The Internet has created increasing competition between car insurance companies. It is easier than ever for consumers to shop for low auto insurance rates, to analyze coverage and compare premiums. Still, studies have shown that people don't shop around for insurance in the same way they might shop for a new car. Also, people tend to stay with the same auto insurance company for years. Why not prove these studies wrong? Put the power of the Net to work for you and save money in the process.

You can save on auto insurance in five ways:

1. Make sure you get all discounts you qualify for
2. Keep your driver's record clean and up-to-date
3. Adjust your coverage to assume more risk
4. Drive a "low profile" car equipped with certain money-saving safety features
5. Shop around for a good, low cost insurance provider

First, let's look at the discounts you might qualify for. Discounts fall into a number of categories:

1. Low-risk occupations
2. Professional organizations
3. Combined coverage
4. Discounts for safety features
5. More risk assumed by driver
6. Discounts for senior citizens

As a final note, if you are being strangled by high insurance costs, keep this in mind when you go car shopping next time. The more expensive and higher-performance the car is, the higher the premium will be. This is particularly true of cars that are frequently stolen, or are expensive to repair. The insurance company keeps this in mind when setting its insurance rates for this vehicle. Shop for a low-profile car and get your kicks in other ways. You'll love the savings you'll see on your auto insurance.