Tips To Help College Students Lower Their Car Insurance After A Ticket
Getting your first ticket as a college student can be financially devastating, since your insurance rates were already likely higher due to your age. In fact, depending on your financial situation you may be left wondering if it's time to put away your keys. Fortunately, there are things you can do to help lower your rate, even after you have received a ticket.
Tip #1: Go to court
You may not want to fight the ticket, but there are other reasons to go to court. Sometimes, the judge will drop the severity of the violation, even if the fine doesn't change. This alone can help minimize the resulting hike in your insurance cost. In some cases the violation may be dropped completely if you go to a driving class approved by the court.
Tip #2: Call your insurance
While pleading your case with your insurance company might not lower your rate again, they may be able to offer you alternatives. For example, some companies lower rates if you take a defensive driving class, which can help mitigate the rise caused by the ticket. Other companies may offer you a device that plugs into your car and transmits information on your driving habits. Good driving habits and following speed limits while using this device can help lower your rate again more quickly.
Tip #3: Get your grades up
Good student discounts aren't just for high school. You can also use your college transcripts to help lower your insurance cost, thus helping you recover from the rate increase. Call your agent to find out what GPA you need to maintain and what documentation is necessary. Usually, you must send a copy of your transcript every year. You may also need to maintain certain enrollment status. For example, student discounts may only be available to full time students, or part time students may only be eligible for a smaller discount.
Tip #4: Combine policies
It may seem impossible to get a combined policy discount if all you own is your car, since these are typically designed for homeowners. You may be able to combine your policy with your parents' policy, with their permission of course. This means you will benefit from their multi-policy discount, and you can simply pay your now lowered rate directly to mom and dad.
No matter what options you are able to exercise, the key is to avoid future tickets and accidents. Over time, your policy will lower again as you maintain good driving habits. Combine that with the discounts from above, and you can soon be saving even more. Talk to an insurance agent for more help.
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