Saving Money On Car Insurance

This is my first set of helpful tips for reducing your monthly expenses.  To learn about our financial experiences, just click here.

First of all, as with most companies....just talk to them.  Typically the customer service associate can help you reduce the cost of your bill, but here are a few helpful hints that will drastically reduce your insurance expenses.

Over the course of 2 years, I reduced our monthly insurance payment by $80  AND, we currently have better coverage than we did 2 years ago.

I will tell you that we have our car insurance with Progressive.  All of these tips worked with this company, and I am not promising that it will work with other insurance agencies.

1. How many miles do you usually drive?  Knowing this can save you money, because the less you drive in a year, the lower your insurance will be.  You are less of a risk the less you are on the road.  Ask for a "low mile discount". 
2. Are you married, but have separate insurance policies (I would recommend you get joint insurance, ASAP)?  If you do, you can have your spouse sign a paper stating he/she will not drive your vehicle and then you do not have to have coverage for this individual on your policy.
3. Know the exact date when your speeding tickets/accidents drop off your policy. Most companies it is 35 months from the incident.  The day after the incident falls off your record, you can call in to our insurance company and ask for them to review your policy.....even if it is not in your renewal month.  They will ask you a couple of simple questions, and your policy will be adjusted accordingly.  I called into the insurance company and asked for the specific dates, and then entered them into my phone's calendar so I would remember to call.  It saved me a ton.
4. Evaluate your coverage.  Do you really need full coverage?  Or can you get by on liability alone?  In my opinion, it depends on the age of your vehicle AND your need for a car.  In my case, we choose state minimums because I didn't really need a car, it was a convenience.
5. Check other car insurance companies rates every couple of months.  Progressive has ALWAYS been the least expensive, and I have been checking every 2-3 months for the last 5 years.  
6. If you do switch companies, make sure you look at the monthly rate, and not just the quote.  Most will charge you a small fee for monthly payments, etc.  So, just make sure you know exactly what you are getting into.

Now, go call your insurance company.  It will help reduce your monthly expenses.

If you have any additional tips, I could love to hear them.  Comment on this post, or e-mail me @ thedaysofasahm@hotmail.com.  Thanks!