10 Guaranteed Tricks to Lower Car Insurance Costs in Overland

No one in their right mind looks forward to paying for car insurance, particularly when their premiums are through the roof. Companies like GEICO and Progressive continually hit you with advertising and consumers find it hard to sift through the bull and find the best price available.

It's important to compare rates occasionally since rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the lowest rates last year the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. So forget anything you know (or think you know) about car insurance because we're going to show you the tricks you need to know to properly buy coverages and cut your premium.

If you have a policy now or need a new policy, you can follow these tips to find better prices while maintaining coverages. Finding affordable coverage in Overland is easy if you know what you're doing. Missouri vehicle owners just need to know the most effective way to compare rates on the web.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

The cost of insuring your cars can be expensive, but there could be available discounts that you may not know about. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of purchase, but lesser-known reductions have to be asked for prior to receiving the credit. If you aren't receiving every discount you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

College Student - Kids in college who attend school more than 100 miles from home and don't have a car can receive lower rates.
Anti-theft System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and earn discounts up to 10%.
Memberships - Being a member of a civic or occupational organization is a good way to get lower rates 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.
Life Insurance - Select insurance companies reward you with better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
Bundle and Save - When you combine your home and auto insurance with one company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
Passive Restraints - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of more than 20%.
No Accidents - Good drivers with no accidents can save substantially as compared to bad drivers.
Accident Forgiveness - A handful of insurance companies allow you one accident before raising your premiums as long as you don't have any claims for a certain period of time.
Seat Belts Save - Requiring all passengers to wear their seat belts could save 15% off the personal injury premium cost.

Drivers should understand that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Just because you may think you would end up receiving a 100% discount, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will reduce the amount you have to pay.

To see a list of companies with discount car insurance rates in Overland, click here to view.

Finding Car Insurance Deals in Overland, MO

Finding cheaper car insurance prices can be relatively painless. Consumers just need to spend a few minutes to compare quotes provided by online insurance companies. It is quite easy and can be accomplished in several different ways.

The best way to find the lowest comparison rates is a comparison rater form like this one (opens in new window). This easy form eliminates the need for separate forms for each company. A single form gets you price quotes from several companies.
A more time consuming way to shop for car insurance online requires a trip to each company's website and fill out their own quote form. For example, we'll assume you want to compare , and . You would have to visit each site to input your insurance information, which is why the first method is quicker. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Overland, click here.
The least recommended method of getting rate comparisons is driving to insurance agents' offices. Buying insurance online has reduced the need for local agents unless you want the personal advice of a licensed agent. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent and we'll cover that in a bit.

It's your choice how you get your quotes, but make absolute certain that you use exactly the same quote information for every quote you compare. If you compare mixed coverages you can't possibly determine the best price in Overland.

Insurance agents can help

When choosing adequate coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a "best" method to buy coverage. Your needs are not the same as everyone else's so your insurance should reflect that For example, these questions might point out whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

What are Missouri no-fault laws?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
Do I qualify for additional discounts?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?
What are the best liability limits?
Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, take a second and complete this form or you can go here for a list of companies in your area. It only takes a few minutes and you can get the answers you need.

Save $429 a year? Really?

Consumers in Missouri can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm. They all seem to make an identical promise that you'll save big if you change to their company.

How can each company claim to save you money? It's all in the numbers.

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a desirable insured might be a mature driver, owns a home, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential customers who don't qualify for the requirements will have to pay higher prices and ends up with the customer not buying. The ads say "customers who switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save that much. That is how companies can advertise the savings.

Because of the profiling, drivers must compare many company's rates. It's just too difficult to predict which company will give you the biggest savings.

In the end, you save

As you prepare to switch companies, it's a bad idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are many occasions where an insured cut uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to purchase plenty of coverage at the best price.

Budget-conscious car insurance can be sourced both online and also from your neighborhood Overland agents, and you need to price shop both so you have a total pricing picture. There are still a few companies who may not provide the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

We just covered many tips how you can compare car insurance prices online. It's most important to understand that the more times you quote, the higher the chance of saving money. Consumers may even find the best price on car insurance is with a small mutual company. These smaller insurers may only write in your state and offer lower rates compared to the large companies like .

Much more information about car insurance in Missouri can be found on the website for the Missouri Department of Insurance found here. Visitors are able to read enforcement actions against agents and companies, read consumer alerts, find out which companies have the most complaints, and download brochures.