Consumer Tested Strategies to Save on Independence Car Insurance

Did you fall for a flashy sales pitch and buy high-priced car insurance? Believe me when I say many Independence consumers feel financially strained by their car insurance policy.

Multiple compete to insure your vehicles, so it can be very hard to choose a to find the absolute lowest rate

If you have car insurance now, you stand a good chance to be able to reduce your rates substantially using these methods. Buying car insurance in Independence is easy if you know what you're doing. But Mississippi car owners do need to know how insurance companies price online insurance.

Save big with these discounts

Companies offering auto insurance don't always list all available discounts in an easy-to-find place, so the following is a list of some of the more common and the harder-to-find car insurance savings.

  • Memberships - Belonging to certain professional organizations could qualify you for a break when buying car insurance.
  • Defensive Driver - Completing a driver safety course could possibly earn you a 5% discount and easily recoup the cost of the course.
  • Anti-theft Discount - Anti-theft and alarm systems can help prevent theft and therefore earn up to a 10% discount.
  • Early Signing - Select companies give a discount for switching to them before your current expiration date. This can save 10% or more.
  • Accident Free - Drivers with accident-free driving histories pay less when compared with bad drivers.
  • Paperless Signup - Certain companies will give a small break for buying a policy and signing up on their website.
  • Homeowners Discount - Owning a home in Independence may trigger a car insurance policy discount because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.
  • Student Driver Training - Have your child enroll in driver's education in school.
  • Payment Discounts - If you pay your bill all at once instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.

Consumers should know that most credits do not apply the the whole policy. Most only reduce the price of certain insurance coverages like physical damage coverage or medical payments. So despite the fact that it appears all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies don't profit that way.

To see a list of insurers offering car insurance discounts in Independence, follow this link.

How to Compare Independence Car Insurance Costs

There are several ways to compare quotes from car insurance companies in your area. The best method to find the lowest rates is to use the internet to compare rates. This can be done using a couple different methods.

  • The best way to get quotes is to use a rate comparison form click here to open form in new window. This method prevents you from having to do repetitive form entry for every car insurance company. Completing one form compares rates direct from many companies.
  • Another way to get quotes online is going to each individual company website to complete their respective quote request forms. For examples sake, we'll pretend you want to compare rates from , and . To get rate quotes you would need to take the time to go to each site and enter your information, and that's why the first method is more popular.

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

It doesn't matter which method you choose, just compare the exact same coverage limits and deductibles on every quote you get. If the quotes have different liability limits it will be very difficult to determine which rate is truly the best in Independence. Just a small difference in insurance coverages can make a big difference in price. Just keep in mind that quoting more will increase your chances of finding the best rates.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know some of the elements that go into determining your car insurance rates. Understanding what controls the rates you pay allows you to make educated decisions that could result in lower car insurance prices.

  • Liability coverage is peace of mind - Liability insurance provides coverage if you are found to be at fault for damages from an accident. It will provide you with a defense in court starting from day one. Carrying liability coverage is mandatory and cheap compared to physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
  • Do you need the policy add-ons? - There are many extra coverages that you can get tricked into buying on your policy. Coverages like roadside assistance, accidental death and motor club memberships are examples of these. They may seem like a good idea when talking to your agent, but if you don't need them get rid of them and save.
  • Discounts for multiple policies - Most companies will award you with lower prices to policyholders who carry more than one policy. It's known as a multi-policy discount. Discounts can add up to anywhere from five to ten percent in most cases. Even though this discount sounds good, it's in your best interest to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still be able to find a better deal by buying insurance from more than one company.
  • Type of vehicle determines base rates - The performance level of the car you are insuring makes a big difference in the rate you pay. Lower performance four cylinder passenger models generally have the cheapest insurance rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
  • Your job and insurance rates - Did you know your job can affect your rates? Occupations such as real estate brokers, architects and accountants tend to pay higher rates than average in part from stressful work requirements and lengthy work days. On the flip side, professions such as actors, athletes and homemakers have the lowest average rates.
  • Your spouse saves you money - Getting married can actually save you money when buying car insurance. Having a spouse is viewed as being more mature than a single person it has been statistically shown that being married results in fewer claims.
  • Frequent car insurance claims increase rates - If you tend to file frequent claims, you can pretty much guarantee either a policy non-renewal or much higher rates. Auto insurance companies in Mississippi provide better rates to people who file claims infrequently. Auto insurance is meant to be used in the event of the large, substantial claims.

Car insurance ads bend the truth

Allstate, GEICO and Progressive constantly bombard you with ads on TV and radio. All the companies say the same thing that you'll save big if you switch to them. How do they all make the same claim? This is how they do it.

All companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. A good example of a profitable customer could be over the age of 50, has no tickets, and has a short commute. A customer who fits that profile will get the preferred rates and most likely will cut their rates substantially.

Drivers who fall outside the "perfect" profile must pay a higher premium which usually ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state "drivers who switch" not "people who quote" save money. That's the way companies can make the claims of big savings. This illustrates why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Shop smart and save

Discount car insurance can be found from both online companies and with local Independence insurance agents, and you should be comparing both to have the best selection. Some insurance providers do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these small insurance companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you shop your coverage around, you should never reduce coverage to reduce premium. In too many instances, an insured dropped full coverage and found out when filing a claim that saving that couple of dollars actually costed them tens of thousands. Your focus should be to get the best coverage possible for the lowest price while not skimping on critical coverages.

We just showed you a lot of tips how to compare car insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more rate comparisons you have, the better likelihood of reducing your rate. You may even discover the biggest savings come from a smaller regional carrier. These smaller insurers may often insure only within specific states and give getter rates than their larger competitors like .

car insurance in Independence

Find out more about car insurance

More detailed Mississippi car insurance information can be read at the Mississippi Insurance Department website. Consumers can find out which companies have the most complaints, discover disciplinary actions, read consumer alerts, and learn about specific coverages.