As any reputable insurance broker will tell you, how much a
given company charges to have you insured will depend entirely on who you are.
Your age, gender, driving habits, credit score and any other pertinent
information about you can often serve to indicate how much of a “risk” – and,
consequently, how much of a liability to the company – you are likely to be.
For this reason, the profile of you that your insurance company will build is
likely to be thorough, encompassing many aspects of your character and
behaviour. Unfortunately for many drivers, however, this will also include
information about previous tickets and other records of infractions that you
might have committed; a person with many previous speeding tickets, logically,
is likely to have higher premiums than a person without.
For this reason, one of the most important realizations to
make when thinking about how to save money on car insurance should also be one
of the most self-evident: staying out of trouble on the roads will ultimately
mean cheaper premiums in the long run. By following a few relatively simple
pointers – we’ve provided some below – you’ll stand a significantly better
chance of avoiding problems on the roads, steering clear of tickets and keeping
your car insurance rates relatively affordable.
1. Pull over if you
need to make a phone call. It’s admittedly hard to imagine the world as it
would exist today without cell phones, but as handy as they are, cell phone
calls and driving simply don’t mix. What’s more, we now have laws in place to
emphasize this fact; talking on a cell phone while driving is now illegal
across the country, and being caught in the act can net you a costly fine. As
one might expect, these rules also apply to other distracting habits involving
cell phones, such as texting and using GPS or other smart phone applications,
so it’s best to avoid these practices as well. If a call or text really must be
answered, pull over in a designated rest area or other safe location before
reaching for the phone; if it means avoiding a nasty ticket, you’ll be glad in
the end that you did.
2. Keep your speeds
reasonable. Police speed traps are often well-hidden in an attempt to catch
unsuspecting drivers exceeding the listed speed limit, and in most cases they
work. For this reason, it’s wise to stay within posted speed limits, even in
areas that seem relatively free of people and traffic. Regardless of any police
presence in the immediate vicinity, speed limits are assigned and enforced for
the sake of safety, both for drivers and pedestrians. Thus, the reasons for
obeying speed limits are multiple; ultimately, however, the old adage “better
safe than sorry” is just as effective a reason as any.
3. Where drinking and
driving is concerned, the best policy is a zero-tolerance policy. If a
speeding ticket is bad, most would agree that a “DUI” (“driving under the
influence” of drugs or alcohol) is worse. In most cases, a DUI will entail a
mandatory license suspension and points on your driving record, the results of
which will almost certainly boost your insurance premiums in the months that
follow. To avoid an outcome like this, always be sure to have a “designated
driver” who has agreed to abstain from any intoxicants, and to make sure that
this plan is enforced throughout the day or evening. If you yourself have been
selected to be the “DD”, be aware that everyone metabolizes alcohol differently
and that even a single drink is enough to qualify some people as intoxicated in
the eyes of the law. It’s therefore wisest to avoid intoxicants altogether; again,
“better safe than sorry” is a valuable rule to live by in this case.
4. In the eyes of an
insurance company, a reckless driver is a risky driver. Charges of “reckless
driving” are often harshly punished and are reflected in the insurance rates of
drivers who accumulate them. Thus, perhaps the easiest way to avoid insurance
premium increases might be simply to be a kind, courteous and careful driver at
all times; doing so will likely allow for a safer and more enjoyable driving
experience not only for you, but for your fellow motorists as well. In the end,
it’s just common sense.
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