Car Insurance Estimator

Are you looking to save some money on your car insurance premiums?  Many websites offer a car insurance estimator so that you can see what your monthly premiums will be.  Of course, many variables come into play when estimating your car insurance premiums so it's best to be well informed.

A car insurance estimator will generally ask you a series of questions to determine what you will pay each month.  Two significant factors that determine the amount you will pay are age and sex.  Men usually pay more than women and young people pay more than seasoned drivers.  This is due to the fact that men and young drivers cause more accidents than women or older drivers.

Car insurance estimator websites also will want to know whether you currently have car insurance.  This is a very big factor in your rate.  Insurance companies believe that someone who is already insured is of less risk than someone who is not currently insured.  They are essentially saying, "Well, if another company says they are worth the risk, then we do too!"  This may not seem fair to someone who is looking for insurance for the first time but it is just part of the industry.

They will also want to know quite a bit of information about the car you drive.  If you drive a sports car that can do 180 MPH, they will assume you plan on going fast and therefore have a higher chance of being in an accident.  If you drive a mini van, you probably won't be street racing or anything of that nature (at least let's hope not).  Therefore, if you are planning to by a new car, it may be a good idea to factor in the insurance costs in your buying decision.  Even if you are getting a sweet deal on the car from the dealer, it may not be that great of a deal if you car insurance premiums jump two hundred Rands per month or even more.

The car insurance estimator will also ask you about various safety features on your car.  Does it have airbags, anti-lock breaks, a theft deterrent device such as a car alarm or location tracker, etc?  Having these features may lower your monthly premiums somewhat.  It may not come out to a lot of money but can add up to a significant chunk over the life of insuring the vehicle.

The car insurance estimator may ask you about your lifestyle.  How far do you commute to work, are you a full-time student, even your grade point average.  These things can all factor in to how much you pay for premiums. 

Once you have gone through the process of estimating your costs for your insurance premiums, it's a good idea to contact the company via phone.  Often times they can give you additional discounts not available on their website.  This can add up to even more cost saving than the car insurance estimator initially gave you.