Insurance is like a fire extinguisher.

It’s one of the few things you buy and hope to never use.

So it makes sense to get it as cheaply as you can, right?

Not really.

Just like a fire extinguisher, if your insurance doesn’t work when you need it, then you’ve not only wasted your money, there are potentially disastrous consequences. Regardless, no one wants to pay more than they have to.

So when your rates go up (and all insurance companies, including Farmers Insurance, raise their rates some times) we all want to know why.

In the past year or so, most of the insurance companies in Missouri have raised their auto insurance rates, for two big reasons:

1) Cheap gas. The lower price at the pump means more people are driving.

2) Distracted drivers. Since there are more drivers, there are even more people fiddling with their cell phones instead of paying attention to the road.

Those two factors combined mean there are more accidents, more property damage, higher hospital bills and insurance companies have to pay out more in claims.

Insurance — car, home, health, whatever — works by spreading out the pain of a claim. So you’re going to feel the pain of increased claims, even if you’ve never had to use your insurance.

So how do you keep from paying more than you have to for auto insurance?

My advice is to work with an insurance agent. Not only can an agent advise you about potential pitfalls, but he or she can make sure you get all the discounts you’re eligible for.

As always, if you have any questions about your insurance coverage, please give me a call. I’m always happy to help. 417 708 9583