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How to Get Cheaper Car Insurance: What to Say to Your Insurer to Lower Your Rate

How to get cheaper car insurance: what to say to your insurer, which discounts to ask about, when a higher deductible helps, and how to compare quotes fairly.

By Policy Compass Editorial Team · Published · 9 min read

How to get cheaper car insurance: call your insurer or agent and ask for a policy review. Ask which discounts you're missing, what a higher deductible would save, whether a telematics program could lower your price, and which factors drive your rate. Then compare the answer with quotes for the same coverage from other insurers.

That's the short version of "what to say to lower car insurance." This guide gives you the exact questions to ask and explains the trade-offs behind each one. It also points you to our deeper guides on deductibles, comparison sites, grace periods and low-income programs. Rules on discounts, credit and rating factors vary by state and by insurer, so treat this as a checklist rather than a promise of savings.

Before you call: know what sets your price

Insurers price your policy on the expected cost of your future claims. The NAIC's consumer guide lists the usual factors: your driving record and those of other drivers on the policy (typically the last three to five years), where you live, the car, how much you drive, your coverage limits and deductibles, prior insurance and claims history, and, where allowed, a credit-based insurance score.

Some of those you can't change quickly. Others, like deductibles, discounts and coverage choices, you can change on a single call. If your rate just went up at renewal, start with our guide to why car insurance goes up when nothing changed, which explains how to get the reasons in writing.

Have your declarations page in front of you. It lists every driver, vehicle, coverage, limit, deductible and discount on the policy.

What to say to lower car insurance: a call script

You don't need special wording. Clear, specific questions work best. Here's a script you can adapt:

"I'd like to review my auto policy to see if I can lower the premium without cutting coverage I need. Can you walk me through which discounts I have, which ones I might qualify for, and how the price changes if I adjust my deductibles?"

Then work through the questions in the sections below. Write down the answers, the date and the name of the person you spoke with.

Ask: "Which discounts am I not getting?"

Discounts vary by company and state, but the NAIC suggests asking about discounts for:

  • insuring your home and car with the same company;
  • insuring more than one vehicle with the same company;
  • safety and anti-theft features such as airbags, anti-lock brakes and anti-theft devices;
  • completing a defensive driving course, particularly if you're 55 or older; and
  • membership in an organization or working for certain employers.

The Triple-I's list of cost-saving steps adds low-mileage discounts (including for carpooling), long-time-customer discounts, good-student and driver's-ed discounts for young drivers, discounts for college students away from home without a car, and discounts for going a number of years without accidents or moving violations.

Some states set discount rules themselves. In New York, completing an approved Point and Insurance Reduction Program course reduces the base rate of your auto insurance premiums by 10% each year for three years. Ask your insurer what applies where you live.

One caution from the Triple-I is worth repeating: the final price matters more than the number of discounts. A company with few discounts can still be cheaper overall.

Ask: "What would a higher deductible save me?"

Your collision and comprehensive deductibles are the fastest lever most drivers have. The Triple-I says moving from a $200 to a $500 deductible could cut those coverages' cost by 15 to 30 percent, and going to $1,000 can save 40 percent or more. The Texas Department of Insurance says switching from a $500 to a $1,000 deductible can save as much as 20 percent on premium payments. Your own numbers will differ, so ask for the actual price at each level.

Only raise a deductible to an amount you could pay tomorrow. We walk through the math in $500 vs. $1,000 deductible: which is better.

Ask: "Does my coverage still fit my car?"

On an older car that's paid off, collision and comprehensive may cost more than they're worth. The Triple-I suggests that if your car is worth less than 10 times the premium for those coverages, buying them may not be cost-effective. Our guide on how much car insurance you need explains how to decide.

Don't cut liability limits to save money. The NAIC notes that state minimums are too low to fully cover you if you cause a serious accident, and that higher limits often don't add much to the premium.

Ask: "Do you use my credit, and is there a life-event exception?"

The NAIC explains that many insurers use a credit-based insurance score in states where it's allowed. That score predicts the likelihood of a claim, not loan repayment. In most states, insurers can't use it as the sole reason to raise rates or to cancel or non-renew a policy. Some states restrict it further or prohibit certain uses.

If an illness, job loss or other hardship hurt your credit, the NAIC's auto guide suggests asking whether your insurer will consider a life-event exception. Correcting errors on your credit report can also help over time.

Ask: "Would a telematics program lower my price?"

Usage-based insurance (UBI), also called telematics, tracks your driving through a phone app or a device in the car. The NAIC says these programs can measure miles driven, time of day, location, hard braking, rapid acceleration, cornering and phone use. Depending on the insurer and what your state allows, that data helps set your premium.

The NAIC is clear that UBI can lead to higher premiums as well as discounts, and that it raises privacy questions. The Triple-I notes that participation is voluntary. Before you enroll, ask:

  • Can my rate go up based on the data, or only down?
  • What exactly is collected, and is location tracked?
  • How long is the data kept, and is it shared?
  • Can I leave the program, and what happens to my discount if I do?

Ask: "Would bundling actually save me money?"

Multi-policy discounts are common, but the Triple-I points out that you might still save by buying from different companies. Get both prices before you decide. Our guide on whether to bundle home and auto insurance explains how to compare them fairly.

What not to say (or do) when lowering your rate

How to compare quotes after you call

If your insurer can't get the price where you need it, shopping around is the next step. The NAIC notes that different insurers charge different rates for the same coverage, and the Triple-I recommends getting at least three quotes from different types of sellers: insurers with their own agents, independent agents and companies that sell directly.

To compare quotes like for like:

  • Use your declarations page so every quote has the same liability limits, deductibles and optional coverages.
  • List the same drivers and vehicles, with accurate VINs and garaging address.
  • Give the same driving and claims history to each seller.
  • Ask each seller which discounts are included and what you'd need to do to keep them.
  • Get every quote in writing, and check the insurer's license with your state insurance department.

If you use an online quote or comparison site, it helps to know how those sites make money and what happens to your contact details. See how car insurance comparison sites work.

When you switch, start the new policy before you cancel the old one so there's no gap.

If money is tight

If even a reduced premium is out of reach, a few states run low-cost or assistance-linked programs for drivers with limited income. Our guide to low-income car insurance programs explains what's available and whether benefits like EBT can help. And if you can't find any insurer willing to cover you, the NAIC suggests asking your state insurance department whether it has a program for high-risk drivers.

Quick checklist

  • Declarations page in hand
  • Asked which discounts are missing
  • Priced at least two deductible levels
  • Reviewed collision and comprehensive on an older car
  • Asked about credit use and life-event exceptions
  • Asked whether telematics could raise or lower the price
  • Got at least three written quotes for identical coverage
  • Lined up start and end dates so there's no lapse

Frequently asked questions

What to say to lower car insurance?

Ask your insurer or agent to review your policy for savings. Specifically, ask which discounts you're not getting, how much the premium changes at higher deductibles, whether a usage-based (telematics) program could lower your price, and what's driving your current rate. The NAIC suggests asking about discounts and how your premium changes with different deductibles.

Is it rude or risky to ask my insurer for a lower rate?

No. Asking questions about your own policy is normal, and a review can turn up discounts that were never applied. Just be accurate about drivers, vehicles, mileage and your record. The NAIC warns that if you give inaccurate information, your final premium can end up higher than the quote.

What is the fastest way to lower car insurance?

The quickest changes are usually checking for missed discounts and pricing a higher deductible. The Triple-I says raising your deductible can lower collision and comprehensive costs substantially, but only choose an amount you could actually pay after a claim. Getting quotes from other insurers is the other fast option.

Does my credit affect my car insurance rate?

In most states it can. The NAIC says many insurers use credit-based insurance scores where allowed, while some states restrict or ban their use. If a hardship hurt your credit, ask your insurer whether it offers a life-event exception.

Can a defensive driving course lower my car insurance?

Often, yes. The NAIC lists defensive driving courses among the discounts to ask about, particularly for drivers 55 and older. Some states set rules for this. New York's Point and Insurance Reduction Program, for example, reduces the base rate of auto insurance premiums by 10% each year for three years for an approved course.

Sources

  1. A Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance (National Association of Insurance Commissioners, 2022)
  2. Nine ways to lower your auto insurance costs (Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I))
  3. Credit-Based Insurance Scores (National Association of Insurance Commissioners, updated March 19, 2026)
  4. Want Your Auto Insurer to Track Your Driving? Understanding Usage-Based Insurance (National Association of Insurance Commissioners, September 8, 2021)
  5. Background on: Pay-as-you-drive auto insurance (telematics) (Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I))
  6. Auto insurance guide (Texas Department of Insurance)
  7. What to know about deductibles (Texas Department of Insurance)
  8. Point and Insurance Reduction Program (PIRP) (New York State Department of Motor Vehicles)
  9. If Your Auto Insurance Policy Is Canceled (Illinois Department of Insurance)
  10. State insurance department contacts (National Association of Insurance Commissioners)

Sources were accessed on October 9, 2026. Linked pages may have changed since then.

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