Tired of not being able to afford to insure your vehicles every month? You are no different than many other Mississippi drivers. Big companies like Allstate and Progressive constantly bombard you with catchy ads and it is difficult to see through the cute green geckos and mayhem and find the best price available.
If you have a policy now or are looking for a new policy, you can use these techniques to get lower rates and possibly find even better coverage. Finding affordable coverage in Clarksdale is not rocket science. Mississippi drivers just need to understand the most effective way to shop their coverage around online.
How to Lower Your Auto Insurance Cost in Clarksdale
Finding a lower price on insurance is not rocket science. You just need to take the time comparing rate quotes online with multiple companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in a couple of different ways.
The recommended way to find the lowest comparison rates is an all-inclusive rate comparison like this one (opens in new window). This form eliminates the need for separate quote forms to each individual auto insurance company. A single, simple form will get you price quotes from many national carriers.
A harder way to obtain and compare quotes online is spending the time to visit each company website and fill out their own quote form. For sake of this example, let’s assume you want comparison quotes from Farmers, Geico and GMAC. To get rate quotes you would need to visit each site to input your insurance information, and that’s why the first method is more popular.
To view a list of companies in Clarksdale, click here.
Which method you use is up to you, but compare apples-to-apples quote information with each company. If you compare different values for each quote it will be next to impossible to determine the best price in Clarksdale.
Lower rates by qualifying for these six discounts
Companies don’t always advertise all their discounts in a way that’s easy to find, so the following is a list of some of the more common as well as the least known discounts you could be receiving. If you aren’t receiving every discount you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.
- Military Rewards – Being deployed with a military unit can result in better rates.
- Anti-lock Brake System – Cars that have steering control and anti-lock brakes are safer to drive and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Anti-theft Discount – Anti-theft and alarm systems are stolen less frequently and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
- Homeowners Discount – Owning a house in Clarksdale can help you save on auto insurance because maintaining a house shows financial diligence.
- Life Insurance – Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
- Senior Discount – Mature drivers may be able to get a discount up to 10%.
A little note about advertised discounts, most credits do not apply to the entire policy premium. Some only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like collision or personal injury protection. So even though it sounds like you could get a free auto insurance policy, you’re out of luck.
Car insurance is unique, just like you
When buying the best auto insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no “best” method to buy coverage. Every insured’s situation is different and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions might point out if your insurance needs might need an agent’s assistance.
- Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Am I covered when delivering products for my home-based business?
- Is my business laptop covered if it gets stolen from my vehicle?
- Does medical payments coverage apply to all occupants?
- What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Mississippi?
- Is Mississippi a no-fault state?
- Do I need added coverage for expensive stereo equipment?
- Am I covered when driving someone else’s vehicle?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply then you might want to talk to a licensed insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.
Auto insurance specifics
Knowing the specifics of your auto insurance policy can help you determine the right coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Below you’ll find typical coverages found on most auto insurance policies.
Comprehensive protection
This covers damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.
Comprehensive coverage pays for claims like theft, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, hail damage and damage from a tornado or hurricane. The maximum payout you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the cash value of the vehicle, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.
Liability
Liability coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, per person bodily injury, per accident bodily injury, and a property damage limit. Your policy might show policy limits of 25/50/25 which means a limit of $25,000 per injured person, $50,000 for the entire accident, and a limit of $25,000 paid for damaged property.
Liability coverage protects against claims such as repair costs for stationary objects, bail bonds, court costs, loss of income and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Mississippi requires drivers to carry at least 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
Medical expense coverage
Med pay and PIP coverage pay for immediate expenses like chiropractic care, rehabilitation expenses, X-ray expenses and nursing services. The coverages can be used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. They cover you and your occupants and also covers if you are hit as a while walking down the street. Personal Injury Protection is not universally available but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Auto collision coverage
This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. You first must pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision can pay for things like rolling your car, colliding with another moving vehicle, hitting a mailbox and scraping a guard rail. Collision is rather expensive coverage, so analyze the benefit of dropping coverage from older vehicles. It’s also possible to choose a higher deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Uninsured or underinsured coverage
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they either are underinsured or have no liability coverage at all. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Since many Mississippi drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/25), their limits can quickly be used up. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is important protection for you and your family.
More detailed Mississippi auto insurance information can be read at the Mississippi Insurance Department website. Mississippi consumers can find disaster information, find out which companies have the most complaints, and learn about insurance regulations.