4 Ways To Lower Your Car Insurance As A College Student

Like most college students, you're probably on a budget and could use a deal on your bills. Unfortunately, college-aged drivers often pay more on their car insurance because younger drivers are considered high risks by most car insurance companies. There are specific things you can do, however, to help mitigate this and slash your car insurance premium. Here are four ideas:

Ask Your Parents to Add You to Their Insurance

If possible, ask your parents to add you to their insurance policy. Your portion of the bill will likely be much less than it would be if you had your own policy, because most insurance companies offer discounts for multiple vehicles on the same policy. Plus, your parents are more likely to have a variety of insurance policies with the same company (like homeowner's insurance, flood insurance, etc), which can lead to even more discounts.

Get Good Grades

If you need more motivation to do some extra studying and improve your grades, keep in mind that most car insurance companies offer "good student" discounts for college students who maintain good grade point averages. The idea behind these discounts is that if you are responsible enough to get good grades, you will probably be a responsible driver too, which makes you less of a risk for insurance companies. Be prepared to send evidence of your grades to your insurance company.

Look for a Safe Car

Some cars are much safer than others, with safety features like anti-lock rates and airbags, and lower risk of rollovers. Buying a safer car will not only help keep you protected on the road, but will lead to lower car insurance rates as well. You can determine a car's safety rating by looking it up online. When shopping for a new car, it's a good idea to compare the different safety ratings of the cars you're interested in.  

Take a Defensive Driving Class

Taking a defensive driving class will teach you skills for becoming a safer driver and being better able to avoid car accidents. If you contact your car insurance company and let them know that you've completed a defensive driving course, it will also lead to a discount on your premium. Your defensive driving course instructor will be able to provide you with a letter or certificate proving that you successfully completed the course.

By following these four tips, you will soon have much more affordable car insurance, like the kind from Ahlquist Insurance, to better match your college budget.