by Cameron McKelton
Average car insurance policy quotes are generated based on what kinds of assets you are insuring, what condition they are in, and how many you are grouping together.
There are several influencing aspects that determine the average premiums for car insurance. It can be confusing for the uninitiated. In this column we discuss the most common auto insurance premium reductions and how you can get them.
Every one of the reductions listed here is primarily concerned with the vehicles you are insuring. They have nothing to do with the drivers of the cars. These discounts hinge on the features and equipment of the each car being insured.
There are premium discounts available related to the vehicle drivers. These depend on the specific life situations of the insured. We don’t cover them here.
Multiple Vehicle Deduction
You almost always receive discounts on your insurance premiums if there is more than one vehicle to insure in your household.
Companies will give you a premium reduction because their own costs are lower. Why? It’s simple for them to write new policies for current customers, but hard to go out and find brand new customers. They pass some of this savings onto you in the form of reduced policy premiums.
Multiple Policy Deduction
Following the idea of the discount above, this deduction is for customers who will insure supplemental property over and above their cars with the same insurance company.
In other words, to get this deduction you must bundle multiple policies together like car, RV, and trailer insurance.
Every company handles this differently. There is no average car insurance method.
Get multiple quotes to compare the strength of this discount across all the companies you are considering.
Infrequent Driving Discount
If your car doesn’t leave the garage very often, then you stand a good chance of getting lower insurance premiums, depending on the insurer.
If you work at home, or your drive to work isn’t too far, or you’re insuring a second car for recreation only, then you have a good chance of getting this discount.
This might not be large deduction, but it’s worth inquiring after if any of these situations apply to you.
Use Restriction Discount
This discount is far less common than the last one. It is usually meant for vehicles that don’t meet your municipality’s road-worthiness standards of safety or performance.
What kind of cars would this apply to? Rebuilt antique cars are the most common applicants, but kit cars and hobby cars would count as well. Insurance can be issued on these cars if the drivers restrict their use and operate them within certain guidelines.
Old Car Discount
New cars are more expensive to buy than older, used cars. They are also more expensive to repair (or replace) if they’ve been in an accident. If you insure a new car, then you will pay more for an average car insurance policy.
But there is another side to that coin. If you insure an older car, then you will enjoy decreased insurance premiums as compared to people who just drove off the new car lot. This reduction is figured differently across providers, so ask about it directly when getting quotes.
Safety Equipment Deduction
A safer car protects its passengers better, so people are not as badly hurt in accidents. In fact, a safer vehicle might be able to help you avoid accidents entirely.
Safety equipment that makes your car eligible for further premium reductions includes multi-seat airbags, anti-lock brakes, and stability controls. All of these make the vehicle much more accident resistant. Your car will net you lower insurance rates with these features than it would without them.
Theft-Deterrent Discount
Stolen cars are one of the largest expenses faced by insurance companies. They are right up there with the costs of accident repairs and crash-related medical care.
If you outfit your car with several high-tech deterrents to theft, like a loud car alarm that can also shut-off the engine, then you will be offered a higher discount on your insurance premiums.
Putting Discounts Together
The more of these discounts that you can combine, the lower your average car insurance rates will be. Just be sure that you can confirm to the insurer that your vehicles qualify for these reductions.
Also remember to look for other discounts related to the drivers and their particular life situations. They could payoff big for you.
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