Keeping Your Inglewood Insurance Costs Down
Inglewood, California is just a short jaunt from the booming metropolis of downtown Los Angeles. Since insurance is about risk, with so much traffic to and fro and a high number of traffic deaths in California, it’s hard to believe California residents are actually paying lower rates than 19 other states. The average policy costs about $800 annually, not bad when you consider some states average over $1,000 a year.
Inglewood Insurance Factors
There are many different ways you can save money on your insurance, but it’s helpful to know the factors that actually go into determining how much you pay. Some things, you have no control over, like the population of your city (higher populations equal higher rates) or the number of traffic deaths, there are things you can control. While Inglewood insurance quotes will give you an exact figure, the following are factors that influence your rates:
- Filing a claim. Filing any type of claim can raise your rates. While this is important if you want to have damage to your car covered, filing a claim for things like windshield replacement or other minor repairs can also raise your rates, even if it wasn’t your fault.
- Accidents. Being involved in an accident will raise your Inglewood insurance rates a whopping 40% for most companies. It will remain on your record for 3 years if you are at fault.
- Tickets. Next to an accident, the costliest factors of your insurance are traffic tickets. This includes moving violations (i.e., speeding, running a red light, illegal U-turns or lance change, etc) but does not include parking tickets. Tickets stay on your driving record for 2 years.
- Credit history/credit score. While not all states use credit as a factor, California does. Insurance studies indicate that those with higher credit scores are less likely to file claims.
Saving on Inglewood Insurance Quotes
As you can see, your driving history and record-all of which you can control-are the biggest factors in determining your rates. These are a few tips to keep in mind when driving to help control your rates:
- Consider if it’s worth it to file a claim. Let’s say you have a $100 deductible and your new windshield will cost $250. Knowing that it will raise your rates, it is better for your insurance to just bite the bullet and pay the $250.
- Watch your driving. Avoiding tickets will pay off. However, in the event that you do get a ticket, California is one state that allows you to take an approved defensive driving course, which then removes the ticket from your record. This is only allowed once a year, though.
- Go with a company that offers accident forgiveness. If you have a good driving record, when getting your Inglewood insurance quotes, it’s smart to go with a company that offers accident forgiveness.
Saving Money with Inglewood Insurance Quotes
It also pays to shop around for quotes, since companies can vary so greatly in their prices. A comprehensive site like NetQuote.com can give you Inglewood insurance quotes in a matter of seconds, allowing you to get the best insurance deal you can.
