The Four Worst Ways to Save Money on Auto Insurance

Everyone wants to be economical. In fact, in today's hard pressed society saving money has almost become a religion all its own. Unfortunately, it's a religion that many people are taking to extremes-and harming themselves in the process-by buying in to the worst ways to save money on auto insurance.

Is there a worst way to save money on auto insurance? Absolutely! Like everything else out there, there's a consumer savvy way to shop for auto insurance and there's a not-so-savvy way to shop for it, and if you happen to buy into the not-so-savvy way you're going to lose a lot more than you gain before you even know what hit you!

Since buying in to the wrong way to save money on auto insurance can cause lasting financial scarring, here's a sneak peek at the four worst ways you can save money on your insurance:

1) Buying a policy from a company you don't know just because it's cheap. Yes, finding ways to save money on auto insurance is important (after all, there is that dream vacation to Fiji to think about!) but more important, much more important, is buying a policy that's actually going to protect you if you get in an accident.

It's a sad truth that in order to offer you affordable insurance coverage many auto insurance providers sacrifice quality at the altar of economy-and their policy holders pay the price. Isn't it worth a little extra every month to make sure you're protected from the things that go bump in the road?

2) Lowering your coverage levels. Yes, most states have a minimum required level of coverage, and yes, lowering your coverage to this minimum will save money on auto insurance; however, it also leaves you wide open to the long term financial havoc that getting in an accident without being properly insured can leave behind. Most experts recommend you carry a MINIMUM of $100,000 worth of liability coverage before hitting the highways.

3) Giving up the non-essentials. In many states collision, comprehensive and uninsured motorist coverage aren't required unless the bank still has joint custody of your car, and many drivers are deciding that giving them up in the name of economy is a great way to save money on auto insurance; however, this leaves them holding the bill if their car is damaged in an accident they caused or they get in a tangle with Mother Nature (or an uninsured motorist).

Having more than the bare minimum level of coverage might put a little more pinch in your pocket in the short term, but in the long run your bank account and your assets will thank you.

4) Raising your deductibles. Yes, raising your deductibles is a good way to lower your insurance premiums-to a point. Once your deductibles pass the point at which you have no more money in your bank account and roll into "couldn't pay that if my life depended on it" land it's time to start looking for another policy. Many car insurance companies use deductibles to lure in new customers, only to leave them floundering after they've been in an accident when they realize they're in over their heads.

Your auto insurance shouldn't be a sink or swim proposition, so make sure you're shopping savvy to save money on auto insurance the right way.

Michael McDonough is a National Account Representative for QuoteScout.com. For more information on how to save money on auto insurance, visit them on the web at http://www.QuoteScout.com