5 Signs It's Time to Change Car Insurance Providers

It is not likely that you enjoy shopping for car insurance. To many people, shopping for car insurance is a chore. However, this is one task that may yield some beneficial results very quickly. When certain warning signs appear, it may be time to go in search of a new insurer for the family car. Here are some times when looking for car insurance should be considered a priority.

Your insurance rates have gone up at least twice in the last three years in the absence of a ticket or accident.

Over time, everything rises in price. You can expect some increases in your car insurance premiums from time to time. When these increases start to show up too often in a short span, it is time to consider making an insurance change. Unless you are absolutely certain that increases are happening industry-wide, two price increases within three years can signal that your company has had some losses and needs to raise cash. You may have sympathy for their cause, but it does not mean that you have to become their cash cow. Other insurers' rates probably have not risen as rapidly as your company's. You owe it to yourself to look around before staying put.

You have been ticket- and accident-free for three years and your rates have not been reduced.

Rates for car insurance do not always go down. If you have been a good driver for an extended period of time, you may already be at the bottom of the premium rates for your company. However, if you are paying more for insurance due to a incident or two from more than three years ago, your rates should be declining. If not, look for a new company to do insurance business with.

Your current insurer just reclassified your type of vehicle or your location as high-risk.

Insurance companies are always adjusting their classifications for high-risk areas regarding insurance costs. They are also constantly reviewing the losses associated with certain types of cars. If you are unlucky enough to get caught by either of these factors, your rates can spike upward quickly. Not all companies rate their risks the same. Changing companies can put you back into a lower classification and save you some money.

You have improved your credit scores significantly since you purchased your current car insurance.

If you were going through a financial rough spot about the time that you bought your current car insurance policy, you may have been rated higher because of low credit scores. If your credit scores have risen by 100 points or more during the last few years, you probably can find cheaper insurance. Not all car insurers put a heavy emphasis on low credit scores when computing rates, but some do. If your company is one of those that do, changing companies can get your discounts back. The only way to be sure is to get quotes for policies from several other companies.

Shop for a new insurer if you have been with your current company more than five years.

Insurance companies may not raise your rates much, but they do give some short-term discounts to new customers. These tend to expire and be phased out over a three to five year period. Even if your rates have remained flat, other companies may be offering some nice discounts to attract new business. Buying car insurance is not a lifetime commitment. After about five years, test the market. If your company is still the best price, you can be happy about that. If it is not, you can pocket your savings by switching companies.