7 Discounts Gladstone Drivers Forget when Buying Auto Insurance

If online auto insurance comparisons are new to you, it’s easy to be confused by the sheer number of online companies vying for business in Gladstone.

It’s a great practice to price shop coverage on a regular basis due to the fact that insurance rates fluctuate regularly. Despite the fact that you may have had the best price a couple years back you can probably find a lower rate today. So ignore everything you know about auto insurance because it’s time to teach you the fastest way to find lower rates on auto insurance.

Cut your auto insurance rates with these seven discounts

Insurance can be prohibitively expensive, but there are discounts available to help bring down the price. Most are applied at the time you complete a quote, but a few must be inquired about before you get the savings. If you don’t get every credit available, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Good Student Discount – A discount for being a good student can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts up until you turn 25.
• Military Discounts – Being deployed with a military unit may qualify for rate reductions.
• Multi-car Discount – Having more than one vehicle with the same company can get a discount on all vehicles.
• Organization Discounts – Being a member of a professional or civic organization is a good way to get lower rates on auto insurance.
• Student in College – Youth drivers who are attending college and don’t have a car may be able to be covered for less.
• E-sign – A few companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing on their website.
• Safe Drivers – Drivers who avoid accidents may receive a discount up to 45% less than drivers with accident claims.

As a disclaimer on discounts, many deductions do not apply to the entire cost. Most only reduce specific coverage prices like comp or med pay. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, it doesn’t quite work that way. Any amount of discount will help reduce your premiums.

Do drivers who switch really save $470 a year?

Consumers in Missouri can’t get away from ads for the lowest price auto insurance by companies like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO. They all make the same claim about savings if you switch to them.

How does each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies have a preferred profile for the type of driver that is profitable for them. For instance, a desirable insured might be between 25 and 40, has no tickets, and has excellent credit. A customer who meets those qualifications will qualify for the lowest rates and most likely will save a lot of money.

Potential customers who do not match the “perfect” profile must pay higher prices and ends up with business going elsewhere. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that much money. This is how insurance companies can make those claims.

This illustrates why you should get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which auto insurance company will provide you with the cheapest rates.

You are unique and your auto insurance should be too

When it comes to buying coverage, there isn’t really a perfect coverage plan. Everyone’s situation is unique.

Here are some questions about coverages that might help in determining whether you would benefit from professional advice.

• Am I getting all the discounts available?
• Should I rate my vehicle as pleasure use or commute?
• Can I rate high risk drivers on liability-only vehicles?
• Is my nanny covered when driving my vehicle?
• Do I need rental car coverage?
• What should my uninsured motorist coverage limits be in Missouri?
• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?
• When should I remove comp and collision on my vehicle?
• What if I total my vehicle and owe more than it’s worth?
• Will I be non-renewed for getting a DUI or other conviction?

If it’s difficult to answer those questions but a few of them apply, then you may want to think about talking to an insurance agent. If you don’t have a local agent, simply complete this short form. It is quick, free and may give you better protection.

Auto insurance coverage considerations

Understanding the coverages of your auto insurance policy aids in choosing which coverages you need and proper limits and deductibles. The coverage terms in a policy can be impossible to understand and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording.

Medical payments coverage and PIP – Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance reimburse you for bills for things like nursing services, surgery, pain medications, doctor visits and EMT expenses. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you do not have health coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover both the driver and occupants as well as any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal injury protection coverage is only offered in select states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Auto liability – This coverage can cover injuries or damage you cause to a person or their property by causing an accident. This insurance protects YOU from legal claims by others, and doesn’t cover your injuries or vehicle damage.

Split limit liability has three limits of coverage: bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You might see values of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a per accident bodily injury limit of $300,000, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery. Another option is a combined limit which combines the three limits into one amount without having the split limit caps.

Liability can pay for claims such as pain and suffering, medical expenses, medical services and repair bills for other people’s vehicles. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but buy as high a limit as you can afford. Missouri state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/10,000 but drivers should carry more liability than the minimum.

Collision coverages – Collision coverage pays for damage to your vehicle resulting from a collision with another car or object. You will need to pay your deductible then your collision coverage will kick in.

Collision can pay for things such as rolling your car, driving through your garage door, hitting a mailbox, scraping a guard rail and colliding with another moving vehicle. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. It’s also possible to bump up the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Comprehensive coverage – This pays for damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You need to pay your deductible first and then insurance will cover the rest of the damage.

Comprehensive insurance covers claims like vandalism, hail damage, damage from a tornado or hurricane and theft. The most you can receive from a comprehensive claim is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low consider dropping full coverage.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage – Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist coverage protects you and your vehicle when other motorists are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries to you and your family and damage to your vehicle.

Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (which is 25/50/10), it doesn’t take a major accident to exceed their coverage limits. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is important protection for you and your family. Usually your uninsured/underinsured motorist coverages are similar to your liability insurance amounts.

Much more information about auto insurance in Missouri is available on the Missouri Department of Insurance website located here. Missouri consumers can get help finding coverage, find a variety of consumer forms, and download brochures.

Smart shoppers get results

People leave their current company for any number of reasons including policy non-renewal, delays in responding to claim requests, an unsatisfactory settlement offer and denial of a claim. Regardless of your reason for switching companies, finding a new auto insurance company can be easy and end up saving you some money.

When you buy insurance online, make sure you don’t buy poor coverage just to save money. There have been many cases where an accident victim reduced liability coverage limits only to discover later that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your focus should be to find the BEST coverage at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

In this article, we covered many ways to compare auto insurance prices online. The most important thing to understand is the more quotes you get, the higher your chance of finding lower rates. You may even discover the best price on auto insurance is with a lesser-known regional company.