An alarming number of people are paying too much for their car insurance, and the worst part about it is that they don’t even realize it.
All you need to do to get a discount is check to see if you qualify, and make sure you find a policy from an insurer that delivers the best price in combination with all the features you need.
Here’s how to go about finding affordable insurance, and the main kinds of discounts that are available for drivers today.
Getting Car Insurance Quotes Online
The most efficient way to find cheap insurance is to compare quotes from top providers using online tools.
You can squeeze maximum value out of these quotes by giving all of the info about your circumstances, your driving habits, and your history behind the wheel when filling out the comparison forms.
The more details you provide, the more accurate and affordable your quotes will be, which could matter a lot if your budget is tight.
1. Low Mileage Discounts
The fewer miles you cover in your car each year, the less costly your cover will be. This is because car insurance premiums are calculated based on the risks that drivers represent, and if you aren’t going to be on the road very much, then the chances of getting in an accident will be reduced.
Of course, you can’t just tell your insurer that you are not going to do many miles if this isn’t accurate, because it could invalidate your cover and mean that you can’t make a claim if it turns out that you are driving much more than you originally said you would. In the world of auto insurance, honesty is everything.
2. Young Driver Discounts
Younger drivers have to put up with higher car insurance costs because statistically, they are riskier prospects for insurers.
However, you can get a discount if you specifically search for policies that are built around young drivers.
Conversely, if you stick with a standard policy, you could be paying through the nose to insure a car as an under-25-year-old.
3. Telematics Discounts
Previously, insurers have had to make an assessment of how safe a driver each customer might be based on their claims history.
Today, modern telematics technology means that you can agree to have your behavior behind the wheel tracked in real-time, as a means of getting cheaper insurance.
This might seem invasive, but you’ll quickly forget that things like your speed and mileage are being recorded and reported to your insurer. And as cars get smarter, it seems inevitable that at some point every policy will be priced according to telematics, at least in part, so you may as well start reaping the cost-saving benefits sooner rather than later.
4. Multi-Vehicle Discounts
Should you live in a household where you have access to several vehicles, rather than insuring them all individually, you could get a discount if you protect every car under the same policy from the same provider.
This is generally best suited to families, as multi-vehicle policies are usually reserved for married couples or long-term partners and their children.
5. Advanced Driver Discounts
Another way to prove your worth to insurers is to be proactive about enhancing your skills behind the wheel. You can do this by taking advanced driving courses, where you will learn about the safest ways to behave on the road.
Not every insurer or state will accept this type of course as a way to get a discount, so as with all of these examples, you need to research beforehand to see whether you are eligible.