Nobody wants to pay more than they have to for car insurance. But going with a discount car insurance company isn’t the way to do it. When you’ve been in an accident, a victim of a hit and run, or had your car destroyed in a storm, you want to be sure that you’re actually going to get the help you need. Discount car insurance companies aren’t famous for being there when you need them.

But you don’t need to sign up for cheap car insurance just to save money. Here are five ways you can save money on car insurance so you can get reliable coverage from a reputable company while still paying a great price.

1. Get the multi-car discount 

Insuring multiple vehicles can often cost the same as insuring a single car because of the multi-car discount. Car insurance companies want your business, and they tend to offer big discounts if you do all of your business with them. Most of the time, people on the same policy need to live in the same household and/or be related.

2. Get your teen the good student discount 

Teens don’t have a lot of driving experience, and that makes them more expensive to insure. If you’re insuring your teen child, ask about a good student discount. Though good student discounts vary from company to company, in general, if your teen or college-age child is a full-time student with a 3.0 average or better, many times, you can save as much as 10% on the cost of their car insurance.

3. Take a defensive driving course 

Many car insurance companies will offer a discount to anyone who has taken a defensive driving course. A defensive driving course teaches drivers how to avoid accidents, deal with dangerous road conditions, and more. To receive a discount, you must enroll in and complete an accredited course.

4. Drive a smaller vehicle 

Large trucks and SUVs are typically more expensive to insure than cars. That’s because all that size and weight is capable of inflicting a lot more damage to other cars and property. If you can, trade in your large truck or SUV for a sedan, and you’ll save money on car insurance and save on fuel costs, too.

5. Increase your deductible 

A car insurance deductible is an amount you have to pay for a claim before your car insurance starts to pay out benefits. For example, if you have a $500 deductible and are at fault in an accident where there was $50,000 worth of damage, you’d pay the first $500 and your car insurance would pay the remaining $45,000.

When your deductible goes up, your premiums go down. Raising your deductible is the easiest and fastest way to save on car insurance.

Want to find a great deal on car insurance? 

Edwards Insurance Agency has helped generations of North Carolina and South Carolina drivers insure their vehicles with great policies and even better rates. If you’ve got questions about your car insurance, or want to search for a policy that will save you money, give us a call today.