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Whether you have just gotten your first car or have been driving for years, most drivers want to save as much money as they can while still getting the insurance coverage that they need. Many different factors affect the amount you have to pay for your car insurance. Your age and marital status, where you live and work and the distance between the two, the type of car you drive and how much it's worth, your driving style, your credit score, the sky-rocketing cost that insurance companies are now facing during litigation and even your occupation are only some of them. Though many of the factors can be difficult if not impossible to change, there are some simple strategies that can save you money when purchasing insurance for your vehicle.

1) Make sure that both your CREDIT REPORT and DMV RECORD are accurate and up-to-date. Nothing can drive up the cost of your insurance faster than having a ticket or accident on your DMV report and it has been estimated that in some states as many as 20% of driver's records contain errors. If there are items that should not be on your report, do your best to have them corrected prior to purchasing your insurance. If a ticket has been dismissed because you took a Defensive Driving Class, make sure that this is reflected on the report. Likewise, if your credit report is lower than it should be because of inaccurate information, dispute the items and get them removed if possible. If the negative information is accurate, but there was a reason you got behind (you lost your job, family illness, etc) and you are in the process of catching up, write an letter explaining the circumstances and have the credit bureau attach it to your credit report. Legally they must comply with your request. Check to make sure that entries are current. Credit bureaus are often slow to remove old items, but there is a limited amount of time that negative records can stay on your credit report. Remember, the lower your credit score, the higher your insurance premium is likely to be. It will be worth the time you spend to clean up any problems with your credit report.

2) Once you have made sure that your credit report and DMV report are accurate and as favorable as possible, SHOP AROUND! Similar coverage can vary as much as 300% between different insurance companies, so a little time spent getting quotes from several companies can save you hundreds of dollars each year.

3) If at all possible, PAY THE PREMIUM IN FULL. Putting your insurance on a monthly payment

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