Online Trick To Lower Car Insurance: Does It Really Work?

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If you’ve shopped for car insurance recently, you’ve probably noticed that the prices are getting really, really high.

Even though car prices are going down, car insurance premiums are rising. According to CNN, car insurance rates are up 18.6% over the past year.

Theories behind why this is the case vary. Some say that things like tariffs and the rising cost of repairs may explain why rates are getting so pricey. Others around the globe say corporate greed could be playing a role in rising costs.

No matter why it’s happening, people are getting sick of it. That has led them to develop all sorts of methods to lower their premiums.

Now, a user on TikTok has shared her own method for lowering her insurance rate. But does it actually work?

How to Lower Your Car Insurance Renewal Rate

According to TikTok user @pettynpretty95, the secret to a lower car insurance rate is simply not accepting the new rate after 6 months.

Instead, the TikToker says that, toward the end of the 6-month window, one should log onto their insurer’s website—in her case, Progressive—and simply re-input all of their information for a new quote.

“Almost every single time, it’s $100 to $150 cheaper,” she says, adding that she has several friends who can attest to this.

In a follow-up video, she explains how one can actually do this.

First, she says that one should wait until they get an email saying their new policy is ready to sign, or that their policy is about to be renewed. At this point, they should go to their insurer’s website and input all of their information as though they were a new customer. The TikToker recommends keeping a document with your vehicle’s information and crash history to ease this process.

From there, one should receive a quote number. At this point, they should call their agent and inform them that they’d like to replace their policy with a new one, then provide them with the quote number.

The TikToker says that not only will this save you money on premiums, but it can also save you money by avoiding renewal fees. Plus, if the quoted rate is higher, one can simply keep their policy without accepting the new rate.

Does This Really Work?

While people’s success with this method may vary, it does appear that this method can lower your insurance premiums.

First, many outlets note that shopping around for car insurance can often lead to lower premiums. This is because insurers often advertise lower rates for new enrollees in order to entice them into signing up for a plan. While people usually discuss this method in terms of shopping for other insurers, it can also work by shopping with your same insurer, as the TikToker shows.

Second, while there can be some benefits for staying with the same insurer for a long time, this isn’t always the case. And sometimes, insurers will actively penalize you for not changing your plan. As noted by the Consumer Federation of America, if you stay with the same insurer, you run the risk of being “price optimized.” That means that your insurer might increase your price because they don’t believe you will change providers.

In order to combat this, one can shop around or, in the case of the TikToker, continue to get new policies with their current insurer.

Commenters Are Thrilled

In the comments section, many users claimed that this tip worked for them. Though others lamented that they had to do it in the first place.

“It auto ported my info and it was 131. I have been paying $280 a month,” wrote a user.

“I renew mine every month and it is always lowered automatically,” another Progressive customer stated.

A third added, “I do this every year too. But why is a ‘new customer’ policy cheaper than an existing customer? Ugh.”

BroBible reached out to Progressive via email and to @pettynpretty95 via TikTok direct message and comment.