Bluefire Insurance

What if you didn’t have to go out of your way to save money on your car insurance? 

Most drivers feel like they are paying too much on their monthly car coverage. They aren’t wrong. But there are a number of proactive steps you can take to lower how much you pay. Sometimes, though, the biggest things that lower your premium are the ones you have no control over! 

That’s because your exact car insurance premium is determined by a number of different factors. Many different life changes affect those factors and can lower your rate. What kind of life changes can help lower your policy premium, though? Keep reading to learn the answers! 

1. You Got a Work from Home Job 

Ever thought about how car insurance carriers decide on your premium? While there are many different factors, they all have one thing in common: the likelier you are to get into a car accident, even if you really take care of your car, the more expensive your insurance will be. 

That’s why work-from-home jobs are such a game-changer. These jobs have become more commonplace in recent years. And if you end up trading your daily commute for working from home, you may be able to qualify for a low-mileage discount from your carrier. 

You’ll need to call and ask about this discount, so while you’re at it, it’s also worth asking what other discounts are available. There is always a chance you currently qualify for other discounts and you don’t even know it! 

2. You Moved To A New Location 

Location plays a major role in how you pay for your auto policy. That’s because carriers pay close attention to how many claims get filed in certain zip codes. Basically, if you live somewhere that has a lot of vehicle accidents, your insurer believes statistically that you are likelier to get into an accident of your own. 

Fortunately, this works in reverse. If you moved to a new location (for work, school, family, or any other reason), you may move to a safer area. If that area has fewer claims, you won’t have to pay as much. 

You don’t necessarily have to move far to qualify. In fact, even moving to a safer area in your current city can lower your premium. 

3. Your Credit Score Improves 

We don’t always think of credit score improvements as “life changes.” After all, the average person has to work very hard to clean up their credit score and possibly rectify some old, bad habits. 

However, things only stay on your credit for so long (typically for seven years). Even bankruptcy only affects your credit score for 10 years. This means that if you had some bad decisions in the past weighing you down, that weight will eventually lift no matter what. 

In other words, your score may improve overnight. If that happens, you may be able to get your carrier to lower your rates in states that still allow these scores to be used as a factor. 

4. Your Children Get Their Own Insurance 

If you’re a parent of a teen driver, you already know this, but for everyone else, here’s a fair warning: few things drive up the cost of your premium like adding young drivers. 

Adding a teenage girl or, worse yet, a teenage boy can really drive up how much you pay. That’s the bad news. 

The good news is that your children won’t stay on your policy forever. Once they get insurance of their own, it will dramatically lower how much you pay each month. 

5. You Bought a Home 

Buying a home can be a very scary process. In addition to all the stress and all the paperwork, there is the fact that you have to potentially pay a lot of money as a downpayment upfront. 

While nobody likes paying so much money at once, there is an unexpected upside to this. Once you buy your own home, you may be able to lower your auto premium. 

That’s because most carriers allow you to bundle different packages together. So if you get both your car and your home policies from the same carrier, you may be able to save on each of them. 

6. Getting Older 

As we age, it’s easy to get annoyed at the fact we are getting older. Many of us spend our time pining for the days when we were young. However, here’s a fun silver lining to match the silver in our hair: the simple act of getting older can lower your car insurance premium. 

In the eyes of insurers, younger drivers are riskier to insure (which is why your first car insurance policy may be so expensive). However, as you grow older, the average price steadily decreases over the decades. 

Once you hit 70 years old, the price may start creeping up again, but it’s nice to know that once you get out of your teens, you can expect half a century of your premium being a bit lower. 

7. You Got Married 

Have you recently gotten married? Congratulations! Marrying your partner is a wonderful way to change your life for the better. It’s also an unexpected way of lowering how much you pay for car insurance. 

One of the many factors that carriers use to determine your premium is your marital status. The reason is both simple and surprising: those who are married file fewer claims each year. Therefore, just letting your agent know that you have gotten married can naturally lower how much you pay. 

You Can Get Affordable Car Insurance Today! 

Now you know about life changes that can lower your car insurance premium, but do you know who can help you find the most affordable insurance? 

Agencies that offer Bluefire Insurance are here to provide you with affordable options. Independent agents can  get more information on becoming a partner by filling out this contact form or calling us at (866) 424-9511 for more information.