Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Sweet Springs Car Insurance

I can't think of anyone who likes having to buy car insurance, particularly when the cost is way too high. Having so many online and local companies to choose from, it can be hard to choose the cheapest company.

The purpose of this post is to familiarize you with how to effectively get price quotes. If you are paying for car insurance now, you should be able to lower your premiums substantially using these techniques. Missouri vehicle owners just need to know the proper way to find the lowest price over the internet.

Vehicle Insurance Comparison

There are multiple methods to shop for car insurance, but some are more efficient than others. You could spend your day talking to insurance companies in Sweet Springs, or you can stay home and use online quotes to get the quickest rates.

All the larger companies belong to a marketplace that enables customers to submit their information once, and at least one company returns a rated price determined by their information. This system prevents you from having to do quote forms to each individual car insurance company.

To submit your quote information now, click here (opens in new window).

The one downside to using this type of system is you cannot specify which companies you want pricing from. So if you prefer to choose specific insurance companies to compare rates, we have a page of the cheapest car insurance companies in Missouri. Click to view list.

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just be sure to compare apples-to-apples coverage information on every quote. If your comparisons have unequal deductibles or liability limits it will be very difficult to make a fair comparison in Sweet Springs.

How to Lower your Car Insurance Rates

It's important that you understand the rating factors that help determine the rates you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively controls the rates you pay empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in big savings.

The following are a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate premiums.

What are your deductibles? - Physical damage deductibles represent how much money you are required to spend in the event of a claim. Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, insures against damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims would be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, or theft. The higher the amount you have to pay, the lower your rates will be.
Bad driving skills means higher rates - Drivers who don't get tickets tend to pay less for car insurance compared to drivers with tickets. Only having one ticket can bump up the cost twenty percent or more. Drivers with flagrant tickets like DUI or reckless driving are required to file a proof of financial responsibility form (SR-22) to the state department of motor vehicles in order to keep their license.
Older drivers save more - Youthful drivers in Missouri are known to get distracted easily behind the wheel so car insurance rates are higher. Having to add a youthful driver onto a policy can be quite pricey. Older drivers are more responsible, file fewer claims and tend to be better behind the wheel.
One company can mean more discounts - Many car insurance companies will award you with lower prices to insureds who buy several policies from them, otherwise known as a multi-policy discount. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to shop around to verify if the discount is saving money.

Don't pay full price with these discounts

Insurance can cost an arm and a leg, but discounts can save money and there are some available to cut the cost considerably. Some trigger automatically when you complete an application, but a few need to be asked about before they will apply. If you don't get every credit you qualify for, you're just leaving money on the table.

Homeowners Savings - Owning a home in Sweet Springs may earn you a small savings due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
Good Student - Getting good grades can be rewarded with saving of up to 25%. This discount can apply well after school through age 25.
Student in College - Any of your kids who attend school more than 100 miles from home and do not have access to a covered vehicle may be able to be covered for less.
Braking Control Discount - Vehicles with anti-lock braking systems can reduce accidents and qualify for as much as a 10% discount.
Senior Citizens - Older drivers may be able to get a small decrease in premiums.
Multiple Vehicles - Having multiple vehicles on one policy qualifies for this discount.
Auto/Life Discount - Select insurance companies reward you with a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
Accident Forgiveness - Some insurance companies will allow you to have one accident without raising rates so long as you haven't had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.
Passive Restraints and Air Bags - Vehicles equipped with air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of more than 20%.
Driver's Ed - Require your teen driver to enroll in driver's education if it's offered in school.

Drivers should understand that many deductions do not apply to the entire policy premium. A few only apply to the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, companies wouldn't make money that way. But all discounts will help reduce your premiums.

For a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Missouri, click this link.

Your personal situation dictates your coverage

When it comes to choosing the right insurance coverage for your vehicles, there really is no perfect coverage plan. Everyone's situation is unique so this has to be addressed. Here are some questions about coverages that may help highlight whether or not you would benefit from an agent's advice.

When do I need to add a new car to my policy?
Do I need to file an SR-22 for a DUI in Missouri?
What are Missouri no-fault laws?
Do I need PIP (personal injury protection) coverage in Missouri?
Am I covered by my employer's commercial auto policy when driving my personal car for business?
Am I covered when driving on a suspended license?

If it's difficult to answer those questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to an insurance agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form or go to this page to view a list of companies. It's fast, free and may give you better protection.

Much more information about car insurance in Missouri can be found on the website for the Missouri Department of Insurance. Click here for link. Visitors are able to report car insurance fraud, file complaints about a company, read enforcement actions against agents and companies, and read consumer alerts.

Other useful links include this page for Missouri car insurance and this page for help finding agents in Sweet Springs, MO.

And the best car insurance company is...

Budget-conscious car insurance can be bought both online as well as from independent agents in Sweet Springs, so you should compare both to get a complete price analysis. Some car insurance companies don't offer online quoting and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

We just presented many ideas to lower your car insurance rates. The most important thing to understand is the more rate comparisons you have, the better your chances of lowering your rates. You may even find the most savings is with a smaller regional carrier. Smaller companies may only write in your state and offer lower rates as compared to the big name companies such as .

As you go through the steps to switch your coverage, do not reduce needed coverages to save money. In too many instances, someone dropped physical damage coverage only to regret at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your focus should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.