Auto insurance policies are priced based on risk – the more you drive, the riskier you are to insure and the more likely your insurance premium will be high. If you’ve recently gone from a daily commute to using your car once or twice a week, that may be an opportunity for you to save on your auto insurance.

Circumstances can change, like switching to working from home or taking public transit from a long commute, putting your career on hold to stay home with the kids, or, as many of us are currently experiencing, staying put to quarantine in uncertain times. No matter why you’ve recently stopped driving your car as often, you probably wouldn’t mind saving some money on your auto insurance.

Here are our tips to save on your auto insurance while also staying smart about your coverage.

Tips to Save on Auto Insurance When You’re Not Using Your Car as Often

Don’t Cancel Your Auto Insurance

Though it may be tempting to try and cancel your policy to save money on your auto insurance, that can be a very costly mistake. Auto insurance is required in almost every state and driving around without auto insurance can get you not only into financial trouble, as well as trouble with the law, depending on the state.

Canceling your insurance also creates an interruption in your coverage, often referred to as a lapse. Starting over after a lapse in coverage can end up costing you money, as lapses in coverage generally drive up insurance premiums.

Of course, not having insurance can open you up to huge financial losses should something happen. Though canceling comes with no premium, it could end up costing you much more in the long run.

Reduce Coverage

If you won’t be driving as often, you may not need to carry as much coverage as you would if you stuck in rush hour traffic each day. This can be a risky method, since the financial protection your policy provides will be reduced. If you choose to go the route of reducing your coverage to your state’s minimums, give your insurance agent a call to walk through your options and to ensure that you understand the risk you're taking. It may not be enough of a savings to be worth the risk.

If your family has more than one vehicle, you may want to “ground” one vehicle and reduce the coverage on it. If you won’t be driving one of your cars, you can take off the collision coverage, but be sure to keep comprehensive and liability. Something could happen to your car while it is parked in your driveway, so we don’t recommend removing the comprehensive coverage. Remember, only reduce your coverage if you won’t be driving that vehicle and if you begin using the vehicle again, make sure to change your coverage back before you get on the road.

Call Your Carrier

If your driving habits have changed, give your carrier a call to see if they offer any options to help low mileage drivers save. With some carriers, your estimated annual mileage can play a role in the price you pay for insurance. 

If the current situation is affecting your ability to pay for your insurance, it’s also worth giving your carrier a call to explore options. Some may offer payment plans, while others, like Plymouth Rock, are doing what they can to help customers during this time.

Call Your Insurance Agent

For more ways to save, call your insurance agent. Your agent can help you examine your coverage and compare quotes to see if there’s a carrier out there with a better rate for your current risk.

The Bottom Line

Big changes in your lifestyle can affect your driving habits, which can in turn affect your insurance. If you’ll be driving a lot less for the foreseeable future, it’s worth talking to your insurance carrier or agent to see if there are ways to save.

 


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