Highly expensive car models, a larger number of incidents on the road, and the rising cost of repairing those incidents have caused auto insurance rates to shoot sky high.  Throughout some states, auto insurance rates have become so pricy that many drivers have a harder time paying their monthly insurance premiums than letting their 16 year-old take the wheel for the first time. Fortunately, there are many ways of beating those rising auto insurance rates, and doing it legally. So, if you wish to lower your monthly auto insurance premium, let’s talk about how best to get auto insurance quotes.

Maximize Your Deductible

One of the best ways to lower your monthly auto insurance premium is to raise the amount of your deductibles. When filling out the auto insurance questionnaire, see to it that you state the highest deductible amount that you can afford. According to most experts, you can safely claim as much as a 40% deductible from your auto insurance. Doing this can effectively bring down your auto insurance rate and save you money.

What is even more interesting about claiming the maximum deductible amount on your auto insurance is that you will no longer need to make too many small claims on your auto insurance. Small insurance claims usually result from those minute provisions in the insurance policy, which allow you to charge the insurance company for small repairs and other mundane car activities.

Of course these small claims may be beneficial to you, but your insurance company won’t mind leaving them out of your plan. The reason for this is most insurance companies do not like to entertain a large number small policy claims because it is both time consuming and labor intensive. In fact, a lot of auto insurance companies cancel the policies of their clients who make too many small claims.

Get Discounts

Believe it or not insurance companies actually do give out discounts.  One way to get a discount is to insure your auto and your home under the same insurance company.  Also, insuring multiple cars under the same policy is another way to keep those premium payments low.  Not only that, but insuring multiple cars under the same policy actually makes it easier to keep track of your premiums, as well as pay them.  One more way to receive discounts is to have a good credit score.  Good credit ratings can sometimes get you discounts on your policy.  So, if you’re willing to insure multiple cars under the same policy, claim the maximum deductible amount, and use that credit score for extra cushioning, chances are you can save a lot of money and get auto insurance quotes that wont leave you broke.

You’re at the airport. They lost your bags. Your incoming flight was late, and now you’re late for a meeting. You need to rent a car, and fast. No time to think when the clerk asks if you’d like to purchase rental car insurance, so you just say No.

Whoa. Back up.

Rental car insurance is just a few dollars more per day, and it will protect you from having to pay for any damages you might incur during your trip. You’re in a hurry and trying to save as much money as possible, so your first thought is probably to skip the insurance. After all, you’re a safe driver and don’t foresee anything happening to this nice car you’re renting.

But hang on – what if something does go wrong? What if another driver runs into you? What if the freeway overhead collapses? What if there’s a tornado or some other act of God? Are you sure you want to risk having something happen that would cost you much more in the long run? You might want to rethink your initial reaction and just go with the rental car insurance. It’s not that much more, and you’ll feel better knowing you’re protected.

Don’t Just Check the Box

Before you sign up for rental car insurance, ask what it covers. It might be easy to just check the box stating that you want the rental car insurance, but what if it doesn’t cover certain things? For instance, some rental car insurance won’t protect you from acts of God, such as hurricanes or floods. Others only protect you if you’re hit by another car. You need to be completely clear about what’s covered before you sign up for the rental car insurance, so that you know exactly what you’re paying for.

How Much Will It Cost?

Often you’re in a hurry when you rent a car. The process usually goes so quick that you’re only at the counter for a few minutes and, before you know it, in the rental car cruising down the highway. It’s not until you return the car that you’re bombarded with fees and extra charges you weren’t aware of. So slow down, take a deep breath and don’t hurry through the process of signing up for rental car insurance. Take your time and ask plenty of questions. How much does the rental car insurance cost? Is it accrued each day or bundled in one simple package? You don’t want any surprises when you drop the car off, so make sure you are clear on everything from the beginning.

Renting a car can be a fun experience. After all, you get to try out a new car – maybe even a fancy little sports car, if you’re so inclined – and run the miles up on a car you don’t own. However, remember that bad things can happen to spoil your good time. You don’t want to pay for damages that might occur while the car is in your possession if you don’t have to. So take a minute or two to sign up for the extra rental car insurance – then relax, adjust the seat, find your favorite radio station and drive.