For many students, a car is essential while attending college for getting to and from class, getting to shifts at a part time job and visiting family back home. If you’re a college student and are hoping to take a car to college with you, then one of the biggest costs that you’ll be considering is making sure that it is insured. Since it’s an offense to drive a car without proper insurance, it’s important to make sure that this is all in order before you head off to college. Thankfully, there are several ways for students to drive down the cost of their auto insurance. These include:

Shop Around:

If you’re buying a new car and insuring it for the first time, then taking the time to shop around for the best insurance policies is certainly worth it. Bear in mind that if you are moving to a completely different area or another state to go to college, then the prices for auto insurance there may not be the same as what you are used to back home. When insurers determine policy prices, they take a lot of factors into account, including vehicle crime and accident rates in the area. So, your policy quote could go up or down depending on this.

Choose Your Car Wisely:

If you’re getting a new car to take to college, then making a wise choice on the make and model that you buy is important for getting the best deal on your car insurance. Bear in mind that older car models with fewer safety and theft-deterrent features tend to be more expensive to insure, so investing in a newer car could be a cheaper option for you in the long run. Another factor that you should carefully consider is the engine size; cars with smaller engines tend to be cheaper to insure. Use a Comparison Site:

When looking for car insurance policies, using a comparison site is the easiest way to determine which is the most affordable policy for you. Jared Seyl Farmers Insurance says, “many people believe that car insurance policies are mostly the same, but the truth is that they can vary significantly. Using our comparison site will help drivers ensure that they are always getting the best deal for their coverage.” Comparison sites are easy to use and most will allow you to enter your details beforehand to get personalized results.

Insure an Additional Driver:

If you are new to the roads, then you can expect your car insurance premiums to be at their highest for the time being. To help drive down the cost of your premium, you could consider insuring an older and more experienced additional driver, such as a parent, grandparent, or older sibling on your car as well. Another perk of doing this is that since they are also insured to drive your car, they’ll be able to have use of the vehicle when you don’t need it, such as during the spring and summer break.