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Does Marriage Matter Anymore?

The age old rule for car insurance quotes is there are two major life changes which can lower your rate: getting married and turning 25. These are both said to indicate a higher level of responsibility and therefore, a lower probability that you’ll have an accident. But do all car insurance companies abide by these golden rules?

All car insurance companies will ask for your date of birth when you are receiving quotes, but a surprising number of them do not even ask your marital status. How can you receive a discount for something they never even ask for? With these companies, the discount comes in the form of a multi-vehicle discount. This means that once you and your spouse combine your vehicle policies into one, you may receive a small discount for having two or more vehicles on one policy.

Multi-Vehicle vs. Marriage Discounts

But does a multi-vehicle discount compare to the savings of a marriage discount? Really, that depends on your personal situation. The age of you and your spouse, how many tickets or accidents you have between you, and how long each of you has had car insurance all factor in to your overall quote. In most cases, a couple over the age of 25 with a clean driving record and at least three years of uninterrupted coverage, can save as much as 50% once they are married. The average savings for that same couple who only receives the multi-vehicle discount is about 25-30%.

A couple who is under 25 and has a few accidents, tickets, and a break or two in coverage in their history may not save much at all with a marriage discount. The discount for a multi-vehicle policy will still be about the same, though, so it may be in their best interest to go with that until the blemishes clear off their records. Car insurance companies always look at the big picture when delivering a quote, and marriage is only a small part of that big picture.

Shopping Around

If marriage is in your near future, or recent past, it may be a good idea to shop around for insurance. The company that either you or your spouse is currently with may not be the best option anymore, as switching to a new car insurance company may save you more money.

The largest factors to look at when deciding which company to go with is what is the average savings for a multi-vehicle policy versus what is the average discount for a married couple. Remember that in some cases, you may even be able to stack up these car insurance discounts for maximum savings!

Source: Jersey Car Cash pays top dollar for used cars in New Jersey.

Here in the southern California area we are now paying over $4.00 per gallon for gas. I am making these tips available to help any and all save as much as possible at the pump.

13. Purchase a Fuel Efficient Vehicle

When buying a new vehicle examine the vehicles rated fuel efficiency. Usually choosing a small vehicle with a manual transmission (if you can find one) will provide you with great fuel economy.

14. Don’t make jackrabbit starts.

It will take a couple extra minutes, but you’ll save another couple mpg.

In a comparison between jackrabbit vs. turtle accelerating. There turned out to be a two-mile per gallon difference in accelerating quickly vs. taking the slow and easy approach.

Result: 2-mpg savings being a turtle, not a jackrabbit.

15. If you want to buy the most gasoline for the buck buy it during the coolest time of the day. That is when gasoline is the densest. Gas is sold by volume, not density.

16. Don’t top off your tank.

When you hear that first click of the fuel nozzle it’s time to stop.

17. Travel at the speed limit and use cruise control whenever you can.

Cruise control is the best, but not practical in stop and go traffic. Stick with the speed limit and shift to the higher gear.

18. Look ahead.

If there is a hill coming up, accelerate on the downside, engaging the engine, instead of accelerating on the upswing.

19. Keep a steady speed in the city.

Most signal lights are set to the speed limit stated. If you stop and idle, put your automatic transmission in neutral. This will reduce the strain on the transmission and allow cooling.

20. Get regular tune-ups and make sure to change the air filter.

If your air filter is dirty it decreases your gas flow. Watch your wheel alignment as well; going in a straight line, instead of wobbling will save gas.

21. Going forward takes less gas than going in reverse. When parking in shopping lots, etc., take this into account.

22. Keep pace with the trucks.

Ever notice how, in bad traffic jams, cars seem to constantly speed up and slow down, while trucks tend to roll along at the same leisurely pace? A constant speed keeps shifting to a minimum — important to those who have to wrangle with those ten-speed truck transmissions — but it also aids economy, as it takes much more fuel to get a vehicle moving than it does to keep it moving. Rolling with the big rigs saves fuel.

23. Change your tires.

If you live in an area where you have to use snow tires. Also, check tour tires for maximum tire pressure every three months, as you get your oil changed perhaps. Spin and balance your tires and ask which tires are best fuel savers for your vehicle. Properly inflated tires can improve gas mileage by around 3.3 percent. And under inflation is the leading cause of tire failures/blowouts.

24. Turn off what you can.

Anything you can turn off, do so. Radios, fans, all these new great technologies put a load on your engine, which decreases your gas mileage.

Besides having a source of free gas, or converting you car to run partially on water, there are some tips that can certainly help you in your fight at the pump. The following list of tips, if you follow them, will increase fuel economy. You just have to implement them.

1. Check your air filter

A clean air filter is the key to good fuel economy. A dirty air filter restricts the flow of air into the engine, which harms performance and economy. Air filters are easy to check and change; remove the filter and hold it up to the sun. If you can’t see light coming through it, you need a new one. I use K&N filters which is cleaned rather than changed; they are much less restrictive (better air flow) than throw-away paper filters, plus they’re better for the environment.

2. Get back to nature

Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you’ll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof.

3. Use the correct tires for your vehicle

New wheels and tires may look cool, and they can certainly improve handling. But if they are wider than the stock tires, chances are they’ll create more rolling resistance and decrease fuel economy. If you upgrade your wheels and tires, keep the old ones. For long road trips, the stock wheels give a smoother ride and better economy.

4. Drive only when you have to

Not a popular thing to say on a car site, I know, but the fact is that if you can avoid driving, you’ll save gas. Take the train, carpool, and consolidate your shopping trips. Walking or biking is good for your wallet and your health. And before you get in your car, always ask yourself: “Is this trip really necessary?”

5. Avoid High Speeds

As your speed increases, your aerodynamic drag increases in an exponential fashion. Driving 62 mph (100 km/h) Vs 75 mph (120 km/h) will reduce fuel consumption by about 15%.

6. Do Not Accelerate or Brake Hard

By anticipating the traffic and applying slow steady acceleration and braking, fuel economy may increase by as much as 20%.

7. Use A/C Sparingly

When the air conditioner is on it puts extra load on the engine forcing more fuel to be used (by about 20%). The defrost position on most vehicles also uses the air conditioner.

8. Keep Windows Closed

Windows open, especially at highway speeds, increase drag and result in decreased fuel economy of up to 10%.

9. Service Vehicle Regularly

Proper maintenance avoids poor fuel economy related to dirty air filters, old spark plugs or low fluid levels.

10. Use Cruise Control.

Maintaining a constant speed over long distances often saves gas. It can save you up to 4 MPG.

11. Avoid Heavy Loads and get the junk out of your trunk.

Remove the sandbags (junk) from your trunk and pack lightly for long trips.

The rule of thumb is, for every extra 100 pounds you lose 1 mpg. Remove the weight and save gas.

12. Avoid Long Idles

If you anticipate being stopped for more than 1 minute, shut off the car. Restarting the car uses less fuel than letting it idle for this time.