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5 Ways to Reduce Your Auto Payments
DUI car insurance can be extremely expensive. This is one of the many
costly DUI fines that you will have to pay. In order to reduce your auto insurance rates you should try to qualify for as many insurance discounts as possible.
Here are 5 ways you can reduce your insurance payments…
1. Become a Better Driver
The best way to reduce your DUI car insurance is to not be considered a “High Risk” driver.
In order to show the insurance companies that you’re not a risky driver you should avoid any traffic violations. This means avoiding speeding tickets, car accidents, parking violations etc. The longer you can keep your driving record clean, the better your chances of reducing your DUI car insurance.
2. Take Driving Courses
In addition to simply avoiding traffic violations, you can reduce your DUI car insurance by taking defensive driving courses.
A defensive driving course is a 6 hour class that people take to reduce points on their driver’s license or simply reduce their car insurance rates. Taking a defensive driving course typically saves you between 5-15% on your car insurance bill. The exact amount of you save varies from state to state. The best way to determine your actual savings is ask your policy provider.
Once you have taken the defensive driving course, you will contact your insurance provider to get your discount for 3 years. After 3 years if you want to continue to save money, you will have to take the course again.
Taking a defensive driving course again is not a big deal since they are affordable and can save you thousands of dollars over 3 years.
The cost of a defensive driving course is typically between $15-$60 and they are offered either online or offline.
I would suggest you take an online defensive driving course because they are cheaper and more convenient.
I have taken a defensive driving course in person and they cost much more and are boring. Even though you still have to complete the 6 hours with an online course you can spread that out over a a week or month. You can do a half hour each day and be done within a week. With an offline course, you have to sit there for 6 hours.
The online content also tend to be more engaging than sitting in front of an instructor for 6 hours watching driving videos from the 80’s.
3. Increase your Deductible
If you ask for a higher deductible, you can reduce you can reduce your DUI car insurance.
A deductible is what you pay out of your pocket before your insurance kicks in. For example, my car insurance has a $500 deductible. When I got in a car accident this past year, my repair estimates came out to be around $400. This meant my policy would not pay for the car repairs because it was below my $500 deductible. If the repair costs were $600, then I would still have to pay the $500 but my insurance would pay for the $100 difference.
If you increase your deductible from $200 to $500, you can save 15-30% on your collision and comprehensive coverage. If you increase your deductible to $1,000 you can save 40% .
Before you decide if you should get a higher deductible, make sure you have enough money set aside for your car accident claim. Otherwise you may regret making this decision.
4. Drive Safer Vehicle
Most insurance companies give you a discount if your vehicle has certain safety features installed. The obvious reason for this is that it reduces your chances of getting into a car accident and costing the company thousands of dollars in
personal injury settlements or
car accident settlement.
Some of the safety features most policy providers look for are:
- Air Bags
- Car Alarm
- Anti-Lock Brakes
- Automated Seat Belts
- Steering Wheel Lock
- Ignition Device Lock
Some of these safety features may already be installed in your vehicle.
If you don’t have a safety feature, you should call your insurance company and ask how much you could save by having more safety features. This way you can determine if its worth your time and money to install a safety feature.
5. Maintain Good Credit
Having a good credit can actually help reduce your DUI car insurance payments. Insurance companies are using your credit information to determine how to price your auto policies. There are many ways to keep a good credit score. The most common things include:
- Pay your bills on time
- Keep your credit balance low
- Avoid multiple credit lines
These are the basic things you should be doing in order to get a good credit rating. You can search online to find a more detailed approach on how you can improve your credit score.
Bottom Line
Paying for a DUI car insurance is expensive. By following the 5 steps above you will show your policy providers that you are a responsible driver and lower your monthly payments.
You should also keep talking with your policy provider on how you can reduce your coverage rates. It may take you some time to reduce your payments but it can be done.
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