On average, full coverage car insurance in the U.S. costs about $2,680 a year (that's $223 a month.) But for minimum coverage, that average drops to around $802 a year ($67 a month), according to Bankrate.
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Keep in mind, those are just averages. Your premiums could be a lot lower (or higher) depending on where you live, what you drive, your driving history, and more.
So how do you know if you're overpaying? Here's what to know and how to check.
I'll go first. My full coverage premium right now is $1,047 per year. I live in California, have an excellent credit score, drive a minivan (dad mode), and only drive about 6,000 miles a year.
I pay less than half the national average for car insurance. But it didn't happen by accident. I keep a clean driving record and credit profile, and I shop around rates pretty often.
And trust me -- shopping around once in a while really pays off. Here's a free tool to compare rates from the top insurance companies.
You could save hundreds, just by checking what's out there.
There's a long list of factors that impact your auto insurance premium. Some of them you can control, and others you can't.
Here are the big ones insurers look at:
I know, that's a lot to keep track of. But understanding the dials you can turn gives you the best shot at lowering your rate.
Consumer Reports recently found that 30% of car owners switched insurers in the last five years, and the median savings for those who did was $461 per year.
Here's the thing, though: You can't just sit around and wait for a discount.
If you want a lower premium, you've got to ask for it. And the only way to save is by shopping around and getting new quotes.
Personally, I shop around at least once a year. More often than not, I confirm that I already have the best deal for me. And it makes me feel good knowing I'm not overpaying.
But then there are times when I save a bunch of money for the exact same policy!
Bottom line: Don't wait for your renewal date. Check out this free tool to compare rates from the top insurance companies. It only takes a few minutes, and you could save hundreds!
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Radio signal broadcasts have their usefulness, but they eventually end (except, perhaps, for SETI). Every so often, we mark the public end of a once-essential wavelength, such as 3G cellular, analog television, or the Canadian time check. One of the most weirdly useful signals will soon end in the United Kingdom, with notable consequences if its transition is not properly handled.
Beginning in the early 1980s, UK homes could have electrical meters installed with a radio teleswitch attached. These switches listened for a 198 kHz signal from the BBC's Radio 4 Long Wave service, primarily broadcast from the powerful Droitwich Transmitting Station. These switches listened to 30 messages per minute, waiting for a certain 50-bit data packet to arrive that signaled that electricity was now at cheaper, off-peak rates ("tariffs" in the UK).
With this over-the-air notice, homes that bought into Economy 7 or Economy 10 (7 or 10 hours of reduced-price power) could make use of ceramic-stuffed storage heaters that stayed warm into the day, prepare hot water heaters, and otherwise make use of off-peak power. How the electrical companies, BBC, and meters worked together is fascinating in its own right and documented in a recent video by Ringway Manchester (which we first saw at Hackaday).
© Richard Harvey (Public domain)
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