Car insurance is something that all of us must have. It may not be an expense that you want to dish out. It does not matter how good of a driver you are, or that you have never been in an accident. The law is the law. The only way to get out of having automobile insurance is if you do not ever drive.

Car insurance does not have to break the bank. When you sign up for insurance the agent will put you on a basic policy that is a generic version for people that are uninformed. There are many things that you can do to save on your premiums every year. Some may apply to you, some may not.

1. Compare-You never want to settle for the policy that the first agent offers you, or the first choice on the list received from an online comparison site. Check around and get numerous quotes. Use online platforms that search and compare for you. You will soon see why it is important to compare policies. Not all insurance companies are created equally. 
2. Deductible-Increase the amount that you will have to pay upfront before the insurance will cover anything. The higher you set your deductible, the lower your premiums will be. Do not set this amount out of your reach, however. Keep it within your budget, but as high as you feasibly can.
3. Pay in Full-Most car insurance policies allow you the option to pay monthly. Do not fall for it. If you pay the entire policy amount off, you will save money. The insurance carrier charges higher premiums if you pay by the month, which is something that they count on to gain a little extra profit.
4. Safe Driver-The more careful you are when driving, the better off you will be. Each time you get a traffic ticket, or file a claim for an accident, your premiums will go up. Drive defensively and follow the rules of the road.
5. Defensive Driving Course-Many areas offer a driving course that teaches you how to be more defensive when you are behind the wheel. An insurance company will take it into account if you pass this type of advanced learning class.
6. Downsize-You may love driving in that jacked up truck that rumbles down the road, but your insurance agent will not see it as a cool thing. If you want to save money on your premiums you will need to downsize. Trade that beast in for a small car that is considered insurance safe. You will see a decent decrease in the costs offered to you for your policy.
7. Anti-Theft-If your car is not already equipped with upgraded anti-theft devices, take the time to do so. Insurance companies feel that if you take precautions such as this, that you are a safe risk for them. This will lower your premiums.
8. Review Coverage-Read through your entire car insurance policy, including the fine print. You may find things in there that you do not need, such as roadside assistance. Remove what you do not need, and lower coverage amounts of the sections that seem high to you.
9. Multiple Cars-If you have more than one driver in your household it is a good idea to bundle all the policies together. The total premium amount will be lower than if you each had a separate policy. You can always break it down at home and pay your own shares if you choose to do so.
10. Discounts-Ask about other discounts that the carrier may offer. Some agents offer lower premium rates for military personnel, senior citizen status, members of local affiliations, and many others. Just ask for them.
11. Specialized Policy-If you drive very little, under 10,000 miles per year, you will want to check around and find a company that offers pay-as-you-go insurance. You will use an application, or device, which sends information to the insurer every time that you get behind the wheel. Your premiums will be based on the distances that you drive per year.
12. Credit Score-This is some cause for debate, but insurance carriers could give you a discount for better credit histories. It is something that you should work on anyway because it is used for numerous other aspects of life.

These simple twelve steps could end up saving you a decent amount of money on your car insurance premiums. Statista states that the yearly cost for insurance for all Australian drivers is 10.76 billion Australian dollars. That is a huge chunk of change given to the insurance carriers by drivers throughout the country. Check your policy, compare prices, and follow the steps that apply to you.