Tightwads Tips for Saving on Riverside Auto Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy an overpriced auto insurance policy? Believe me when I say many Riverside consumers feel financially strained by their auto insurance policy.

You have so many to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to have multiple companies, lots of choices makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to price shop coverage at least once a year since insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates two years ago a different company probably has better rates today. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance online, so we're going to give you some great ways to find cheap auto insurance.

Save big with these discounts

Car insurance is not cheap, buy you may qualify for discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some may not be applied and must be specially asked for before you get the savings.

Anti-theft System - Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Driver Safety - Taking a course teaching defensive driving skills could possibly earn you a 5% discount if you qualify.
Auto/Life Discount - Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Homeowners Discount - Being a homeowner may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home demonstrates responsibility.
Drivers Education - Make teen driver coverage more affordable by requiring them to take driver's ed class if it's offered in school.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Most only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like comprehensive or collision. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down your overall premium however.

Learn How to Buy Auto Insurance Cheaper

Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that help determine auto insurance rates. Knowing what influences your rates helps enable you to make changes that can help you get better auto insurance rates.

Multi-policy discounts can save money - Many auto insurance companies give discounts to people who carry more than one policy in the form of a multi-policy discount. Even with this discount, it's in your best interest to compare other company rates to confirm you are receiving the best rates possible. You may still find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are a ton of extra coverages you can purchase if you aren't careful. Coverages for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and membership fees may be wasting your money. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so eliminate them to save money.
Lower miles equals lower premium - Driving more miles in a year the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers price each vehicle's coverage based on their usage. Autos that are left in the garage get more affordable rates than those used for commuting. Verify your auto insurance coverage shows the proper vehicle usage.
Discounts for married couples - Getting married can get you a discount on your auto insurance policy. Marriage usually means you are more mature it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
You might want pay the small claims yourself - Insurance companies in Rhode Island give lower rates to drivers who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you tend to file frequent claims, you can definitely plan on either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Car insurance is intended to be relied upon for the large, substantial claims.
Lower rates with optional equipment - Choosing a vehicle with anti-theft technology or alarm system can get you a discount on your auto insurance. Theft prevention features such as vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart your vehicle from being stolen.
Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance - Safer cars tend to have better insurance rates. Safer cars have better occupant injury protection and better occupant protection means lower claim amounts and thus lower rates.

Auto insurance ads bend the truth

Companies like Allstate and Progressive continually stream ads on TV and radio. All the ads make the same claim that you can save after switching your policy. How does each company say the same thing? This is how they do it.

Different companies are able to cherry pick for the right customer that earns them a profit. A good example of a preferred risk might be profiled as a mature driver, has no tickets, and chooses high deductibles. A propective insured who matches those parameters is entitled to the best price and most likely will save when switching.

Drivers who fall outside these standards will be charged a higher premium which leads to business not being written. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save that kind of money. That's the way insurance companies can state the savings.

That is why drivers should quote coverage with many companies. It's not possible to predict which auto insurance company will give you the biggest savings.

More information can be read on the website for the Rhode Island Division of Insurance Regulation. Click here for link. Rhode Island drivers can read consumer alerts, discover disciplinary actions, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and get help finding coverage.

Final considerations

When buying insurance coverage, never skimp on coverage in order to save money. Too many times, an insured dropped collision coverage and discovered at claim time that their decision to reduce coverage ended up costing them more. The aim is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.

Lower-priced auto insurance can be purchased on the web in addition to many Riverside insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. Some insurance companies do not provide you the ability to get quotes online and many times these small insurance companies only sell through independent insurance agents.