Before we go any farther in this article let me say this-most car insurance agents are good guys. They want to help you get the coverage you need at a price you can afford to keep your car safe and protected when you're out on the road. They want to make a sale too, however, and they want to keep their company's profits in the black so they can keep their jobs! You can't blame them for that. You should know that going in, however, so you can recognize what it is they're not telling you when it comes to saving money on your insurance.
 
First and foremost, it's important to recognize that not all car insurance companies are created equal. They all have their own policies when it comes to discounts and saving money on your coverage, which means something that can save you 20% or more with one company might not even make a scratch in your premiums with another one. No self respecting car insurance agent is every going to admit that you might be able to get a better deal someplace else, however, so it pays to shop around before you decide to sign on the dotted line. 

Next, you need to recognize that while minimum liability car insurance is almost never enough to keep your financial assets safe after you've been in an accident (most experts recommend you carry a minimum of $100,000 and $300,000 in bodily injury liability and $100,000 in property damage, just in case), it isn't always necessary to walk around carrying full coverage either. Unless you have a lien on your car (in which case your lender is going to be a mite bit twitchy about making sure their investment is covered) you're not required to carry either collision or comprehensive. 

If your car is worth less than $2,000 you may find that it's easier to just tuck a little bit away every month in a savings account for a down payment on a new car than it is to pay for full coverage every month knowing you're only going to get back a fraction of what you paid for the car in the first place if your car insurance company does cut you a check.
 
Sometimes it's easier to just pay for the repairs to your car (and any other vehicles involved in the accident) yourself than to involve your insurance company. You can expect your car insurance rates to fly up as much as 40% after you've been in an accident, and chances are that's a 40% you really don't want to pay. If the cost of the repairs is within your means it might be better to "forget" you have car insurance at all.
 
In your head, that is. Lying to other drivers almost never ends well.
 
Congratulations! Now you're ready to go shopping and find the coverage you deserve at a price you can afford.