The average cost for car insurance per month may shock you, but that’s only if you are not informed of what to expect when it comes to auto coverage rates. If you are new to getting average car insurance rates and haven’t already gotten quotes, these guidelines should help assist in your decision making process. The first thing to know is what the average cost of car insurance may cover and include.

Average Car Insurance Rates by State

The average cost of car insurance per month can vary a great deal based on the state where you reside. Actually, your auto insurance prices can even vary based on your zip code, or where you keep your vehicle locked up at night. You may be wondering how your state can affect your average monthly car insurance costs, but it isn’t really that complicated.

• Different states have different minimum requirements when it comes to establishing an average car insurance policy. The trick is to make sure you are meeting the requirements of your state. This is especially true if you have recently relocated to a new state.

• With the exception of New Hampshire, every state has at least a minimal amount of liability insurance a driver must be carry to be behind the wheel of a vehicle legally. The amounts for the minimum amount needed vary but otherwise New Hampshire is the only state you could drive legally without liability insurance.

• SR22 insurance is for drivers who have lost their license and have been deemed high risk for one reason or another. In some states, the only way to be able to have your license reinstated and drive legally is to secure this type of insurance. Not all states require it, however, and some states will allow drivers to move there without having to maintain their SR22 policy even if they were required to do so in the previous state where they resided.

• No fault insurance is another type of policy required in some states. When asking about the cost of car insurance in your state, find out if it is a no fault insurance policy state or not.  The idea behind a no fault car insurance policy is that each driver is covered by his or her own auto insurance regardless of who was at fault and caused the collision. This lessens the need for lawsuits in order to settle cases and expenses and ensures that all parties involved have the medical coverage they need immediately.

• Collision and comprehensive are your average car insurance policies that offer a little more substance than some of the others that may be your state’s minimum requirement for driving legally. Collision insurance covers vehicles involved with a collision with one another. This type of policy does leave some gaps, however, gaps that comprehensive insurance usually fills in. Comprehensive covers drivers and cars that are involved in accidents or suffer damage from other means such as hail damage, floods, fires and other things not covered by collision. This is also what helps with coverage if your car is stolen.

What Factors Determine the Average Cost for Car Insurance Per Month

There are many things that go into effecting your monthly premiums and how you may be able to lower your costs. Much of that also has to do with your age and how long you have been driving. Here are a few tips for things you could be hitting upon to try to get the best average cost for car insurance per month.

• For teen drivers, your average monthly car insurance premiums will be among the highest. There are ways, however, to keep the costs lower. Make sure you take driver’s education courses in school and submit your completion certificates to your insurance agent. Also try to keep that grade point average up because some companies reward good scholastic behavior with more manageable monthly premiums.

• For those who are still under the age of 25, your rates may still be higher than they will be after 25. Marriage is one thing that does tend to lower the cost of your car insurance average price per month. Check with your agent however to see if there are any defensive driving classes you may be able to take to help reduce your monthly insurance costs. Obviously do your best to also maintain a good driving record so your costs for your average car insurance per month will begin to go down instead of increase.

• After the age of 25, it is a matter of keeping your record as spotless as possible. You can look into things such as where you keep your car though. For example, a car kept in a garage and protected from the elements such as hail will help reduce your costs. Also if you vehicle is parked every night on the street in an area known for a more elevated level of crime, your rates will be elevated as well. Check to see if you can find a policy that offers reasonable discounts for those actively involved in a volunteer organization and get actively involved in one if you aren’t already.

• In your golden years, make sure to look for courses offered to seniors who are still behind the wheel. These classes are often times offered for free and will help senior drivers get a true idea of how they are actually doing as far as driving a car. Your average monthly car insurance rates are bound to be lowered by taking these courses.

• Also try to pay your auto insurance on either an annual or quarterly basis and your premiums will be lower than they would as monthly.

The best way to get your affordable average car insurance policy in place is to get your free quotes. When you fill in your zip code you are gaining access to those carriers waiting to offer you their competitive rates for average monthly car insurance rates.