In order to qualify for the passive restraint discount the vehicle must have come from the factory with the airbags or electric seat belts installed prior to ownership. Most, but not all companies offer this discount so be sure to ask when shopping for a policy.

Discounts Aren’t Created Equal

Auto insurance discounts fall into a few different categories. The first category involves “popular discounts.” These include reductions for the safest drivers based upon driving history or money off for good grades in school (an especially a good perk for new teen drivers). You can even earn a discount simply by changing your policy early (before expiration and renewal is due). Many companies offer an additional 10% incentive for switching your policy early.

Second, there are discounts for vehicle equipment. These discounts cover passive restraints (at 30%), anti-lock brakes and anti-theft devices (both offering 10%). The third category offers discounts of approximately 10% for merely bundling your insurance policies. Having the same company write your car, home, renters or even life insurance policy, by simply combining a few policies will save you money. There are even discounts available just for being married.

The discount opportunity list goes on so be sure to check with an insurance agent or company for a full list of discounts available to you. What a better discount than for safety with passive restraints. Not only could they save your life it offers the greatest discount.

Car Insurance discounts are so diverse that they cover a whole range of demographics. If you are lucky enough to fit into several categories, you could really start to rake in the discounts. Unfortunately, if you are a single man, under 30 (or single women under 25) not living on a farm, with bad grades (if in school), no passive restraints, in a high theft area, don’t pay your policy in full, don’t have anti-lock brakes or even a theft deterrent device, then you are going to be paying the highest premiums possible.

Asking for the Discount

Obviously, you’d have to be pretty unlucky to find yourself unable to qualify for at least one kind of discount.  With so many options available, there’s a good chance that you qualify for a discount.  Knowing what discounts are available and what you can qualify for might require some effort on your part, but can really be worth it. If you are a household, which can consist of marriage (same-sex or traditional), domestic partnership or civil union, will start you on the road to at least 10-15% off your insurance premium, which will most likely require a marriage license or proof of certification.

The passive restraint discount can be applied to even the oldest of vehicles that have at least electric seat belts. Most cars these days come standard with airbags.

You should always treat your policy renewal as if it were the first time you are getting insurance for your vehicle. Be as thorough on your renewal as you would be on a brand new policy. Often times, discounts are available but we just didn’t know to ask.

1. Multiple Policy Discounts

A multiple policy discount saves you money if you purchase more than one type of insurance through the same company. Most insurance companies sell more than car insurance. You can take advantage of special pricing packages if you add a homeowner’s policy or life insurance policy through your car insurance company. This discount is especially nice because it can save you money on two types of insurance premiums at the same time.

2. Low Mileage Discounts

Many insurance companies offer lower premiums for drivers who don’t drive very often. The fewer miles you drive, the lower your risk of being involved in an accident. If you aren’t driving a long commute every morning and evening, you might qualify for this discount. Each company has different ranges of mileage that qualify for this discount, so you will need to check with your insurance company to see if you qualify.

3. Good Driver Discounts

It is no secret that a good driving history can keep your car insurance costs down. Aside from the standard rate reductions that go along with being a low-risk driver, many insurance companies also offer substantial discounts for drivers who meet certain qualifications. These discounts can increase if you maintain a safe driving history for a number of consecutive years. Good drivers usually qualify for additional perks, such as accident forgiveness or lower deductibles, which can save you money if you find yourself needing to file a claim after a long period of safe driving.

4. Membership Discounts

Another lucrative car insurance discount can be earned by joining the right organization. Car insurance companies tend to affiliate with other groups or organizations to offer special discounts to the members of those groups. Being a member of AAA or an employee of a local manufacturer could earn you substantial discounts on your car insurance costs. You can find out about potential car insurance discounts by checking with your place of employment and any group, club, or organization that you belong to. If discounts are available, they will have a list of their car insurance affiliates in your area.

5. Good Student Discounts

The most expensive demographic for car insurance is between the ages of 16 and 25. Any discount that can cut down those high insurance costs is worth looking into. Almost every car insurance company offers some sort discount for high school and college students who maintain a 3.0 grade point average. The discounts can apply to a policy that is held by the student individually, or they can apply to a policy that is tied into a parent’s insurance coverage. Either way, good student discounts can ease the pain of buying the necessary car insurance coverage for an adolescent or young adult.

Many individuals or families are cutting their insurance coverage far below what it should be, or they are dropping the coverage all together.

This can be a dangerous practice that can have drastic, long reaching consequences. There are ways you can save money without putting you, your family or anyone else that rides in your vehicle in danger.

Driving less can decrease your insurance premiums.

1. Walk when you can and ride a bike when you can, this is good for your health, your pocketbook and even for the environment.
2. If you can’t walk or ride a bike, you can plan your trips so that you are doing multiple errands in each trip, thereby minimizing your mileage.

Theft deterrent systems, especially traceable ones such as Lowjack can also minimize your insurance premium, as well as help get your car back if it’s stolen.

Do some research on the vehicle you drive or plan on purchasing.

Expensive vehicles require more insurance as do:

•  sports cars,
• convertibles or
• vehicles high up on the most stolen list.

With a minimal amount of research you can find out a lot about how insurance companies figure out their rates and with that you can adjust the things you are able in order to lower your premiums as much as possible without lowering your coverage.

When that proof is not forthcoming, the trouble and expense begins.

• Wherever you are, if you do not have another driver with you who is insured, you may find your car being impounded.
• You can expect punitive costs to be levied for the lack of insurance
• You may also find your driving privileges severely restricted if not completely taken away.
• You will also be required to present a form SR22 from the insurance company you sign up for insurance with.

The SR22 form is costly as is insurance requiring it.

This is because the insurance company is required to tell the DMV any time your SR22 insurance policy expires. If you have been caught without insurance you will be required to provide the SR22 form and to carry that type of insurance policy for a number of years.

Should you get in an accident while uninsured, your life will become very complicated very quickly.

You will be wholly and completely responsible for the damages to property and persons involved. All of your personal assets will be at risk and you may be forced into bankruptcy. In a few short seconds, your whole life can be turned into a financial nightmare.

Don’t drive without insurance, it’s not worth it.

You will need to be very familiar with what type and quantity of insurance you need as you won’t have an insurance agent sitting with you helping you figure out your needs in consideration of your usage.

Don’t:

• Just get online, pick an insurance company and go with it.
• Go with an insurance company that shows other company comparisons on their site.

Do:

• Research and compare different companies before purchasing.
• Be sure that in your comparisons you are comparing apples to apples and not to oranges.
• Make sure the policies from each company are the same so the prices are compared fairly.
• Know what the insurance minimums are for your state, these vary from state to state.
• Know exactly what type of coverage you need for all the drivers in your household, young drivers can have a strong effect on your insurance premiums.
• If you have a very good driving record, look for companies that reward that record with lower premiums.

The main advantage to purchasing auto insurance online is that you don’t need to go anywhere to do all of your research and your final purchase, you can do it all from home.

Some other factors that will affect your insurance premiums are:

• Age
• Geographic location
• Driving records
• Car make and model
• Driving distance to work

Do your research before purchasing a car or helping your young driver purchase a car.

To make sure your premiums remain low, make sure that

• The car is not high on the desirability list for theft
•  That it is not pricey
• And that it is not considered a sports car.

The more steps you take in this direction the less your insurance payment will inevitably be. Your young driver can also have a positive effect on the insurance rates by having good grades in school. Good grades are indicative of a person that is mature and willing to take on responsibility. Insurance companies look positively on this and reward the student with lower insurance rates.

If you have multiple drivers in one house, group auto insurance is also a good deal for them, since it lets everyone get coverage for a price that’s lower than they would get individually.

Sometimes the cars all have to be in one family member’s name, but some companies don’t require that, as long as the people who own the cars are related and live at the same address. Group insurance might not be right for everyone, but it’s definitely worth checking into it so that you can find the best rates and best deal for your specific situation. There are as many situations as there are cars out there, so check around until you locate what works best for you. During that exploration, check out the option of group insurance – it may be well worth it.

If you have an existing health insurance policy, you can remove medical payments from your car insurance. Medical payments provide low cost health insurance coverage for those who do not have health insurance and pay for all medical expenses and payments resulting from car accidents.

The best choice is to make sure that you’ve found a good company before you sign up and get insurance. It’s much easier to do that as opposed to signing up with a company and paying money for insurance coverage, only to find that you quickly need to hunt down another company. You can lose money and time that way, but you can also put your car and your finances at risk.

Insurance is required in most states, so you don’t want to get caught without it, either. Don’t just assume that you can get around the requirements for a while because you won’t get stopped or have an accident. Always buy good, appropriate car insurance for any vehicle you own. It’s a good investment.

• It is free to obtain a quote for auto insurance. So, shop around. Most likely the price of your insurance will go up with a new car, but you never know.
• Get an update from your current car insurance on the new cost of your policy by giving them the details of your new vehicle.
• You can get discounts of your car insurance if your new car has safety features and/or anti-theft features.
• Know what the limits for coverage are in your state.
• When determining the amount of bodily injury liability limits, make sure you have enough to protect your personal assets.
• Evaluate how you drive – this factors into your insurance rate.