Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Chillicothe Auto Insurance

Expensive auto insurance can drain your savings account and make it impossible to make ends meet. Comparison shopping is a great way to reduce premiums and put more money in your pocket. Drivers have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's nice to have multiple companies, it can be more challenging to compare rates.

More discounts equal less premium

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you can get discounts to reduce the price significantly. Certain discounts will be applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be manually applied prior to receiving the credit. If you're not getting every credit you deserve, you are throwing money away.

Driver Safety - Taking a course in driver safety could cut 5% off your bill if you qualify.
Life Insurance Discount - Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.
Save over 55 - If you qualify as a senior citizen, you may be able to get better auto insurance rates.
Accident Waiver - Certain companies permit an accident before your rates go up so long as you haven't had any claims for a certain period of time.
Own a Home - Owning a home in Chillicothe can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Auto/Home Discount - If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you could get a discount of 10% to 20% off each policy.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. So despite the fact that it appears you would end up receiving a 100% discount, auto insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will bring down your premiums.

It's not one size fits all

When it comes to buying adequate coverage for your personal vehicles, there isn't really a one size fits all plan. Each situation is unique and your policy should reflect that. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if you might need an agent's assistance.

Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
Should I buy additional glass protection?
I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
What are the financial responsibility laws in Missouri?
Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?

If you can't answer these questions, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, doesn't cost anything and can provide invaluable advice.

Switch companies and save? Really?

Missouri consumers get pounded daily by advertisements for car insurance savings by 21st Century, Allstate and State Farm. All the companies have a common claim about savings after switching to their company.

How does each company make almost identical claims?

Different companies have a preferred profile for the driver that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between the ages of 30 and 50, has no prior claims, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. A driver that hits that "sweet spot" gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential customers who do not match these standards must pay higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads say "people who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. This is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

This illustrates why you should quote coverage with many companies. It is impossible to predict which insurance companies will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional information can be found on the website for the Missouri Department of Insurance through this link. Missouri consumers can discover disciplinary actions, view agent and company licensing information, learn about insurance regulations, and get help finding coverage.

And the best car insurance company is...

Cheap auto insurance can be purchased online and also from your neighborhood Chillicothe agents, and you should compare price quotes from both so you have a total pricing picture. Some auto insurance companies may not provide you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, it's very important that you do not buy lower coverage limits just to save a few bucks. There are a lot of situations where consumers will sacrifice uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The proper strategy is to purchase plenty of coverage at an affordable rate while not skimping on critical coverages.