# Can you offer any tips or suggestions to lower car insurance? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 27, 2020, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082 "2020-01-27T23:09:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/41 "2020-01-29T20:56:03Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > \*Ok, it ultimately protects me I mean, this needs more than a footnote. The entire reason you buy any form of liability insurance is to protect _yourself_. It protects your assets. If you _have_ no assets, then millions in liability insurance is probably a waste of money. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/42 "2020-01-29T20:57:57Z")
In Virginia I pay $69 a month and have 2 vehicles on my policy, a 2013 Focus ST and a 1995 F-150. Factors that keep my insurance low: -Having house and vehicle insurance on the same policy -No tickets -Older vehicles -I’m almost 50 years old -High deductibles -No collision insurance on the 1995 F-150 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/43 "2020-01-29T21:11:57Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > Why not call a big business competitor with a good record then? We did that in the states and saved about $800/year. I’ve heard that this only works in the short term. A lot of companies will offer a lower rate for the first year to get you to switch to them. But once you’ve signed on with them, they’ll raise your rates to a more regular price in subsequent years. “No problem” you say “I’ll just switch policies every year and keep getting that first year rate forever.” But I’ve heard that won’t work. Companies are aware of this strategy and they decline their discount offers to customers who have a history of jumping companies. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2020, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/44 "2020-01-29T21:30:58Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > Do any of you have any good tips or suggestions for lowering car insurance rates? Watch a lot of TV and pay attention to the car insurance ads. Every one of them offers lower rates than the other guys. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/45 "2020-01-31T14:12:35Z")
Definitely get quotes from other providers; the insurers will often figure they can rook you as long as you’re being lazy and not shopping around. Our auto insurance is rather insane right now, for two ancient cars. I got a quote a couple months ago which would slash about 40% off our bill but got sidetracked, and I need to get back to it. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/46 "2020-01-31T19:30:27Z")
I recently switched car insurance for the first time. Is a sign up discount on the first bill (6 months) that disappears on subsequent bills typical? ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/47 "2020-01-31T19:39:54Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > I recently switched car insurance for the first time. Is a sign up discount on the first bill (6 months) that disappears on subsequent bills typical? In my experience it’s not usually an explicit discount, and not a sudden jump in price. It’s a constant percentage increase every year, that I’m sure they have carefully researched to find an optimal level that is as high as they can get away with without overcoming customer inertia. I switched to Geico a few years ago, and I have found that they have been less egregious in this than other companies. But it’s hard to tell from a sample of one, I haven’t had any claims on any policy for many years, so maybe what I perceive as no increase in price is really the fact that I’m not getting the reduction that I should be getting. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/48 "2020-01-31T20:12:42Z")
> [@Riemann](#): > > In my experience it’s not usually an explicit discount, and not a sudden jump in price. It’s a constant percentage increase every year, that I’m sure they have carefully researched to find an optimal level that is as high as they can get away with without overcoming customer inertia. > > I switched to Geico a few years ago, and I have found that they have been less egregious in this than other companies. But it’s hard to tell from a sample of one, I haven’t had any claims on any policy for many years, so maybe what I perceive as no increase in price is really the fact that I’m not getting the reduction that I should be getting. Looks like it was about a 15% discount for first 6 months of Progressive. They’re still cheaper than anyone else (though I might look at Liberty in the future as I think they additionally give me a work discount and I can bundle). ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2020, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/49 "2020-01-31T20:19:51Z")
Stay out of accidents, avoid tickets, and change insurance carriers periodically. Loyalty is not rewarded in the corporate world. All the deals and lowest good driver rates are to attract newbies. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/50 "2020-02-01T00:01:01Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I’m a AAA member anyway, so I checked their rates last year. At first I thought there was a mistake, the premium was so low. I’m very happy. I wasn’t a AAA member at the time, but the last time I shopped for insurance quotes they were the lowest by far. Even adding the cost of a “classic” AAA membership it was still lower than the next lowest quote. So I figured I might as well join AAA. I get the cheapest insurance and the benifits of AAA membership. > [@Voyager](#): > > And not getting a new car. I can’t remember exactly what I paid for insurance on my old Corolla, but it went up A LOT when I got my Miata. Although I suspect the lesson here might be don’t get a sports car if you want to keep your insurance costs low. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2020, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/51 "2020-02-01T02:30:40Z")
I saved $500/yr by allowing them (signed form) to access my current credit report. They had out of date info ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/52 "2020-02-02T01:13:11Z")
Now that we’ve gotten plenty of serious answers, I should say there’s an [xkcd](https://xkcd.com/42/) for that. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2020, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082/53 "2020-02-02T03:13:24Z")
> [@Charlie\_Wayne](#): > > … > > I learned that insurance companies divide each city into several small areas - much like election ridings. The rate for car insurance can be very different for people living on one street and people living very near by - but on a different street. > > I say this is unlikely to help me because I’m not going to move just to save a few hundred dollars per year on car insurance. > > Still … I find this quite intriquing. How much sense does this make? Did they just compute how much they had to pay out in claims in each area and then base their rates for the following year on that? Seems quite arbitrary in some ways. More or less. And it might help you, even if you don’t move, because different companies will slice up the city differently. So you might be lumped with some expensive areas for one insurer, but with cheaper areas for another. This is why it’s good to shop from time to time. Not just to seek the “new customer discount”, which isn’t always better than the “loyal customer discount”, but because different companies might apply significantly different base rates to you. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-offer-any-tips-or-suggestions-to-lower-car-insurance/847082.md?page=2)