5 Discounts Jefferson City Drivers Neglect when Comparing Car Insurance on the Internet

No one likes having to buy car insurance, especially knowing the cost is way too high.

There is such a variety of insurance companies to choose from, and although it’s nice to have multiple companies, lots of choices makes it harder to get the best deal.

How to Compare Car Insurance Costs in Jefferson City

Most major insurance companies give insurance quotes on the web. Obtaining pricing doesn’t take much effort as you simply type in your required coverages into the quote form. Upon sending the form, the system sends out for your driving record and credit report and generates a price based on many factors. This makes comparing rates easy, but the work required to visit each company’s website and repetitively fill out multiple forms can be a bit repetitive. But it is imperative to get many rate quotes if you want to find better prices.

There is a better way to compare rates

The quickest way to find better car insurance pricing requires only one form that gets price quotes from many companies. It saves time, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online quotes much more enjoyable. As soon as the form is sent, your coverage is rated and you can select any of the returned quotes. If a lower price is quoted, you can simply submit the application and purchase coverage. This process takes 15 minutes at the most and you will know how your current rates stack up.

If you want to find out what other companies charge, click here to open in new window and input your coverage information. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you replicate just like they are on your policy. This helps ensure you will have a fair comparison based on identical coverages.

Save money by taking advantage of these 5 discounts

Auto insurance companies do not advertise every discount in a way that’s easy to find, so we break down some of the more common and the more hidden car insurance savings.

• Bundle and Save – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same insurance company you will save at least 10% off all policies.
• Own a Home – Owning a house in Jefferson City can help you save on car insurance because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
• Anti-lock Brakes – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
• Seat Belt Usage – Drivers who require all occupants to buckle their seat belts could cut 10% or more off your PIP or medical payments premium.
• Service Members Pay Less – Having a deployed family member can result in better rates.

As a disclaimer on discounts, most of the big mark downs will not be given to the entire cost. Some only apply to specific coverage prices like liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like you could get a free car insurance policy, you’re out of luck.

Situations that might require an agent

When it comes to buying proper insurance coverage, there is no one size fits all plan. Everyone’s situation is a little different so your insurance needs to address that. Here are some questions about coverages that can help discover if you will benefit from professional help.

• Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Missouri?
• Do I have coverage when making deliveries for my home business?
• Will I lose any money if I cancel my policy before it expires?
• At what point should I drop full coverage?
• What are the financial responsibility laws in Missouri?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• Is my babysitter covered when using my vehicle?
• Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?

If you’re not sure about those questions, then you may want to think about talking to an agent. If you don’t have a local agent, complete this form or click here for a list of car insurance companies in your area.

Educate yourself about car insurance coverages

Learning about specific coverages of your policy helps when choosing the best coverages and proper limits and deductibles. The terms used in a policy can be confusing and reading a policy is terribly boring. Shown next are the usual coverages available from car insurance companies.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by mother nature, theft, vandalism and other events. You first must pay your deductible and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive insurance covers things like damage from a tornado or hurricane, vandalism, rock chips in glass, a broken windshield and hail damage. The most you’ll receive from a claim is the actual cash value, so if it’s not worth much more than your deductible it’s not worth carrying full coverage.

Collision protection

This will pay to fix damage to your vehicle from colliding with another vehicle or an object, but not an animal. A deductible applies and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims like backing into a parked car, hitting a parking meter, colliding with another moving vehicle and rolling your car. Paying for collision coverage can be pricey, so you might think about dropping it from vehicles that are older. Another option is to increase the deductible to get cheaper collision coverage.

Auto liability

This provides protection from damage that occurs to other people or property in an accident. It consists of three limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. Your policy might show liability limits of 25/50/25 that means you have a limit of $25,000 per injured person, a limit of $50,000 in injury protection per accident, and a total limit of $25,000 for damage to vehicles and property.

Liability coverage protects against things like medical services, court costs, legal defense fees and emergency aid. How much liability should you purchase? That is your choice, but you should buy as large an amount as possible. Missouri requires minimum liability limits of 25,000/50,000/10,000 but you should consider buying higher limits.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance kick in for expenses such as funeral costs, hospital visits, prosthetic devices and surgery. They are often used to cover expenses not covered by your health insurance policy or if you lack health insurance entirely. It covers you and your occupants and also covers any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP coverage is not an option in every state and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This protects you and your vehicle from other drivers when they do not carry enough liability coverage. It can pay for hospital bills for your injuries as well as damage to your vehicle.

Since many Missouri drivers have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10 in Missouri), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is important protection for you and your family.

Additional consumer information websites

Additional detailed information can be read at the Missouri Department of Insurance website. Consumers can find a variety of consumer forms, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, learn about insurance regulations, and read state legal mandates and laws.

Other useful links include this link for Missouri coverage information and this link where you can make Jefferson City car insurance comparisons.