If you want to save a little money then you can buy a six-month or 12-month policy. That doesn’t mean you can’t change carriers during those periods – you don’t have to be at the end of your policy period if you want to swap insurers. With the economy being the way it is, many of us can’t shell out the cost of an entire year’s premium all at once so we have to pay each month. Car insurance companies should not charge extra if you pay straight out of your bank account via direct debit.

The cost of vehicle insurance for the most part depends on your age, sex, driving record, zip code and the vehicle you wish to ensure. The most affordable insurance can be purchased if you have a small to midsize car with all safety features such as airbags, an alarm, antilock brakes, daytime running lights and an antitheft device.

Unfortunately if you have a lousy credit history, insurance companies perceive you as being more “risky” and consequently your premiums will be higher. It’s not a fair system but that’s the way it is. The only way you can reduce costs when you buy insurance is to have all the safety features mentioned above, a good credit history, live in a rural location in somewhere like Vermont or Maine and only drive a few miles each month accident-free!

For the rest of us when we buy car insurance we just have to grin and bear it!