Cosmopolitan areas have certain disadvantages like high living costs, rents and vehicle insurance premiums. Heavy traffic is one of the characteristics of them these days. Also, increased crime, auto theft, vandalism and several other concerns force underwriters to increase rates in certain zip codes. Despite all the negative impacts, city drivers can still get cheap car insurance by minding a few points.
Millions of people live and commute in large built up areas. One of the reasons is that there are a lot more employment opportunities. Many people are drawn to an active lifestyle and endless advantages that come with living there, too. One of the key identification of a cosmopolitan is the fact that there are all sorts of people and communities who are trying to make a living. Also, there are negative sides to this lifestyle.
Insuring automobiles in these congested and high auto crime zones is usually expensive. It can actually be a serious problem to a point that people cannot afford it. Places like Chicago are known to have a high number of uninsured motorists.
Here are some of the things you can do to get cheap vehicle insurance quotes, despite your high risk zip code;
- Smaller automobiles may be ideal in cities
Having a smaller auto helps you in several ways when you live an urban life. You can park them in the smallest of spaces. They are also economical to maintain and run. They usually have smaller engines that consume much less petrol. Cars with smaller engines and lower horsepower are generally much cheaper to insure compared to sports cars, SUVs and 4x4s. The difference will be a lot more noticeable when you are living in an expensive zone like urban centers and have a bad driving history. In a way, you would be multiplying the risk factors when you want to have it all.
- Private parking helps
Vandalism and auto theft is a real problem in larger places. It is harder for criminals of all sorts to hide in small hamlets but they can blend in and get about their business here. Having private parking reduces the risks. In addition, it isn’t hit, scratched or damaged by other vehicles. All these factors reduce claims. Companies are well aware of them and therefore offer lower rates for motorists with their own parking.
- Exclude drivers if the premium is too high
Another way of getting affordable city automobile insurance prices is limiting people who can drive your auto. You would get lower premiums when you only allow people over the age of 25 and exclude risky drivers where possible. Buying policies that allow any driver is convenient and provides wider coverage but they generally cost more money.
- Choose higher deductibles for lower rates
When vehicle insurance premiums are more than you can manage, a good way of reducing them is increasing deductibles. Companies are happy to offer better prices when you are happy to cover a larger portion of claims out of pocket. You should get a quote for a standard cover and another one with increased deductibles and see if there is a point in pushing them up. There is no point accepting a higher risk when you are not saving enough. Also, you should not choose a figure you cannot cope with. Remember, you have to pay out of pocket deductibles for each and every claim.
- Pay as you drive policies
Allowing the installation of telematics on cars can dramatically reduce premiums. More and more companies offer telematics insurance. They like the fact that they can collect valuable information about driving patterns. They can use this information to judge the skills and understand the general habits as well. Telematics can be a good option for teenagers, expensive urban zip codes, and people who have just had a big increase in rates due to bad records. Luckily you may be able to test these devices and see if they will work for you.
- Check for low cost policy programs
Some states offer more affordable vehicle insurance coverage options for low income families. They achieve this by allowing such people to buy slightly lower liability limits. Generally, these policies are means tested. You can only purchase them if your income is low and meet other conditions. The state insurance department should provide information about them and participants.
- Avoid small claims
If you think your rates are high, you would be very surprised to see how high it can go after a claim. So, avoid them if you want to have and keep cheap auto insurance rates in the cities. When you cost them money, insurers will try to recoup it back from you by increasing your premium. When you suffer large damages or face a liability claim you would have no option but to ask for compensation. This would be a perfect example of when to make a claim. However, many people think that they should ask for money whenever there is a scratch on automobiles. Having several small claims can come back and hurt your wallet badly. Where possible you want to reduce the count and this can be more clearly seen when you are already paying expensive city premiums.
- Avoid high risk zip codes
Some zip codes are considered dangerous by carriers and just living there affects your prices. If you can help it, you should try to stay away from these pockets. It may be that you can only afford to rent a place in such zones. However, you may find a cheap rent area and still avoid steep premiums. Car insurance rates go by zip codes. Renting only a couple of blocks away can put you in a totally different zip code and save you money.
- Drive less
One big advantage of cosmopolitans is that they have good public transport networks. Considering how hard and expensive it is to park in the center, you may want to take the train or subway wherever possible. When you drive less than average you can save money on auto insurance with most carriers. You can quickly find out how many miles you traveled last year and inform the agent. Furthermore, you may only need one car for the family that saves you money on maintenance, too.
- Shop for the best quotes
Generally, it is a smart thing to do to shop around. However, people may not be keen to spend the time to find the cheapest quote when the premium is already low. You are almost guaranteed to pay more than average in built up areas. So, you have a better chance of finding large car insurance savings in metropolitans that makes it worthwhile to look for more competitive prices.