Auto insurance is one of those necessary expenses, at
least, that is if, if you drive. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you
need to make too large an auto insurance payment. You can actually find
cheap car insurance rates if you shop smart.
Prices for car insurance vary and this difference could
imply savings of more than a few hundred dollars, says The Insurance
Information Institute. Most car insurance providers offer many
different opportunities for consumers to cut down on premiums. These
cuts come in the way of discounts based on many different factors. You
can get discounts for good driving habits, for certain occupations,
fancy high-tech devices on your car, and even on the fact that your kids
excel at their school work.
Some discounts run across the board while others are
specific to certain car insurance companies or premium types. The
following are some of the discounts out there that you should ask about:
Employee or Occupational Discounts
Sometimes the type of work you do can allow you to save
money on your car insurance. Some occupations are less risky than
others, involve less time on the road and consequently, fewer accidents,
so a car insurance company could offer discounts for certain
occupations.
If you are a customer of Farmer’s insurance you could get
discounts if you are a police officer, firefighter, doctor, dentist,
registered nurse, educator, engineer, or scientist.
Some car insurance companies have long-standing
relationships with certain corporations. So employees for those
corporations could get discounts on their insurance policy. For
instance, Geico, offers an 8% discount to employees of the Warren
Buffett Berkshire Hathaway Inc, a company that has many sub corporations
like Fruit of the Loom.
Even people that don’t work for anyone but themselves can
qualify for discounts. If you stay at home and work from there you could
be elible for a discount, especially if you don’t drive all that much.
Good Credit Scores
People with good credit can also qualify for lower
traditional or online car insurance quotes. The better your credit is
the lower your car insurance rate will be. Some say a good credit score
could cut your car insurance rates by as much as half.
Military Discounts
If you are in the armed forces or in a qualifying ROTC
program you may qualify for a military discount. Sometimes these
discounts can be as much as 15 percent for military personnel and their
families, and this could even include such branches as the National
Guard.
Association Discounts
Do you remember being a part of a fraternity or sorority in
college? These affinities can also give you a car insurance rate
discount. Many insurance providers offer affinity discounts of up to 8
percent. These associations could be your state’s Bar Association,
Small Business Association, Alumni Association, or other type of
program. Be sure to ask about car insurance discounts with both your
association and your car insurance provider.
Green Discounts
There is a reason for the cheap online car insurance rates.
They offer a greener solution that is ecofriendly. Cutting down on
paper and business costs allows a car insurance provider to offer better
discounts on policies. Some companies even give you an immediate $50
discount if you sign your policy online.
You’ll also knock down your rates when you reduce your carbon footprint. Reduce your mileage and you reduce your insurance bill.
Those who drive fuel efficient vehicles can also get
reduced insurance rates. Some companies offer as much as a 10 percent
discount for drivers of hybrid vehicles.
Anti-Theft Device Discounts
Those drivers that love the high tech stuff can also get
better insurance rate quotes. Insurance companies offer lower premiums
for drivers who use cars equipped with air bags, anti lock brakes, fuel
or ignition cut off switches, alarms and tracking systems. This could
mean a savings of almost 25 percent.
The Early Bird Discount
Those who shop early for a car insurance quote can also get
larger discounts. Some companies offer a 10 percent discount if you
switch your contract over to them before your policy renews.
However, there are also company good-standing discounts.
These are discounts offered to long standing customers, so be careful
before you jump from one provider to another.
Good Grades Discount
If you have a student on your policy and he/she receives
good grades, you could get a discount of up to 20 percent. This is
because data shows that the better a student is in school, the less
likely he is to have an accident.
Bottom Line
source: insurancequotesfast.com