High risk drivers can sometimes find themselves in a situation where they are not able to easily get the auto insurance policy they want. The higher the risk level they have, the more expensive and more difficult it is to find coverage. It can become frustrating for them to search for a new policy, especially where there is a possibility that some insurers will not provide insurance for fear that they’ll lose money by paying out too many claims. Here are some guidelines to help high risk drivers have better luck at finding a proper insurance policy for their vehicle.

Look For The Lowest Rate
The easiest way for high risk drivers to get the lowest price on an auto insurance policy is to compare the prices that are being offered by local providers. Doing a side by side comparison of the prices will show what’s worth buying and what should be left alone. A quick and easy way to gather a number of quotes is by using our comparison tool. Any driver – high risk or not – can benefit from this process and should take advantage of the possible savings. Answering only a handful of questions in a few minutes will lead the person to the quotes.

These questions that need to be answered will be regarding the driver and the vehicle. It will be determined by the providers how long the driver has been allowed to drive, as well as how many tickets and accidents the driver has been involved in. They take this information, combined with the information about the car, and determine the rate that will be charged and the quotes that will be given. No driver can afford to lose out on the possibility of saving money by doing a quote comparison.

The category of high risk is given to someone who is a brand new on the road, or to someone who has had multiple run-ins with the law. Receiving a high number of tickets and being involved in many accidents will place that driver into this risk level. While it takes a higher number of those traffic incidents, it usually only takes one incident of drunk driving or driving under the influence to be categorized as a high risk driver. This also applies to hit and runs, and vehicular negligent injury. Insurance companies as a whole feel that people who are careless and unsafe in their driving should have to pay more for their insurance, especially when they are typically the ones who file more claims.

Companies Specializing in High Risk Drivers
While most companies will agree to provide coverage to high risk drivers, the most common companies charge a very high rate to do so. Drivers will even notice after using our comparison tool that high risk insurance, even the cheaper rates for it, are much pricier than coverage for the average driver. Looking in the direction of companies that specialize in high risk insurance is another method to use to get cheaper rates. These companies assume the higher risk because they feel they can draw in more consumers with their lower prices, and they are hopeful the driver will not need to file a claim (even though statistics say otherwise).

Trying out these insurers may help keep the high risk driver’s payments down. Going with one of these companies and combining their rates with whatever type of discounts they offer will also get a cheaper deal in the long run. Trying to qualify for a senior citizen discount, a good student discount, or discounts offered by taking driving improvement classes are not structured around the current driving record and could prove to be helpful in saving money.

High Risk Drivers Switching Insurance Providers
It is sometimes recommended to drivers to look for the cheapest price offered for an auto insurance policy and then switch to that company. For high risk drivers, it may not always be the best thing to do. Staying with an insurer for a while, especially if it is a company that specializes in high risk insurance, the premium price may begin to go down with each renewal, assuming the driver has avoided receiving any tickets, accidents or other violations. A driver who has been incident free for a policy period or two may want to point that out to their provider and ask for a rate decrease. This isn’t possible to do when the policyholder is constantly switching companies. The new company won’t be convinced of a changed attitude the way an old or existing company would be.

Decreasing Risk Level
There are a few things a high risk driver can do to lower their assigned risk level and improve their rates. These will take time and must be consistently worked on. First, pay all fines for any violations that still need to be paid. Don’t have anything that needs to be paid left on the record. Call the local DMV to double check that all violations have been taken care of, and find out if there is anything that can be done as far as they are concerned to help with the situation.

Second, don’t get any additional violations! Know the speed limit and follow it. Make complete stops at red lights and stop signs, and pay attention to the yellow lights. Observe all of the other vehicles on the road and know where they are in relation to your vehicle. Never, ever drive while under the influence of any drug, including prescriptions, or alcohol. Always have a designated driver or a cab available for those situations.

Third, drive a vehicle that won’t encourage reckless behavior and speeding. Cars that look like they can go fast will be driven fast, so opt for a modest vehicle.

Auto insurance for high risk drivers will always be more expensive than insurance for the average driver, but there are ways to lower the price and get it cheaper when compared to other high risk insurance policies. Don’t give up and think there’s no way to pay a less expensive amount, because there’s always the chance there will be something better available.