When was the last time you shopped around for your insurance coverage? If you are like most people, you probably did a basic comparison when you purchased your vehicle or home and haven’t given it much thought since then. Insurance agents love customers like that. Automatic renewal sure makes commissions easier to bank on! The downside for you is that you just might be over-paying for your insurance.
We’ve only lived in our house just over a year, so we recently went through the home owners’ policy search. But we hadn’t given much thought to our auto insurance, and even less thought to our boat insurance in the last year.
Researching Insurance Rates
I get a lot of junk email and yesterday I got one offering me the opportunity to get auto insurance quotes from various companies. Since I had about 10 minutes to spare, I went through the motions, not expecting much success. Boy was I wrong! With just a few clicks on my keyboard and then answering some questions in a follow-up email, I’m going to be saving my family $112 this next year – for a policy that is written for a full year, not the normal 6 months. This means our premiums will be locked in for a full year and not increased at the 6 month renewal date.
Even More Insurance Savings
One of the insurance companies was a local agent (actually just 2 blocks from our home), so I popped in to see them. While I was there, I asked if they offer boat insurance. I’m so glad I did! I thought saving $112 was great, but just by asking for a quote, I discovered that this company not only offers boat coverage, but is $335 LOWER than the company we currently have our insurance with! They won’t get the auto business (they weren’t lowest) but they do get the boat policy.
Tips On Finding The Best Insurance At The Biggest Savings
- Take a few minutes each renewal period to shop around for the best policy at the best price. You just might be pleasantly surprised at what you discover.
- Check out any company you are considering for insurance coverage. The industry rating standard is set by A.M. Best. You can find out more at http://www3.ambest.com/consumers/default.asp
- Be sure to compare Apples-to-Apples. That means to be sure that coverage amounts are equal in each of the quotes. You might think a premium is too good to pass up, but then discover that the coverage amounts are half of what you currently carry!
Great article Dana. Insurance is a huge expense for our families yet a very important part of our finances. It’s nice when we can save on insurance and just like you said, most of us pay without shopping from time to time. $450 dollars is a lot of money and I’m sure you can find a better use for it. Saving is fun and I appreciate you sharing the story and tips.
Nice tip, thanks for sharing.
Thanks Jennifer, thanks for commenting on our Facebook page too.
Thanks for the article Dana!
I tend to just see my insurance bill and pay it. Do you know how often discounts can be issued?
There are lots of savings to be had in the insurance industry. Research for your best option!
You raised some excellent points in your article. Insurance, of all kinds, is a huge expense for families. You showed that with a little research, you can save money on insurance, which translates into more money in your pocket. Great way to encourage frugality!