Car insurance costs are pretty brutal at the moment — they’re up more than 22% since this time last year. There’s plenty you can do to lower your bill, but some of the best advice out there still requires a certain amount of upfront cash. For example, paying your annual premium all in one go could eliminate the extra fees some insurers charge customers for paying month by month. But that may not be an option if your budget is tight and your premium has surged. Insurers have been playing catch-up since the pandemic, said Stephen Crewdson, senior director of insurance intelligence at J.D. Power. They were late to raise rates when auto prices were ticking up, and now their hikes are setting in even as vehicle prices cool. Nearly 14% of consumers reported shopping for new insurance last month, a recent J.D. Power survey found — the highest monthly…
