Low Auto Insurance Premiums: The Factors Insurers Look At

There is always pressure to keep monthly expenses down, and one of the main contributors to the expenses paid every month is the cost of insurance on your car. Little wonder that getting low auto insurance premiums is a top priority for many of us.But how can these low premiums be secured, and help make the cost of owning and running our vehicles more affordable? It would be useful to know what it is that insurance companies look for when putting together their insurance quotes. That way, applicants can know how best to secure best insurance terms.Remember, there is no shortage of options in this over-saturated auto insurance market, but being able to separate the good deals from the bad does take a little effort. Why? Because premiums are one thing, but coverage is what saves money in the end - in the event of an incident that means making a claim.The DriverThere are some aspects that relate specifically to the driver (applicant) that can decide whether low auto insurance premiums can be secured or not. Top of the list is gender, with statistics suggesting that women drivers are safer and more conscientious than men drivers.Second is the age of the driver, with young drivers considered too willing to take risks, and older drivers having poorer eyesight and slower reaction times. The middle age group (25 to 50) tends to get the best insurance terms because they are both experienced and generally healthy.Third is where the driver lives, with car crime statistically more likely in certain residential areas than in others. Where such crimes are more likely, the accompanying premium for the auto insurance policy will be higher. Rural areas are less costly than urban areas.The VehicleThe age and condition of the vehicle to be insured is extremely important. New vehicles have more safety features built in, and are considered more secure with more sophisticated security available too. As a result it is possible to get low auto insurance premiums.However, since the value of new cars is higher, and repairs are more costly, the type of coverage dictates whether the best insurance terms are secured or not. This needs to be looked at carefully. For example, a sports car may look great, but insurance companies consider them a sign of immaturity, with speeding leading to accidents.Of course, the quality of the vehicle safety features has a real say on the premium paid on the particular auto insurance policy. Anti-theft systems make theft is less likely, while air bags and even rear-view cameras mean that incidents and therefore injuries can be reduced tooRecord And ExperienceOf course, if the driver has a very good driving record, the chances of securing a low auto insurance premium are greatly increased. The other factors mentioned above have an influence, but safe drivers are safe drivers regardless of the type of car they drive.  So, the best way to ensure the best insurance terms is to avoid getting speeding and parking tickets, do not make a claim for minor incidents and, as much as possible, do not get into any serious driving accidents.As for experience, the fact that an applicant for an auto insurance quote has years of incident-free driving behind them is a major plus. The influence of past accidents depreciates over time, with an accident 5 years ago having little effect, while an accident 2 years ago has a more significant influence.