Matthew Gates 4m 1,043 #autoinsurance
The views of this article are the perspective of the author and may not be reflective of Confessions of the Professions.
I am not an approved professional insurance agent. I am not even an insurance agent. I am not advertising for any specific insurance company. I am writing strictly of my own opinion to provide you with advice that is to the best of my knowledge.
If you’ve ever had auto insurance, depending on the state you live in and even the address of where you live, your premiums could be very high. Depending on your history, your age, and where you live, you could be indefinitely stuck paying high insurance premiums with no chance of ever escaping those premiums unless you call your insurance company and ask if there is anything they can do—or do even better: threaten to leave. Many car insurance companies are willing to give plenty of discounts based on what you drive. The more “safer” you and your car are, such as saving driving, short distance driving, airbags, automatic night lights, or collision detection, the more discounts you will receive.
The beauty of car insurance is that you have options: Shop around for deals and you will find what you are looking for. There is nothing more satisfying than finding a car insurance company that gives you a fair affordable price and then shopping around for better competition. The majority of companies can do no better and in the end, they are the loser, not you.
Discounts come in many forms. Some discounts may be noticed, while others are factored into the estimate so they are never known to the policyholder.
PROBLEM:
You went online and applied for car insurance. OR you saw a phone number and called an auto insurance company and got in touch with a representative. They gave you a quote and you believed that quote was the final answer. You have spent years paying that same price. You’ve been a loyal customer, never been in an accident, and have done everything right. You were never once offered a discount. You were never given any discounts. But technically, you were probably entitled to many discounts.
These discounts are as follows:
Occupation: While not always likely to help, some insurance companies will want to know your occupation. This may help determine how much you make, where you live, and help the insurance company in estimating your typical lifestyle.
Education: If you have a college degree and are more educated, you are likely to get a discount.
Location: If you live in an area with virtually no crime or a low crime rate, this will certainly give you a discount.
Anti-Lock Brakes: Added protection especially if they are factory designed.
Anti-theft system: If your car comes with an alarm system, you are sure to have a discount.
Daytime Running Lights: Lights are always on regardless of the time of day. This helps when the day may be foggy, rainy, or other form of weather. It helps pedestrians and other cars notice your car.
Nighttime Running Lights: These lights are automatic and come on once the sensitive light sensor detects that the day is getting darker.
Accident-Free History or Good Driving History: If you’ve never been an accident or have been accident-free for a long time, the insurance company takes this into consideration.
Seat Belt Usage: While most insurance companies no longer offer discounts for wearing your seatbelt, this may still may be factored in, especially if the seatbelts are automatic.
Age: If you are 25 or older, your insurance will begin to go down. As you age and reach 50 or older, your car insurance premiums continue to drop.
Car Usage: Whether for personal or driving to work, the way you drive your car says a lot about the type of driving you will do and your chances of getting into an accident.
Distance to Work: If you do use your car for work, the distance from and to work will help determine your discount.
Driver’s Education: If you are currently enrolled in school and maintain good grades, a car insurance company will give you a discount.
Defensive Driving: Some insurance companies will give you a discount if you attend an approve driving defensive course and provide proof to them.
Military: Most car insurance respect and honor those who serve their country and will provide a discount.
Membership and Employee Discounts: If you belong to an organization such as a Credit Union, an Alumni of a University, or a Fraternity, you may be eligible for discounts.
Federal Employee: Working for the government always has benefits and could get you a discount.
Multiple Car Insurance: Having multiple cars actually reduces the amount of your premium.
Multi-Policy / Multi-line Discount: Insurance companies love when you use them for everything. If you’ve got car insurance, home owners insurance, and even life insurance, you may be eligible for discounts.
SOLUTION:
If you have not been in any accidents recently—and by recently, no less than 3 years—than you should call up your auto insurance company and politely speak with them about any discounts you might be entitled to. They do not really know anything about you other than the car you drive and your driving behaviors.
If you were honorably discharged from the military, you are certainly entitled. If you attend a defensive driving course, you are entitled. There are many things you can do to try and get more of a discount on your car insurance, including you do have minimal coverage. If you’re car is not less than 10 years old, you should probably carry collision.
Let your insurance company know a little about you! Call them up and see what they can do for you! See what they have to offer! After all, when all is said and done, you could easily take your business elsewhere, if the price is right. Call today and see how much you can save!
I do not favor any insurance company over another and I’ll switch at a moment’s notice if one insurance company can save me one-hundred dollars more than another. My loyalty lies in the company that can do a good job to ensure that in case anything happens, they are there for me. And also the insurance company that gives the most discounts!
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