In previous Ask Jeff articles, I’ve written about the factors influencing car insurance rates. Those articles include:

• What Determines the Cost of My Car Insurance?
• What Factors Make Car Insurance Expensive?

Some of the factors that determine your auto rate are not under your control. For example, you can’t change your age or easily move to a lower-cost state.

But what factors do you have some control over? Which elements can you work on to reduce auto insurance rates? Here are a few to consider:

1. Your Driving Record and Habits
2. It may go without mentioning that a driving history without accidents and violations will result in a better insurance rate. But it is true. Changing habits to being a more defensive driver can result in lower rates in the long run.
3. Taking a Defensive Driving Course)
4. These courses provide an immediate 10% reduction on certain coverages on your auto insurance premiums. This course may also help you create better driving habits -- like we suggested above! 
5. The Ryan Agency has negotiated a discount with the best provider of the Defensive Driving Course. You can find more information on that Defensive Driving Course and Discount here: 
6. How Much You Drive
7. Is your commute to work reflected in your auto insurance rate? If so, maybe car-pooling would result in cost savings.
8. Proper Use of Deductibles
9. The average auto policyholder has an accident every 11 years. If taking a higher deductible pays for itself in five years or fewer, this is a quick way to reduce your car insurance costs. 
10. (Tip: Couple this strategy with a vanishing deductible endorsement, and then you have a real winner!)
11. Your Credit (Insurance Score)
12. Your credit score (technically called an “insurance score”) strongly influences your auto insurance rates. There are ways to positively impact your credit score and, in time, your auto insurance rates. In a previous blog post, I wrote how to work to repair  your insurance score. See Ask Jeff blog post: How can I improve my auto insurance score here.

We can’t erase things that happened in the past. But we have some control over the things that will happen in the future, right? Some of the ideas above can immediately reduce your rates, while others can make a big difference -- over time -- going forward.