5 Ways You Can Buy Car Insurance for Less in Portageville

If you are a novice to online car insurance shopping, it's easy to get confused by the hoards of car insurance companies all offering big savings in Portageville.

It's important to check car insurance prices periodically since rates are constantly changing. Just because you found the best price a few years ago a different company probably has better rates today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you're about to find out how to use online quotes to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Don't pay full price with these 5 discounts

The price of auto insurance can be rather high, but there are discounts available that you may not know about. Some discounts apply automatically at the time of quoting, but less common discounts must be manually applied before you will receive the discount.

  • Bundle and Save - If you have multiple policies with the same insurance company you may earn up to 20% off your total premium.
  • Good Student - Performing well in school can get you a discount of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
  • Homeowners Savings - Owning a house in Portageville can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
  • Payment Method - By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
  • Passive Restraint Discount - Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can qualify for discounts of 20% or more.

As a disclaimer on discounts, some of the credits will not apply to the entire policy premium. Most only apply to individual premiums such as collision or personal injury protection. So even though they make it sound like all the discounts add up to a free policy, car insurance companies aren't that generous. Any amount of discount will reduce your premiums.

Missouri car insurance quotes

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is not a "best" method to buy coverage. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you may require specific advice.

  • What are the best liability limits?
  • Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Missouri?
  • Does my policy cover my teen driver if they drive my company car?
  • Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
  • Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
  • Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?

If you can't answer these questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form.

The car insurance bait and switch

Car insurance companies such as GEICO, State Farm and Progressive continually stream ads in print and on television. They all seem to have a common claim about savings after switching to them. How can each company claim to save you money?

All companies have a certain "appetite" for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For example, a desirable insured might be over the age of 50, a clean driving record, and drives less than 7,500 miles a year. Any new insured that hits that "sweet spot" is entitled to the best price and therefore will save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to the requirements will have to pay more money and this can result in the customer not buying. The ads state "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save money. That is how companies can truthfully advertise the way they do.

Because of the profiling, drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's just too difficult to predict which company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

Additional Missouri consumer information

Additional information can be found on the Missouri Department of Insurance website located here. Visitors are able to view agent and company licensing information, file complaints about a company, and get help finding coverage.

Missouri car insurance

Affordable insurance is out there

When shopping online for car insurance, it's not a good idea to skimp on coverage in order to save money. In many instances, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to discover later that a couple dollars of savings turned into a financial nightmare. The ultimate goal is to buy a smart amount of coverage at a price you can afford.

We just covered a lot of techniques to reduce car insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more rate quotes you have, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. Consumers may even find the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.

Cheap car insurance can be sourced both online and with local Portageville insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some car insurance companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.