Car impedes traffic on University Ave, Palo Alto CA

We all want to save money on auto insurance. While you’ll read that comparing quotes online is a great way to save, not everyone wants to deal with the hassle of spending hours online trying to get a better rate on their auto insurance. At times, a better option is to look for alternatives to those extras that you’re paying for. Removing the extras from your policy’s coverage is often an easy way to save a few bucks a month.

1.Health Insurance

If you have medical payments added to your auto insurance policy, take a look at your health insurance coverage. If you have medical insurance, opting in for medical payment coverage through your auto insurance company isn’t necessary. In many cases, medical payment coverage can cost you close to $20 per month and, if your medical insurance pays for your treatment, your coverage won’t kick in. If you don’t have medical insurance, keep this coverage. If you do have health insurance, kick this coverage off of your auto insurance policy.

2.Auto Club Membership

Are you paying for roadside assistance on your auto insurance policy? If you are, consider joining an auto club like AAA instead. A membership to AAA costs about $5 a month, or $60 a year. While that’s about all you’ll spend for this coverage through your auto insurance company, AAA offers many more benefits that make spending the money on an auto club membership a better deal. AAA offers member discounts, tour book guides, access to travel agencies and much more. Your $60 a year will get you much more through an auto club than you’ll receive through your insurance company.

3.Savings Account

Instead of spending the money for rental reimbursement, consider putting $10 a week into a savings account, especially if you’ve never had an accident. You’ll be able to put away $40 a month, or enough for about two days of the use of a rental car. At the end of the year, you’ll have close to $500 saved. If you haven’t been in an accident, keep $100 and use $400 for holiday gifts or something for yourself. You would never be able to do this if you were giving your insurance company your money.

4.Alternate Transportation

If you have access to an alternate form of transportation should your car become disabled in an accident, you can drop your rental coverage altogether and skip the savings account. If you have a second or third vehicle in your family or access to public transportation, you won’t have to worry about getting back and forth to work if you’re in an accident. While it may be a minor inconvenience, relying on someone else to do the driving for a week or two can save you money on your auto insurance.

5.Your Own Money

Cash is always an alternative to any bills that you’re paying. If you have a healthy savings account built up, you can often forego all of the extras that you’re paying for when it comes to your auto insurance policy. When you consider that you’ll spend less than $200 for towing service, about $25 a day for an economy car rental and probably have money to pay your health insurance deductibles, you can reasonably drop the extras.

You don’t have to switch auto insurance companies if you simply look for alternatives to the money that you’re spending. While you won’t save hundreds of dollars a month, these claims are often unrealistic anyway; discovering alternatives for those extras will allow you to treat your family to a nice dinner or keep your gas tank filled, both of which are better ways to spend your money.

Sisily West writes for insurance blogs. If you live in Utah, check out cheap Utah car insurance quotes, and if you’re in Delaware, compare Delaware auto insurance rates.

By: Edralyn