Car Insurance Quotes – How Do They Relate to Premiums

Car Insurance Quotes – How Do They Relate to Premiums

One of the ways you could save on your insurance is to get a lot of car insurance quotes. This will help you decide on the right policy that offers both adequate coverage and affordable premiums.  But do you know how to look at car insurance quotes? Here are the basic elements that you should be familiar with.

  1. Driver characteristics.
    1. Age
    2. Marital Status and Gender.
    3. Years of Experience in Driving (beginning at the time you got your license)
    4. Job Nature (Indoor/Outdoor)
    5. No Claims Discount (NCD)
    6. Certificate of Merit Discount
  1. Vehicle characteristics
    1. Type and capacity of the engine
    2. Year Manufactured
    3. Body Type
    4. Off Peak Car

These items are the factors that can influence your car insurance premiums.  That is why they show up on quotes.

If you find the quote still too high, you can adjust some of these items.  Some things to remember:

  1. The longer the driving experience, the lower the premiums.
  2. Drivers under 26 years old are deemed most risky, so they are charged more premiums. Those falling under the 31 to 65 years old bracket have the least risk.
  3. The longer you go without filing a claim, the better.  This would help you get an NCD that is equal to at least 10% per year and up to 50% over time.
  4. An off peak vehicle can give you another 5% discount
  5. The lower the engine capacity, the lower the premiums; normal engine types are also much cheaper to insure.
  6. Higher exemption translates to lower premiums.
  7. The certificate of merit discount gives you 5% off your premiums in recognition for your strict obedience to traffic laws.

Ultimately, you will not be able to change much of these factors without lying.  So if you still find the quote too expensive,  perhaps it is time to look for another company.

The good news is that you can easily shop around for the lowest insurance premiums by comparing car insurance quotes.  At least 5 to 6 quotes should be enough.  If you are lucky to get 7 or 8 quotes, the better.  Admittedly, this would be time consuming but definitely well worth it!  If you do not want to spend time on this, then you can look for online sites that offer price comparison services.  For the most part, this service is offered for free or at a small price.

Last Updated On:
Friday, May 22, 2015
Categories: Car Insurance , Money WISE