Tips for Lowering Your Auto Insurance Premiums

We use our vehicles every day. We use them to go to work, go grocery shopping, take road trips, and do everything else we want to do. New York State requires all drivers to have auto insurance to register their vehicle and legally operate the vehicle. Affordable auto insurance can be difficult to find. There are many factors that determine how much your premiums are such as your credit score, accident record, the area you live, and the car you drive. There are ways you can make your insurance premiums more affordable. Here are some tips for doing that:

• Defensive Driving Course: Taking a defensive driving course, if it is not court-mandated, will decrease your premiums. By law, you will receive a mandatory 10% discount for three years. Courses are typically $40 or less.

• Improve Your Credit Score: Reduce your credit card usage, pay all your bills on time, pay down balances, and limit how often you apply for new accounts. This will raise your credit score and help reduce the cost of insurance for your vehicle.

• Bundle Insurances: Insurance providers will offer discounts for bundling insurance products such as auto, homeowners, renters, and motorcycle insurance together. The discounts may not be much, but they could save you hundreds of dollars a year.

• Pay in Full: Paying for your policy in full upfront provides you with a small discount on your policy cost.

• Compare Providers: Don’t go with the first insurance provider you get a quote from. Shop around and compare quotes from several auto insurance providers before choosing the best one for you.