No one in their right mind looks forward to paying for auto insurance, especially when they are paying too much.
Numerous car insurance companies battle for your hard-earned dollar, so it’s not easy to compare every provider to discover the definitive best rates possible.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you will be able to save some money using this strategy. Choosing the best insurance company for you in Kirksville is not rocket science. Although Missouri consumers need to have an understanding of the methods companies use to sell online.
Comprehensive Auto Insurance Comparison in Kirksville, Missouri
There are several ways of comparing price quotes and find the best price. The fastest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
- The fastest way to get quotes is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This form keeps you from doing repetitive form entry for each company. One form submission will return quotes instantly.
- A slightly less efficient method to compare prices is spending the time to visit each company website and complete a new quote form. For example, let’s say you want rates from Geico, Esurance and Travelers. To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is quicker.
For a handy list of car insurance company links in Kirksville, click here.
It’s up to you which method you use, but double check that you are using the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If the quotes have differing limits you will not be able to truly determine the lowest rate in Kirksville. Just a small difference in coverages may cause a big price difference. Just remember that getting more free quotes will increase your chances of finding a better price.
Is there truth in advertising?
Allstate, Geico and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. All the companies make the same claim of big savings after switching your coverage to them. How do they all say the same thing? It’s all in the numbers.
All the different companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer they prefer to insure. For example, a driver they prefer could be between 30 and 50, a clean driving record, and has a high credit rating. A customer who fits that profile gets the lowest rates and most likely will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Consumers who don’t measure up to the requirements will have to pay a more expensive rate and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads say “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save money. That is how insurance companies can advertise the savings. Because of the profiling, it is so important to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.
Components of your insurance rates
Smart consumers have a good feel for the factors that go into determining the rates you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with much lower annual insurance costs.
- Traffic violations increase rates – Just one citation can bump up the cost by as much as thirty percent. Drivers who don’t get tickets have lower premiums than bad drivers. Drivers who have serious citations like DUI or reckless driving may need to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with the DMV in their state in order to continue driving.
- An active claims history can cost you – Insurance companies in Missouri award discounts to insureds who file claims infrequently. If you file claims often, you can expect higher rates. Insurance coverage is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
- Where you live can impact rates – Choosing to live in a rural area has it’s advantages when it comes to auto insurance. Less people living in that area means reduced accidents and a lower car theft rate. Drivers in populated Missouri areas have to deal with congested traffic and longer commute times. More time on the road translates into higher accident risk.
- Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? – Some auto insurance companies provide better rates to policyholders who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can amount to ten or even up to twenty percent in some cases. Even if you’re getting this discount it’s still a good idea to shop around to ensure the best deal.
- Occupation reflects on rates – Did you know your auto insurance rates can be affected by your occupation? Careers like doctors, business owners and accountants have higher rates than average attributed to high stress and long work days. On the flip side, professions such as scientists, athletes and homemakers get better rates.
- Don’t let your coverage lapse – Driving without insurance is a misdemeanor and you will pay a penalty because you let your insurance lapse. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance can result in a steep fine or even jail time.Then you may be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Missouri DMV.
- Younger drivers pay higher rates – More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, statistically cause fewer accidents and get fewer tickets. Teen drivers tend to get distracted easily when driving therefore auto insurance rates are much higher.
Don’t overlook these discounts
Companies don’t always advertise every available discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down both well-publicized and the more hidden auto insurance savings.
- Military Discounts – Having a family member in the military may qualify for rate reductions.
- Multi-car Discount – Insuring more than one vehicle on one policy can get a discount on all vehicles.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a discount up to 10%.
- Defensive Driving Course – Taking part in a defensive driving course could cut 5% off your bill if your company offers it.
- No Claims – Claim-free drivers pay much less when compared to frequent claim filers.
- Own a Home – Simply owning a home can help you save on auto insurance due to the fact that maintaining a home requires personal responsibility.
- Fewer Miles Equal More Savings – Keeping the miles down could qualify for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
- Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once instead of monthly or quarterly installments you could save 5% or more.
Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply the the whole policy. Most only apply to specific coverage prices like comprehensive or collision. So when it seems like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.
To see a list of providers offering auto insurance discounts in Missouri, follow this link.
Is my situation unique?
When buying the best auto insurance coverage, there really is no one size fits all plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs so your insurance needs to address that. For instance, these questions may help highlight if your situation might need an agent’s assistance.
- I don’t drive much so do I pay less?
- Should I put collision coverage on all my vehicles?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- Do I have coverage when pulling a U-Haul trailer?
- What is the minimum liability in Missouri?
- When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
- What discounts do I qualify for?
If you’re not sure about those questions but one or more may apply to you, you might consider talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, simply complete this short form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area.
Smart consumers save more
When you buy insurance online, make sure you don’t reduce coverage to reduce premium. Too many times, an accident victim reduced liability limits or collision coverage only to regret at claim time they didn’t have enough coverage. The aim is to purchase a proper amount of coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.
In this article, we covered many tips how you can reduce auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the lowest rates come from some of the smallest insurance companies. These companies can often provide lower rates in certain areas than their larger competitors like Allstate and Progressive.
More tips and info about auto insurance can be read at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Missouri consumers can read industry bulletins, view agent and company licensing information, and find a variety of consumer forms.