Many motorists may think that the only way of getting large car insurance discounts is being a careful driver with long no accidents and traffic ticket history. Surely, this is probably the biggest discount a vehicle owner can get but there are other large savings offered for things like having a great credit score and sensible vehicle. And even a teenager with no history can get large savings by choosing a policy which bases premiums on information gathered by telematics devices installed on the auto.
There are plenty of discounts offered for motorists when they are buying vehicle insurance. Every little one of them will of course help you get inexpensive automobile insurance. However, some of the larger discounts are the ones that make a real difference. If you cannot get them you will need to get a few of the small ones to make up for the loss. Here are some of those big savings available.
Long Clean Driving History
Good drivers always get the best car insurance rates. If you really want to see as much as forty percent lower rates you need to be a good driver by avoiding claims and traffic tickets. If you can manage to keep it clean for three years you can get between twenty to forty percent savings depending on the company you apply to. Some companies keep giving further discounts for up to five years with no claims.
Also, you would have the chance to lock in those low vehicle insurance premiums by qualifying for accident forgiveness coverage and buying it. Most companies would look around three to five years with no claims before they can offer this cover. Once you have it the insurer promises to look the other way when you have an accident the next time. They let the first one slip without increasing your premium.
High Credit Scores
Good credit score is more important than people think when it comes to car insurance costs. Many motorists suddenly see as much as twenty percent rise in their premiums at renewal and cannot figure out why. Suddenly letting your credit score drop can do that to your vehicle insurance costs. More and more companies sign up to this concept of financially stable motorists making lower risk policyholders.
Not many people argue about the relation between claims and credit score anymore. The statistical relevance of credit score has been proven by even state insurance authorities while they try to disprove it. Look after your financial affairs well and save money on auto insurance. It is hard to get around a twenty percent discount for any other reason. Some companies do offer large discounts on this while few may not pay as much attention. So, if you have an awesome credit record, look for better quotes.
Cars with Better Insurance Ratings
Choose a sensible car if you don’t want to pay high insurance premiums. Another area closely looked at when determining quotes is the car insured alongside personal details of the drivers listed and their driving history. Premiums demanded can easily be doubled depending on your car. Sports and high horsepower cars, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) and most stolen automobiles are expensive to insure because of the expected losses.
Insurers like cars with solid bodies that can withstand accidents. They also look for features that reduce injuries to drivers, passengers and occupants of other cars they crash onto. Advanced seat belts and air bags are some of these features appreciated. The ram bars installed on some of the SUVs are not appreciated as they cause more damage and severe injuries on third party people and properties.
If you are considering changing your car or buying the first one for your teenager you should get quotes for the models you are considering first. This will allow you to see how these cars are liked by insurers and help you to make a decision.
Pay-as-you-drive Insurance
This concept of looking at the data collected by a little telematics device installed in your car can be very helpful when you cannot otherwise qualify for discounts because you just lost your accident-free status or you are too young to have a long history. Of course, this will only work if you are a good driver who doesn’t speed and step on the brake so often.
Actually, some companies offer upfront discounts to motorists who agree to data collection because they know that motorists would be extra careful when they know their driving patterns are recorded. It is an option made possible with technology and worth trying. Otherwise, you can go back to traditional policies, if it doesn’t work for you.
Other Ways of Saving Money
Age and gender of drivers is a very important factor in premium calculations but there is not much you can do about these factors. Education level, profession, homeownership, being married, having a low mileage and living in a safe neighborhood are some of the other factors that affect your rates. Try to pick some more discounts by qualifying for them where possible.
