I can’t think of anyone who enjoys paying for auto insurance, in particular when their premiums are too high.
Because there are so many online and local companies to choose from, it can be hard to locate the best car insurance company.
It is always a good idea to get comparison quotes periodically due to the fact that insurance rates change regularly. Just because you found the lowest price six months ago you can probably find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about auto insurance because you’re about to learn the right way to save money, get proper deductibles and limits, all at the lowest rate.
How to Lower Your Auto Insurance Cost in Prairie Village, KS
The are a couple different ways to compare rate quotes and find the best price. By far the easiest way to find the cheapest insurance rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be accomplished in several different ways.
- The fastest way to get the best comparison quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do separate quote forms to each individual auto insurance company. Filling out one form will get you price quotes from multiple companies.
- A different way to obtain and compare quotes online is going to each individual company website to request a price quote. For instance, let’s assume you want rates from USAA, 21st Century and Progressive. To get rate quotes you would need to spend time on each company’s site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is more popular. To view a list of companies in Prairie Village, click here.
- The least efficient method of comparing rate quotes is driving to different Prairie Village agent offices. The internet eliminates the need for an insurance agent unless you have a need for the personal advice of a licensed agent. It is possible to obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we’ll talk about that later.
However you get your quotes, make absolute certain that you use apples-to-apples coverage information with each company. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles it’s impossible to decipher which rate is best in Prairie Village. Quoting even small variations in coverage limits can make a big difference in price. And when price shopping your coverage, quoting more will enable you to find a lower rate.
Be sure to get all your discounts
Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that many people don’t even know exist. A few discounts will automatically apply at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be specifically requested before being credited.
- Anti-lock Brake Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles can avoid accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Anti-theft Discount – Vehicles equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems help deter theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Paperless Signup – Some insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up digitally online.
- Safe Drivers – Insureds without accidents can pay as much as 50% less than drivers with accident claims.
Consumers should know that most credits do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as collision or personal injury protection. So despite the fact that it appears it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way. But all discounts will help reduce the amount you have to pay.
Neighborhood insurance agents
Certain consumers would prefer to talk to a local agent and that is OK! One of the best bonuses of getting online price quotes is you can get lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And supporting local agencies is especially important in Prairie Village.
To make it easy to find an agent, after completing this simple form, the coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Prairie Village who will compete for your business. You won’t need to drive around because quoted prices will be sent immediately to your email address. You can find better rates and a licensed agent to work with.
Insurance agents in Prairie Village come in two varieties
When looking for a good Prairie Village insurance agent, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Prairie Village are either captive or independent.
Independent Insurance Agents
Independent agencies are not locked into one company but rather can write business amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparing rates, it’s recommended you include price quotes from at a minimum one independent agency to ensure the widest selection of prices.
The following is a list of independent insurance agents in Prairie Village that can give you rate quotes.
Gerber Insurance Group – 5200 W 94th Ter # 110 – Prairie Village, KS 66207 – (913) 649-7800
Mid America National Agency – 7501 Nall Ave # 2 – Prairie Village, KS 66208 – (913) 381-7305
Michele D Brogan Insurance Inc – 4200 Somerset Dr – Prairie Village, KS 66208 – (913) 383-9330
Captive Insurance Agents
Captive insurance agents can only write with one company such as AAA, Allstate and State Farm. They generally cannot place coverage with different providers so they have no alternatives for high prices. They are trained well on their products and sales techniques which helps them compete with independent agents.
Listed below is a short list of captive insurance agents in Prairie Village that are able to give price quotes.
State Farm Insurance – 5100 W 95th St # 214 – Prairie Village, KS 66207 – (913) 383-2666
Allstate Insurance – 7830 State Line Rd # 210 – Prairie Village, KS 66208 – (913) 648-8913
To view a full list of auto insurance agents in Prairie Village, visit this site.
Picking an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just a low price. Any agent should have no problem answering these questions:
- How much will you save each year by using a higher deductible?
- Is vehicle mileage a factor when determining depreciation for repairs?
- Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
- Is the agent and/or agency licensed to do business in Kansas?
- Do they have any clout with companies to ensure a fair claim settlement?
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- What is the agency’s Better Business Bureau rating?
Upon getting positive feedback to any questions you have in addition to an acceptable price estimate, you have narrowed it down to an insurance agent that can provide auto insurance coverage. Keep in mind policyholders can cancel your policy whenever you wish so don’t feel that you are obligated to any particular company for the full term.
Don’t believe everything you hear
21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use television and radio advertisements. All the companies say the same thing that you can save if you move to them. But how can every company claim to save you money? It’s all in the numbers.
Insurance companies have a certain “appetite” for the type of driver that makes them money. For example, a desirable insured might be profiled as over the age of 40, has no prior claims, and has great credit. Any driver who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and is almost guaranteed to pay quite a bit less when switching companies.
Potential insureds who are not a match for the “perfect” profile will have to pay higher rates and ends up with business not being written. The ads state “customers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s why companies can advertise the way they do.
Because of the profiling, drivers should get quotes from several different companies. It’s just too difficult to predict the company that will have the lowest rates.
Auto insurance policy specifics
Understanding the coverages of a auto insurance policy helps when choosing the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. Auto insurance terms can be impossible to understand and coverage can change by endorsement. Listed below are the normal coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Uninsured Motorist or Underinsured Motorist insurance
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage gives you protection from other drivers when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Since a lot of drivers only purchase the least amount of liability that is required (which is 25/50/10), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. So UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually these coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.
Liability coverages
Liability insurance provides protection from damage or injury you incur to other people or property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury per person, bodily injury per accident and property damage. You commonly see limits of 50/100/50 which stand for a limit of $50,000 per injured person, a limit of $100,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $50,000. Some companies may use a combined single limit or CSL that pays claims from the same limit with no separate limits for injury or property damage.
Liability insurance covers claims like repair bills for other people’s vehicles, emergency aid, pain and suffering, loss of income and medical expenses. How much liability coverage do you need? That is a decision to put some thought into, but consider buying as large an amount as possible. Kansas state law requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but it’s recommended drivers buy higher limits.
Insurance for medical payments
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage reimburse you for short-term medical expenses such as chiropractic care, pain medications, X-ray expenses and prosthetic devices. They are used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. It covers you and your occupants and also covers being hit by a car walking across the street. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but it provides additional coverages not offered by medical payments coverage
Coverage for collisions
Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with an object or car. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision insurance covers claims such as scraping a guard rail, crashing into a ditch, rolling your car, damaging your car on a curb and sustaining damage from a pot hole. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from vehicles that are older. You can also raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Comprehensive coverage (or Other than Collision)
Comprehensive insurance will pay to fix damage OTHER than collision with another vehicle or object. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like hitting a deer, damage from flooding, falling objects and hitting a bird. The maximum amount your auto insurance company will pay is the market value of your vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s not worth carrying full coverage.
The best insurance company isn’t always the cheapest
You just learned quite a bit of information on how to lower your auto insurance rates. The key thing to remember is the more quotes you get, the more likely it is that you will get a better rate. You may even discover the lowest premiums are with the least-expected company. Some small companies may cover specific market segments cheaper than their larger competitors like State Farm or Progressive.
The cheapest auto insurance is available on the web as well as from independent agents in Prairie Village, so compare prices from both in order to have the best chance of saving money. A few companies don’t offer online quoting and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.
Informative consumer insurance sites
More information can be found on the website for the Kansas Insurance Department located here. Kansas consumers can read enforcement actions against agents and companies, view a list of available companies, and learn about specific coverages.