots of people offer advice on shopping for auto insurance quotes with most of those tips rehashing what has been said. Sorry to disappoint you, but I’m going to come from a slightly different angle, one that explores how you can lower your costs without getting stuck using an Internet insurance quote site, one that may not have your best interests at heart.
Your Current Insurer – When was the last time you had a check up of your current policy? Was it when you purchased a car and needed to update your coverage? Or could it have been when you moved and needed to find a new agent? In any case, you may be able to save some money with your current auto insurer by making a call to your agent. The Wisdom Journal stresses that policy holders should ask for discounts, information not readily volunteered by agents. Make that call and save yourself some money!
Shopping For A Car – Do you have your eyes on a luscious looking sport coupe? Or, is that 40 mpg compact captivating you? Few people think to talk with their insurance agent to find out what their rates will be until after their purchase has been decided. Even similar models can vary dramatically, with the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety basing insurance costs on a number of different factors. Visit the IIHS ratings page to find its top safety picks. Hint: the better the rating, the lower your insurance costs.
Ask Your Neighbors – It isn’t enough to ask co-workers and family members who they use for their auto insurer although that information can come in handy. You also want to check with your neighbors, people who “garage” their cars in the same zip code as you do. According to Autos.com, auto insurers narrow down their information by neighborhood to find out the number of collisions, thefts and incidents where you live. Yes, localized rate adjustments apply.
Check Credit Reports – Most drivers are not aware that their credit scores can impact their insurance rates, but the Los Angeles Times reports that it can impact whether you can get a job, or an apartment or how much you’ll pay for your insurance premium. Visit AnnualCreditReport.com to obtain free copies of your credit reports; pay the token fee to get one of your credit scores.
Once you have done these steps then shopping for auto insurance quotes from competing auto insurers can help confirm whether you have the best deal already or if you should look elsewhere.
Adv. – Visit SayGoodCredit.com for debt management help and budget solutions.
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