Because the initial steps in getting car insurance at a good price can be so frustrating, most people tend to ignore it once they have it. That could be costing them considerable sums of money each year.

While it's easy to mistake auto insurance as something that's a relatively fixed cost, it's not. It can be lowered -- often easily -- to help you save money, the Insurance Information Institute says. Your savings will vary greatly depending on your driving record, vehicle and location, but it could add up to hundreds of dollars per year.