Car Insurance

“Many service members don’t know that they might qualify for reduced or suspended auto insurance payments, if no one is driving their car,” advises Denny. “The rules depend on the state and on the insurance company.”

Handling car insurance payments is important, but may be overlooked by military staff dealing with so many deployment issues, he says. Whether the payments are made on time and consistently, or if an insured is dropped due to non-payment of premiums, can have an effect on future insurability and on the cost of future auto insurance policies.

Here are four steps for U.S. service members to use to make sure their coverage is secure and that they’re paying the lowest rates:

1. Check with your agent and state insurance department to find out whether state laws allow your auto coverage to be reduced or suspended while deployed on active duty.

2. Consider whether you can change your policy to lower limits or less coverage if the car will not be driven while you are deployed. Insuring the car for the absolute minimum may be the best option for continuous coverage at the best rates.

3. Set up a payment plan with your carrier so auto insurance payments will be made automatically, deducted from your bank account. This should avoid the situation of being dropped for non-payment.

4. Ask your insurance company for special discounts or coverage rules for members of the military. If they do not offer anything, shop around for a company that is more responsive to your needs. When revising your policy, use a comparison shopping Web site like www.AutoInsurancePlanners.com to get the most choices and best car insurance rates.