Arizona auto insurance rates can be as diverse as the landscape driving from Show Low to Bisbee: there are factors that affect their appearance around every turn. Understanding the dynamics that shape your insurance premium is the first step to finding savings.

Custom-Made Rates
Insurance companies use a whole host of information to determine your auto insurance premium. A 42-year-old married man with a clean driving record and average credit score who lives in Phoenix can pay anywhere from $585 to $4,216 for his six-month premium. If that same man lives in Yuma, he could pay between $570 and $3,313, and in Flagstaff $485 to $3,841. That's quite a discrepancy. The type of policy you require; the make and model of your vehicle; how often you drive, and where you drive can affect your placement in these ranges. To ensure your Arizona auto insurance rates stay on the lower end, ask your agent if you qualify for any discounts.

Take a Load Off
Get on board the Metro Valley bus and fatten up your piggy bank. A 2007 Arizona Department of Insurance report found that 36 out of 75 Arizona auto insurance providers gave discounts on six-month insurance premiums to policyholders who live in certain urban areas and reduced their driving by riding the bus frequently. You'll help reduce greenhouse gases and reap savings on gas and car maintenance simply by taking the bus. Arizonans could reap the same benefits from carpooling, riding the light rail, or using other means of transportation.

A Hot Tip
Bigger cities get the brunt of motor vehicle thefts. For instance, the Tucson, Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, and Yuma Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs) were Arizona's top three hot spots for vehicle thefts in 2009, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). To protect your vehicle and lower your Arizona auto insurance rates, equip your car with anti-theft devices like an audible alarm, immobilizing device or tracking device. A tracking device is an ideal solution to assist in locating your vehicle in the event it is stolen. To boot, it could help police nab the culprit who took it. The good news is vehicle thefts are trending downward. The NICB reported that 2009 marked the nation's sixth consecutive year of declining vehicle thefts in the United States. Of the 366 MSAs surveyed, 306 reported fewer thefts in 2009 than in 2008. However, the 15,221 motor vehicle thefts reported in Phoenix in 2008 by the FBI Crime in the United States report is encouragement enough to protect your vehicle from predators.

The Sunny Side to Insurance
In this economy, you can ill afford to spend frivolously. Finding ways to save money on Arizona auto insurance is as simple as entering your zip code and filling out an easy form on LocalInsurance.com. Representatives can take the heat off you by doing the shopping for high-quality cost-effective Arizona auto insurance rates. So, grab your sunblock and a bottle of water and take a hike up Piestewa Peak (or Squaw Peak, depending on your stance) while this free service works for you.

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