Having to pay for overpriced car insurance can overdraw your savings account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to lower your monthly bill.
You have multiple auto insurance companies to pick from, and even though it’s nice to have a selection, so many choices can make it hard to compare rates and find the lowest cost car insurance.
Smart consumers take time to get comparison quotes every six months due to the fact that insurance rates tend to go up over time. If you had the best rates a few years ago there may be better deals available now. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because I’m going to let you in on the secrets to the tricks you need to know to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.
Choosing the best insurance company for you in Springfield is not rocket science. Basically, every driver who shops for car insurance will most likely be able to cut their insurance bill. But Missouri consumers can benefit from knowing the way companies sell insurance online.
How to Lower Your Car Insurance Cost in Springfield
All the larger car insurance companies like Allstate and Progressive allow you to get prices for coverage online. The process doesn’t take much effort as you just type in your coverage preferences as requested by the quote form. When complete, their system pulls your driving and credit reports and returns pricing information. This helps simplify price comparisons, but the work required to visit many different websites and fill out multiple forms can be a bit repetitive. But it is imperative to have as many quotes as possible in order to get better car insurance pricing.
Quote rates the easy way
A more efficient way to lower your car insurance bill uses one simple form that obtains quotes from a lot of companies. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes price shopping online much more enjoyable. Immediately after submitting the form, it is rated with multiple companies and you can pick your choice of the quotes returned. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, it’s easy to complete the application and purchase coverage. The entire process just takes a couple of minutes and may save quite a bit of money.
To find out how much you can save on car insurance, click here and submit your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with the insurance coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will have comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.
Be sure to get all your discounts
Car insurance companies don’t always list every discount very clearly, so we took the time to find some of the best known as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving.
- Life Insurance – Larger companies have better rates if you take out a life insurance policy as well.
- No Claims – Drivers who don’t have accidents pay less compared to drivers who are more careless.
- Federal Employees – Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
- Seat Belts Save – Requiring all passengers to use a seat belt could cut 10% or more off your medical payments premium.
- Senior Discount – Older drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
- Accident Forgiveness – Some insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven’t had any claims for a set time period.
- Theft Prevention Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Discount for Swiching Early – Select companies give a discount for switching policies before your current policy expires. The savings is around 10%.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
As a disclaimer on discounts, most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. So when the math indicates having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky.
For a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Springfield, click here.
Many Things Influence your Rates
An important part of buying insurance is that you know the rating factors that come into play when calculating car insurance rates. Understanding what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Most companies provide better rates to customers who consolidate policies with them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount you may still want to compare rates to verify if the discount is saving money.
- Your car’s features help determine rates – Choosing a vehicle with a theft deterrent system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft devices like vehicle immobilizer systems, General Motors OnStar and LoJack tracking systems can thwart auto theft.
- High numbers of claims are not good – Insurance companies in Missouri generally give cheaper rates to policyholders who do not rely on their insurance for small claims. If you file claims often, you can expect higher rates. Auto insurance is intended to be relied upon for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
- Teen drivers pay high rates – Young drivers in Missouri are statistically proven to be careless and easily distracted behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Parents adding a teenage driver onto your car insurance can break the bank. Older drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
- Lower deductibles cost more – Physical damage deductibles define the amount you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, covers damage that occurs to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply are running into the backend of another car, damage caused by hail, and rolling your vehicle. The more money you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the less your car insurance will be.
Price shop online but buy from a local Springfield agent
Some people would prefer to buy from a local agent. One of the best bonuses of comparing insurance prices online is the fact that you can find better rates but still work with a licensed agent.
After filling out this short form, your coverage information is submitted to participating agents in Springfield who will give you bids to get your business. You don’t have to leave your computer as quotes are delivered directly to your email. How cool is that?! You can find the lowest rates AND an agent nearby.
Picking an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. These are valid questions to ask:
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- If your car is totalled, how to they determine the replacement cost?
- Can they give you a list of client referrals?
- Which company do they place the most coverage with?
- Do they assist clients in filing claims?
- Will vehicle repairs be made with aftermarket parts or OEM replacement parts?
- Are there any hidden costs in their price quote and does it include driving and credit history?
Shown below is a short list of insurance companies in Springfield that may be able to provide price quotes.
Agency Services – 1904 E Meadowmere St, Springfield, MO 65804 – (417) 865-2230
Farm Bureau Insurance – 2032 E Kearney St, Springfield, MO 65803 – (417) 881-4917
Allstate Insurance – 1636 S Glenstone Ave # 12, Springfield, MO 65804 – (417) 881-3883
B & B Insurance – 2161 S Pin Oak Dr, Springfield, MO 65809 – (417) 882-3090
State Farm Insurance – 4150 S Fairview Ave, Springfield, MO 65807 – (417) 889-5264
Shelter Insurance – 1700 E Saint Louis St # A, Springfield, MO 65802 – (417) 862-6669
Farmers Insurance Group – 2005 E Kearney St # M, Springfield, MO 65803 – (417) 862-1711
Liberty Mutual Insurance – 3556 S Culpepper Cir # 1, Springfield, MO 65804 – (417) 882-4222
After getting positive feedback to your questions in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found a company that will properly service your car insurance policy.
Even more information can be found at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Visitors are able to download brochures, get help finding coverage, view a list of available companies, and learn about specific coverages.
Online plus local equals savings
When buying insurance coverage, it’s a bad idea to skimp on critical coverages to save a buck or two. In too many instances, an insured dropped uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. The proper strategy is to buy enough coverage for the lowest price, not the least amount of coverage.
Budget-conscious car insurance is definitely available both online and also from your neighborhood Springfield agents, so you should be comparing quotes from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and these small, regional companies work with independent agents.