3 Little-Known Ways To Save Money On Auto Insurance
If you drive an automobile, then you may always dread that time of the month when your auto insurance bill arrives. The good news is that you may be paying much more for auto insurance than you have to. Why is this good news? If you start looking into new auto policies today after reading the following little-known ways to save money on auto insurance, you may be able to look forward to a much more affordable auto insurance bill as soon as next month.
1. Take a Defensive Driving Course
While the thought of sitting in a classroom for hours to complete a defensive driving course just to save a little on your auto insurance may not sound like a great trade-off at first, you may wish you had taken one long ago when you find out how easy they are to complete and just how much they can save you on your auto insurance premium.
In 2017, you actually don't have to sit in a classroom at all to get a defensive driving course completion certificate -- in many states you can complete a course online in the comfort of your own home. Courses can also be very short and easy. For example, the state of New York only requires 320 minutes of online study to earn your defensive driving certificate. Defensive driving courses are also surprisingly inexpensive -- most cost from just $20 to $100.
Once you earn this earn this certificate and present it to your new insurance company, you will automatically qualify for an auto insurance discount if you live in one of the 34 states that mandate this discount. However, many auto insurance companies offer defensive driver discounts in all states they serve.
Defensive driver discounts vary by state and auto insurance providers, but many drivers who have completed defensive driving courses receive discounts of up to 15 percent off their policy premiums.
In the end, you will not only save money by taking one of these courses, but you will also learn many techniques for avoiding auto accidents before they occur that could save the life of you or a passenger.
2. Consider Pay-Per-Mile Auto Insurance If You Drive Very Little
If you live in a small city or take every step you can to avoid driving to keep your carbon footprint low, then you may dislike paying a hefty auto insurance bill for a vehicle you drive very little. If you typically drive 5,000 to 10,000 miles per year or less, then opting for pay-per-mile auto insurance may help you pay much less for auto insurance.
Several auto insurance companies now offer policies that cost very little for low-mileage drivers, although how they structure their rates vary. For example, a typical policy under one pay-per-mile auto insurance company costs just $25 per month plus an additional 3.2 cents per mile driven that month.
Be sure to track how many miles you drive for a month before signing up for this type of auto insurance, then calculate about what your average monthly rate will be to ensure you will save money.
3. Opt for a Vehicle That Is Less Costly to Insure
If you are a newer driver, then you may not realize that the specific vehicle you drive affects your insurance rate greatly. Many factors are taken into consideration when auto insurance companies decide how "risky" your vehicle is to insure. However, just a few of these factors include how often that specific vehicle model is stolen, which vehicles tend to be involved in the most auto accidents, the cost of vehicle replacement parts, and the size of the vehicle.
Before you shop for your next automobile, check out one of the lists published online each year of automobile makes and models that are least costly to insure.
If you dread the day your automobile insurance bill arrives in the mail, then you are likely paying more for auto insurance than you have to. Keep these three ways to save on auto insurance in mind before you find a better policy. For more information, talk to an agent at companies like LA Insurance.
