We all love a little reward, right? Raise your hand if you want to get rewarded for doing good things in life! We’ll assume many hands just reached for the sky. When it comes to your insurance carrier, you should always be rewarded for doing the right thing.
Safe Driving
Did you know that over 40,000 fatal car accidents happen per year in the United States? On average, 2 million drivers experience a permanent injury every year as a result of a car crash (Carsurance.net). According to TheWanderingRV.com, there are almost 17,000 car crashes A DAY and approximately 6 million car crashes a year in the U.S. alone.
More and more people are on the road everyday; teen/new drivers, senior drivers, foreign drivers, and people who’ve been driving for years. We’ve all seen “those drivers” who speed 30 miles over the limit, cut people off - pretty much drive like they own the road. We leave our houses each day not knowing what could happen or if we might be in a car accident. For those of us who have been lucky enough to not experience the repercussions of a car accident, we must be grateful. But for those of us who strive each day to be safe drivers, who don’t speed, those of us who are passive drivers, why not be rewarded for that?
Drivers can now gain some peace of mind about being a safe driver. Insurance companies look forward to rewarding their clients with discounts on their auto insurance policies. This benefit can apply to people who are safe drivers, and have been safe drivers, and who haven’t received any tickets or citations. Basically, this benefit lets people receive something for being logical and safe on the road and will encourage everyone to transition to becoming a safe driver.
Safe Driving Apps for Your Phone
Insurance carriers, like Progressive, have designed special applications that you can download on your phone. These apps track your driving record and reward you for being safe. They are able to track your speed limit, how often you’re slamming on your breaks, if you're accelerating more than usual, how often you drive, at what time of day you’re driving, and other research and development implications. If you don’t speed, slam on the brakes or accelerate too often, you’ll be rewarded with a discount on your auto policy. Doesn’t that sound exciting? We think so! Many users of this app have already given it positive feedback and they were guaranteed lower rates at their next policy review. We are in a digital age and the technology that continues to pop up everywhere is not only advanced, but very helpful as well. It’s our duty to get with the times!
Higher Deductibles
We all know that we have to pay our deductible before our policies kick in, but what if there’s a way to reduce the cost of our coverage? “...increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage cost by 15 to 30 percent. Going to a $1,000 deductible can save you 40 percent or more.” (Insurance Information Institute). Having a higher deductible may cause some concern, but some people may feel this to be more convenient. It really depends on your preference and what makes you (the policyholder) feel most comfortable.
Bundling Multiple Policies
Whether you’re aware or not, more and more people everyday are choosing to bundle multiple policies together to save money. If you bundle policies together under the same insurance company, well, that works too! Bundle your home and auto, home and motorcycle, home and RV, both of your properties, both of your vehicles - the list is endless! If you’re a long-time customer with the same insurance carrier, you can also save a significant amount by bundling your policies. Agents will work with you to ensure you’re finding the best rates for every policy you hold and will guarantee your assets are covered.
Maintain GREAT Credit
Having a great credit history isn’t just a good thing for you, but can also reduce your insurance costs. “Most insurers use credit information to price auto insurance policies. Research shows that people who effectively manage their credit have fewer claims.” (Insurance Information Institute). Improving your credit score, is also a very simple task. Most people can get better credit by paying their bills on time or even ahead of time and keeping their balances very low. It’s smart to keep track of your credit and fix any kind of error almost immediately.
Filing Less Claims
When we’re in a minor car accident with no injuries and barely any damage to our vehicles, is it worth it to file a claim? We’ve always been told to do so, right? Some insurance carriers can treat calls as claims, and most policyholders aren’t aware of this. If you’re wondering how to best predict when to call your insurance company to file a valid claim, you must be aware of what’s being covered on your policy as well as your deductible amounts. Knowing this information, will help you make better decisions on when to file a significant claim.
Emails
We’re living in such an advanced digital age, and that means going paperless! Insurance companies love to reward policyholders for receiving all of their information through email. Our world is going GREEN, and it’s great to be ahead of the times. If the insurance can save money on paper products, then you can save money on your insurance! What a great world to live in.
Some key takeaways from this article, is to ALWAYS ASK YOUR AGENT WHAT DISCOUNTS ARE AVAILABLE. As we’ve mentioned, there are many unique discounts that insurances offer that most people may or may not know about. It’s always good to be in the know and to be aware and to ASK QUESTIONS. We encourage it! If there is anything we can do at Clifton and Lewis to make life easier for you, then you better believe we’ll do it!
Sources:
Insurance Information Institute
The Wandering RV
Carsurance.net
Clearsurance
USA Today