Depending on where you live, what kind of property you own and what type of vehicle you drive, insurance premiums can be a costly expense.

But there are ways to reduce those costs, and sometimes all it takes is a phone call to your insurance agent. Here are 10 tips on how to save money on insurance:

YOUR VEHICLE

Your car’s safety features

If your vehicle has modern safety features, such as a lane departure warning system and blind spot detection, some insurance providers may give you a discount.

The type of car you drive also matters. Each vehicle make and model is rated differently by insurance companies, based on safety features and theft rates.

Your driving habits

A number of insurers offer their clients the option to use telematics technology, which tracks driving habits such as speed, braking patterns and distance travelled.

Those who demonstrate good driving habits can be rewarded with lower insurance premiums. At Allstate Insurance that discount can be up to 30 per cent, said Greg Bergeron, Allstate’s Ottawa-area agency manager.

Some insurance providers also offer low-mileage discounts to clients who don’t drive their cars very far or often.

Drop collision coverage on older vehicles

If your vehicle is more than 10 years old and of low value, consider dropping collision coverage.

“That can save you a few hundred bucks easy,” Bergeron told CTVNews.ca in a phone interview from Ottawa.

“This may seem like a common thing, but a lot of people don’t think about it.”

The general advice from most insurance experts is to drop collision and comprehensive coverage when repairs to older vehicles no longer make financial sense.

Parking spot

Regularly parking your car in a driveway or a garage instead of on the street or in a lot will also save you some money, since there’s less chance that someone will hit it.

Winter tires

“We definitely reward individuals who have winter tires and it’s proven that people with winter tires have less frequency of accidents,” Bergeron said.

Many other insurance providers also offer winter tire discounts. At CAA, for example, that discount is five per cent.

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