Ensure you are insured for less...

Insurance, be it auto, home, or medical is one of those "be glad you had it when you need it" aspects of life.  Just when it feels like another bill to pay, all of a sudden you get in an accident or your stuff is stolen, you can say "well, at least I am insured."

While its imperative to keep current on your insurance, it doesn't mean you can't negotiate a better deal when your policy is up for renewal.  Here is how you can do it:

1. Shop around on sites like www.insure.com and compare prices and simply drop your carrier if you find a better deal.  Be sure your coverage does not lapse, though.

2. Call (more effective) and ask your current insurer straight out if you can get a long time customer discount, because of good credit, no accidents, or the installation of theft prevention devices.  In my case, simply saying that I no longer drive to work was enough to get the policy quote knocked down.

3. Call your agent and ask if bundling other insurance together, such as home and auto, will save you money.

Especially with auto insurance, the different coverage levels can be a little confusing to understand, so if you are going to compare apples to applies, it's best to have a print out of your current coverage and see if you can fax/or email it to your carrier to ensure you are getting an accurate quote.  I followed that strategy recently and discovered that my home insurer could not beat the deal I was currently getting with my auto insurer, but it was a great exercise regardless.

Like your cable bill, there is competition for your dollars, so if you are going to pay for this the rest of your life, you might as well see what you can do about the price.