7 Things You Can Do To Cut Your Car Insurance Rates

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Everyone wants to save money on auto insurance. Like just about everything else, car insurance prices for many drivers have increased significantly over the past decade, even coverage for safe drivers and for those owning very safe vehicles. And even one at fault accident can results in substantial auto insurance rate increases.

Here are 7 things you can do to cut your car insurance rates:

#1. Insure Multiple Vehicles

Almost every insurance provider offers a substantial discount on an auto policy if more than one vehicle is being protected. Depending on the value of the cars and the make and model of each, liability and collision insurance premiums for each vehicle may be lowered by as much as 10 percent when the owner insures them together.

#2. Insure Multiple Drivers

Most insurance policies are written to cover a specific vehicle rather than an individual. So-called blanket policies cover a driver regardless of the vehicle he or she is operating, but these policies generally cost as much as a traditional liability insurance plan. Instead, it is wise to combine all vehicles and drivers in the household when purchasing auto insurance because each separate policy will cost a bit less.

#3. Complete A Defensive Driving Course

These are invaluable where younger drivers are concerned and can save a bundle on premiums. The course can be taken online and the certificate of completion sent directly to the insurance provider. For those who have had several moving violations in the past few years, completing a driver education course will help to maintain favorable insurance rates.

#4. List All Safety Features On The Vehicle

All too often an insurance shopper will neglect to complete the vehicle information section on the insurance request form. If the car has a full complement of airbags, 3-point seatbelts with pretensioners, a rearview backup camera, anti-theft protection system or advanced crumple zone engineering these should be checked off in the appropriate boxes. Most of the larger insurance providers will have this field clearly marked on the information page and drivers should not overlook this money-saving feature.

#5. Choose Full Coverage When Initializing The Policy

Adding collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorist and personal injury protection insurance can be much less expensive when starting a new policy. These optional coverage types (depending on where you live) may cost quite a bit more if you add them on later. It is also wise to check the provider's payment options when purchasing a full protection policy because a higher initial payment often means a lower monetary outlay over six or twelve months.

#6. Choose A Lender Offering Safe Driver Discounts

One way to combat rising auto insurance premiums is to purchase a policy from a provider offering discounts for those with safe driving records. The rewards are lower premiums, better rates when extending the policy after the initial 6- or 12-month period, reduced deductible amounts for each year the driver has no accidents and more flexible payment options. You can compare quotes from several providers online by using a comparison site.

#7. Shop Multiple Insurance Providers

This the most important of the 7 things you can do to cut your car insurance rates. Comparison shopping allows you to work with different deductible amounts, look over several different payment plans and check the premium amounts when extra coverage types are added. The insurance companies are vying for your business and this strategy increases competition and may allow you to get the best combination of low price and coverage.