How to Find the Best Car Insurance Deal

None of us wants to spend more than we need to for car insurance, but it isn't always obvious how to get lower rates.

Dozens of insurance companies, large and small, are vying for your business. Many have an eye-glazing assortment of policy options, making it hard to compare policies and figure out who's offering lower car insurance rates .

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Here are eight things you can do to ensure you get good coverage at the cheapest possible rate.

1. Don't assume any one company is the cheapest

Some companies spend a lot of money on commercials to convince you they offer the lowest car insurance rates. But no single insurer is the low-price leader for everyone. The car insurance company that's cheapest for one person in one place might be the most expensive option for a driver in a different state.

The only way to ensure you're getting the lowest rate possible is to compare car insurance rates.

A NerdWallet analysis of rates shows why shopping around is so important. Here are some of the rates we found for a 40-year-old driver buying a full coverage  policy on a 2018 Toyota Camry LE. Our hypothetical driver has good credit and a clean driving record, earning a "good driving" discount from most car insurance companies.

• In Florida, State Farm would charge $1,766 a year, on average — the cheapest rate in the state for a driver without a military connection. Geico's average rate is $239 higher.

• In California, it's the opposite: Geico is cheapest, with an average rate of $1,458, and State Farm's average is $423 higher.

• Progressive is the cheapest option for New York drivers at $1,298 a year on average, but in Florida, it's the most expensive at $3,015.

2. Don't ignore local and regional insurers

Just four companies — Allstate, Geico, Progressive and State Farm  — control more than half of the nation's auto insurance business. But smaller, regional insurers such as Auto-Owners Insurance and Erie Insurance often have higher customer satisfaction ratings than the big names — and they may have lower car insurance rates, too.

3. Ask about discounts

Insurers provide car insurance discounts , which can mean lower insurance rates for customers who:

• Bundle car insurance with other policies, such as homeowners insurance.

• Insure multiple cars with one policy.

• Have a clean driving record.

• Pay their entire annual or six-month premium at once.

• Agree to receive documents online.

• Own a car with certain anti-theft or safety features.

• Are members of particular professional organizations or affiliate groups.

Don't be swayed, however, by a long list of possible discounts. Compare rates from multiple insurers.

4. Work on your credit

Your credit score is a significant factor in the car insurance quotes you receive except for a few states. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan and Washington don't allow insurers to use credit when determining car insurance rates. Insurance companies say customers' credit has been shown to correlate with their chances of filing claims.

A NerdWallet analysis found that having poor credit can increase people's car insurance rates  by hundreds of dollars a year compared with having good credit. (In most situations, a FICO score of 579 or lower is considered "poor" credit, but insurers have their own credit models that may have a different cutoff.)

Improve your credit — and get lower insurance rates — by paying your bills on time and reducing your debt. Track your progress by checking your credit score regularly.

See what you could save on car insurance

Easily compare personalized rates to see how much switching car insurance could save you.

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5. Skip comprehensive and collision coverage for an older car

Collision coverage  pays to repair the damage to your vehicle from another car or an object such as a fence. Comprehensive coverage  pays to repair vehicle damage from weather, animal crashes, floods, fire and vandalism. It also covers car theft. But the maximum payout under either policy is limited by the value of the car if it's totaled or stolen. If your car is older and has a low market value, it may not make sense to shell out for these types of coverage.

6. Raise your deductible

If you buy comprehensive and collision coverage, you can save money by opting for higher deductibles. (There is no deductible on liability insurance, which pays for the damage you cause others in an accident.)

7. Consider usage-based or pay-per-mile insurance

If you're a safe driver who doesn't log many miles, consider a usage-based insurance program such as Allstate's Drivewise, Progressive's Snapshot or State Farm's Drive Safe & Save. By signing up for these programs, you let your insurer track your driving in exchange for possible discounts based on how much you drive, when you drive and how well you drive.

If you drive less than 10,000 miles a year, you might be able to save money with a pay-per-mile insurance program such as Metromile, Allstate's Milewise or Nationwide's SmartMiles.

8. Check insurance costs when buying a car

You probably already pay attention to factors such as fuel efficiency and repair costs when picking a car to buy, but you should also consider insurance premiums. A NerdWallet analysis of the cheapest cars to insure  among top-selling vehicles found the lowest insurance rates are for the Subaru Outback, the Jeep Wrangler and the Honda CR-V.

How to Find the Best Car Insurance Deal

Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/insurance/auto/ways-to-get-cheapest-car-insurance

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