If you dread spending your hard-earned dollars on auto insurance, you?re not alone. But while unglamorous, car insurance is a purchase that?s not only required of us?it?s essential to protecting our pocketbooks from further loss.

But, while it?s true you need to maintain a car insurance policy, there are plenty of simple ways to secure a lower premium.

Window Shopping

Because insurers are entitled to offer different policies for different prices, one of the best ways to find affordable car insurance is to shop around. You can find the best deal by obtaining multiple quotes from different insurers, detailing coverage amounts, deductibles and other benefits.

While there?s nothing wrong with looking up four or five insurers yourself, the Internet has made insurance shopping immeasurably easier. By finding a trustworthy insurance shopping service, you can enter your information via the Internet and essentially leave the shopping to someone else?free of charge.

Dig for Discounts

Big insurers have long granted various discounts on auto insurance and smaller insurers are following suit. Not sure what discounts are available? Simply ask your agent.

Popular discounts include:

• Good driver
• Good student
• Airbags in the vehicle
• Automatic seatbelts
• Auto club members
• Multiple policy (home and auto, for example)

These major discounts are widely offered amongst insurers?but don?t stop inquiring there. Press potential insurers for details about other discounts, rebates and cash incentives. And remember to let prospective insurers know you?re shopping around so they?ll apply all discounts and give you their best price up front.

Drop Unnecessary Coverage

Having the right amount of car insurance to protect you in the event of a loss is crucial, but many people pay for coverage they don?t need.

If your car is paid off or worth less than a couple thousand dollars, you can probably drop collision and comprehensive coverage on the vehicle. You should also be on the lookout for duplicate coverages?if you?re an auto club member, chances are you receive benefits like windshield replacement, rental car and towing service through your membership. If you?re paying for these same protections in your insurance policy, you?re better off dropping them and pocketing the savings.

When it comes to dropping coverage, only you know what?s truly necessary or unnecessary?and do your homework before dropping any coverages from your policy!

Increase the Deductible

Increasing the amount of money you pay out-of-pocket before the insurer picks up the tab will dramatically reduce your auto insurance premium.

Most insurers default the deductible amount to a fairly inexpensive amount?to see your premium drop, be sure to ask them to adjust the deductible amount. Just remember to select a deductible you can afford if it comes time to file a claim?the cheapest auto insurance won?t do you much good if you can?t afford the deductible!

Keep Clean Credit

More and more insurers are looking at credit to form an insurance score, which quantifies how you?ve used your credit.

Your insurance will be determined by factors such as:

• Length of credit history
• Payment history
• Items sent to collection
• Severity of delinquencies
• Amount owed on delinquent accounts

To ensure the best possible insurance score, get a copy of your credit report (available from credit bureaus Equifax, Experian or TransUnion) and make sure it doesn?t contain any errors. You can also up your insurance score for the future by paying your bills on time and maintaining low balances of revolving accounts.

Start Saving Today!

Maintaining your car insurance policy is an important part of protecting yourself and others on the road. But you don?t have take expensive car insurance premiums lying down! Use the tips above to find cheap auto insurance today!