Why it pays to reshop your insurance policy each year Kiplinger's Personal Finance: Why it pays to shop for insurance each year

Kiplinger's Personal Finance

The talking lizard from Geico and perky Flo from Progressive claim that switching insurance companies and bundling policies can save you money. And that's generally true: Shopping around for a new homeowners or auto insurance policy may save you hundreds of dollars.

And if you bundle your policies with one insurer, your savings could increase even more.

Bundlers are likely to save 17% on insurance premiums, on average, or $730 a year, according to Ashlee Tilford, managing editor at Insurance.com, an insurance shopping and comparison website. In some cases, bundling could cut your premiums by up to 35%.

However, inertia prevents many consumers from taking advantage of these potential discounts. Roughly one-third of individuals with home or auto insurance haven't reshopped their policy for better coverage and lower premiums, according to insurance comparison website Policygenius.

And while loyalty may get you some brownie points with your insurer, those points may not be worth much money.

"It's the loyal customers who get clobbered most of the time," said Bob Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America, an advocacy group. "They get a 5% or 10% discount for being loyal, but over time, their premium has gone up maybe 25% to 30% because they don't shop."

In industry terms, identifying customers who are unlikely to shop around and charging them higher rates is called price optimization, and it's currently banned in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

To know that you're getting the best price - and avoiding price optimization - experts suggest you reshop your policy at least once a year. Even if you aren't affected by price optimization, companies weigh risk factors differently, resulting in different prices.

Almost all of the largest companies, including Allstate, Geico, Progressive and State Farm, offer a bundled product.

But you should also look at rates offered by companies that operate only in your state or region, or those that deal with a specialized group of people. Auto-Owners, based in Lansing, Mich., for example, operates in 25 states with a concentration mostly in the Midwest and South. Erie Insurance, based in Erie, Pa., operates in 12 states and the District of Columbia.

In addition to saving you money, bundling makes your financial life more convenient.

You'll deal with just one company, and possibly one agent, if you need to make a claim for both your car and home because, for example, a bad storm damages your roof and breaks your car windows or a large tree falls on your garage. Plus, your renewal periods and billing statements will be streamlined.

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