Tightwads Guide for Saving on Dryden Car Insurance

Are you tired of not being able to afford each month for car insurance? You are in the same boat as many other drivers in Michigan. Online insurance companies like GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with advertising and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and effectively compare rates to find the best deal.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insuring your fleet can be pricey, but you may find discounts that you may not even be aware of. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at quote time, but less common discounts must be inquired about in order for you to get them. If you aren't receiving every discount available, you are throwing money away.

Drivers Ed for Students - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to successfully complete driver's ed class in school.
Military Rewards - Being on active duty in the military could mean lower rates.
Passive Restraints - Cars that have air bags can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment can save as much as 8% with a few car insurance companies.
Multiple Policy Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you will save up to 20% off your total premium.
Anti-lock Brake System - Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce your premiums.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Dryden

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Having a good understanding of what impacts premium levels allows you to make educated decisions that will entitle you to lower car insurance prices.

Frequent car insurance claims increase rates - If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Companies in Michigan award cheaper rates to insureds who file claims infrequently. Auto insurance is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Better crash test results mean better rates - Cars with high safety ratings can get you lower premiums. The safest vehicles result in less severe injuries and any reduction in injury severity translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and more competitive rates for policyholders.
Your credit rating is important - Having a bad credit score is a big factor in your rate calculation. Therefore, if your credit score is lower than you'd like, you could potentially save money when insuring your by improving your credit score. Drivers with good credit tend to file fewer claims and have better driving records than drivers who have poor credit.
Big city or small town - Being located in a rural area can save you money when talking about car insurance. Fewer people means fewer accidents as well as less vandalism and auto theft. Drivers who live in large Michigan cities have traffic congestion and longer commute times. More time commuting translates into higher accident risk.
Where do you drive? - The more miles you rack up on your car every year the higher your rate. Most companies charge to insure your cars based upon how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks left parked in the garage receive lower rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Make sure your car insurance policy is rated on how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Poor driving leads to higher costs - A bad driving record has a huge affect on how much you pay. Good drivers get better rates than bad drivers. Even one moving violation can increase rates by twenty percent. If you have serious violations like DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions may find they need to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to continue driving.
Your occupation can affect rates - Did you know your occupation can influence how much you pay for car insurance? Careers like judges, business owners and dentists tend to pay the highest average rates due to high stress levels and lengthy work days. Other jobs such as farmers, historians and homemakers have the lowest average rates.

The car insurance bait and switch

Consumers in Michigan get pounded daily by advertisements for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all make an identical promise about savings if you switch to them.

How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a driver they prefer might be a mature driver, has no tickets, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to the requirements will be quoted more money and ends up with the customer not buying. Company advertisements say "customers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That's why companies can truthfully advertise the savings.

This emphasizes why drivers should compare many company's rates. It's just too difficult to predict the company that will fit your personal profile best.

More Michigan car insurance information

Additional information is located on the website for the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation found here. Visitors are able to download brochures, find disaster information, find out industry alerts, and view agent and company licensing information.

And the best car insurance company is...

We just covered many tips how you can reduce car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more providers you compare, the better your comparison will be. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with some of the smallest insurance companies. Regional companies may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments as compared to the big name companies such as .

When you buy insurance online, it's a bad idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. There have been many situations where an insured dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while still protecting your assets.