How to Get Cheap Car Insurance

With the multitude of products available and the many ways to lower your rate, cheap car insurance may not be as far out of reach as you think. Following are a few tips that will make your quest to find cheap car insurance easier.

Look Around
The marketplace for car insurance is vast-car insurance companies are everywhere. Talk with friends and family, surf the Internet or use the phonebook to find providers in your area. Obtain at least three quotes from different companies and use an apples-to-apples comparison before experimenting with coverage options.

A great place to start is any insurance company with which you currently do business (i.e. homeowners, boat, etc.) Your patronage is important and therefore you may qualify for a multiple-policy discount.

Research Discounts
When comparison shopping for cheap car insurance, pay attention to and ask about discounts. Many discounts can cut dollars off your car insurance premium without sacrificing coverage. Such discounts may include a defensive-driving course, good-student discount, accident free for three or more years or certain vehicle safety and theft-protection features, such as an anti-theft alarm system or anti-lock braking system.

Also consider raising your collision and/or other-than-collision deductible. This move can result in significant savings. However, proceed with caution- never raise a deductible to an amount higher than you can afford out-of-pocket.

Consider Coverage
When searching for cheap car insurance, do not sacrifice coverage. There is no substitute for having the right coverage at the time of an accident.

One area where less coverage may be a consideration is collision and/or other-than-collision coverage (collectively called "physical damage") for your vehicle. If it is an older vehicle that is not worth much and you have no intention on fixing or replacing if damaged, consider dropping physical damage coverage on the vehicle.

Drive Safe!
There's no substitute for a clean driving record. Good drivers are less likely to be involved in an accident and therefore qualify for cheap car insurance. Accident-and citation-free driving are the best ways to a lower auto insurance premium.