Understanding Your Auto Insurance Policy

If you have just gotten married, then you need to refresh your knowledge on auto insurance. Here are some useful auto insurance tips that will help you as you begin your happily-ever-after life.

Combining Coverage May Score You Discounts

Many auto insurance companies will reward you with multi-car discounts if you combine your coverage. This is the discount awarded to those who insure more than one car with the same auto insurance company. Your agent should be able to tell you which insurer will offer you the best discount.

Getting Multiline Discounts May Score You Discounts

Once you get married, it's likely that you will also need other lines of insurance such as homeowner's insurance coverage, health insurance, and life insurance, among others. You can score further auto insurance discount by purchasing all these multiple lines of insurance from the same carrier. The discount will be your reward for giving your auto insurance company more business.

Your Marriage Status Alone May Score You Discounts

In some cases, the mere act of getting married may score you a small discount on your auto insurance. This is because some auto insurance companies believe that people get more careful and responsible after getting married. This translates to decreased risks of accidents, which is a benefit to your auto insurance company. That is why you shouldn't fail to mention your new marital status to your insurer.

You May Benefit from Your Spouse's Credit History

Your financial histories may also play a role in the determination of your car insurance rates. This is because many auto insurance carriers believe there is a correlation between high credit scores and low-driving risks; perhaps it's because those who have high credit scores tend to be more responsible in all areas of life. This means you may enjoy low coverage rates if your spouse is one of those people with stellar credit.

Think Twice Before Retaining Separate Coverage

Even if you don't intend to actively pursue discounts by combining your auto insurance policies, you should think twice before maintaining separate coverage. This is because your respective insurers will assume that you will be driving each other's cars (spouses do that a lot), and it may reflect in your rates. The only way to remove your spouse's influence on your car insurance rates is to name them as excluded drivers in your policy. This may not be possible in some states, but even if it's possible, it means your partner must NEVER drive your car if you don't want to go against your insurance company's terms and conditions.

For more information, contact a company like Hayes McDowell Insurance Agent.