Protecting Your Car without a Garage

Your insurance company will consider several factors when setting your car insurance rates. Your driving record, zip code and how many miles you drive each day are important factors but so is how you protect your car.

Simply put, your insurance carrier will charge you fewer dollars if you can somehow protect your car from thieves and hit-and-run accidents.

Your challenge, though, is a tough one. How can you do this if you don't have a garage? And, how can you convince your insurance carrier that you really are protecting your auto even if you don't store it in a safe garage every night?

The good news? Protection doesn't just come from a garage.

First, there's location. Your car will be safer from criminals and hit-and-run drivers if you park it every night on either a quiet side street or a driveway. This will keep you car out of the path of most other drivers. And, it will keep your auto out of the sights of many thieves.

If you want additional protection from auto burglaries, invest in a car alarm. Insurance companies love these alarms as just the indication that your car is protected will deter some thieves who'd rather pick an easier target.

From your insurance company's point of view, the worst place for you to park your car is on a busy or well-traveled street in a neighborhood whose zip code registers as a high-crime one. Cars parked here have a far higher risk of getting sideswept from speeding drivers or becoming a target of auto thieves. And, if you really want to see your auto insurance rates rise, park in this manner and don't purchase an alarm system. Then insurance companies will see your auto completely unprotected.

Parking in a garage in a safe neighborhood is your best option as far as insurance rates go. But, if you don't have access to a garage, go for the next best options available. It'll be your best bet for avoiding sky-high insurance rates.