Feel like you’re a prisoner to an overpriced car insurance policy? Believe me, there are a lot of people in Ocean Springs just like you who feel imprisoned by their car insurance policy.
Because there are so many companies and agents to choose from, it can be impossible to find the best car insurance company.
It is always a good idea to do rate comparisons yearly because insurance rates are constantly changing. Even if you think you had the best deal a year ago there is a good chance you can find better rates now. So forget all the misinformation about car insurance because you’re about to learn one of the best ways to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.
Buying car insurance in Ocean Springs is quite easy. If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Although Mississippi drivers can benefit by having an understanding of how insurance companies determine prices and apply this information to your search.
Finding Car Insurance in Ocean Springs
The are a couple different ways to compare quotes from local in Ocean Springscar insurance companies. The simplest method to compare insurance prices involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be accomplished using a couple different methods.
- The fastest way to find low rates would be an industry-wide quote request form (click to open form in new window). This form keeps you from doing boring form submissions for every car insurance company. Filling out one form will get you price quotes .
- A less efficient way to get quotes online is spending the time to visit the website of each company and request a quote. For instance, let’s assume you want to compare Nationwide, Farmers and State Farm. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site and enter your information, which is why the first method is more popular.
For a list of links to insurance companies in Ocean Springs, click here.
However you get your quotes, make darn sure you compare identical deductibles and coverage limits for each price quote. If you enter different deductibles it’s not possible to determine the best price in Ocean Springs. Just a small difference in coverage limits can make a big difference in price. Keep in mind that getting more free quotes will improve the odds of getting the best offered rates.
These discounts can slash car insurance rates
Auto insurance companies don’t necessarily list every available discount very clearly, so here is a list some of the best known and also the lesser-known ways to save on car insurance.
- Save over 55 – Older drivers may qualify for better car insurance rates.
- New Vehicle Savings – Adding a new car to your policy is cheaper because new vehicles have to meet stringent safety requirements.
- Good Students Pay Less – Getting good grades can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up until you turn 25.
- Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to use their safety belts can save 10% or more on the medical payments or PIP coverage costs.
- Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Ocean Springs can save you money because owning a home is proof that your finances are in order.
- Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies allow you one accident without raising rates if your claims history is clear prior to the accident.
- Theft Prevention System – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems can help prevent theft and will save you 10% or more.
- Multiple Cars – Having all your vehicles on one policy could earn a price break for each car.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes can avoid accidents and will save you 10% or more.
- Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of paying each month you may reduce your total bill.
Drivers should understand that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So when it seems like you could get a free car insurance policy, car insurance companies aren’t that generous.
To see a list of providers offering car insurance discounts in Mississippi, click this link.
Decisions you make can impact your rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for the rating factors that go into determining the rates you pay for car insurance. Understanding what controls the rates you pay enables informed choices that could result in lower car insurance prices.
Listed below are a few of the “ingredients” car insurance companies consider when setting premiums.
- Being married is a good thing – Having a spouse helps lower the price on car insurance. Marriage is viewed as being more responsible it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
- Clean credit earns discounts – A driver’s credit score is a important factor in determining what you pay for car insurance. If your credit rating is lower than you’d like, you could pay less to insure your by improving your credit score. Drivers who have high credit scores tend to be better drivers and file fewer claims than drivers who have poor credit.
- Women pay lower rates – The statistics show women tend to be less risk to insure than men. However, don’t assume that men are WORSE drivers than women. Women and men have accidents at about the same rate, but men cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also have more aggressive citations such as reckless driving.
- Mature drivers pay less – Teen drivers in Mississippi are statistically proven to be less responsible when driving so they pay higher car insurance rates. Parents adding a young driver to your car insurance policy can be quite pricey. More mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
- Add-on coverages can add up – There are quite a few extra bells and whistles you can purchase on your car insurance policy. Insurance for roadside assistance, better glass coverage and term life insurance are examples of these. These may sound like a good investment initially, but if they’re wasting money eliminate the coverages to reduce your premium.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Most car insurance companies give discounts to people who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you’re getting this discount you still need to shop around to ensure the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by insuring with multiple companies.
- Protect yourself with liability coverage – Liability coverage will protect you in the event that a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. It provides you with a defense in court which can be incredibly expensive. Liability is cheap when compared with rates for comp and collision, so do not cut corners here.
When might I need the advice of an agent?
When choosing coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn’t really a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions can help discover if your insurance needs would benefit from an agent’s advice.
- Can I pay claims out-of-pocket if I buy high deductibles?
- How do I file an SR-22 for a DUI in Mississippi?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Should I buy more coverage than the required Mississippi minimum liability coverage?
- Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
- Does my liability insurance cover pulling a trailer or camper?
- Does coverage extend to a rental car in a foreign country?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- Are my friends covered when driving my vehicle?
- What can I do if my company denied a claim?
If you can’t answer these questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Additional detailed information is available at the Mississippi Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to read industry bulletins, learn about insurance regulations, read state legal mandates and laws, and read consumer alerts.
Also read more on NAIC.org’s Understanding your Policy and CarInsuranceDIY.com.
Can switching companies really save?
Car insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate and Geico regularly use ads on TV and radio. They all seem to say the same thing of big savings if you move to their company. But how can every company make the same claim? It’s all in the numbers.
All companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as over the age of 50, has no driving citations, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. Any new insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when they switch companies.
Consumers who don’t meet the “perfect” profile must pay a more expensive rate which leads to the customer not buying. The ads say “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much. That is how companies can advertise the savings. This illustrates why drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.
One last thing
As you prepare to switch companies, you should never skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability coverage limits and found out when filing a claim that it was a big mistake. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage for the lowest price.
We just covered a lot of ways to lower your car insurance rates. The key concept to understand is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may even discover the lowest priced car insurance comes from the least-expected company. These smaller insurers may have significantly lower rates on certain market segments than their larger competitors like Progressive or Geico.