As you might know by now, a vehicle’s cost includes much more than just the sticker price. One of the most pressing concerns for new car buyers is getting auto insurance, which is required in nearly all fifty states. But does it have to be so expensive? In fact, it does not. Here are a few tips to lower the cost of your car insurance, from your friends at Avondale Nissan.
1) Maintain good credit. These days, your credit score is used in ways that aren’t really related to your buying power, and one is simply in assessing a driver’s responsibility. The thinking goes that a person who doesn’t pay their bills on time also might be unlikely to be a good driver, since both represent a certain amount of irresponsibility. Not surprisingly, this is a little controversial. If there’s some good news, it’s that you can often get a lower insurance rate for good credit as well.
2) Choose a plan with a higher deductible. In this situation, you’re essentially gambling on yourself. If you are a person who never, ever gets in accidents, this might be an idea to consider. You’re saving on your monthly premium, although your insurance deductible will be higher in the event you get into a crash.
3) Stack your policies. This means that if you have another insurance policy–say, for homeowing or renting–you can try to have your multiple policies through the same provider. Insurance providers are usually quick to offer “multi-lining” of policies, which allows you to sometimes enjoy discounts overall.
4) Revisit your plan regularly. If you renew your insurance agreement yearly, you might be tempted to simply re-up without thinking. However, it might be good to see if there are safe-driving discounts or other incentives to lighten your price. Additionally, if you’ve finished paying off a loan on your car, you might have a lower threshold for necessary insurance than you had previously.
5) Carpool! How does carpooling affect your insurance, you ask? Quite simply, if you carpool, you might be eligible for the so-called “pleasure driving” incentive, which offers lower insurance rates to drivers who are rarely behind the wheel. This usually applies to those who travel less than 7,500 miles per year. If this applies to you, it’s worth checking out.
Although insurance is something of a hassle, it’s a necessary one. For more tips about how to save on vehicles, visit our finance department at Avondale Nissan today!
