The national car insurance average is at a year-low figure of $1,871, according to industry analysts. Despite this, more American car owners are becoming even more desperate and dropping insurance coverage just to save on money. With the ongoing price wars and tougher competition among insurance providers, experts say that policyholders and motorists looking for insurance policies can find cheaper premiums and better terms.
To discourage drivers from dropping their insurance, specialists are recommending several options that motorists can consider to save money. For instance, first time motorists and car owners have to consider the kind of cars they will be buying. Choosing the vehicle that costs significantly less to insure can save drivers hundreds of dollars in insurance expenses year.
Drivers shopping for new cars should keep in mind that high-performance sports cars and luxury vehicles will be considerably more expensive to insure than family sedans or popular car models. Insurers would often consider the car type, the engine, performance in safety studies, and a host of other factors, before coming up with insurance rates.
Industry experts say that motorists should be on the lookout for cars that fare well in safety studies. Policyholders should also opt for vehicles whose parts and repair services are readily available. Insurance providers typically factor in the availability of replacement parts and the cost of repairs when determining premiums. Specialists contend that minivans, small SUVs, and family saloons are the least expensive to insure.
For policyholders driving older vehicles, insurance expenses can be slashed significantly by simply choosing to shoulder more of the risk. Car owners can raise deductibles to get instant rate cuts. By choosing to pay up a certain amount for repairs and other expenses, policyholders can get substantial discounts, up to 30 percent in some cases. Of course, to get this much off premiums, deductibles must be at least $500 or $1,000. Experts recommend setting aside a certain amount each year to prepare for any possibilities of car damage.
Drivers with older cars can also drop collision and comprehensive coverage to get lower rates. In most cases, the cost of repairing an older vehicle would be much lower than the amount shelled out when purchasing collision or comprehensive coverage. There may also be instances where repairing minor damage is unnecessary or not needed at all. Getting rid of additional protection for an aging car would often be counter intuitive.
Finally, policyholders can consolidate different insurance types like homeowners, life, health and car insurance. Taking out multiple policies from a single provider can result in considerable discounts.
