Many of us don’t like the idea of paying insurance premiums. However, the reality is that insurance can be a good way to protect your assets.
I recently moved across the country, and my state switch means that I’ve been making the rounds purchasing new insurance policies. From health insurance as a self-employed person to car insurance, I’ve been re-doing all of my policies.
When it comes to car insurance, it’s fairly easy to find discounts and savings. In fact, here are 3 ways that I save on car insurance:
1. Good Driving Record
The best way to save on car insurance is to have a good driving record. I haven’t received a traffic ticket in 14 years. Even though I was involved in an accident a couple of years ago, I wasn’t the at-fault party, and so it didn’t “count” against me for insurance purposes.
My good driving record means that I am eligible for lower premiums. (It also helps that I am female and over the age of 25.) Defensive driving is one way to ensure that you keep your car insurance costs low. I rarely speed, I am careful to observe traffic laws and I do my best to avoid dangerous practices. This conscientiousness might be boring, but it’s helped me avoid paying for tickets — and it’s helped me avoid higher premiums.
2. Multi-Line Discount
Many car insurance companies also offer other policy options. When you get additional coverage with the same company, you can usually get a discount on everything. My renters insurance is through the same company as my car insurance, and so is my term life policy.
Because I have multiple policies with my insurer, I get a discount on my car insurance. At some point, my son will drive and I will also receive a multi-car discount — although that might be offset by the fact that teenagers are notoriously expensive to insure.
If you have your policies spread out across different insurers, run the numbers. See if you can do a little consolidating and get a break on your car insurance premium. You might even get discounts on your other policies as well.
3. Good Credit
Finally, I save on car insurance by having good credit. Not all states allow insurers to use your credit history when determining your insurance premium, but I have been fortunate to see discounts on my car insurance just because I have good credit.
Some insurers view a good credit reputation as an indicator that you are generally responsible in multiple aspects of your life. This can translate to lower costs for insurance in some cases. I find it’s helped me, and it’s something that I am lucky enough to be able to control.
There are other ways to get discounts from your insurance provider. As you shop around for car insurance, find out what discounts are available, and what you can do to reduce your costs. From healthy living (for health insurance) to a lack of claims to the way you manage money, you might be surprised at the ways you can lower your costs while still protecting your assets.
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