Friday, March 27, 2009

Cheap Car Insurance -- Steps To Save More

By Chimezirim Odimba

Is it possible you have a car that you've not used for a long while? Do you have a car that you've just forgotten about because of the headaches it gives you or something? Is this car still on your auto insurance policy or have you removed it?

The painful reality is that more people than you could imagine are paying higher rates than they should because of such negligence. Don't make this mistake.

You will enjoy discounts with many insurers if you're part of an auto club. Don't allow the smallness of the discount this may get you deter you from going for it if it makes sense in your situation.

Make sure you do NOT give false details when you complete your forms. One of the factors that has kept rates as high as they are is insurance fraud. It's making everyone pay a lot more.

If you couldn't care less about the cost to everyone in general, don't forget that your insurer is free to cancel your policy on the grounds of false representation.

This could make you lose a lot more than what you thought you would save. Your rates are raised by a big margin by your new insurer once your auto insurance policy lapses.

It's been estimated that insurance fraud adds up to $1,500 to the average family's insurance premium annually. You can help reduce this to our collective advantage by being truthful when completing your application form and if you ever have to file a claim.

Stay claims-free for more than three years and most insurers will give you a special discount. Remember, this does not mean you might not have any cause to make a claim but that you did not file one. So check what it will cost you to fix the problem and what you'll gain with a No Claims discount and choose whichever will serve your best interest.

Another option for you is to use your parents' car insurance policy. The fact that you are of driving age means that your parents belong to a better risk age bracket.

There are two things you must do for this to be possible: The vehicle must be registered in your parents' name and you must live with them. If you don't like the idea of handing the car's ownership to them and other stuff that may come with it, then you'll have to forego this option.

And...

The most important key to considerable savings in auto insurance is comparison shopping -- That's if you do it correctly. You can get quotes that will have a range in excess of $1,000. You could quickly save that much by simply choosing the lowest quote. This should apply if you're just after the lowest price.

However, if you're looking for the best value to price ratio then you'd have to check the details of the cheapest offers. Different insurers may have adjustments for similar policies. It's a good idea to ask the agent what's included and what's excluded.

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