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Need advice on getting insured with a spotty driving record
Okay, so I recently moved to Illinois and my driving record is...um, let's just say less than stellar. Had a couple speeding tickets and one minor accident last year. Anyway, finding affordable insurance has been a nightmare. Here's what I've done so far:
1. Shopped around online - got quotes from like 5 different companies.
2. Asked about defensive driving courses to lower premiums (haven't signed up yet though).
3. Checked if bundling with renter's insurance helps (it sorta did, but not much).
Anyone got other tips or tricks that worked for them?
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3 replies
"Asked about defensive driving courses to lower premiums (haven't signed up yet though)."
Definitely recommend going ahead with the defensive driving course. I had a similar situation - two speeding tickets within a year - and completing the course knocked off a decent chunk from my premium. A few other things that helped me:
- Check if your insurance company offers usage-based programs (like those apps or devices that track your driving habits). If you're careful now, it can offset past mistakes.
- Consider raising your deductible slightly if you can afford it. It lowered my monthly payments noticeably.
- Ask about discounts for paying upfront instead of monthly installments. It might seem like a lot at once, but it saved me around 10% overall.
Honestly, bundling didn't do much for me either...felt more like marketing hype than real savings. Good luck - insurance shopping is never fun, especially with a shaky record.
"Honestly, bundling didn't do much for me either...felt more like marketing hype than real savings."
Yeah, same here. I tried bundling home and auto thinking it'd be a big saver, but it barely made a dent. Defensive driving course was definitely worth it though - did mine online over a weekend, pretty painless overall. Also, double-check your policy details carefully; I found out I was paying extra for roadside assistance I never even used...little things like that add up.
Five online quotes are useful only if they’re quoting the same protection. Check that the limits and deductibles match, and ask each insurer whether it has the speeding tickets and accident recorded correctly. A lower price might just reflect less coverage or different driving-record information, not a better rate for the same policy.