Top 10 ways to save money on car insurance

Purchasing car insurance can be somewhat complex. The more information you're armed with will help you save money. Below are 10 ways to save money on anyone's car insurance.

  1. Clean Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) - Try your best to have a clean license. This means no speeding tickets or violations for at least 39 months. Car insurance rates favor drivers with clean licenses.
  2. No accidents - I know people don't try to have accidents, but being accident free for at least 39 months usually places you in any insurance company's most preferred rating tier.
  3. Prior Insurance - Insurance companies look favorably upon those who have had insurance for at least 6 months. If you currently have insurance, try not to let it lapse and then look for new insurance. Keep it in force continually.
  4. Good Credit - More and more insurance companies are looking at an individual's credit rating to determine insurance rates. The better your credit, the better rate you'll receive on your car insurance.
  5. Defensive Driver Certification - Anyone can sign up to take a Defensive Driver course. The course is usually 6 hours in length and upon completion; you're entitled to receive an 8-10% discount off your car insurance.
  6. Select Modest Vehicle - Insurance for cars is related to the actual vehicle itself. Obviously the more expensive the car the more expensive the insurance. Try to purchase a modest vehicle thus making the cost of the insurance less expensive.
  7. Deductibles - The deductible you choose on your auto policy is the amount deducted from a claim, which you're responsible to pay out of pocket. A higher deductible relates to a lower insurance rate.
  8. Multi Vehicle Discount - Car insurance policies offer a discount once you have more than one vehicle insured. Normally the discount is 25%. If you have more than one auto policy in your household, you should combine the two and take advantage of the savings.
  9. Package Policy - Companies offer a discount to policyholder's if you insure a home (condo, or renters policy) with them as well as your car insurance. The savings on the car insurance may pay for the complete cost of a renter's policy or will provide a large discount on a homeowner's policy.
  10. Address - Try to live outside of a major metropolitan proper area. The suburbs can be 40% cheaper to insure a car vs. a city address.