This is obvious for auto insurance, but vital. Accidents and traffic violations directly increase your premiums. Consider a defensive driving course, even if just to refresh your skills.
Review All Policies: Go through your auto, home, health, life, and any other policies.
Assess Coverage Needs: Have your circumstances changed? Do you need more or less coverage? Is your life insurance sufficient for your current family size and debts? Is your home insured for its reconstruction cost?
Check for Redundancies: Are you double-covered for anything?
Shop Around, Every Time (or Regularly): Never renew without getting competitive quotes.
Get at Least 3-5 Quotes: Use online comparison sites (e.g., Policygenius, Insurify, Compare.com for auto/home), direct insurer websites, and work with independent agents.
Compare "Apples-to-Apples": Ensure quotes have identical coverage limits, deductibles, and special features. Don't be fooled by a lower premium that offers less protection.
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Don't Be Afraid to Switch: If a new insurer offers the same or better coverage at a significantly lower price, switch! The process is often smoother than you think.
Optimize Your Deductibles:
Increase Deductibles (if financially able): Raising your auto deductible from $500 to $1,000, or your home deductible from $1,000 to $2,500, can result in substantial premium reductions. Ensure you have the emergency savings to cover the higher deductible if a claim arises.
Consider Risk Tolerance: If you have an older car with low value, increasing collision/comprehensive deductibles even further, or dropping them entirely, might be logical.
Bundle Your Policies:
Multi-Policy Discounts: Most major insurers offer discounts (often 10-25% or more) for combining auto and home/renters insurance. Some even offer discounts for bundling life or umbrella policies.
Ask Your Current Insurer First: Before switching everything, see if your current insurer can match or beat a bundled quote from a competitor.
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Maximize All Available Discounts: Don't wait for your insurer to offer them; proactively ask for every discount you might qualify for.
Auto: Multi-car, good student, safe driver (clean record), defensive driving course, low mileage, telematics (usage-based insurance), anti-theft devices, good credit (in applicable states), paid-in-full, automatic payment.