Auto Insurance

12 Ways to Drive Down Your Car Insurance Premiums
By Simon Christopher

Even if you take the monthly premium option, motor insurance can take a substantial bite out of your disposable income, especially if you fall into certain high risk categories. Young drivers, city dwellers and males consistently pay more for their car insurance and it seems to always be a one-way street with ever increasing rates.

However, there are ways to cut costs and regain some level of control. Although some factors which do influence the price you pay cannot be changed, such as your age, gender and address, others are within your control. Here are some things that you CAN do to bring that premium down a few pegs.

1. Garage your car. If you can build garage space or negotiate off-street parking with your landlord, it can knock about 10% off of your car insurance premium.
2. Have your car kitted out with a steering lock or immobiliser to make it a harder target for thieves. If your car is particularly expensive or desirable, consider a tracking device.
3. Only pay for insurance that you need. If your car isn't worth a whole lot, consider dropping all insurance other than third party, fire and theft.
4. Choose your car carefully when buying. Check with insurers to find out which makes and models cost the least to insure in your area.
5. Check out the specialist insurers, but don't assume they have a monopoly on good deals. While some people may find their best prices at insurers like Sheilas Wheels, who specialise in insuring women drivers, others find that they get better deals from mainstream insurers. When you shop around, the reality of the market is revealed as opposed to the illusion of marketing hype.
6. If you're in your teens or early twenties and still living at home, see if you can piggyback on your parents car insurance policy. It's the cheapest way to go, and some insurers will consider your driving record when you're ready to take out a policy of your own.
7. Consider a pay as you go plan which allows you to pay for your car insurance the same way you pay for your phone service - you pay for what you use. With pay as you go, your premium will be based on how much, when and where you drive. You can easily cut costs when you need to by cutting down on the amount that you drive.
8. Shop around and compare. Rather than automatically renewing your policy with your existing insurer, shop around. Most insurers offer lower premiums to new customers as teasers and inducements. Take the time to compare as much of the market as possible using internet insurance comparison sites that allow you to get quotes from several different insurers at once.
9. Check beyond the internet. A number of the cheapest insurers aren't listed on many comparison sites. Be sure to check Tesco and Direct Line for quotes as well.
10. Get both an online quote and a phone quote from the same insurers. Often, you can knock 10-15% off the premium if you buy over the internet - but that's not always the case.
11. If you really like your current company, give haggling a try. Just ring up your insurer and tell them the best quote you've got - then let them know that you'd really rather remain with them. They just might match it to keep your business.
12. Pay your premium annually if you can manage it. It's tempting to spread your cost for insurance out over the year by paying monthly installments, but what you're really doing is financing your insurance policy, which means that you're paying interest. You can save a good chunk on your premium by paying it all up front - and not have to worry about missing payments later in the year.

For more tips, tactics and ideas you can use to cut your motor insurance premiums, visit the car insurance article library at http://www.uk-insurance-index.co.uk/car-insurance-articles-1.html where you'll also find customer reviews of big name car insurance companies like Churchill and Direct Line

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Christopher

Auto Insurance - Why and How to Switch
By Chimezirim Chinecherem Odimba

If you've been told that you'll save some premium dollars if you switch to another auto insurance provider, you've heard the truth. However, you might NOT have heard the whole truth...

Why should you switch to another insurer?

1. For better rates if you're sure you'll get comparable service. If you're only sure of lower rates but might be losing great service or quality coverage, think twice.

2. If you're plainly dis-satisfied with your current insurer for any reason, it's time to shop for a better company.

To also ensure you don't get hurt while you switch your auto insurance policy or later, consider the following...

1. Many insurance companies advertise lower rates to lure new customers. What most don't tell you is that your rates will NOT remain the same say one year later. So here are things you should do...

Ask your agent point blank how long the present rate would last for each component of your policy. On the other hand, be prepared to switch maybe every year if need be to ensure you keep enjoying very low rates.

2. Make sure you won't be charged any fees for switching either by your current insurer or the new one. For your current insurer, you might be charged if you decide to switch unexpectedly. So check this out. Even if there are few at both ends, make sure your switch is very profitable to you both in terms of coverage quality, service and a great rate.

3. Make sure your new policy is fully in force before you end your old contract. Some folks ignorantly allow their auto insurance policy to lapse while switching insurers. This would make it difficult for you to enjoy cheaper rates for some time to come. So be sure the new policy is fully operational before you terminate the old contract.

4. Since you're thinking of a switch, why NOT do thorough comparison shopping? Since most insurers would offer lower rates to new policyholders for say 6 to 12 months, why NOT see who favors you most. This exercise would take you just a few minutes but could save you several hundreds of dollars, thanks to the internet.

Here are great pages for auto insurance quotes...

InsureMe Auto Insurance Quotes

Auto Insurance Quotes

Chimezirim Odimba writes on insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chimezirim_Chinecherem_Odimba