Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Union Auto Insurance

Sick and tired of trying to scrape together enough money each month for car insurance? Your situation is no different than many other Missouri drivers.

Drivers have so many to pick from, and even though it's nice to have multiple companies, too many choices makes it more difficult to compare rates.

More discounts equal less premium

Companies offering auto insurance don't necessarily list all available discounts very clearly, so we break down both well-publicized and the harder-to-find savings tricks you should be using.

Lower Rates for Military - Being on active duty in the military can result in better rates.
Seat Belts Save - Buckling up and requiring all passengers to use their safety belts can save 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
Employee of Federal Government - Active or retired federal employment could cut as much as 10% off depending on your company.
Life Insurance - Some companies give a discount if you purchase life insurance.
Clubs and Organizations - Participating in a qualifying organization is a good way to get lower rates when buying auto insurance.

Keep in mind that most discounts do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like liability and collision coverage. So when it seems like adding up those discounts means a free policy, it just doesn't work that way.

How to Lower your Auto Insurance Rates

Smart consumers have a good feel for the different types of things that come into play when calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Knowing what influences your rates empowers consumers to make smart changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

The list below includes a few of the "ingredients" used by your company to calculate premiums.

Drive a safer car and pay less - Vehicles with high crash test scores can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles protect occupants better and lower injury rates translates into fewer and smaller insurance claims and thus lower rates.
A lapse in coverage is a bad thing - Not having insurance is a misdemeanor and auto insurance companies will penalize you for letting your coverage have a gap. And not only will insurance be more expensive, but being ticketed for driving with no insurance may earn you a revoked license or a big fine.You may then be required to provide proof of insurance in the form of an SR-22 filing with the Missouri DMV.
Claim-free discounts can add up - Auto insurance companies in Missouri award lower rates to drivers who do not file claims often. If you frequently file small claims, you can expect higher rates. Your insurance policy is designed for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
Drive less and save money - The more you drive every year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Almost all companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use qualify for better rates as compared to vehicles used primarily for driving to work. Double check that your auto insurance policy shows the correct driver usage.
Do you have enough liability coverage? - The liability section of your policy will protect you if a court rules you are at fault for personal injury or accident damage. Liability insurance provides for a legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so do not cut corners here.
Pay less after the wedding - Having a spouse actually saves money on your policy. Having a spouse translates into being more mature it has been statistically shown that drivers who are married are more cautious.
Do you know you're credit rating? - A driver's credit rating is a huge factor in your rate calculation. People with high credit ratings tend to be more responsible than drivers with lower credit scores. Therefore, if your credit history can use some improvement, you could potentially save money when insuring your by spending a little time repairing your credit.
Policy add-ons can waste money - There are a lot of extra bells and whistles that you can get tricked into buying on your auto insurance policy. Coverages for personal injury protection, accidental death and additional equipment coverage may be costing you every month. These coverages may sound good when talking to your agent, but now you might not need them so eliminate them to save money.

Switch companies and save? Really?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm regularly use ads in print and on television. All the companies make an identical promise that you can save if you move your coverage to them. How does each company make almost identical claims? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of customer that earns them a profit. For example, a profitable customer could possibly be between 25 and 40, is a homeowner, and has excellent credit. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications will get the preferred rates and therefore will save when switching.

Drivers who do not match these standards must pay a higher premium and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "everyone that quotes" save that much money. That's why insurance companies can make those claims. This illustrates why drivers should get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know the company that will have the lowest rates.

Learn more today

Additional detailed information can be found at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Missouri consumers can find disaster information, find a variety of consumer forms, download brochures, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.

Also read more on this page for auto insurance prices in Missouri and this page of Union insurance agents.

Final considerations

Affordable auto insurance is definitely available online as well as from independent agents in Union, so you should compare both to have the best selection. Some companies don't offer you the ability to get quotes online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

While you're price shopping online, make sure you don't skimp on coverage in order to save money. There are a lot of situations where an accident victim reduced uninsured motorist or liability limits only to regret they didn't purchase enough coverage. The proper strategy is to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.