Wish you could get a refund on an overpriced car insurance policy? You’re preaching to the choir because there are lots of people in the same boat. Companies like Geico, Farmers Insurance and State Farm promote their brand names with TV and radio ads and it is challenging if not impossible to ignore the propoganda and find the best price available.
If you are paying for car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to cut costs considerably using these tips. Finding affordable coverage in Harrisonville is not rocket science. But Missouri car owners must know how big insurance companies market insurance on the web and apply this information to your search.
Discounts to earn lower Harrisonville car insurance rates
Car insurance is easily one of your largest bills, but you may be missing some discounts that can help lower your rates. Some discounts will apply at the time you complete a quote, but less common discounts must be asked for in order for you to get them.
- Pay Early and Save – If you pay your entire premium ahead of time as opposed to paying monthly you can actually save on your bill.
- Renewal Discounts – A few larger companies allow discounts for switching to them prior to your current policy expiring. You can save around 10% with this discount.
- Multiple Vehicles – Insuring several vehicles on a single policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
- Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Vehicles with factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts as much as 30%.
- Accident Waiver – Not a discount per se, but some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you are claim-free prior to being involved in the accident.
- E-sign – A few larger online companies will give a small break online.
- Use Seat Belts – Drivers who require all occupants to wear their seat belts can save a little on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- New Vehicle Savings – Buying coverage on a new vehicle is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new vehicles.
Don’t be surprised that most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because it seems like you can get free auto insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
A list of companies and some of the discounts are shown below.
- The Hartford includes discounts for driver training, air bag, vehicle fuel type, good student, and bundle.
- American Family may have discounts that include bundled insurance, TimeAway discount, air bags, accident-free, mySafetyValet, defensive driver, and multi-vehicle.
- Progressive offers discounts for multi-policy, homeowner, continuous coverage, good student, and multi-vehicle.
- Travelers may offer discounts for driver training, new car, student away at school, save driver, and multi-car.
- Farmers Insurance has savings for homeowner, good student, switch companies, electronic funds transfer, and multi-car.
- USAA discounts include family discount, defensive driver, driver training, safe driver, and good student.
- Liberty Mutual policyholders can earn discounts including exclusive group savings, hybrid vehicle, teen driver discount, new vehicle discount, newly retired, newly married, and new move discount.
When quoting, ask each insurance company which discounts you may be entitled to. Depending on the company, some discounts may not apply to policies in your area. To view providers that offer multiple discounts in Harrisonville, click here.
Six ways to quote car insurance for less in Harrisonville
Many factors are part of the equation when you quote your car insurance policy. Some are pretty understandable like a motor vehicle report, although some other factors are less obvious like your continuous coverage or how financially stable you are. Consumers need to have an understanding of some of the elements that are used to determine your policy premiums. When you understand what impacts premium levels, this allows you to make good choices that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.
- Frequent car insurance claims will increase rates – Auto insurance companies in Missouri award better rates to insureds who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect much higher rates or policy non-renewal. Your car insurance is meant to be used in the event of claims that pose a financial burden.
- Companies want multiple policies – Many car insurance companies afford lower prices to buyers who consolidate policies with them. It’s known as a multi-policy discount. Even if you’re getting this discount drivers will still want to compare rates to guarantee you are still saving the most. It’s possible to still find lower rates by splitting coverages up.
- Good drivers pay less – Attentive drivers pay lower auto insurance prices than bad drivers. Having a single ticket can increase the cost of insurance substantially. People who have license-revoking violations such as DUI or reckless driving might be required by their state to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state’s department of motor vehicles in order to legally drive.
- Policy add-ons could be costing you – There are quite a few add-on coverages that sound like a good idea at the time when buying car insurance. Insurance for personal injury protection, accidental death, and term life insurance are some examples. They may seem good when buying your policy, but if you have no use for them remove them from your policy.
- With age comes lower prices – Drivers with little experience have a tendency to be inattentive in a vehicle and because of this, their car insurance rates are much higher. More mature drivers are more cautious drivers, tend to cause fewer accidents and receive fewer citations.
- Where do you drive? – The higher the mileage driven in a year the more you will pay for car insurance. Most insurance companies price each vehicle’s coverage partially by how you use the vehicle. Cars and trucks that have low annual miles qualify for better rates than those used for commuting. It’s a good idea to make sure your car insurance policy is showing the correct usage for each vehicle, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Tailor your car insurance coverage to you
When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn’t really a single plan that fits everyone. Your needs are not the same as everyone else’s and a cookie cutter policy won’t apply. These are some specific questions may help you determine if your insurance needs will benefit from professional help.
- Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
- Do I need rental car coverage?
- How high should my medical payments coverage be?
- Do I need higher deductibles?
- Will my rates increase for filing one claim?
- Am I covered by my employer’s commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
- Do I need motorclub coverage?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with 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.
For more Missouri car insurance information
More tips and info about car insurance is located at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Missouri consumers can view a list of available companies, find disaster information, get help finding coverage, and view agent and company licensing information.
Best coverage at the best price
Some car insurance companies do not offer rate quotes online regional carriers sell through independent insurance agents. Cheaper car insurance can be bought from both online companies in addition to local insurance agencies, so compare prices from both to have the best selection.
You just learned some good ideas how to get a better price on car insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more quotes you get, the better your comparison will be. Consumers could even find that the lowest auto insurance rates come from a company that doesn’t do a lot of advertising. These smaller insurers can often insure niche markets at a lower cost as compared to the big name companies such as State Farm or Progressive.
As you , don’t be tempted to reduce needed coverages to save money. In many instances, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and found out when filing a claim that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. Your objective should be to buy enough coverage at the best possible price while not skimping on critical coverages.