A few years ago, I took a four-hour drive up the Washington coast, through quaint little towns and villages, past towering spruce trees, and alongside the stunning Puget Sound. Everything was idyllic, or so I thought; I never noticed the speed limit changed every five miles or so, from 50 mph down sometimes to even 15 mph.

After getting a speeding ticket on the way up, and then another on the way down, I caught on to the game. But it was too late. My auto insurance took a hit.

Ever since, finding ways to save on car insurance has become a priority. Happily, with a few proactive steps, I was able to lower my premium.

For tried-and-true ways to cut down on car insurance expenses, here are a few simple things I discovered that can make a big difference.

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1. Keep a clean driving record

One of the easiest and best ways to lower insurance costs is to maintain a good driving record. Traffic violations, speeding tickets, and at-fault accidents all drive up rates. After my two-day fiasco, I made a conscious effort to avoid tickets and accidents -- and have -- and it paid off; over time, my insurer rewarded me with a good driver discount. Indeed, Motley Fool Money research finds that having a good driving record can save drivers $289 a year on car insurance.

2. Compare quotes from multiple insurers

The duck, the gecko, and all the rest promise cheap insurance rates. How do we choose? Do we even need to choose? Yes, shopping around may seem tedious, but comparing rates from different insurance providers is one of the best ways to save because premiums and prices vary widely. The good news is that a quick Google search for "compare auto insurance tool" will list off several places where drivers can do a quick and easy online comparison.

3. Bundle and save

What the commercials promise is true: Bundling auto insurance with, say, a homeowners insurance or renter's policy, will generally provide drivers with a nice discount. I combined my car and house insurance policies and saved around 10% on my auto premium. It was an easy way to knock down the cost while simplifying my coverage.

4. Increase the plan deductible

The deductible is the amount a driver pays out of pocket in case of an accident before the insurance kicks in. And while the thought of raising deductibles isn't ideal, it too is a quick and easy way to lower auto insurance premiums.

For example, raising the deductible from $500 to $1,000 can lower insurance premiums by 10%. For good and safe drivers, making this change shouldn't be too risky. Regardless, it's a good idea for drivers to make sure they have the amount of the deductible set aside in an emergency savings fund so that it's available should they ever need to tap it.

5. Take advantage of low-mileage discounts

Low-mileage drivers might qualify for extra discounts. People who work from home (still a lot of us since the COVID-19 pandemic) would qualify for this one. Generally, drivers would qualify if they drive 7,000 miles a year or less. The discount averages about 5%. This varies by insurer.

So my trip up the coast was not for naught. For one, I discovered where the speed traps are, and two, I learned how to permanently lower my car insurance. Not a bad deal, not at all.

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