Want to lower your auto insurance? Here are some inventive ways to save.Dan Lewis gets a migraine when he thinks about the $3,000 he pays annually in car insurance, but he's actually a darling to insurance companies. He's had no accidents and only one traffic ticket in the last decade--all on four cars: a Lincoln Navigator The Lincoln Navigator is a full-size luxury SUV produced by Ford Motor Company for its luxury division Lincoln. Introduced in 1998, the Navigator was one of the first full-size luxury SUVs. , which he drives for nights out on the town, a Chevy pickup for hauling items, a Toyota Camry The Toyota Camry is a mid-size sedan assembled by Toyota in Georgetown, Kentucky; Altona, Victoria, Guangzhou, China and the original factory in Toyota City, Japan. In some markets, the top range Camry models are seen as executive cars. , and a Hyundai Accent The Hyundai Accent (sold in some regions as the Verna and until 2000 in Australia as the Excel) is a subcompact car produced by Hyundai in South Korea, India, Russia, Pakistan, Turkey, and Iran. , which he drives when he wants to save money on gas. "It's important to me to get every discount available," says Lewis, 45, owner of D.L. Enterprises, an investment firm in Jonesboro, Georgia Jonesboro is a city in Clayton County, Georgia, United States. The population was 3,829 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Clayton County.GR6 The city's name was originally spelled Jonesborough . "With the present state of the economy and owning my own business, I take every opportunity to save money on car insurance." With escalating insurance costs in every industry, consumers such as Lewis relish any type of available discount or incentive. Farm Bureau insurance gives Lewis a multicar discount and the best rate for his good driving record. He also gets discounts for renewing his contract and having antilock an·ti·lock adj. Of or being a motor vehicle braking system that electronically monitors and adjusts individual wheel speeds during braking to prevent the wheels from locking. brakes and an antitheft an·ti·theft adj. Designed to prevent theft: an antitheft automotive device. device. Those are a few of the major discounts that drivers can expect to receive. But there are plenty of others. Progressive Direct (www.progressive.com), the No. 3 auto insurance company in the nation with 9.5 million personal auto policies, is offering its customers $50 for every six months of data they share through the TripSensor device. In order to help the company more accurately assess the type of driver you are, TripSensor captures information such as the miles, speed, and time of day your vehicle is driven. In addition, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Insure.com (www.insure.com), drivers can lower their premiums by comparison shopping at their state insurance department's Website, considering higher deductibles, dropping collision and/or comprehensive coverage on older cars, and researching group insurance and corporate discounts through organizations such as AAA AAA: see American Automobile Association. (Triple A) A common single-cell battery used in a myriad of electronic devices of all variety. Like its double A (AA) cousin, it provides 1.5 volts of DC power. When used in series, the voltage is multiplied. or your alma mater. Also ask about discounts for air bags, automatic seat belts Automatic seat belts are seat belts that automatically close over riders in a car. History Automatic seat belts were created to increase safety regardless of user negligence because even when seat belts were available, people often forgot to, or chose not to, use them. , antitheft alarms, antilock brakes, driving school attendance, and safe vehicles. Some insurance carriers offer specialized discounts. According to Horace Mann (www.horacemann.com/insurance), your agent can do a lot of the leg work to get you the discounts you deserve. If you're insured with a large company, however, you may not have an individual agent. So be sure to inform your insurance carrier of the following things that may impact your rates: moving, your military service, and your occupation or any professional affiliations. Auto Insurance Discounts The next time you review your car insurance policy, see if you're eligible for the following discounts: * A higher deductible * More than one car * No accidents in three years * No moving violations in three years * Driver training courses * Defensive driving courses * Antitheft devices * Low annual mileage * Air bags * Antilock brakes * Daytime running lights * Student drivers with good grades * Auto and homeowners coverage with the same company * College students away from home * Longtime customer SOURCE: INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE (WWW III ORG) |
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