As a driver, you know how important it is to have auto insurance. After all, without auto insurance, you are liable to pay out of pocket for damages you cause to another person's vehicle or property, as well as injuries that you may have caused in a wreck. On top of this, you will have no coverage for the damage that is done to your vehicle, which means you will need to be paying out of pocket for either a new car or the repairs that you current car needs. If you feel that auto insurance is too expensive and you aren't able to receive the coverage you actually need, you should consider these three little known ways to save money on  it:

Check Your Rate Every Year

Before renewing your current auto insurance policy hoping that you receive a better rate for being a loyal customer, you should check the rate with other companies. You may actually save more by switching insurance providers. However, before you switch to a cheaper provider, let your current insurance company know that you found a cheaper rate and they may match it or get your insurance policy rate with them even lower. This is the best way to ensure that you are not coughing up too much money on auto insurance every year.

Tell Your Insurance Company if Driving Habits Have Changed

If you are driving less often than you used to because of a change in your job location or because you have lost your job or retired, then let your insurance company know. When you tell them of the reduced number of miles that you are driving, it lets them know that you are at less of a risk for being involved in a car accident, which is going to save them money. You should also consider carpooling to work for this reason since this is going to cut the amount of miles you are putting on your own car every month.

Only Buy What You Need

When you purchase a new policy with an auto insurance company, they may recommend putting on some additional coverage that you don't actually need. If you have an older car, for example, you aren't going to need comprehensive coverage. This is because comprehensive coverage covers damage done to your vehicle in the case of theft, a tree falling down on your car, or flooding. In most cases, the cost to repair the car in these situations is going to cost as much as the car is worth, so you might as well purchase a new one instead of using comprehensive coverage to get the repairs. 

When you consider these three little known ways to save on your auto insurance, you can be sure that you are able to afford the right amount of coverage that you need. Contact a company like Coast Comp Insurance Agency for more information.