5 Tricks Shown to Save Money on Car Insurance Costs in St James

Consumers who are new to the process of buying insurance online can find finding affordable St James car insurance quite difficult.

It's important to compare prices occasionally since rates are constantly changing. If you had the lowest price on your last policy the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Ignore everything you know about car insurance because we're going to demonstrate the fastest and easiest way to lower your rates without sacrificing coverage.

Don't pay full price with these 5 discounts

Car insurance can cost a lot, but you can get discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Some discounts apply automatically at quote time, but less common discounts must be inquired about in order for you to get them. If you're not getting every credit you qualify for, you're paying more than you need to.

Sign Early and Save - Some insurance companies reward drivers for switching to them before your current expiration date. It can save you around 10%.
Multi-policy Discount - When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you may earn 10% to 20% off each policy.
Federal Employees - Being employed by or retired from a federal job can earn a discount up to 10% with certain companies.
Anti-theft System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems prevent vehicle theft and will save you 10% or more.
Good Student - A discount for being a good student can save 20 to 25%. Earning this discount can benefit you up to age 25.

It's important to note that most discounts do not apply to your bottom line cost. Most cut individual premiums such as medical payments or collision. Even though it may seem like you would end up receiving a 100% discount, you're out of luck. But any discount will bring down your premiums.

To see a list of providers with the best car insurance discounts in Missouri, click here to view.

Finding Car Insurance in St James, MO

Shopping for lower car insurance rates can be a daunting task if you aren't aware of the easiest way. You can waste a lot of time discussing policy coverages with local insurance agents in St James, or you could save time and use online quoting to get prices fast.

Many insurance companies enroll in a system that enables customers to enter their coverage request one time, and every company can provide price quotes. This saves time by eliminating quotation requests to each individual car insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click to open in new window.

One minor caviat to using this type of form is you don't know exactly which carriers you will receive quotes from. If you would rather choose individual companies to receive pricing from, we have assembled a list of car insurance companies in Missouri. View list of Missouri insurance companies.

It's your choice how you get your quotes, but make absolute certain that you use identical coverages for every company. If you compare different limits and deductibles on each one it's not possible to decipher which rate is best in St James.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When choosing the best car insurance coverage for your vehicles, there isn't really a "perfect" insurance plan. Coverage needs to be tailored to your specific needs.

Here are some questions about coverages that might point out whether or not you may require specific advice.

Does my car insurance cover rental cars?
Am I covered when driving in Canada or Mexico?
Do I have coverage for damage caused while driving under the influence?
What is the difference between comprehensive and collision coverage?
Do I need special endorsements for business use of my vehicle?
I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
What are the best liability limits?

If you're not sure about those questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed insurance agent. If you don't have a local agent, complete this form. It only takes a few minutes and can help protect your family.

The car insurance bait and switch

Consumers can't get away from ads for cheaper car insurance by State Farm and Allstate. All the ads make an identical promise that you can save if you move to their company.

How does each company make the same claim?

Different companies have a certain "appetite" for the driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a preferred risk could be over the age of 50, owns a home, and has great credit. Any new insured who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who don't measure up to these standards will be charged more money and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads say "customers that switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much. That is how insurance companies can advertise the savings.

That is why drivers must get quotes from several different companies. It's just too difficult to predict which company will fit your personal profile best.

And the best car insurance company is...

You just learned many tips how you can compare car insurance prices online. The key concept to understand is the more you quote, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may be surprised to find that the biggest savings come from the least-expected company.

When you buy insurance online, make sure you don't reduce coverage to reduce premium. There have been many cases where an insured cut liability coverage limits only to discover later that the few dollars in savings costed them thousands. Your goal should be to purchase plenty of coverage at a price you can afford, not the least amount of coverage.

People who switch companies do it for a number of reasons such as high prices, policy non-renewal, high rates after DUI convictions or policy cancellation. Regardless of your reason, choosing a new insurance company is actually quite simple.

More information is located on the Missouri Department of Insurance website located here. Consumers can file complaints about a company, read consumer alerts, and download brochures.

Additional helpful sites include III.org's auto insurance page and this directory of insurance agents in St James Missouri.