Tightwads Tips for Saving on Craig Auto Insurance

Have you had enough of scraping the payment together each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other drivers in Missouri. You have multiple to buy insurance from, and although it's a good thing to be able to choose, having more makes it harder to compare rates.

It's important to do rate comparisons before your policy renews because prices are constantly changing. Even if you got the best rates a couple years back there is a good chance you can find better rates now. There is a lot of bad information regarding auto insurance on the internet, so I'm going to show you some great ways to reduce your auto insurance bill.

Locating affordable coverage in Craig can be fairly easy. If you have insurance now or are shopping for new coverage, you will benefit by learning to get lower rates and possibly find even better coverage. Missouri drivers only need an understanding of the tricks to shop for auto insurance online.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Craig

Consumers need to have an understanding of the factors that go into determining the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what determines base rates allows you to make educated decisions that may reward you with better auto insurance rates.

Bump up deductibles to save - Coverage for physical damage, termed comprehensive and collision coverage on your policy, is used to repair damage to your car. Examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, collision with an animal, and rolling your vehicle. The deductibles are how much you are willing to pay if you file a covered claim. The more expense you're willing to pay, the less your company will charge you for insurance.
You might want pay the small claims yourself - Car insurance companies in Missouri generally give lower rates to policyholders who file claims infrequently. If you are a frequent claim filer, you can definitely plan on either higher rates or even cancellation. Car insurance is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
One company can mean more discounts - Most insurance companies will give a discount to customers who consolidate policies with them in the form of a multi-policy discount. If you currently are using one company, you may still want to comparison shop to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to find better rates by buying auto insurance from a different company.
Having a spouse can save you money - Getting married can actually save you money on auto insurance. It is viewed as being more mature and responsible and it's statistically proven that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Battle of the sexes - The statistics show that women are safer drivers than men. That doesn't necessarily mean that women are better drivers. Men and women are in accidents at a similar rate, but the males cause more damage. They also get more serious tickets such as DWI and reckless driving. Male drivers age 16 to 19 are several times more likely to be in an accident and are penalized with high auto insurance rates.
Protect your assets with liability insurance - Liability insurance will protect you if ever a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability provides you with a defense in court up to the limits shown on your policy. This coverage is very inexpensive compared to physical damage coverage, so do not skimp.
Don't buy coverages you don't need - There are many extra bells and whistles that you can buy on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for rental car reimbursement, towing coverage and motor club memberships are some examples. They may seem good at first, but if you don't need them eliminate them to save money.
Your job and insurance rates - Did you know that where you work can have an impact on rates? Jobs such as real estate brokers, social workers and financial analysts tend to pay higher average rates attributed to job stress and long work hours. Conversely, occupations such as farmers, engineers and homemakers have the lowest average rates.

Comparison of Auto Insurance in Craig

All major auto insurance companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive quote pricing directly from their websites. This process is pretty easy as you just type in as detailed in the form. After the form is submitted, the company's rating system will obtain your driving record and credit report and gives you a price quote. Quoting online makes comparing rates easy, but the process of having to visit many different websites and type in the same information can be a bit tiresome and repetitive. But it's very important to perform this step if you are searching for better auto insurance pricing.

There is an easier way!

The preferred way to lower your auto insurance bill uses one form that gets price quotes from many companies. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes comparison shopping much easier to do. Immediately after you send the form, it is quoted and you can choose any one of the resulting price quotes.

If the quotes result in lower rates, you can click and sign and purchase the new policy. It can be completed in less than 10 minutes and may result in a nice savings.

To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and complete the simple form. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you duplicate the coverages identical to your current policy. This makes sure you are getting rate quotes for the exact same coverage.

These discounts can lower your rates

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but you may find discounts that many people don't even know exist. Some discounts apply automatically when you complete an application, but some may not be applied and must be asked about before they will apply. If you're not getting every credit available, you are paying more than you should be.

Homeowners Pay Less - Owning a house in Craig can save you money because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
Employee of Federal Government - Employees or retirees of the government can earn a discount up to 10% with select insurance companies.
Anti-theft System - Vehicles with anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Sign Online - Some insurance companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing over the internet.
Multi-car Discount - Buying coverage for more than one vehicle with the same company could earn a price break for each car.
Anti-lock Brakes - Vehicles equipped with ABS or steering control are safer to drive and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
Save over 55 - If you're over the age of 55, you may qualify for reduced rates.
Drive Less and Save - Driving fewer miles could qualify for a substantially lower rate.

Consumers should know that some credits don't apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So even though they make it sound like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies don't profit that way. Any qualifying discounts will bring down the cost of coverage.

To choose companies offering auto insurance discounts in Missouri, click here.

Are you falling for claims of savings?

Missouri consumers can't ignore all the ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like State Farm, GEICO and Progressive. They all seem to have a common claim of big savings if you switch to them.

How does each company make almost identical claims?

Different companies can use profiling for the type of driver that makes them money. A good example of a desirable insured could possibly be over the age of 50, is a homeowner, and drives less than 10,000 miles a year. A customer getting a price quote that hits that "sweet spot" will get the preferred rates and as a result will probably save when switching.

Consumers who are not a match for these standards will have to pay higher rates and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "people who switch" not "everybody who quotes" save money. That's why insurance companies can confidently advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, you need to get as many quotes as possible. It's impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional auto insurance information can be read on the website for the Missouri Department of Insurance through this link. Missouri consumers can report car insurance fraud, download brochures, read consumer alerts, and get help finding coverage.

A tidy conclusion

Cost effective auto insurance can be found online and with local Craig insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to get a complete price analysis. Some auto insurance companies do not offer online price quotes and most of the time these small insurance companies sell through independent agents.

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In many cases, an accident victim reduced full coverage and found out when filing a claim that the savings was not a smart move. Your aim should be to get the best coverage possible at an affordable rate.