Everyone knows that insurance companies don’t want their customers to go rate shopping. Drivers who shop rates annually will most likely buy a different policy because they stand a good chance of finding a more affordable policy. Remarkably, a study showed that people who make a habit of shopping around saved as much as $860 a year compared to policyholders who never compared prices.
If finding the best rates on auto insurance in Kansas City is the reason for your visit, then learning a little about the best way to shop and compare insurance premiums can help simplify the process.
If you want to find the absolute lowest rates, then the best way to find lower priced car insurance rates in Kansas City is to start comparing prices yearly from insurers that insure vehicles in Missouri. Rate comparisons can be done by following these guidelines.
- Read about auto insurance and the factors you can control to drop your rates. Many rating factors that increase rates such as speeding tickets, accidents and a negative credit score can be controlled by making lifestyle changes or driving safer.
- Compare prices from direct, independent, and exclusive agents. Direct and exclusive agents can only give rate quotes from a single company like GEICO or State Farm, while independent agents can quote rates for a wide range of companies. Find a Kansas City insurance agent
- Compare the new rate quotes to your existing coverage to determine if switching companies saves money. If you can save some money and switch companies, ensure coverage does not lapse between policies.
- Provide written notification to your current company of your decision to cancel your existing policy and submit the required down payment along with the signed application for the new coverage. When you receive it, place your new proof of insurance paperwork in your vehicle.
An important part of this process is to use similar deductibles and liability limits on each quote and and to get price quotes from all possible companies. This ensures a fair price comparison and the best price selection.
All the larger auto insurance companies such as Progressive, Allstate and GEICO provide coverage price quotes directly from their websites. Doing online quotes for Subaru BRZ insurance in Kansas City is quite easy as you just type in the coverage amounts you desire as requested by the quote form. Once entered, the company’s rating system will obtain reports for credit and driving violations and provides a quote based on the data you entered. The ability to get online price quotes for Subaru BRZ insurance in Kansas City makes it a lot easier to compare rates and it’s necessary to have as many quotes as possible if you are searching for a lower rate.
To find out how much you can save on auto insurance, take a look at the companies shown below. If you have your current policy handy, we recommend you copy the coverage information exactly as shown on your declarations page. This ensures you’re receiving comparison quotes for exact coverage.
The car insurance companies shown below have been selected to offer comparison quotes in Kansas City, MO. To buy cheap auto insurance in MO, it’s a good idea that you compare several of them to get a more complete price comparison.
Protect your vehicle and other assets
Despite the high cost, auto insurance may be required and benefits you in several ways.
First, most states have mandatory liability insurance requirements which means the state requires a minimum amount of liability coverage if you drive a vehicle. In Missouri these limits are 25/50/10 which means you must have $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and $10,000 of property damage coverage.
Second, if your car has a lienholder, almost every bank will require that you have comprehensive coverage to ensure loan repayment if the vehicle is totaled. If the policy lapses, the lender may have to buy a policy to insure your Subaru at a significantly higher premium and require you to pay for it.
Third, auto insurance preserves your Subaru BRZ and your assets. It will also pay for medical transport and hospital expenses that are the result of an accident. As part of your policy, liability insurance also covers all legal expenses up to the policy limit if you cause an accident and are sued. If your vehicle suffers damage from an accident or hail, comprehensive and collision coverage will cover the repair costs.
The benefits of having auto insurance definitely exceed the price paid, particularly if you ever have a claim. According to a 2015 survey, the average American driver overpays more than $750 every year so smart consumers compare quotes each time the policy renews to save money.
Car insurance coverage considerations
Learning about specific coverages of car insurance aids in choosing appropriate coverage at the best deductibles and correct limits. The coverage terms in a policy can be ambiguous and even agents have difficulty translating policy wording. Listed below are the usual coverages offered by car insurance companies.
UM/UIM (Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist) coverage
Your UM/UIM coverage provides protection from other motorists when they are uninsured or don’t have enough coverage. It can pay for injuries sustained by your vehicle’s occupants as well as your vehicle’s damage.
Because many people have only the minimum liability required by law (25/50/10 in Missouri), it only takes a small accident to exceed their coverage. This is the reason having UM/UIM coverage is very important.
Comprehensive auto coverage
This coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage that is not covered by collision coverage. A deductible will apply and the remainder of the damage will be paid by comprehensive coverage.
Comprehensive can pay for things such as damage from flooding, damage from a tornado or hurricane, hail damage, fire damage and hitting a deer. The most a car insurance company will pay at claim time is the ACV or actual cash value, so if your deductible is as high as the vehicle’s value consider removing comprehensive coverage.
Liability car insurance
Liability coverage can cover damages or injuries you inflict on other people or property in an accident. Coverage consists of three different limits, bodily injury for each person injured, bodily injury for the entire accident and a property damage limit. Your policy might show values of 25/50/10 that translate to $25,000 in coverage for each person’s injuries, a total of $50,000 of bodily injury coverage per accident, and a total limit of $10,000 for damage to vehicles and property.
Liability insurance covers claims like funeral expenses, structural damage, attorney fees and loss of income. How much liability should you purchase? That is a decision to put some thought into, but it’s cheap coverage so purchase higher limits if possible. Missouri requires drivers to carry at least 25/50/10 but you should think about purchasing more coverage.
The next chart demonstrates why buying minimum limits may not be adequate.
Medical payments and PIP coverage
Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and medical payments coverage kick in for bills such as X-ray expenses, EMT expenses, chiropractic care and pain medications. They can be used in conjunction with a health insurance program or if there is no health insurance coverage. Medical payments and PIP cover all vehicle occupants in addition to any family member struck as a pedestrian. Personal Injury Protection is not available in all states but can be used in place of medical payments coverage
Collision insurance
Collision coverage pays to fix your vehicle from damage from colliding with a stationary object or other vehicle. You have to pay a deductible and then insurance will cover the remainder.
Collision coverage protects against things like crashing into a building, rolling your car, sideswiping another vehicle and damaging your car on a curb. This coverage can be expensive, so consider removing coverage from older vehicles. You can also choose a higher deductible on your BRZ in order to get cheaper collision rates.
Best auto insurance company in Kansas City
Ending up with the right insurance provider is difficult considering how many companies sell insurance in Kansas City. The rank data in the next section may help you choose which car insurance companies to look at comparing rate quotes with.
Top 10 Kansas City Car Insurance Companies by A.M. Best Rank
- USAA – A++
- GEICO – A++
- Travelers – A++
- State Farm – A++
- Allstate – A+
- Progressive – A+
- Mercury Insurance – A+
- The Hartford – A+
- Nationwide – A+
- Esurance – A+