New Pricing Technology Makes Car Insurance Cheaper
Over the years, the technology used to calculate car insurance premiums has changed dramatically. Actuaries used to figure out premium levels by hand using books of statistical data. Later, adding machines and early computers ground through the numbers. More recently, online forms were invented which allowed you to get a quote online.
After all that time grinding things out, what most insurers and consumers wanted was speed. As a result, the current model for most traditional or mainline insurance companies in Australia consists of just a few questions. With these tiny points of data, a quote is generated based on aggregated consumer averages.
The result is a fast quote, but not a very accurate one. Most people dont notice that they are being treated as averages. They simply pay the quoted amount and pay rate increases even if they are accident free. However, you dont have to settle for this outdated and inaccurate system any more.
While most insurers havent gotten there yet, there are a few car insurance companies that have been pioneering a new way of calculating premiums. This new pricing methodology is based around creating highly detailed risk profiles of potential customers. This allows a calculation of premium that can truly separate high-risk from low risk customers.
There are several winning elements to this methodology. However, for consumers like you, the main benefit is often lower prices. If you are a good driver with a limited number of claims, you can really make home some substantial savings by switching to a company using this in-depth modelling framework to calculate rates for insurance cover.
It can feel a bit strange, especially after years of living with the old speed-is-everything system. Thats not to imply that this method isnt fast, mind you. It simply asks several additional questions about parking locations, length of commute to work, and so on.
As one of the early adopters, you stand to benefit the most. While your friends potter along with outdated insurance policies with off-the-rack premiums, you can have a custom tailored premium that only charges for the real risk you face as a driver and customer. Youll be able to quit subsidizing the behaviours of others through blanket premiums, and get to enjoy the fruits of your own careful behaviour on the road.
This is especially true if you really arent an “average” driver. If you only drive a few days a week, work from home and dont use your car regularly, or are retired and dont drive long distances, you have a dramatically different risk profile than most Australians. Yet you have been paying “average” rates for years, since the old method never inquired about your true habits.
Even if youre not a fan of the new and different, this is a new technology youll want to embrace. The new technology behind this quoting system isnt all flash and sparkle. It truly represents a way to make insurance premiums cheaper for you through more accurate pricing of your insurance cover based on your real risk profile.
When Looking for Cheaper Car Insurance Start by Asking Your Insurance Company
Anyone would be excited to lower their insurance premium, right? It’s surprising how many people will call several insurance agencies looking for the best deal. Don’t get me wrong, that is perfectly fine, especially if you’re shopping for new insurance. However, if you currently have an insurance provider then why not start by asking your insurance agency how they can help you save money on your current policy? There are several ways to save on insurance premiums and your agent will be able to tell you what you can do or what you already qualify for that you may not be taking advantage of.
I realize that most people are looking for “cheap car insurance,” but please note that I said “cheaper” in the title of this article. Cheap car insurance is a pretty relative term and I think most people are looking for almost free. Free isn’t realistic but lowering your current premium is.
The first thing you should do is find out if you can bundle your different types of insurance coverages to save money. If you have home owners or renters insurance plus car insurance through the same agency you probably qualify for a discount automatically. You probably can qualify for a better car insurance rate if you have multiple cars as well. If your agency isn’t offering up discounts keep asking about different scenarios such as: do you have safe driver discounts, discounts for safety features in my vehicle like antilock brakes or airbags, and discounts for students or age.
If you’re looking to achieve bigger discounts then you should make sure that your car insurance policy doesnt have anything that you dont want or need. An example would be additional coverage for a car stereo or windshield protection. If you don’t really need these things have them removed from your policy and have the cost deducted from your account.
Many insurance agencies also offer discounts on the way you pay your premium. You can often get discounts by paying premiums in full or by signing up for an automatic deduction plan. Again, ask your insurance agency if this is something that they could provide.
If you are in desperate need of reducing your monthly premium pretty dramatically then the last thing you should look into is changing your deductible. This is pretty straight forward, the higher the deductible the lower your premium. You should make sure that if you do have to pay a higher deductible for your car insurance that it won’t leave you in a pinch with funds.
Calling different insurance agencies for a quote is fine if you really feel like you’re paying too much, but start by asking your current agent what they can do for you.
[Top]