How Do I Save Money on Auto Insurance?

I’m thrilled to have Craig Crawford, of Southern Way Insurance Agency, to share helpful some tips all about insurance this year! The first tip he is sharing with us is all about saving money. I have three ways for you to digest this information. First, you can scroll down to read all about it. Secondly, you can watch the video below where Craig gives a brief overview. Or thirdly, you can do both. We hope you find this helpful!
PS- If you have any topics or questions you’d like Craig to answer, please let me know and I will add them to our schedule!
Click Here to watch a video from Craig

Introducing Craig:

I think we can all agree that we’d like to save money on our monthly bills. Some bills we aren’t able to lower. But there are some that we can have control over. Your auto insurance premium is one of those bills. And we all want to have lower auto insurance costs, right? I have been in the insurance industry for over 25 years. Today, I’m taking my expertise and sharing with you a few ways that you lower your auto insurance premium right away.

SHOP SHOP SHOP!

This is one of the most important tips I give my clients. Shopping around is so important! You should be doing an annual auto insurance review to make sure you are getting the best rate.  Companies change their rating tiers all the time so you may miss out on a better rate if don’t do your homework.   We can help you with that on an annual basis to make sure you are getting the best bang for your buck! You don’t have to do the shopping around yourself. Give me a call or email anytime and I’d be happy to look around for you. My office number is 678-965-4243.

Check Your Credit

Making sure you have a good credit score is very important. Most insurance companies use your credit score as a factor in your rate.   If your credit has improved then you need to see the first tip…it’s time to shop for a better rate! And if you need to improve your rate, click here to read some tips from Clark Howard on that subject.

Increase Your Comprehensive And Collision Deductibles

If you have comprehensive and collision coverage your vehicle(s), you could look into increasing the deductible you’d pay. I tell my clients that my recommend action is a $1000 deductible at a minimum.  By doing this, you are not only saving money on the overall auto insurance premium, but you are also eliminating filing smaller claims. You see, when you file small claims (i.e. less than $1500) you are going to have your premium increase at the time of your renewal. And a little insider information for you – these small claims can stay on your record for up to 5 years!

Combine Your Auto Policy With Your Homeowners Policy

My advice would be to use the same company for your auto and homeowners policy. In fact, in our office we have companies that offer up to 35% savings if you combine your home and auto coverage. If you have two separate companies covering your auto and home, you could be paying way too much! Give me an opportunity to bundle your home and auto insurance and we will see how much money you might save right away.
 
 

Pay Your Premium In Full For The Year

I recommend paying your auto insurance premium for the full year instead of monthly, if possible. Did you know that some companies are charging up to a $12.00 fee each payment made? If you can’t do the full year at one payment, you could possibly look into paying quarterly.
 

Craig Crawford has over 25 years in the insurance industry.   He graduated from Georgia College and State University in 1994 with a  major in business.   He joined Southern Way Insurance Agency in 1999 as an owner in the agency.   Craig became an Accredited Adviser in Insurance in 2006  (AAI).
 
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