Auto Insurance

Shopping online is a great way to find affordable car insurance. However, you should figure out which coverages you want beforehand. Then make sure each quote includes the same coverages and limits. This’ll give you a better apples to apples comparison.

You could lower insurance costs by reducing your coverage limits and increasing your deductibles. However, that typically means you pay more out of pocket or have less protection.

Also, if you auto insurance policy only satisfies the state’s minimum liability requirements. Your car insurance may be on the cheap side. But it wouldn’t account for collision damage to your car and may not have enough liability protection when you need it.

In other words, “cheap” doesn’t always mean good insurance.

Truth is, car insurance varies.

Auto insurers mull over many factors to calculate your premium. Things that are considered, your car’s year, make, and model. Where you live. Your driving record. Your insurance history, insurance-based credit score, and more.

The truth is, there isn’t a “best time” of year to buy auto insurance. This is a common myth. With think, like the 16th century adage goes, “There’s no time like the present.”

Car insurance companies use a number of different things when rating your policy. Here are a few of the biggies:

• Driving record. If you don’t have accidents and tickets on your record, you pay less for car insurance. Simply put, the safer you drive the more you could save.
• Where you live. Rates vary state to state and zip-code to zip-code. So if you live in a densely-packed city with lots of traffic, then you might pay more than if you lived in the burbs.
• Age. With age comes wisdom, so older drivers tend to pay less for insurance than younger drivers.
• Marriage status. Married or partnered? Depending on your state, married couples may  see lower premiums than their single friends. Why? According to math, folks who’ve tied the knot are less likely to crash.
• Gender. Accidents, speeding, DUI convictions … women get less of them. Which’s why, in some states, they tend to pay less for insurance.