Easy Methods to Cut Costs on Mendenhall Auto Insurance

Are you intimidated by the number of auto insurance options in Mendenhall? Many other consumers are too. Consumers have so many options that it can turn into a big hassle to find the perfect company for you.

Policy discounts you shouldn't miss

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but you may find discounts to reduce the price significantly. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied at the time of quoting, but lesser-known reductions have to be requested specifically before you will receive the discount.

  • Fewer Miles Equal More Savings - Fewer annual miles can qualify you for discounted rates on garaged vehicles.
  • Multiple Vehicles - Buying insurance for multiple vehicles on the same auto insurance policy may reduce the rate for each vehicle.
  • Discount for New Cars - Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
  • Payment Method - If you pay your entire premium ahead of time instead of paying each month you can actually save on your bill.
  • Theft Prevention System - Cars that have factory anti-theft systems help deter theft and will save you 10% or more.

It's important to note that most discount credits are not given to all coverage premiums. The majority will only reduce individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though they make it sound like all those discounts means the company will pay you, you're out of luck. But any discount will reduce the amount you have to pay.

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

auto insurance in Mendenhall

How to Compare Auto Insurance in Mendenhall, Mississippi

The are a couple different ways of comparing price quotes from auto insurance companies in your area. The best method to find the lowest rates involves getting comparison quotes online. This can be done in just a few minutes using one of these methods.

  • The best way to get the best comparison quotes is a comparison rater form click here to open form in new window. This easy form saves time by eliminating boring form submissions to each individual auto insurance company. Filling out one form gets rate comparisons from all major companies. It's the fastest way to compare.
  • A more difficult way to shop for auto insurance online is spending the time to visit the website for every company you want to comare to complete a price quote. For instance, we'll pretend you want to compare rates from , and . To find out each rate you need to go to every website and enter your policy data, which is why the first method is more popular. For a list of links to companies insuring cars in Mendenhall, click here.
  • The least recommended method to get comparison rates is driving to local Mendenhall insurance agencies. The internet has reduced the need for local agents unless you require the professional advice only provided by licensed Mendenhall agents. However, consumers can obtain prices from the web but buy from a local insurance agent. We'll cover that shortly.

It's up to you which method you use, but ensure you are comparing exactly the same information with each company. If you are comparing higher or lower deductibles it's impossible to make an equal comparison in Mendenhall. Quoting even small variations in limits can mean a large discrepancy in price. Just remember that more quotes will increase your chances of finding the best price.

Why some people pay less for insurance in Mendenhall

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the different types of things that help determine the price you pay for auto insurance. Having a good understanding of what influences your rates allows you to make educated decisions that could result in big savings.

The following are some of the factors companies use to determine premiums.

  • Better crash test results mean better rates - Vehicles with good safety scores can get you lower premiums. Safe vehicles result in less severe injuries and lower injury rates means lower claim amounts and more competitive rates for policyholders.
  • Do you know your deductibles? - Deductibles for physical damage represent how much money you are required to spend before your auto insurance pays a claim. Physical damage coverage, otherwise known as comp (or other than collision) and collision, protects your car from damage. Examples of covered claims could be colliding with a building, damage caused by hail, and burglary. The more money you're willing to pay, the less your auto insurance will be.
  • Proper usage rating affects rates - Driving more miles in a year the more you'll pay to insure your vehicle. Most companies apply a rate based on their usage. Cars and trucks not used for work or commuting can get a lower rate compared to those used for work or business. Ask your agent if your auto insurance coverage is rated on the proper vehicle usage, because it can save money.
  • Save money with special equipment - Choosing a vehicle with an alarm system can help bring down rates. Theft prevention features such as GM's OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can thwart car theft.
  • Do you qualify for a multi-policy discount? - Many insurers will award you with lower prices to customers who have multiple policies with them such as combining an auto and homeowners policy. Discounts can be five, ten or even twenty percent. Even with this discount, you still need to compare rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. You may still find a better deal by splitting coverages up.
  • Careful drivers pay lower rates - Whether or not you get tickets has a huge affect on how much you pay. Only having one speeding ticket can increase rates by twenty percent. Good drivers have lower premiums compared to drivers with tickets. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as DWI, reckless driving or hit and run convictions are required to submit a SR-22 or proof of financial responsibility with their state DMV in order to keep their license.

Save $429 a year? Really?

21st Century, Allstate and State Farm continually stream television and radio advertisements. All the companies make an identical promise that you can save after switching to them. How can each company make almost identical claims?

All the different companies are able to cherry pick for the type of driver that is profitable for them. An example of a profitable customer could possibly be a mature driver, has no driving citations, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who meets those qualifications gets the lowest rates and is almost guaranteed to save when they switch companies.

Potential insureds who don't qualify for the requirements must pay more money and ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. Company advertisements say "customers that switch" but not "drivers who get quotes" save money. That's the way insurance companies can state the savings.

This illustrates why drivers must get a wide range of price quotes. It's impossible to know which auto insurance company will have the lowest rates.

Final considerations

Lower-priced auto insurance can be purchased online and with local Mendenhall insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best chance of lowering rates. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and usually these smaller companies provide coverage only through local independent agents.

As you restructure your insurance plan, it's not a good idea to reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where someone sacrificed comprehensive coverage or liability limits to discover at claim time that they should have had better coverage. The proper strategy is to buy the best coverage you can find at a price you can afford while not skimping on critical coverages.

You just read some good ideas how you can compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more companies you get rates for, the better chance you'll have of finding lower rates. You may even discover the best price on auto insurance is with some of the lesser-known companies.

Learn more about Mississippi auto insurance

More information is available on the Mississippi Insurance Department website located here. Mississippi consumers can find disaster information, report car insurance fraud, and file complaints about an insurance agent or broker.