Sunday, November 15, 2009

Top Three Things to Avoid if you Want Lower Auto Insurance Premiums

Whether you're buying your first car, or getting behind the wheel of your fifth vehicle, car insurance is something that you are going to have to consider. Driving without it is like swimming in shark infested waters without a cage. When you buy a car you have the option of buying insurance from the same place you purchased the car, or shopping around for a better deal elsewhere. The option is yours, and while they car shop may offer you a discount, that doesn't mean there won't be a cheaper option somewhere else. When you do take out car insurance, there are going to be a few things that may increase your premium.

1 - Your driving history is important. If you have made claims in the past for accidents where you were at fault, than your insurer will be forced the set a higher premium for you, because you are a higher risk client. Insurance companies want to insure you, but they don't want to be paying out on claims regularly. The same goes if you don't have a driving history. Taking out car insurance for the first time will cost you more than if you had been driving for a few years and held a good driving record.

2 - Age sometimes works for you and sometimes works against you. It's true that young males between the ages of 18 and 25 will pay a higher premium for their car insurance. They are definitely a high risk client. The less driving experience you have, and the younger you are, you're going to pay a higher car insurance premium. Your age and inexperience works against you here.

3 - The type of car you purchase will also have a huge influence on how the insurance company calculates your premium. The flashier your car, the higher your car insurance premium is going to be. A brand new BMW is going to fetch much more for insurance than a trusty second hand Toyota. When shopping for a car, it's best to consider how much you can afford to pay for insurance premiums. The price, make, model and year are going to have an influence on your total car insurance premium.

These are just three major factors that affect how much you're charged for your car insurance premium. Other than those mentioned above, your gender, education, car security, location and how much you plan to drive are also going to influence your premium. If you want a lower premium, make smarter choices when it comes to driving, get a clean driving record and buy a sensible car that isn't going to cost you a fortune in insurance.