Tightwads Guide for Saving on Biloxi Mississippi Car Insurance

Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of car insurance company choices in Biloxi? You’re not the only one! You have so many options that it can turn into more work than you anticipated to locate the lowest price.

It’s a good habit to compare prices once or twice a year since rates change quite often. If you had the lowest price on your last policy the chances are good that you can find a lower rate today. Block out anything you think you know about car insurance because you’re about to find out the best methods to get good coverage at a lower rate.

Buying car insurance in Biloxi is easy if you know what you’re doing. If you currently have car insurance, you stand a good chance to be able to lower your premiums substantially using this strategy. Mississippi consumers just need to know the most efficient way to get comparison rates on the web.

You probably qualify for some discounts

Companies that sell car insurance do not list every available discount very clearly, so we researched some of the best known and the harder-to-find discounts you could be receiving. If you’re not getting every credit you deserve, you’re just leaving money on the table.

• Senior Discount – If you’re over the age of 55, you may qualify for a discount up to 10%.
• Multiple Policy Discount – When you combine your home and auto insurance with the same company you could get a discount of approximately 10% to 15%.
• Payment Method – By paying your policy upfront instead of monthly or quarterly installments you can actually save on your bill.
• Auto/Life Discount – Larger companies have a break if you buy life insurance from them.
• Homeowners Savings – Owning a house in Biloxi can save you money due to the fact that maintaining a home is proof that your finances are in order.
• Save with a New Car – Putting insurance coverage on a new car is cheaper due to better safety requirements for new cars.
• Braking Control Discount – Anti-lock brake equipped vehicles prevent accidents and will save you 10% or more.
• Discounts for Safe Drivers – Drivers who don’t get into accidents can get discounts for up to 45% lower rates than drivers with accident claims.
• Accident Waiver – Some insurance companies permit an accident before hitting you with a surcharge so long as you haven’t had any claims for a particular time prior to the accident.

It’s important to note that most discount credits are not given to your bottom line cost. Most only cut the cost of specific coverages such as liability, collision or medical payments. So when it seems like it’s possible to get free car insurance, companies don’t profit that way.

To choose insurers with discount car insurance rates in Biloxi, click this link.

Biloxi Car Insurance Prices Online

Most major insurance companies provide prices for coverage online. Getting online rates is quite simple as you just enter your required coverages as detailed in the form. Once you submit the form, the company’s rating system automatically retrieves your driving and credit reports and quotes a price based on many factors.

Online price quotes simplifies rate comparisons, but having to visit a lot of sites and type in the same information can be a bit repetitive. Unfortunately, it is important to have as many quotes as possible in order to get a lower rate.

A quicker way to compare car insurance pricing makes use of a single form to get prices from multiple companies. The form is fast, helps eliminate reptitive entry, and makes online shopping much simpler. Once the form is submitted, it is rated and you can choose any of the pricing results. If a lower price is quoted, it’s easy to complete the application and buy the policy. This process takes just a few minutes to complete and may result in a nice savings.

To find out what other companies charge, click here to open in a new tab and fill out the form. If you have coverage now, it’s recommended you enter your coverages just like they are on your policy. Using the same limits helps guarantee you will get rate quotes for exact coverage.

What determines how much you pay?

An important part of buying insurance is that you know the factors that come into play when calculating the price you pay for car insurance. When you know what positively or negatively impacts premium levels empowers consumers to make smart changes that may reward you with lower car insurance prices.

The list below includes a partial list of the pieces used by your company to calculate rates.

• How your age affects price – Young drivers in Mississippi are statistically proven to be less responsible in a vehicle so car insurance rates are higher. Mature drivers tend to be more responsible, file fewer claims and receive fewer citations.
• Cautious drivers pay less – Careful drivers get better rates compared to drivers with tickets. Even one ticket can boost insurance rates by as much as thirty percent. Drivers with flagrant tickets such as reckless driving, hit and run or driving under the influence are required to submit a SR-22 form with their state motor vehicle department in order to keep their license.
• Rural vs Urban Areas – Choosing to live in a rural area is a positive aspect when buying car insurance. City drivers have more traffic problems and a longer drive to work. Fewer people means reduced accidents and also fewer theft and vandalism claims.
• The type of vehicle makes a difference – The performance level of the vehicle you are insuring makes a significant difference in the rate you pay. Low performance passenger models usually have the lowest rates, but the final cost of insurance is determined by many other factors.
• Lower rates with optional equipment – Owning a car with an alarm system can get you a discount on your car insurance. Anti-theft features such as GM’s OnStar, tamper alarm systems and vehicle immobilizers can help prevent your vehicle from being stolen.
• An active claims history can cost you – Companies in Mississippi generally give better rates to people who do not file claims often. If you file claims often, you can pretty much guarantee either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance is designed for the bigger claims that can’t be paid out-of-pocket.
• Where do you drive? – The more miles you rack up on your car each year the higher your rate. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars based on their usage. Vehicles used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than those used for commuting. Double check that your car insurance policy is showing how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
• Higher safety ratings means cheaper insurance – Vehicles with high crash test scores are cheaper to insure. Safer cars protect occupants better and any reduction in injury severity means lower claim amounts passed on to you as lower rates.

Can switching companies really save?

Consumers get pounded daily by advertisements that promise big savings from companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO. All the ads make the same claim about savings if you switch your policy.

But how can every company make the same claim?

All companies have a certain “appetite” for the driver they prefer to insure. For instance, a preferred risk might be a mature driver, owns a home, and chooses high deductibles. A driver who fits that profile will get very good rates and therefore will save when switching.

Potential insureds who don’t meet this ideal profile will have to pay higher prices and this can result in the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ad wording is “people who switch” but not “drivers who get quotes” save that much money. That’s why companies can truthfully claim big savings. Because of the profiling, you absolutely need to compare many company’s rates. It’s just too difficult to predict which car insurance company will fit your personal profile best.

Compare but don’t skimp

As you prepare to switch companies, do not reduce coverage to reduce premium. There are a lot of situations where someone dropped liability coverage limits only to discover later they didn’t purchase enough coverage. The ultimate goal is to buy the best coverage you can find at the best price while not skimping on critical coverages.

Insureds change insurance companies for a variety of reasons including not issuing a premium refund, an unsatisfactory settlement offer, delays in responding to claim requests and even high rates after DUI convictions. Whatever your reason, switching car insurance companies is pretty easy and you might even save some money in the process.

Affordable car insurance is possible on the web and with local Biloxi insurance agents, and you should compare price quotes from both in order to have the best price selection to choose from. Some insurance companies do not offer the ability to get a quote online and most of the time these regional insurance providers sell through independent agents.

Additional resources for Mississippi consumers

Even more information can be found at the Mississippi Insurance Department website. Mississippi drivers can learn about specific coverages, download brochures, and read enforcement actions against agents and companies.