# Auto Insurance **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Tags:** sl, saturn\ **Created:** [March 16, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686 "2011-03-16T19:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/1 "2011-03-16T19:49:59Z")
I have been driving for over ten years and never had any tickets and accidents. And the mileage is quite low per year. So I think it is quite unfair to pay an insurance which does not reward or give credits based on my driving history. Does anybody know if there exists such a fair policy? I think I deserve some credits on the auto insurance. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 7:53pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/2 "2011-03-16T19:53:06Z")
The reward is not paying higher premiums. Allstate does a good-driver discount, but you have to have a certain amount of time with them before it takes effect. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/3 "2011-03-16T20:10:34Z")
Many insurance companies give discounts for good drivers. Shop around. However remember that if you do have an accident, you can find the next premium is much higher. My company offers discounts and I often see them. Not enough at any one time to get all excited about, but each year is less than the prior year. ---
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/4 "2011-03-16T20:45:55Z")
OK, I will check Allstate and compare it. Thanks very much! ---
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 8:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/5 "2011-03-16T20:49:57Z")
Hi, thank you! So what is the company? Mine is Geico. But my premium went up for these two years and they said it was just the inflation. This year it does not go up though. But I mean I deserve some credits and my premium should take into account the credits. In fact, I heard that the legislaturers are discussing if the premium should be based on miles driven in the future. That is exactly what I need. I live in a small town and only drive say maybe 2 miles per day. Why should I pay that much? Unfair. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/6 "2011-03-16T21:19:48Z")
Is It Progressive I’ve Seen Advertising For, Lately ? I Think That’s The Company That Attempts To do Just What You’re After. They plug a chip into your car so that you can demonstrate safe driving technique. They’re looking for consistently smooth and sane driving with no hot-rodding, sudden braking, extreme G-forces, etcetera. You prove that you can handle this and they give you lowered rates based on your driving. You trade some privacy for lower costs. I’m not endorsing their insurance, rather just trying to meet your request. Oh, here it is, Progressive Snap Shot Discount. Click this link: > **[Snapshot From Progressive | Big Discounts For Good Drivers](https://www.progressive.com/auto/discounts/snapshot/)** > > Snapshot is a safe-driving program that personalizes your rate based on your actual driving habits. If you drive safe, you can earn a big discount. See how it works here. CSA ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 9:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/7 "2011-03-16T21:34:00Z")
Insurance Companies In Some States Factor In The Insured’s Credit Rating. How Fair Is That ? The Insurance Companies Argue That It’s A Pretty Reliable Indicator Of Risk To Them. CSA ---
**Author:** ![UncleTurbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9a140/32.png) [@UncleTurbo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/UncleTurbo)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/8 "2011-03-16T21:52:07Z")
I’m not in the auto insurance business, but just about every company has safe driver discounts. Tell your current company Geico that you want a better rate on your policy or you will go to another insurer. To keep you they should give you a better deal. The threat to take your business elsewhere should not be an empty threat, shop for another insurance company. Allstate (and others) offer discounts if you have your homeowner’s and other policies with them too. I suspect insurance companies expect to keep customers and raise rates of current policy holders but get competitive with the rates to attract new customers. If this is true we all may have to switch companies every few years to keep our rates low. ---
**Author:** ![mshugna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce73a5/32.png) [@mshugna](https://community.cartalk.com/u/mshugna)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2011, 11:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/9 "2011-03-16T23:28:10Z")
Have you inquired with your company about better rates? I doubt that an insurance company would voluntarily lower there rates. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 12:26am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/10 "2011-03-17T00:26:06Z")
Years ago, I had Farm Bureau insurance. I had no accidents and a spotless driving record. However, my rates kept going up. Farm Bureau had also written a tenant’s homeowners insurace policy and on the next premium, my rates went down. However, I found that I was insured for nothing except fire and I was living in a fireproof building. I went to an indpendent agent who had been with Farm Bureau. He wrote a great tenent’s homeowner’s policy for me, but suggested I check out Horace Mann for my auto insurance because he didn’t think he could beat Horace Mann’s rates. I did check out Horace Mann and they did have the best rates. Some years later, the Horace Mann agent changed and I had problems when I traded cars getting things straightened out. I had recently moved and my next door neighbor was an insurance agent. He found an insurance company that would insure my car for even less than Horace Mann. I hadn’t heard of the company at the time–Commercial Union, but decided I would take a chance. Two weeks after I took out the policy, I read in the newspaper where Commercial Union had received a contract to insure the ships that were dredging the Suez canal. I decided if they insured these dredging ships, I should be o.k. having them insure my car. I recommend you find a good independent agent. The first agent that had suggested I check Horace Mann also did me another favor. I had quit my job to go to graduate school and didn’t have health insurance. I tried to obtain health insurance from local agents for big companies near the university where I was in school. However, the rates were beyond what I could pay. I called my agent back home and had a health insurance policy that I could afford and the whole deal was taken care of over the telephone. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/11 "2011-03-17T01:58:04Z")
I have State Farm and I have a discount for accident free safe driver. Every once in a while my rates are reduced as the cars get older since they are not worth as much as new. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:49am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/12 "2011-03-17T04:49:50Z")
Most insurance companies just keep putting your rate up. You have to switch companies after a few years to get your rate down again. Insurance companies must dislike steady customers. ---
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 11:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/13 "2011-03-17T11:31:02Z")
Hi, Thanks A LOT for you all!!! So I guess it is time to switch to a new insurance company so that I can have a better deal for a new customer. So nice you have recommended some to me! If I have some positive feedback a few days later, I will definitely post here. ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 1:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/14 "2011-03-17T13:40:19Z")
How many miles do you drive per year? Does your agent know this? If you drive less than 5,000-6,000 miles per year, you probably qualify for a lower rate. ---
**Author:** ![Bladecutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bladecutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bladecutter)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/15 "2011-03-17T17:32:57Z")
Contact the major players, get comparison rates, and then contact your Geico agent, and tell them you are thinking of switching due to the rate quotes you received. Allstate, State Farm, Progressive, American Family, Markel, Dairyland, etc. They are all going to want your business, and will offer you the best rates that they can. If you have a homeowners or renters policy, you can bundle up with multi-policy discounts, and save even more money. If you own a motorcycle, there are additional savings across the board with certain companies. Last year I switched from Allstate to State Farm. Overall, I saved a lot of money. I’m going to call around in a couple months when the 1 year point hits, and see if Allstate wants my business back. I’m sure they do. BC. ---
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/16 "2011-03-17T17:49:57Z")
I did the calculation just now. On each school day I drive about 4-5 miles. Summer time is pretty much the same. So I guess it might even be less than 5,000 miles in a year. Sometimes I think I might just throw the car away. But you still need to do the grocery shopping and things like that. I mean the car is really just an option. I just think the company should have some specific policies for people like me. ---
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/17 "2011-03-17T17:57:08Z")
Hi, thanks very much for your information! But which would be better: give them a call or do the online quote by myself? Maybe speaking with them directly would be better. ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 9:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/18 "2011-03-17T21:21:27Z")
They do. You just have to prove your low annual mileage from receipts that show how many miles were on your odometer at historic points in time. This will prove how many miles per year you drive. ---
**Author:** ![chilly\_xiao](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b782af/32.png) [@chilly\_xiao](https://community.cartalk.com/u/chilly_xiao)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/19 "2011-03-17T21:25:48Z")
OK, thanks a lot! ---
**Author:** ![Bladecutter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@Bladecutter](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Bladecutter)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 10:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686/20 "2011-03-17T22:15:19Z")
You will ALWAYS get a better quote with a person than you will from their online website. BC. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/auto-insurance/62686.md?page=2)