Wish you could get a refund on an overpriced car insurance policy? You’re preaching to the choir because you are not the only one feeling buyer’s remorse. Lots of insurers contend to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare insurers to find the best price available.
Smart consumers take time to get comparison quotes before your next renewal since insurance prices fluctuate regularly. Even if you think you had the best deal a year ago other companies may now be cheaper. There are a lot of ways to save on car insurance online but we’re going to give you some solid techniques on how to quit paying high car insurance rates.
If you have a policy now or are just looking to switch companies, you can learn to reduce the price you pay while maintaining coverages. Finding affordable coverage in Water Valley is not that difficult. Mississippi vehicle owners just need to know the proper methods to shop their coverage around over the internet.
Do you qualify for these eight discounts?
Auto insurance companies don’t always list all disounts very well, so the list below details both the well known in addition to some of the lesser obvious ways to save on car insurance.
- Federal Employees – Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
- Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% than drivers with accident claims.
- E-sign – Many car insurance companies will provide an incentive for buying your policy on the web.
- Air Bags and Passive Restraints – Options like air bags or automatic seat belts can receive discounts of 20 to 30 percent.
- Theft Deterent System – Cars, trucks, and SUVs equipped with anti-theft or alarm systems prevent vehicle theft so companies will give you a small discount.
- Seat Belt Discounts – Drivers who require all vehicle occupants to buckle their seat belts could save 15% on the premium charged for medical payments and/or PIP.
- Claim Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories are rewarded with significantly better rates on when compared with policyholders that have many claims.
- Pay Now and Pay Less – If you pay your bill all at once rather than spreading payments over time you may reduce your total bill.
A little disclaimer on discounts, most discount credits are not given the the whole policy. Some only apply to individual premiums such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though it sounds like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it just doesn’t work that way.
To view companies that offer many of these discounts in Mississippi, click this link.
Do I just need basic coverages?
When buying the best car insurance coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Each situation is unique so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help you determine whether you would benefit from professional advice.
- Is my teen driver covered when they drive my company car?
- Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
- Is business property covered if stolen from my car?
- Does my medical payments coverage pay my health insurance deductible?
- What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
- Will my vehicle be repaired with OEM or aftermarket parts?
- Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
- If my vehicle is totaled, can I afford another vehicle?
If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, take a second and complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area. It’s fast, free and you can get the answers you need.
When to have guidance from an agent
Some people would rather visit with an insurance agent and that is OK! Professional agents will help you protect your assets and help file insurance claims. The best thing about comparing car insurance online is the fact that you can find lower prices but also keep your business local.
Once you complete this form (opens in new window), the quote information is sent to local insurance agents in Water Valley who will return price quotes for your coverage. There is no need to drive around since price quotes are sent to you instantly. If for some reason you want to compare prices from a specific company, don’t hesitate to visit that company’s website and submit a quote form there.
Picking an company should depend on more than just a cheap quote. These are some questions you should get answers to.
- If you have an accident, will your rates go up?
- Do they write coverage based solely on cost?
- Do they have designations such as AIC, CPCU, or CIC?
- How are they compensated?
- What company do they have the most business with?
Listed below is a short list of car insurance companies in Water Valley who can help you get price quote information.
State Farm Insurance – 410 N Main St, Water Valley, MS 38965 – (662) 473-1733
Shelter Insurance – 909 Central St # B, Water Valley, MS 38965 – (662) 473-1434
Everett Cock Insurance – 502 Railroad St, Water Valley, MS 38965 – (662) 473-1573
Upon receiving good responses for all questions you ask in addition to an acceptable price estimate, chances are good that you have found an provider that is a good match to service your policy.
Is there truth in advertising?
Consumers in Mississippi can’t escape the ads that claim the best prices from companies such as Allstate and Progressive. All the companies say the same thing that drivers will save a bundle if you get a free and switch your car insurance coverage to their company.
Is it even possible that every company can charge lower premium rates? It’s all in the words they use.
Companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them the highest profit. An example of this type of risk profile should be a married male, has never had a claim, and has great credit. A customer who matches that profile gets the lowest prices and will save quite a bit of money when switching.
Potential customers who don’t measure up to these standards may be required to pay higher rates which leads to the customer not buying. Company advertisements say “people that switch” not “all people who quote” can save as much as they claim. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do. Because of the profiling, it’s extremely important to get price quotes at each policy renewal. It is just not possible to predict which company will have the lowest rates.
More detailed Mississippi car insurance information is located at the Mississippi Insurance Department website. Visitors are able to learn about specific coverages, find out which companies have the most complaints, and read industry bulletins.
Car insurance 101
Having a good grasp of car insurance can help you determine which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and nobody wants to actually read their policy. These are the normal coverages found on the average car insurance policy.
Comprehensive insurance
This coverage pays for damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first have to pay a deductible then your comprehensive coverage will pay.
Comprehensive can pay for claims like a tree branch falling on your vehicle, falling objects, hitting a deer and hail damage. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability auto insurance
This will cover damage or injury you incur to a person or their property in an accident. It protects YOU from claims by other people. It does not cover your own vehicle damage or injuries.
It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. You might see values of 100/300/100 which means $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a limit of $300,000 in injury protection per accident, and property damage coverage for $100,000.
Liability coverage pays for claims like bail bonds, medical expenses and medical services. The amount of liability coverage you purchase is up to you, but buy as large an amount as possible. Mississippi requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/25,000 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
Collision coverage protection
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You will need to pay your deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against claims such as crashing into a building, colliding with another moving vehicle, driving through your garage door, rolling your car and crashing into a ditch. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are 8 years or older. It’s also possible to raise the deductible in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Med pay and Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for bills such as nursing services, X-ray expenses, chiropractic care and prosthetic devices. The coverages can be used to fill the gap from your health insurance program or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover you and your occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist (UM/UIM)
Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they do not carry enough liability coverage. Covered losses include medical payments for you and your occupants and damage to your vehicle.
Since many Mississippi drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (which is 25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. For this reason, having high UM/UIM coverages is very important.
A tidy conclusion
As you restructure your insurance plan, never buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There have been many situations where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage only to find out they didn’t have enough coverage. The goal is to buy enough coverage at an affordable rate.
Lower-priced car insurance is attainable online and from local agencies, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies may not offer internet price quotes and these smaller companies only sell coverage through independent agents.