How to Make Your Auto Insurance More Affordable

Your auto insurance rate is determined by a number of different factors, and not everyone realizes just how much they can save by making a few simple adjustments. The key is to work with your insurance agent and start thinking like an insurance company, so you know exactly what they’re looking for before they offer you a range of options. Whether you’re buying a new (or new to you) car, or shopping around for more affordable auto insurance in New Jersey, consider the following facts before deciding on a final policy.

Bundle Your Insurance

No matter how many policies you may have, you can almost certainly save money if you combine everything together. So, if you have homeowner’s insurance, motorcycle insurance, and life insurance from three separate insurers, your agent should be helping you consolidate to a single insurance company.  Like most companies, insurance providers are willing to award customer loyalty with a discount. Plus, you only have to remember a single name and number to call, should something go wrong.

Reconsider Your Vehicle

A black-striped sports car that goes up to 160 miles an hour isn’t going to be treated the same as a four-door sedan with side airbags and blind-spot monitoring. Insurance companies want to insure vehicles that are unlikely to attract the wrong kind of attention from cops or encourage their drivers to abandon reason at the next hairpin turn. In other words, a brand-new Honda Accord will be far easier and less expensive to fix than a customized vintage BMW. Some companies may even provide discounts for hybrid or electric cars.

Install a Safety Device

The more care you take to ensure your car isn’t stolen or damaged, the more likely it is you’ll receive a more favorable policy rate. Look for advanced anti-theft devices that prevent both criminals from tampering with the car and ones that make it easy for law enforcement to track the car if it does turn up missing. Choose cars with a variety of safety features (e.g., antilock brakes, tire pressure monitoring, etc.) so insurers can rest easy that both passengers and vehicle will be safe (or at least safer) in the event of a crash.

Take Some Classes

From standard education to driving classes, insurance companies like to see people being responsible, learning more, and bettering themselves. The better you do in these classes, the more likely it is that you’ll have more money in your pocket at the end of the month. Certain demographics, such as teachers or doctors, may receive special discounts based on their profession.

Driving Record

Arguably the most important factor in finding affordable New Jersey auto insurance is your driving record because it will give an insurance company an idea of your habits on the road. That’s why taking driving classes can be so important to lowering your rates — they can give you the tips and the practical advice you need to prevent everything from road rage to that all-consuming urge to go 30 miles over the speed limit.

Personal insurance in South Jersey isn’t always easy to understand if you’re looking from the outside in, but it may only take a few adjustments to find a policy that better suits your needs. Once you consider things from an insurers point of view, you can clear up the mystery and start taking steps toward a better rate. To get started with more affordable auto insurance, contact Hardenbergh Insurance Group today!