我爱我车：减少汽车保费的十大密诀

1.停车在车库

The simplest way to knock as much as 20% off your premium is to put your car in a garage, either your own or a commercial establishment. Most thieves won’t try to steal a garaged car, and of course, your chances of being sideswiped are dramatically reduced. If you regularly park on the street or a parking lot, the best you can get is a standard rate. A garage may mean the difference between a preferred and a standard rate: 20%.

2.戒烟

Insurers often consider smoking a dangerous activity when it comes to driving. First off, it’s an indication that you have a penchant for high-risk activity. If an ash falls in a driver’s lap while they’re driving, they’ll be looking at their lap instead of the road. Several insurers offer discounts for nonsmoking drivers in some states.

3.分散风险给不同的车

Often, insuring more than one car with the same insurer can result in big discounts. However, that it behooves you to ask about such discounts. Never assume the insurer will tell you about them unbidden.

4.买安全性好的车

You’re in the market for a new car and you’ve got your heart set on a 1997 Infiniti J30. Well, keep this in mind before you make your final decision: The Infiniti, along with more than 100 other cars, including the Dodge Shadow, the four-door Honda Civic and the BMW 325i, is considered by insurance companies to be easily damaged or expensive to repair, and therefore is going to cost more to insure — as much as 15% more. And for many companies, some cars are too racy to insure at any price.

5.买备有安全设备的车

Insurance companies bestow big discounts on drivers of cars with some or all of the latest safety features. A word of warning: Several recent studies indicate that, contrary to all expectations, airbags and automatic seatbelts may not significantly reduce injuries, and antilock brakes may not cut the collision rate.

6.将deductible提高

When an insurance salesperson asks you how big a deductible you want, your first instinct may be to say, “The lowest possible.” That way, you pay the least out of pocket if something hap-pens to your car. But raising deductibles is one of the easiest ways to cut your bill substantially.

7.参加defensive driving course

Most insurance companies offer up to 10% off for drivers who volunteer to take a state-approved defensive-driving course. But before you sign up, check with your insurer. In some cases, the discount applies only to drivers over age 55.

8.早点退休

Did you recently mark your 55th birthday by retiring? If so, operators are standing by for your call. In the never-ending search for drivers who are mature, who don’t spend too much time on the road, and who pay their premiums promptly, insurers have discovered early retirees. And they’re offering big discounts to sign them up.

9.去掉一些保项

If you have an old car worth less than $1,000 that you use to haul the recycling on weekends, your premiums are likely to cost more than the book value of the car. So consider dropping colli-sion or comprehensive coverage. Since collision can account for 50% or more of the cost of your premium — and covers only the car’s replacement value — the savings could be significant.

10.在同一家公司买(多)车和房子保险

Most insurers offer discounts to customers who combine their home and auto policies.