There are many things that a driver can do to lower the risk of making a claim through basic maintenance.
Owning a car isn’t cheap, but the insurance industry has pointed out that there are a number of ways that the costs associated with vehicle ownership can be kept down to a more affordable level, as long as a bit of basic maintenance is kept up.
Many types of DIY activity can help a vehicle to run better and cheaper and lowers the risk of a collision.
As the insurance industry is always on the receiving end of claims with regards to various types of damage that can happen to a vehicle, it also has a wealth of information with regards to how some of those situations could have been avoided. They have released a number of lists of tips for drivers who want to take on a few simple maintenance practices to not only keep themselves safe and their vehicles in top working order, but also to reduce their risk of having to make an insurance claim, which can cause their premiums to rise if they claim too frequently.
The following are some of the tips that the insurance industry recommends to keep auto costs down.
• Keep your tires inflated – using a reliable digital tire pressure gauge on a monthly basis is all you need to make sure that your tires are properly inflated. This can save you a considerable amount of money in gas (up to hundreds of dollars per year, depending on your mileage), on the lifespan of your tires (proper inflation makes a tire last up to 25 percent longer), and can ensure that you have far greater control of your vehicle on the road (reducing the risk of collisions and claims).
• Top up your fluids – from oil changes to making sure that you have enough windshield washer fluid in your car, all of these substances are important to the function and safe use of your vehicle. Keeping them at proper levels is very easy to do and it makes sure that your car can operate as it was designed to.
• Replace your wiper blades – windshield wipers are absolutely essential when it’s rainy or snowy, foggy, or even when you’re splashed by something on the road. However, many drivers allow their wipers to get nicks and tears that reduce their effectiveness and make it difficult – or even impossible – to achieve a clear view of the road. Replacing wiper blades can be done for under $20 and is easy to do on your own in a very small amount of time. Once you’ve done it, it shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes to replace them both.