Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Auto Insurance -- Savings On Extensive Protection

By Chimezirim Odimba

If you're shopping for lower rates for the right coverage then you have to be aware of some simple things that could result in massive savings. Let's look at a few here...

Your rate is seriously affected by your total mileage. Therefore do all within your power to NOT drive your car whenever there is a good alternative. This certainly makes sense if you live in an urban area where you have access to standard mass transit systems.

Carpooling is also another smart way of reducing your mileage.

Having more than one policy with the same insurer also attracts considerable discounts. This simply means you'll should endeavor to buy your auto policy from the same company that provides your home, health or life insurance policies.

However, bear in mind that you may be better off if you buy your different policies from different insurers who offer the best rates for each policy. Do some research with quotes sites and then discuss with your agent. You'll be sure of the best choice in your case if you do this.

All professions are not equal -- At least as far as auto insurance is concerned. Scientists are the cheapest to insure while business owners get the highest rates. The reason for such concessions is that certain occupations have been proven to be statistically less prone to crashes and accidents.

Your agent should be able to tell you if your occupation qualifies you for a discount. Nevertheless, the discount you'll be given varies from company to company.

Defensive driving helps so get trained in it. Apart from the fact that this will help lower your rate, it will help keep you and others safer.

Do you know that some folks are paying much more in auto insurance because of where their homes are? Do you know also know that homes within the same neighbor might actually fall into different risk zones according to the insurance industry's mapping?

Therefore, take your time to ask your agent what effect your new zip code would have on your rates before you make that down payment. The truth is that most people don't think about this when they are about buying a home.

But think about it: If your new zip code adds up to $300 to your annual auto insurance rate, how much would that amount to at the end of your 30-year mortgage?

And don't miss this...

You will save a lot if you do shop around and do proper comparison. The the difference in quotes returned per query could be as wide as $1,000 for a given person. While this is a good thing, it's advisable that you don't get carried away. It's not normally that easy if you want the best price to value ratio.

The cheapest price may not offer you the best price/value. Despite the fact that each of the quotes returned will definitely give you the same main coverage, there may be a number of differences in the details of each insurer's coverage. This makes it crucial that you find out if there aren't any exclusions that won't serve your best interest.

Remember to treat these no-obligation quotes as their name implies. Don't feel obliged to pay unless you've had all your questions answered satisfactorily. You will be spared rude shocks down the road if you do this.

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