How to Know You're Spending Too Much for Auto Insurance in Tuscumbia

Paying for high-priced auto insurance can dwindle your bank account and force you to make sacrifices. Comparison shopping is free, only takes a few minutes, and is a good way to tighten up your finances.

Numerous battle to insure your vehicles, and because of this it can be hard to compare to find the lowest price

Take advantage of discounts

Car insurance companies don't list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so we researched both well-publicized as well as the least known savings tricks you should be using.

  • More Vehicles More Savings - Insuring multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Save over 55 - Mature drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
  • Pay Upfront and Save - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you could save up to 5%.
  • Memberships - Participating in certain professional organizations is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.
  • Own a Home - Owning a home in Tuscumbia can help you save on auto insurance because of the fact that having a home shows financial diligence.
  • Accident Waiver - A few companies will forgive one accident before raising your premiums so long as you haven't had any claims prior to the accident.

A little note about advertised discounts, most discount credits are not given to the overall cost of the policy. Most only reduce individual premiums such as physical damage coverage or medical payments. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, you won't be that lucky.

To see a list of insurers with the best auto insurance discounts in Tuscumbia, click here to view.

Free Quotes for Auto Insurance in Tuscumbia, Missouri

There are several ways of comparing price quotes from local Tuscumbia auto insurance companies. The best method to find the lowest rates is to perform an online rate comparison. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way to compare a lot of rates at once is to use a rate comparison form (click to open form in new window). This easy form saves time by eliminating repetitive form entry for every auto insurance company. One form will return price quotes direct from many companies.
  • A more difficult way to compare rate quotes consists of visiting each individual company website to complete a price quote. For examples sake, let's say you want comparison quotes from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site to enter your coverage information, which is why the first method is more popular.

    To view a list of companies in Tuscumbia, click here.

It's up to you which method you use, but make darn sure you compare the exact same deductibles and coverage limits for every company. If the quotes have different values for each quote it's impossible to decipher which rate is best in Tuscumbia. Quoting even small variations in coverages can result in a big premium difference. And when comparison shopping, comparing a large number of companies will enable you to find better pricing.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in lower auto insurance prices.

  • Increase deductibles and save - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend out-of-pocket before a claim is paid by your company. Physical damage insurance, commonly called comprehensive (or other-than-collision) and collision coverage, is used to repair damage to your car. A few examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, vandalism, and burglary. The more you have to pay, the bigger discount you will receive.
  • Sex matters - Statistics have proven that men are more aggressive behind the wheel. However, don't assume that women are BETTER drivers than men. Women and men tend to get into accidents in similar numbers, but the male of the species cause more damage and cost insurance companies more money. Men also tend to receive more costly citations such as DWI and reckless driving.
  • Lower rates with optional equipment - Purchasing a vehicle with an alarm system can save you a little every year. Anti-theft devices like LoJack tracking devices, vehicle tamper alarm systems or GM's OnStar system all aid in stopping car theft.
  • Liability coverage is cheap - The liability section of your policy is the protection if a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. It will provide legal defense starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
  • Pay less if you're married - Having a wife or husband actually saves money on your policy. Having a spouse translates into being more responsible and it's proven that married drivers get in fewer accidents.

How to know if you need help

When choosing the best auto insurance coverage for your personal vehicles, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone's situation is a little different so your insurance should reflect that These are some specific questions may help you determine whether your personal situation would benefit from professional advice.

  • Can I afford to buy a different vehicle if my vehicle is totaled?
  • Should I buy additional glass protection?
  • Do I have any recourse if my insurance company denies a claim?
  • Are rental cars covered under my policy?
  • Am I covered if I wreck a rental car?
  • What can I do if my company won't pay a claim?
  • I have good health insurance, so how much medical payments coverage do I need?
  • When does my teenage driver need to be added to my policy?

If you're not sure about those questions but you think they might apply to your situation, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. To find lower rates from a local agent, fill out this quick form or go to this page to view a list of companies.

Are auto insurance companies telling the truth?

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive regularly use ads on TV and radio. All the companies make an identical promise about savings if you move your coverage to them. How do they all make almost identical claims?

All companies have a preferred profile for the type of customer that is profitable for them. For instance, a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, insures multiple vehicles, and has a short commute. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the "perfect" profile must pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "customers that switch" not "people who quote" save that much money. This is how companies can truthfully make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why drivers must compare as many rates as you can. It's impossible to know which insurance companies will fit your personal profile best.

Final considerations

Cheaper auto insurance is possible online as well as from independent agents in Tuscumbia, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some insurance providers don't offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these small, regional companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, drivers have reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

Tuscumbia auto insurance comparison

More sites with auto insurance information

Even more information is located at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Missouri consumers can report car insurance fraud, learn about insurance regulations, view a list of available companies, and find out which companies have the most complaints.