Over and above buying a car and perhaps having to pay finance charges, there is the ongoing maintenance expenses and of course, auto insurance in Traverse City, MI. Although you can’t escape these costs if you wish to own a car, there are ways to at least reduce your automobile insurance premium.
- If your car is older and fully paid for you may wish to consider reducing the cover age, perhaps eliminate collision for example. Collision insurance is that which pays for damage that you may cause to your own car and it constitutes a considerable chunk of the premium.
- Stick with one insurance company for your auto insurance in Traverse City, MI plus your home insurance and any other insurance that you might carry. In many cases you will find that your premiums will go down across the board, perhaps as much as 10 percent.
- You can slash the premium by dropping your deductable, the amount of money that you must pay before the insurance kicks in. If you were to raise your deductible from $250 to $1,000 you will see a significant difference in your premium. Decide how much you can afford to pay and then adjust your deductable accordingly.
- Drive careful and drive less. Safe drivers always get a lower premium, at least 5 percent; this can go even higher with a three year accident free period. As far as the frequency of your driving, if it is a second car and rarely driven, tell your agent and this should bring your premiums down because if the car sits in the driveway, it cannot be involved in an accident.
- Buy a safe car, not only for your own well being but to reduce your premiums. A car that is fully equipped with air bags, anti-lock brakes, stability control etc will normally be rewarded with a lower premium.
Try to avoid paying your premium monthly. It may seem like a good idea but you will be saddled with fees to have this convenience. If you can afford to pay an annual premium this is by far the best but at least try to pay in six monthly stages. Your insurance company may offer additional discounts if you agree to automatic billing.
There are many ways to reduce your premium and still be safe and sound, ask your insurance agent for his suggestions.
