Online price comparisons for is challenging since most people haven’t used quoting online. But don’t throw in the towel because finding better rates is easier than you think.
If you have insurance now or need a new policy, you can use these tips to reduce the price you pay and possibly find even better coverage. Finding cheaper protection in Smithville is easy if you know what you’re doing. Missouri drivers only need to know the most effective way to compare rates on the web.
Discounts can really help to save
The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there’s a good chance there are discounts that could drop your premiums quite a bit. Certain credits will be shown at quote time, but some may not be applied and must be inquired about prior to getting the savings.
- Drivers Education – It’s a good idea to have your young drivers enroll and complete driver’s education in school.
- Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Professional Memberships – Being in a civic or occupational organization in Smithville could qualify you for a break on your policy.
- Data Collection Discounts – Smithville drivers who agree to allow their company to track when and where they use their vehicle by using a telematics device in their vehicle like In-Drive from State Farm and Progressive’s Snapshot could save a few bucks if their driving habits are good.
- Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for switching companies before your current expiration date. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Military Deployment Discount – Being on active duty in the military can result in better prices.
- Include Life Insurance and Save – Select companies reward you with a discounted auto insurance rate on car insurance if you buy a life insurance policy as well.
- Cautious Drivers – Drivers without accidents can save as much as half off their rates compared to accident prone drivers.
Discounts reduce rates, but you should keep in mind that most credits do not apply to the entire cost. The majority will only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, companies wouldn’t make money that way. But any discount will help lower the amount you have to pay.
If you would like to view insurance companies who offer discounts in Missouri, follow this link.
The majority of larger companies such as Allstate, Geico and Progressive give prices online. Doing online price comparisons can be done by anyone as you simply enter into the quote form. Behind the scenes, the system gets your driving and credit reports and gives you a price quote based on these factors.
Online price quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but the time required to go to several different sites and complete many quote forms can get tiresome after awhile. Unfortunately, it is important to perform this step if you want to get the best price on auto insurance.
Compare rates the easy way
The smarter way to compare rates makes use of a single form to obtain quotes from a lot of companies. It saves time, reduces the work, and makes price shopping online much more enjoyable and efficient. As soon as the form is sent, your coverage is rated and you can choose any one of the resulting price quotes. If one or more price quotes are lower than your current rates, you can simply submit the application and buy the new coverage. This process only takes a few minutes and may result in a nice savings.
To quickly use this form to compare rates, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. To compare your current rates, we recommend you complete the form with your coverages exactly as they are listed on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will receive rate comparison quotes for the exact same coverage.
Get rate quotes but buy from a neighborhood Smithville auto insurance agent
Some consumers just prefer to sit down and talk to an agent. Experienced insurance agents will help you protect your assets and will help you if you have claims. One of the best bonuses of comparing auto insurance online is the fact that you can find lower prices and still have a local agent.
Upon completion of this short form, your coverage information is transmitted to local insurance agents who will return price quotes for your insurance coverage. You won’t need to leave your computer due to the fact that quote results will go to the email address you provide. If you have a need to get a comparison quote from a specific auto insurance provider, feel free to search and find their rate quote page and fill out the quote form the provide.
Choosing an insurance company shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:
- Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
- Does the agent recommend any additional coverage?
- Is every driver in your family covered?
- Are you getting all the discounts the company offers?
- Are they actively involved in the community?
- Is there a 24/7 contact number?
- Will a damage claim use OEM or aftermarket replacement parts?
If you are wanting to find a reliable agent, it’s helpful to know the types of agencies that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Auto insurance agencies can be classified as either independent or captive. Either type can sell auto insurance policies, but it’s important to point out the difference between them because it can influence which type of agent you select.
Captive Insurance Agencies
Agents that elect to be captive have only one company to place business with and examples are State Farm, AAA, and Liberty Mutual. Captive agents cannot provide prices from multiple companies so keep that in mind. Captive agents receive a lot of sales training on their products and sales techniques and that enables them to sell even at higher rates. Some people will only use the same captive agent mostly because of the brand and strong financial ratings.
Below is a list of captive insurance agencies in Smithville that can give you price quote information.
- American Family Insurance – 201 W Main St – Smithville, MO 64089 – (816) 532-0505
- State Farm Insurance – 1601 S Us Highway 169 # G – Smithville, MO 64089 – (816) 532-2400
- Allstate Insurance Co – 507 S Us Highway 169 – Smithville, MO 64089 – (816) 532-0699
Independent Agents (or Brokers)
Agents that elect to be independent are appointed with more than one company and that enables them to quote your coverage amongst many companies depending on which coverage is best. If prices rise, they simply switch companies in-house and that require little work on your part.
If you need lower rates, we highly recommend that you compare prices from a couple of independent agencies to have the most options to choose from. A lot of them also have access to small mutual carriers who may have lower rates.
Below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Smithville that can give you price quote information.
- R L Van Winkle Insurance – 1304 S Us Highway 169 – Smithville, MO 64089 – (816) 532-0627
- Bill Hillix Insurance – 104 N Bridge St – Smithville, MO 64089 – (816) 532-0909
For more auto insurance agents in Smithville, visit this list of Smithville Missouri insurance agents.
Auto insurance coverages and their meanings
Knowing the specifics of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing appropriate coverage and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be confusing and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.
Liability coverages – This coverage can cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 which stand for $25,000 bodily injury coverage, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability can pay for claims like structural damage, funeral expenses and medical services. How much liability should you purchase? That is a personal decision, but consider buying higher limits if possible. Missouri state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should think about purchasing better liability coverage.
Medical expense insurance – Coverage for medical payments and/or PIP provide coverage for immediate expenses such as prosthetic devices, ambulance fees, pain medications and X-ray expenses. The coverages can be utilized in addition to your health insurance policy or if there is no health insurance coverage. They cover you and your occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Protection from uninsured/underinsured drivers – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage provides protection when the “other guys” either have no liability insurance or not enough. This coverage pays for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants and also any damage incurred to your vehicle.
Due to the fact that many Missouri drivers carry very low liability coverage limits (25/50/10 in Missouri), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. So UM/UIM coverage should not be overlooked.
Collision coverages – This coverage will pay to fix damage to your vehicle caused by collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be paid by your insurance company.
Collision coverage protects against things such as sideswiping another vehicle, hitting a parking meter and colliding with another moving vehicle. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so consider dropping it from older vehicles. Another option is to bump up the deductible to bring the cost down.
Comprehensive (Other than Collision) – This coverage will pay to fix damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first have to pay a deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive coverage protects against claims like theft, hail damage, a broken windshield, rock chips in glass and a tree branch falling on your vehicle. The maximum amount you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle is not worth much it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.
Final considerations
When buying insurance coverage, it’s not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many instances, drivers have reduced full coverage to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. Your aim should be to find the BEST coverage at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.
Insureds leave their current company for any number of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests or even high rates after DUI convictions. No matter why you want to switch, switching auto insurance companies is less work than it seems.
Lower-priced auto insurance can be found from both online companies as well as from insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best rate selection. Some insurance companies may not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through independent agencies.
Online resources for education
Even more information is available at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Missouri drivers can learn about specific coverages, download brochures, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.