Cheap auto insurance can be found anywhere from advertisements on fliers and gas stations, to local directories and yellow pages to insurance company websites and privately run comparison websites sites.
Online quotes
If your not too tech savvy and are not interested in online quotes you can always drive down to the nearest insurance agent to get yourself a money saving deal. Another good way is to call auto insurance companies on the phone and request quotes; however both the aforementioned methods should be used only if you are unavailable to receive quotes online.
Online quotes save you a lot of time, in the same amount of time you would spend with an insurance agent over the telephone or in the office you can request up to 20 online quotes! Over and above you can also request multiple quotes at a time on a comparison website saving you even more time. You can immediately compare the results from up to five websites at a time and then take an informed decision.
The actual premium
Don’t expect too much of a difference in your premium amount, all insurance companies calculate your premium based on pre defined factors and if you fall in a high risk category your premium will be on the higher side; however some companies will still prove to be cheaper than others. If you are considered as a high risk customer, you can look for companies that specialize in insuring high risk cases and get a slightly lower premium.
Understand your premium
You premium is calculated based on information you provide the insurance company about yourself and your vehicle. The first criteria is your age, people in the age group of 16-25 are considered as a high risk group for the company, and are twice as likely to be involved in an accident as compared to someone in their forties. Men attract a higher premium as compared to women as they tend to be more aggressive at behind the wheel.
Customers who are married pay lower premiums, marriage is seen by your insurance company as an ability to shoulder responsibility and this reassures them that you will not be a high risk case for them. The neighborhood you live in also matters, people who live in neighborhoods that are notorious for thefts and vandalism pay a considerably higher premium. The company sees your neighborhood as a risk to the asset they are protecting, thus increasing the chances they will need to give you a cash payout.
Lastly your driver’s record and credit score make a difference too. A driver with numerous tickets and traffic violations on his record will have to pay dearly for his or her mistakes in the form of a sky high insurance premium. A customer who has a less than perfect credit scores is seen as a risk as they might default on payments and also attract a higher premium.
Discounts
You can avail of various discounts based on your age group, your profession and even your usage. Of course there are plenty of incentives for drivers who get their car fitted with safety and anti theft equipment. Most people completely ignore this aspect when considering and analyzing quotes; a good tip is to call the companies you have short listed and ask for all the discounts you may qualify for and then decide.
