Save Money on Your Washington DC Auto Insurance
Purchasing Washington D.C. auto insurance can put a real dent in your finances. If you want to drive in the District of Columbia, you must have auto insurance that meets the minimum requirements. This includes liability insurance with limits of 25/50/10 and uninsured/underinsured insurance with limits of 25/50. This is the bare bones insurance that is required, but if you have a car that still retains significant value; you will want to have collision and comprehensive insurance as well.
Shelling out the money for the Washington D.C. auto insurance that you need can get costly, so a few tips on how to save money on your car insurance may be of interest to you.
The High Cost of Washington D.C. Auto Insurance
Auto insurance in the District of Columbia is among the highest in the nation. The average yearly cost of an auto insurance policy across the nation is $1,794 in 2009 compared to the Washington D.C. average of $2,646. This is mainly due to the all urban area and extremely congested traffic. Because of this, you have plenty of reasons to want to save money your Washington D.C. auto insurance policy.
Reduce Your Driving to Save Money on Washington D.C. Auto Insurance
The less you drive the lower your risk of getting into an accident or even a minor fender bender. Living in Washington D.C. means you have easy access to the Metro. It may be cheaper and quicker to commute to work using the Metro versus driving your vehicle. The amount of miles you drive per year has an effect on your District of Columbia auto insurance cost.
In the warmer months, you may want to consider riding a bike to work. It will give you some exercise, fresh air and save you money on gas, auto insurance and Metro cards. The amount of money you save on auto insurance and gas will go a long way toward helping out your monthly budget.
Avoid Claims on Your Washington D.C. Auto Insurance
Avoiding claims is a rather difficult thing to do. You never know the situation you may be in and an accident may be unavoidable. You may have your car parked in the safest place possible, but vandalism or weather may cause damage. However, there are ways to reduce the chances of having to put in a claim.
First, you want to make it much harder for your vehicle to be a target for thieves. Here are a few tips to reduce the likelihood of having your car stolen.
- Close all windows/sunroof tightly
- Do not leave spare keys in the vehicle
- Do not leave expensive items in plain sight
- Install anti-theft devices
- Never leave motor running while vehicle is unattended
- Park in driveway or garage if possible
- Park in well-lighted areas
You can also avoid claims by being more responsible with your driving. Avoid speeding, dangerous maneuvers, tailgating and driving in adverse condition if it is not necessary; remember that speeding and other violations will quickly increase your car insurance premiums.
Shop, Shop and Shop Some More for Washington D.C. Auto Insurance
If there is an area of the nation that necessitates shopping around for auto insurance it is Washington D.C. Because of the higher prices, there is bound to be even more variation in the cost of a car insurance policy from one company to the next. It is recommended that you get 3 to 5 auto insurance quotes in most cases. If you are shopping for Washington D.C. auto insurance you should get no less than 5 quotes.
Getting at least five Washington D.C. auto insurance quotes will not take as much time as you may think. You can quickly get multiple District of Columbia auto insurance quotes from one website to help get things going. It takes only a few minutes to fill out the online application and you will then immediately have several quotes from various reputable Washington D.C. auto insurance providers.
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