Proven Ways for Comparing Cheaper Maryland Heights Missouri Auto Insurance

Finding lower rates for Maryland Heights auto insurance is difficult for consumers not familiar with shopping for insurance online. Drivers have so many options that it can easily become a ton of work to find lower rates in Maryland Heights.

How to Get Maryland Heights Auto Insurance Comparison Quotes

Performing a rate comparison can be challenging if you aren’t aware of the most efficient way to do it. You can spend your afternoon talking to insurance companies in Maryland Heights, or you can stay home and use online quoting to get pricing more quickly.

Most of the best insurance companies are enrolled in a marketplace that enables customers to submit one quote, and every company can provide price quotes. This system prevents you from having to do quote requests to every company.

To enter your information into the quoting system, click here to open in new window.

The single downside to comparing rates this way is you can’t choose which providers to receive prices from. If you wish to select specific providers to compare prices, we have a page of auto insurance companies in Missouri. Click to view list.

Which method you use is up to you, but be sure to compare the exact same coverage limits for each price quote. If you enter mixed coverages it will be next to impossible to make an equal comparison in Maryland Heights.

Are you getting all your discounts?

Insuring your vehicles can cost a lot, but companies offer discounts that can drop the cost substantially. Larger premium reductions will be automatically applied when you quote, but some must be asked for in order for you to get them. If you don’t get every credit available, you are throwing money away.

Organization Discounts – Belonging to a civic or occupational organization could qualify you for a break when shopping for auto insurance.
Life Insurance – Larger companies have better rates if you take out life insurance from them.
Early Switch Discount – Select companies give a discount for signing up prior to your current policy expiring. It’s a savings of about 10%.
More Vehicles More Savings – Insuring multiple cars or trucks on the same auto insurance policy qualifies for this discount.
Sign Online – Certain companies will discount your bill up to fifty bucks simply for signing digitally online.
Senior Discount – Older drivers can possibly qualify for a small decrease in premiums.
Pay Upfront and Save – By paying your policy upfront instead of making monthly payments you can actually save on your bill.
Accident Forgiveness – A handful of insurance companies will allow you to have one accident before your rates go up as long as you don’t have any claims prior to the accident.
Homeowners Pay Less – Simply owning a home can save you money because owning a home demonstrates responsibility.

Drivers should understand that some of the credits will not apply to all coverage premiums. A few only apply to individual premiums such as liability and collision coverage. So even though it sounds like having all the discounts means you get insurance for free, you won’t be that lucky. Any amount of discount will cut the cost of coverage.

To choose insurance companies who offer auto insurance discounts in Maryland Heights, click this link.

How insurance companies determine rates

It’s important that you understand some of the elements that play a part in calculating the price you pay for auto insurance. Understanding what impacts premium levels helps enable you to make changes that could result in much lower annual insurance costs.

Discounts for married couples – Being married can get you a discount on your auto insurance policy. Marriage usually means you are more mature than a single person and statistics show drivers who are married are more cautious.
Pleasure use saves money – The more miles you rack up on your car in a year’s time the higher your rates will be. The majority of insurers charge to insure your cars determined by how the vehicle is used. Cars and trucks used primarily for pleasure use receive lower rates than vehicles that are driven to work every day. Double check that your auto insurance policy shows how each vehicle is driven, because improper ratings can cost you money.
Never go without insurance – Allowing your coverage to lapse is a fast way to bump up your auto insurance costs. And not only will insurance be more expensive, getting caught without coverage may earn you a license revocation or jail time.
Bump up deductibles to save – Coverage for physical damage, also known as collision and other-than-collision, is used to repair damage to your car. Some instances where coverage would apply would be a windshield shattered by a rock, collision with an animal, and windstorm damage. Deductibles for physical damage are how much you are willing to pay out-of-pocket if you file a covered claim. The more expense you are required to pay out-of-pocket, the lower your rates will be.
Extra add-on coverages are wasting money – There are a lot of extra coverages you can purchase on your policy. Coverages like personal injury protection, better glass coverage and membership fees are some examples. These may sound like a good investment when talking to your agent, but your needs may have changed so get rid of them and save.
Liability coverage is cheap – The liability section of your policy is the protection when a court rules you are at fault for damages from an accident. Liability insurance provides legal defense which can be incredibly expensive. Liability insurance is quite affordable compared to insuring for physical damage coverage, so buy as much as you can afford.
Frequent auto insurance claims increase rates – If you frequently file small claims, you can definitely plan on either policy cancellation or increased premiums. Car insurance companies in Missouri generally give lower rates to drivers who do not file claims often. Your insurance policy is intended for major claims that would cause financial hardship.
High performance equals high price – The performance of the car you are buying insurance for makes a significant difference in your rates. The lowest rates are usually for lower performance four cylinder passenger cars, but there are many factors that impact the final cost.

But I prefer to buy car insurance from an agent

Some consumers prefer to buy from a licensed agent. Good agents can help determine the best coverages and give you someone to call. The best thing about getting online price quotes is you may find lower rates and still have an agent to talk to. And providing support for small agencies is important particularly in Maryland Heights.

Once you complete this short form, your coverage information is instantly submitted to local insurance agents in Maryland Heights who will give you bids for your business. You don’t have to leave your computer as quotes are delivered directly to your email. It doesn’t get any easier!

Do you need an independent or captive insurance agency?

When researching a reputable insurance agent or broker, you must know there are a couple different agency structures from which to choose. Insurance agencies in Maryland Heights are classified as either captive or independent. Either one can do a good job, but it’s worth mentioning the difference between them because it can impact the selection process. compare rates in Maryland Heights MO

Independent Agencies or Brokers

Independent agents are not employed by any specific company so they have the ability to put coverage with multiple insurance companies and possibly get better coverage at lower prices. To transfer your coverage to a different company, the agent simply finds a different carrier without you having to go to a different agency. When comparison shopping, it’s recommended you contact several independent insurance agents to ensure the widest selection of prices. They also have the ability to place coverage with lesser-known insurance companies which may provide better rates.

Shown below is a short list of independent agents in Maryland Heights that may be able to provide competitive price quotes.

Clyde P Klump Agency – 2864 Sugar Tree Ln – Maryland Heights, MO 63043 – (314) 739-0693
Wells Insurance Group – 2458 Old Dorsett Rd # 220 – Maryland Heights, MO 63043 – (314) 291-1700

Captive Insurance Agents

Captive insurance agents work for only one company and some examples include Allstate, Farmers Insurance or State Farm. Captives cannot give you multiple price quotes so it’s a take it or leave it situation. These agents receive extensive training on the products they sell which helps them sell insurance even at higher premiums. Consumers frequently buy insurance from these agents mostly because of the prominence of the brand and strong financial ratings.

Shown below are captive agents in Maryland Heights that are able to give price quote information.

Allstate Insurance – 12642 Dorsett Rd – Maryland Heights, MO 63043 – (314) 469-7575
State Farm Insurance – 12131 Dorsett Rd # 207 – Maryland Heights, MO 63043 – (314) 739-6210
American Family Insurance – 12131 Dorsett Rd # 126 – Maryland Heights, MO 63043 – (314) 770-1900

For a complete listing of captive agencies in Maryland Heights, go to this page.

Picking an insurance agency shouldn’t rely on just a cheap price. Any agent should be forthright in answering these questions:

Are they full-time agents?
How often do they review policy coverages?
How long have they worked with personal auto insurance coverage?
Do you have coverage for a rental car if your vehicle is in the repair shop?
Do the coverages you’re quoting properly cover your vehicle?

After getting reasonable responses to your questions and a good coverage price, it’s possible that you found a car insurance agent that meets your needs to properly insure your vehicles.

Your coverage should be tailored to you

When buying adequate coverage, there really is not a cookie cutter policy. Everyone’s needs are different.

Here are some questions about coverages that could help you determine if your situation will benefit from professional help.

Should I drop comprehensive coverage on older vehicles?
How much liability coverage do I need in Missouri?
Is my dog or cat covered if injured in an accident?
Am I covered when using my vehicle for business?
Am I covered by my spouse’s policy after a separation?
Exactly who is provided coverage by my policy?
How much liability do I need to cover my assets?
Am I covered when driving a rental car?
What can I do if my company denied a claim?

If you can’t answer these questions but you know they apply to you then you might want to talk to a licensed agent. If you don’t have a local agent, fill out this quick form. It only takes a few minutes and can provide invaluable advice.

Additional auto insurance information can be read on the Missouri Department of Insurance website located here. Consumers can report car insurance fraud, read consumer alerts, file complaints about an insurance agent or broker, and view a list of available companies.

Also read more on III.org’s auto insurance page and this link which helps you find a Maryland Heights agent.

Slick advertising tricks that work

Consumers in Missouri can’t ignore all the ads that promise big savings by Allstate, GEICO and Progressive. They all make the same claim of big savings if you move to their company.

How can each company claim to save you money?

Insurance companies can use profiling for the driver that is profitable for them. For example, a preferred risk could possibly be between 25 and 40, has no prior claims, and has a high credit rating. A customer getting a price quote who fits that profile receives the best rates and is almost guaranteed to save quite a bit of money when switching.

Drivers who are not a match for the “perfect” profile must pay higher prices which usually ends up with the driver buying from a lower-cost company. The ads state “drivers who switch” not “everybody who quotes” save that kind of money. That’s the way companies can truthfully state the savings.

This illustrates why you need to compare as many rates as you can. It’s impossible to know the company that will provide you with the cheapest rates.

More quotes mean more savings

Discount auto insurance can be found from both online companies and with local Maryland Heights insurance agents, and you need to price shop both to have the best selection. A few companies do not offer you the ability to get quotes online and these regional insurance providers work with independent agents.

When shopping online for auto insurance, make sure you don’t buy less coverage just to save a little money. There have been many cases where an insured cut physical damage coverage only to regret they didn’t purchase enough coverage. Your goal should be to purchase a proper amount of coverage at an affordable rate while still protecting your assets.

We just presented a lot of ways to save on auto insurance. It’s most important to understand that the more you quote, the better chance you’ll have of finding lower rates. Consumers could even find that the best prices are with a smaller regional carrier.