Kansas City Kansas Car Insurance Buying Tips You Aren’t Supposed to Know

Price shopping your Kansas City car insurance can be challenging for beginners to comparing rates online. Consumers have so many choices that it can quickly become a ton of work to find the best price in Kansas City.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, buy you may qualify for discounts that you may not even be aware of. Some trigger automatically when you purchase, but a few must be asked for before they will apply.

• Passive Restraints and Air Bags – Factory air bags or motorized seat belts can receive discounts of up to 25% or more.
• Distant Student – Children who live away from home and don’t have a car can receive lower rates.
• Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a break if you buy auto and life insurance together.
• Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may be able to get better car insurance rates.
• Paperwork-free – A handful of insurance companies give back up to $50 for buying a policy and signing up online.
• Drive Safe and Save – Drivers who avoid accidents may save up to 50% more than drivers with accident claims.

Consumers should know that most discounts do not apply to the overall cost of the policy. Some only reduce specific coverage prices like liability, collision or medical payments. Even though it may seem like you can get free auto insurance, car insurance companies aren’t that generous. But any discount will help reduce the cost of coverage.

To see a list of insurers who offer car insurance discounts in Kansas, click here to view.

When should I use an insurance agent?

When it comes to buying the right insurance coverage, there is no cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if you could use an agent’s help.

• Why am I required to buy high-risk coverage?
• Are split liability limits better than a combined single limit?
• When should my teen driver be added to my policy?
• Is rental equipment covered for theft or damage?
• How high should my medical payments coverage be?
• How much liability coverage do I need in Kansas?
• When should I drop full coverage on my vehicle?
• Do I get a pro-rated refund if I cancel my policy early?
• Should I file a claim if it’s only slightly more than my deductible?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?

If you’re not sure about those questions, you might consider talking to an insurance agent. If you want to speak to an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Car Insurance through a local agent

Some people would prefer to buy from a local agent and that is a personal choice. The biggest benefit of price shopping on the web is you may find lower rates but also keep your business local. And providing support for small agencies is especially important in Kansas City.

After completing this form (opens in new window), the quote information gets sent to agents in your area who will battle to get your business. You don’t have to drive around because quoted prices will be sent straight to your inbox. How’s that for easy! You can find the lowest rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Is a captive or independent insurance agency right for you?

When looking for a reliable agent, there are two different types of agents that differ in how they can insure your vehicles. Insurance agencies in Kansas City are categorized either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Independent Agencies or Brokers

These agents are not required to write business for one company but instead can place your coverage with any number of different companies depending on which coverage is best. If you are not satisfied with one company, the business is moved internally and you won’t have to switch agencies. When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you get quotes from multiple independent agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. Many write coverage with smaller regional carriers which can be an advantage.

Below is a short list of independent insurance agents in Kansas City that may be able to provide pricing information.

• Abia Insurance – 225 N 7th St – Kansas City, KS 66101 – (913) 342-2242
• Mitchell Agency – 1333 Meadowlark Ln # 210 – Kansas City, KS 66102 – (913) 287-2744
• Harley D Huggins Agency – 3218 Strong Ave – Kansas City, KS 66106 – (913) 831-2345
• A 1 Insurance – 1225 N 78th St – Kansas City, KS 66112 – (913) 381-4418

Captive Insurance Agents

This type of agents are contracted to one company like Liberty Mutual, State Farm, Allstate and AAA. They generally cannot shop your coverage around so keep that in mind. They are very knowledgeable on their products and sales techniques and that can be a competitive advantage. Some consumers prefer to purchase coverage from captives primarily because of high brand loyalty and solid financial strength.

Shown below is a list of captive agents in Kansas City who can help you get price quotes.

• Farm Bureau Insurance – 2709 S 47th St – Kansas City, KS 66106 – (913) 262-2333
• State Farm Insurance – 6605 Parallel Ave – Kansas City, KS 66102 – (913) 334-2227
• Allstate Insurance – 914 S 55th St – Kansas City, KS 66106 – (913) 596-0025
• American Family Insurance – 11627 Kaw Dr – Kansas City, KS 66111 – (913) 441-3336
• Farmers Insurance Group – 7940 Parallel Pkwy – Kansas City, KS 66112 – (913) 788-8288

To view a complete directory of Kansas City captive agencies, view this link.

Selecting an insurance agency needs to be determined by more than just the price. Ask your prospective agent these questions:

• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
• Do they review policy coverages at every renewal?
• Did they already check your driving record and credit reports?
• Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
• Do they have advanced training designations such as CPCU, AAI, AIC, or CIC?
• Do they carry Errors and Omissions coverage?
• What insurance company do they write the most business with?

Once you have acceptable answers to any questions you have and locked in a price quote, you’ve probably found a car insurance agent that is a good match to properly insure your vehicles.

Additional car insurance information is available on the Kansas Insurance Department website found here. Consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, file complaints about a company, and learn about insurance regulations.

Do the work, save more money

Lower-priced car insurance is available both online and with local Kansas City insurance agents, and you need to price shop both in order to have the best chance of saving money. Some car insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these regional insurance providers provide coverage only through local independent agents.

While you’re price shopping online, do not buy poor coverage just to save money. In many cases, an insured dropped comprehensive coverage or liability limits and discovered at claim time that the savings was not a smart move. Your strategy should be to buy enough coverage for the lowest price while still protecting your assets.

You just read a lot of tips how to compare car insurance prices online. It’s most important to understand that the more price quotes you have, the higher the chance of saving money. You may be surprised to find that the best prices are with a small local company.