To save money on car insurance right now, compare at least three quotes for identical coverage and switch if another carrier is cheaper. Then raise your deductibles if you have savings, bundle auto with home or renters insurance, and claim every discount you qualify for. A premium is the price you pay for the policy. The same driver with the same car and identical coverage can receive quotes differing by an average of $4,914 per year across carriers, according to a NerdWallet June 2026 analysis via Stacker in the nearly $5,000 quote-gap analysis.
Shopping has surged in response to higher prices, with a record 57% of U.S. auto customers shopping in 2024, up from 49% in 2023, according to the J.D. Power 2025 U.S. Insurance Shopping Study in the 2025 insurance shopping study.
Table of Contents
- Why comparing three quotes saves the most
- Should you raise your deductible?
- When does an older car need less coverage?
- Which bundling and billing discounts stack up?
- Can driving data lower your rate?
Why comparing three quotes saves the most
Price differences come from how each company weighs risk, costs, and discounts. That makes the market worth checking even if your driving record and car have not changed.
Get at least three quotes for the same limits, deductibles, and drivers. Compare renewals the same way, because the cheapest carrier last year may not be cheapest this year.
Should you raise your deductible?
A deductible is the amount you pay out of pocket before insurance pays a collision or comprehensive claim. A higher deductible lowers your premium because you accept more of the first cost.
Raising collision and comprehensive deductibles from $200 to $500 cuts those coverages' cost by 15-30%, and moving to $1,000 can save 40% or more, according to the Insurance Information Institute in the nine ways to lower auto costs. Keep enough cash in savings to pay the higher amount after a crash, theft, hail, or animal strike.
When does an older car need less coverage?
Collision pays for crash damage to your car. Comprehensive pays for theft, fire, vandalism, falling objects, hail, and animal damage.
The Insurance Information Institute says drivers of older cars should consider dropping one or both when the car is worth less than 10 times the premium. Review that math at each renewal as value falls:.
- Find current car value and yearly collision plus comprehensive premium
- Divide value by premium to check the 10-times rule
- Drop coverage only if you can replace the car without insurance help
Which bundling and billing discounts stack up?
Buying homeowners or renters plus auto from the same insurer commonly earns a bundling discount. Insuring multiple vehicles with one company commonly earns a multi-vehicle discount, the Insurance Information Institute says.
Ask your current insurer for a full discount check before you shop. The same source lists paying in full, using autopay, and improving credit as ways to cut premiums where state law permits.
Can driving data lower your rate?
Usage-based insurance sets part of your rate from measured driving instead of only past records. It tracks mileage, braking, speed, phone use, and late-night driving through a phone app or plug-in device.
Progressive says drivers in its Snapshot program who save average $328 yearly in the Snapshot savings details. Most states get an automatic participation discount, then a personalized renewal rate, but hard braking, high mileage, or frequent late-night driving can raise the rate.
