Auto Insurance Best Tips & Tricks

Did you get taught at school about liability, collision and comprehensive cover? What about deductibles and all the tips on how to get the cheapest car insurance? You probably didn't, but if you're one of the majority of individuals that drives a car, you've either learnt fast, took whatever insurance your relatives or friends advised or you're about to learn the hard way one day. Take the guess work out of choosing car insurance and read up so you can make an informed choice.

Many motorists pay extra on their rates for a small deductible, and yet they take the minimum liability coverage. You could probably afford that $500 deductible if something happened, but could you afford being sued for $400,000 in damages? Spend your car insurance budget wisely to protect yourself and your assets. Think about raising your deductible and using those savings to raise your liability cover. If you're worth more (you have a well paying job or you're studying for one) or you have a lot of assets obviously you've got more to cover than someone who doesn't. If you do have a lot of assets an umbrella policy may be worth considering to ensure all your assets are covered.

Check your health insurance policy, if medical bills after an accident are covered you can drop personal injury protection off your car insurance policy.

Keep your credit rating up, many companies use it to decide how much to charge you and even whether to insure you at all.

If you don't have an extra car make sure your insurance company will pay for a rental car if you have an accident. The expense of renting a car for a week while your car is being repaired could be a lot of.

Shop around for quotes, a good place to start is a comparison service. Compare quotes from a few different companies and read the policies to see how they compare. If you do switch policies make sure you notify your previous insurance company immediately and make sure there is no gap in your cover before your new policy starts.

Car insurance can be costly, fortunately there are a lot of discounts that you can be eligible for. Maintaining a good driving record is the best way to get cheaper premiums. Other discounts offered include; low-mileage, safety features, multi-policy, senior, taking a safe driving course and paying annually. Take advantage of all the discounts you can for the cheapest rates.

Teenagers (see here) can add significantly to your car insurance rates. Think about having your teenager use only the family's cheapest car and exclude them from other policies. Don't forget if your teen moves out to remove them from the policy. Just make sure you don't loan them the car when they come to visit! If you still want your teenager on the policy, find out if your insurer will give you a discount when they're away at school.

If your car has seen better days, and it's not worth much, consider removing collision coverage. The cost of your collision coverage might not be worth it when your insurer will only pay out your vehicles worth