Auto insurance provides a vital umbrella of protection that shields you from car accidents, major weather, and the other risks of the road. However, that doesn’t mean you want to pay more than necessary for coverage. Below are a few tips for lowering your insurance costs without sacrificing coverage.

How to Reduce Your Insurance Costs

1. Ask About Multi-Car Discounts

Whenever possible, insurance companies prefer to sell multiple policies to each customer. If your household has more than one car, combining your coverage under one policy may be much less expensive than insuring each vehicle independently.

2. Compare Options

Every insurance company evaluates risk differently, so rates can vary widely from one carrier to the next. Evaluating rates from several carriers can help ensure you get the best deal possible. 

3. Take a Defensive Driving Course

If you’ve received traffic tickets in the past, your insurance rates may be higher than average. Completing a defensive driving course can remove points from your license and lower your rates. Many insurers will also offer an additional discount to drivers who finish an approved driving program.

4. Request Quotes Before Buying a Car

Auto insurance companies collect massive amounts of data on each vehicle on the market, including average repair costs and accident rates. Due to these factors, two similar vehicles can have very different insurance costs. Checking the coverage costs before buying a new car can help you avoid sticker shock and help you choose an option with lower costs.

5. Raise Your Deductible

The deductible is how much you’ll be responsible for paying before your insurer will cover a claim. Because high-deductible policies lower the risk to insurance companies, they typically have lower monthly prices. Raising your deductible from $500 to $1,000 could reduce your annual auto insurance costs by hundreds of dollars.

Since 1997, Western States Insurance Group, Inc. has provided expert advice and affordable coverage to drivers throughout Lovington, Hobbs and Lea County areas of New Mexico as well as Texas. They take the time to understand your needs and will compare options to find a policy that offers exceptional coverage at the lowest price possible. Visit their website for more on their auto insurance services, follow their Twitter for tips and advice, or call (575) 396-1318 to request a free quote.