Auto Insurance in Southaven – 7 Ways to Lower Rates

Perplexed by the sheer number of auto insurance company choices in Southaven? You have a lot of company. You have so many companies to choose from that it can quickly become a lot of work to find better rates.

Comparison of Auto Insurance in Southaven, MS

Most major insurance companies give coverage prices directly from their websites. This process is quite easy as you just type in your coverage preferences into a form. Behind the scenes, the system automatically orders your driving record and credit report and generates a price based on these factors.

Online quotes makes comparing rates easy, but the work required to visit each company’s website and repetitively enter the same data into a form is monotonous and tiresome. But it’s absolutely necessary to perform this step in order to get a better rate.

There is a better way to compare rates

An easier way to lower your rates makes use of a single form that obtains quotes from several companies at one time. The form is fast, requires less work, and makes quoting online much simpler. As soon as the form is sent, it is rated and you can choose your choice of the price quotes you receive. If you find a better price you simply finish the application and buy the new coverage. It takes less than 15 minutes and can result in significant savings.

If you want to fill out one form to compare multiple rates now, click here to open in new window and enter your information. If you currently have coverage, we recommend you copy the coverages identical to your current policy. This ensures you are getting comparison quotes based on the exact same insurance coverage.

Pay less by taking advantage of these seven discounts

Car insurance companies don’t list all available discounts very clearly, so we break down some of the more common and the harder-to-find auto insurance savings.

• New Car Discount – Insuring a new car can be considerably cheaper since new cars are generally safer.
• Low Mileage – Fewer annual miles could be rewarded with better rates on cars that stay parked.
• Discount for Good Grades – Getting good grades can get you a discount of up to 25%. The discount lasts well after school through age 25.
• Payment Method – If you pay your bill all at once instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
• Safe Drivers – Safe drivers may receive a discount up to 45% less than their less cautious counterparts.
• Accident Free – Drivers with accident-free driving histories can save substantially compared to accident-prone drivers.
• Life Insurance – Companies who offer life insurance give a discount if you purchase life insurance from them.

It’s important to note that some credits don’t apply to all coverage premiums. Some only apply to the cost of specific coverages such as liability and collision coverage. Even though it may seem like all the discounts add up to a free policy, companies wouldn’t make money that way.

To see a list of companies with the best auto insurance discounts in Mississippi, click this link.

Don’t I need to talk to an agent?

Certain consumers would rather sit down with an agent and there is nothing wrong with that. The best thing about comparing rates online is you can get better rates but still work with a licensed agent.

For easy comparison, once you complete this form (opens in new window), the coverage information gets sent to participating agents in Southaven who will battle for your insurance coverage. There is no reason to even leave your home since price quotes are sent straight to your inbox. Get lower rates and an insurance agent to talk to.

Deciding on an provider needs to be determined by more than just a cheap price. Some important questions to ask are:

• What will you get paid if your car is a total loss? How is that amount determined?
• Who are their largest clients?
• Do they feel the quoted coverages are adequate?
• Does the agency provide any after hours assistance?
• Are claim adjusters local or do you have to take your car somewhere else?
• Are they able to influence company decisions when a claim is filed?

Multiple types of car insurance agents in Southaven

When researching a reliable agent, there are two different agency structures to choose from. Southaven agents are either independent (non-captive) or captive.

Captive Agents

Captive insurance agents can only write with one company and examples are Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captives cannot compare other company’s rates so keep that in mind. Captive agencies are well schooled on the products they sell and that can be a competitive advantage. Consumers frequently purchase coverage from captives partially due to the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings.

The following are captive agents in Southaven who may provide you with price quotes.

• Shelter Insurance – 7193 Swinnea Rd # B – Southaven, MS 38671 – (662) 349-2002
• Allstate Insurance – 3350 Goodman Rd E – Southaven, MS 38672 – (662) 349-6363
• State Farm Insurance – 7900 Airways Blvd # B200 – Southaven, MS 38671 – (662) 349-4600
• Southern Farm Bureau Casualty – 6723 Elmore Rd – Southaven, MS 38671 – (662) 349-1889

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not locked into one company so they can insure your vehicles amongst many companies and potentially find a lower price. To transfer your coverage to a different company, they simply move the coverage in-house without you having to go to a different agency.

When comparing rates, we recommend you include price quotes from at least one independent agent for the best price selection.Most can insure with different regional companies which may provide better rates.

Below are independent insurance agencies in Southaven that can give you price quote information.

• Avant Insurance Agency – 212 Goodman Rd E – Southaven, MS 38671 – (601) 349-3490
• Direct General Ins Agency – 578 Goodman Rd E – Southaven, MS 38671 – (662) 393-3999
• Avant Insurance Agency – 212 Goodman Rd E – Southaven, MS 38671 – (601) 349-3490
• Brown and Haynes Insurance – 946 Goodman Rd E # 2 – Southaven, MS 38671 – (662) 349-2021

For a complete listing of insurance agents in Southaven, go to this page.

After receiving reasonable responses to all your questions and locked in a price quote, you may have just found a car insurance agent that is a good match to provide auto insurance coverage. But keep in mind policyholders can terminate your policy for any reason so never feel that you’re stuck with a specific agent with no way out.

How much car insurance do I need?

When it comes to choosing the best auto insurance coverage, there really is not a single plan that fits everyone. Everyone’s needs are different.

Here are some questions about coverages that can aid in determining if your situation would benefit from an agent’s advice.

• What vehicles should carry emergency assistance coverage?
• Why am I required to get a high-risk car insurance policy?
• Does my policy cover me when driving someone else’s vehicle?
• Where can I get insurance after a DUI in Mississippi?
• Am I covered if I drive in a foreign country?
• Does my insurance cover damage caused when ticketed for reckless driving?
• Are my tools covered if they get stolen from my vehicle?
• Is pleasure use cheaper than using my vehicle to commute?
• Does my insurance cover my expensive audio equipment?

If you can’t answer these questions but a few of them apply, you may need to chat with a licensed agent. To find an agent in your area, take a second and complete this form.

Beware of misleading auto insurance ads

Auto insurance companies such as Allstate and Progressive continually stream television and radio advertisements. They all seem to say the same thing that you can save after switching your policy. How does each company claim to save you money? This is how they do it.

Insurance companies can use profiling for the type of driver that earns them a profit. For instance, a desirable insured might be over the age of 40, has no driving citations, and chooses high deductibles. Any new insured who fits that profile receives the best rates and therefore will pay quite a bit less when switching companies.

Drivers who do not match this ideal profile will be quoted higher premiums which leads to business not being written. The ads say “people who switch” not “everyone that quotes” save that much money. That’s the way insurance companies can state the savings. This emphasizes why it’s extremely important to get a wide range of price quotes. Because you never know which auto insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Educate yourself about auto insurance coverages

Learning about specific coverages of your auto insurance policy can help you determine which coverages you need and the correct deductibles and limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and reading a policy is terribly boring.

Liability

This coverage protects you from injuries or damage you cause to people or other property that is your fault. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person, bodily injury for the entire accident, and a limit for property damage. You commonly see values of 100/300/100 that translate to $100,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, $300,000 for the entire accident, and $100,000 of coverage for damaged propery.

Liability coverage pays for claims such as repair bills for other people’s vehicles, loss of income and structural damage. How much coverage you buy is your choice, but consider buying as high a limit as you can afford. Mississippi state minimum liability requirements are 25,000/50,000/25,000 but drivers should carry more coverage.

Comprehensive protection

Comprehensive insurance pays to fix your vehicle from damage from a wide range of events other than collision. You first must pay your deductible then the remaining damage will be covered by your comprehensive coverage.

Comprehensive can pay for claims like damage from a tornado or hurricane, a tree branch falling on your vehicle, a broken windshield and falling objects. The maximum amount a auto insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if the vehicle’s value is low it’s probably time to drop comprehensive insurance.

Coverage for collisions

This pays to fix your vehicle from damage caused by collision with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and the rest of the damage will be paid by collision coverage.

Collision coverage pays for claims such as hitting a parking meter, damaging your car on a curb, sustaining damage from a pot hole and backing into a parked car. Collision coverage makes up a good portion of your premium, so consider removing coverage from vehicles that are older. Another option is to raise the deductible to save money on collision insurance.

Medical expense coverage

Medical payments and Personal Injury Protection insurance provide coverage for short-term medical expenses such as surgery, prosthetic devices, chiropractic care and funeral costs. They are often used to fill the gap from your health insurance policy or if you are not covered by health insurance. It covers not only the driver but also the vehicle occupants and will also cover any family member struck as a pedestrian. PIP is not available in all states and gives slightly broader coverage than med pay

Uninsured or underinsured coverage

This coverage protects you and your vehicle’s occupants from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. This coverage pays for injuries to you and your family and damage to your vehicle.

Since a lot of drivers only carry the minimum required liability limits (Mississippi limits are 25/50/25), their liability coverage can quickly be exhausted. That’s why carrying high Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage is a good idea.

Summing up your auto insurance search

As you restructure your insurance plan, make sure you don’t reduce needed coverages to save money. There are too many instances where someone sacrificed liability limits or collision coverage and found out when filing a claim that the small savings ended up costing them much more. Your aim should be to buy a smart amount of coverage at an affordable rate, not the least amount of coverage.

We just covered quite a bit of information on how to reduce auto insurance prices online. The key thing to remember is the more times you quote, the better your comparison will be. You may be surprised to find that the lowest priced auto insurance comes from an unexpected company.

Drivers switch companies for any number of reasons including unfair underwriting practices, high prices, delays in responding to claim requests or even an unsatisfactory settlement offer. No matter why you want to switch, choosing a new insurance company can be pretty painless.

Mississippi auto insurance information

Even more information can be read at the Mississippi Insurance Department website. Consumers can view agent and company licensing information, read industry bulletins, and discover disciplinary actions.