Auto Insurance
Auto Insurance.
Whether you are looking for car insurance for
yourself or for an up-and-coming teenager in the family,
finding the right insurance company can make a big
difference in over-all insurance premiums you pay over the
next several years or the quality of coverage you can depend
on.
Typically, most insurance companies will be very
competitive at first and you will find the difference in
insurance premiums minimal; that's why you want to look at
what kind of promotions or discounts they offer. For
example, many companies offer some kind of good student
discount to reward young drivers for being responsible in
school; also, many will consider your past driving record
when they factor the amount of premiums you will pay.
Probably the three biggest influences that will affect the
amount of premium dollars you will spend on auto insurance
will be: One, your tenure with the company, or in other
words, how long have you stayed with the same insurance
company? If you stay with an insurance company long enough
the discount available to you can add up substantially.
Sometimes it just pays to be a loyal customer and not get
swayed by the flamboyant advertising by other competing
insurance companies to get you to switch.
Two, the longer you stay accident free the
greater affect it will have on lowering your future
premiums. There really is something to say about being a
"good driver." Not only will it help you avoid car damage
and possibly even physical personal harm - not to mention
the hassle and time consuming problems. red tape and delays
getting into an accident will cause, but you will will see a
direct result to the degree your insurance premiums decrease
or increase.
Three, the higher your deductible the lower your insurance
premiums, and we're not talking about only a few dollars
here either, the higher your deductible the lower your
premiums will be - much lower. Don't get overly concerned
with the "risk" of high deductibles, especially if you
consider yourself to be a "good driver." Think about it,
when was the last three times you used your deductible on
your car insurance? Many people get a deductible of around
$250 thinking that if they ever get into an accident they
will be saving money. If you chose a $1,000 deductible and
then saved the difference in a special account it wouldn't
be long until you had saved up the entire deductible with
just the savings difference in premiums. It makes much
better financial sense to get a higher deductible and pay
the lower premiums: most people can handle a $1,000 in the
event of a real emergency, and a car accident would qualify
as such.
So, take your time and find a company you feel comfortable
with, a company that offers good rates, has excellent
customer service - good customer service is worth every
penny you pay for it - and which you are familiar with. Once
you make your decision, be wary of jumping around, treat it
as a long-term investment. There are occasions when
switching insurance companies may be beneficial, but make
that the exception not the rule. |