Insurance Basics: Everything You Need to Know

How To Lower Auto Insurance Rates By Driving Less

The more you drive, the more you are likely to be involved in an auto accident. This means constant driving increases your car's risk of damage, your risk of facing accidental liability claims, and your risk of accidental injuries. Reducing your driving mileage can help you lower all these risks, and you can do this by:

Carpooling with Other Motorists

If you find yourself driving one route every day around the same time, say when commuting to work or school, then there are high chances that there are other motorists doing the same thing. As such, you can save some money by carpooling with the others so that each of you doesn't have to use their car every day. You can use existing apps or even create your own carpooling group.

Investing In a Bicycle

Cycling is a good alternative to driving for short and medium distances. It's even better if your neighborhood has dedicated bicycle lanes. Apart from reducing your car's annual mileage, investing in a bicycle will also help your overall health because you will be exercising on a regular basis (as long as you use your bicycle, that is).

Walking For Short Distances

You don't have to take your car everywhere; if you don't have a health condition that prevents you from walking, then you can stretch your legs for short distances. Going to the corner store, for example, can easily be done on foot. This is even easier if your neighborhood has a high walkability score. Again, walking has the added advantage of helping you maintain physical fitness and overall health.

Giving Public Transportation a Chance

Using public transportation can also give you a chance to give your car a rest and lower your driving mileage. Many people shun the quality of public transportation even before they have given it a chance. Try it a few times and you might actually find that it is not as bad as you thought it was. Besides, you don't have to do it every day; you can opt for public transportation on specific days or routes depending on your schedule.

Planning Your Trips

Planning your trips when venturing into unfamiliar routes or going to unfamiliar places may also help you lower your annual driving mileage. This is because route planning will help you avoid getting lost or taking unnecessarily long routes. You can plan your route and program it to your GPS to avoid unnecessary mileage.

Consolidating Your Errands

Lastly, you may also have some luck by consolidating your errands so that you don't drive multiple times every day. For example, buying groceries, depositing a check at the bank, and driving your kids to school all don't have to occupy separate journeys. 

If you have managed to lower your driving mileage, consider looking for mileage-based auto insurance to enjoy affordable coverage. Even regular insurance coverage may be cheaper if your carrier gives you a discount for your infrequent driving.

Speak to a local insurance agent to get an auto insurance quote.


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