Did you know that if you have a spotless driving record and if you have sufficient financial resources to pay for medical expenses and property damage in the event of an accident that you do not have to purchase car insurance in Iowa?

But before you start driving in Iowa sans car insurance you need to keep in mind that having the financial resources to pay for an accident out of your own pocket may not be possible for most people. That’s why the majority of Iowans elect to purchase car insurance.

Also, if your car is being financed then your lender will require that you purchase car insurance.

So – regardless of the fact that Iowa technically does not require most of its drivers to carry car insurance, the fact of the matter is that the vast majority of drivers are still trying to get the best rates on car insurance in Iowa.

Luckily there are several options available to Iowa drivers that can help to keep the cost of their car insurance low.

One of the biggest determining factors for how much you’ll pay for car insurance is your own driving record. If you want to have and to keep the lowest car insurance rates possible then you must keep a clean driving record. No speeding or other moving violations. And definitely no convictions for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).

A DUI or DWI on your record will cause a serious jump in the cost of your car insurance, and a second conviction for either offense will send you scrambling for high-risk car insurance (if you can even get it) at a cost that will knock your socks off.

Drivers under 25 years of age are considered bad risks and their insurance is considerably more than what a good driver over 25 will pay. If possible younger drivers should stay in school and maintain at least a “B” grade point average. Doing so will earn them a 5% Good Student Discount on their car insurance premium every month.

Older drivers can apply to take a driver’s refresher course. Not every insurance company offers such a course, but if your company does, and you pass the course, you can save approximately 10% per month on your car insurance premium.

If you seldom drive your car you may qualify for a hefty Low-Mileage Discount on your monthly bill.

Do you drive an older model vehicle or a vehicle that has almost no value? Be aware that even if you are paying for collision and comprehensive coverage every month, if you are involved in an accident your insurance company won’t pay you any more than the Kelly Blue Book value of your car. Check with your agent to see if it is worth it to you to continue paying for comprehensive and collision insurance.

Consider increasing your deductible. This is not something you should do without giving it some serious thought since you will be forced to come up with the cash to pay for your deductible in the event of a claim before your insurance company will pay anything toward the repair or replacement of your vehicle. But the higher your deductible, the lower your monthly car insurance payment.

So now that you have a good idea of the steps you can take to lower your car insurance premiums it’s time to get online and find at least 3 different websites that allow you to compare the prices you’ll pay for car insurance from a variety of different companies.

If you’re truly serious about saving the most money possible and you really want to get the best rates on car insurance in Iowa, then you’ll need to take the extra time to make comparisons on at least 3 different websites. This way you can be certain that you are comparing prices from the largest number of insurance companies possible, and you can feel confident that you have found the best deal possible at the best price available.