Cheap Car Insurance

Making your ride less expensive

By Curtis Carper

With the cost of driving climbing steadily into the stratosphere, everyone wants to find ways to save money. Finding cheap auto insurance is one way to save some of your hard-earned cash.

Many factors determine what your insurance rates will be. What is your driving history? Do you have a record of accidents or traffic violations? What age group do you fall in? What type of car are you planning on insuring?

There are a number of ways to reduce the cost of your auto insurance without jeopardizing your financial wellbeing:

• Drive safely. Maintaining a clean motor vehicle driving record is the number one way to reduce you insurance premium. By showing you are a careful, safe driver, you can avoid exorbitant rates like those a person convicted of a DWI would be forced to pay.
• Surf the Web. You may be able to get a cheap online car insurance quote from a company that does all its business on the Internet. By avoiding the cost of a retail outlet, these companies can save money and pass the savings on to you.
• Consider your car. Insurance rates are calculated by the type of car being insured. Lower rates are given to autos with excellent safety records or models that suffer reduced damage in different types of collisions. If your car is a moderately powered family 4-door sedan, it is likely to be considerably cheaper to insure than the Dodge Viper the young guy down the street has in his garage.
• Consider another car. If your main driver is the cheap older car that you only have liability insurance on, then the higher priced car that you reserve for weekends will be insured at a lower rate as a second vehicle.
• Tailor your insurance. Liability coverage is usually the same from one car to the next, but collision insurance is where the price goes up. By driving a lower cost vehicle, or a more survivable vehicle the rates are generally lower.
• Take a look at lifestyle. Where you live, how much driving you do and the circumstances behind your driving may also have a bearing on your premium. If you use public transportation and your car is reserved only for incidentals, you can get a cheaper rate. Because your car sits most of the week, you accumulate less miles than the average driver. This also will reduce your premium.
• Keep your grades up. Young people pay the highest premiums, but there are breaks for good students. If you maintain a B average or better, you may be eligible for a reduced rate. For those over 55, some companies offer a reduced rate if you attend defensive driving courses every year.

Cheap car insurance is out there. By doing a little research and asking questions, you can save some of your hard-earned cash. Call your agent and ask if there are any rate reductions that haven't been applied to your premium, then make some calls, search the Internet and see if you can find a better deal.

One last tip: Many insurance companies reduce your rates as time goes on and you are accident- free. Make sure you take that into consideration before you make a quick switch between companies - longevity counts in the insurance business.

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