Mississippi Auto Insurance

The state of Mississippi is a Tort state.  This means that if the state declares an individual as the cause of an accident, the named person will be required to pay all the damages which result from the accident they caused.  This will include all medical bills and vehicle repairs.  For this reason, insurance companies may encourage you to purchase more than the minimum auto liability insurance required by the state of Mississippi.  If a car is financed, you will most likely be required to carry comprehensive and collision coverage on the vehicle. 

Insurance companies in Mississippi do not have to cover members of your household if they are not listed on the policy and in fact the insurance company can choose to exclude household members for legal reasons.  These exclusions are legal and will be listed in the exclusions section of your policy with all the other conditions which will allow your insurance company to refuse a claim.  Even though you do not have to list everyone on the policy, the company may request it.  If you do not comply with the company’s request, they can deny the claims on any persons not included on the policy.

In the state of Mississippi, the insurance company is allowed to check out your personal credit history when offering you insurance and setting your premium rates.  They will also look at your driving record, age, gender, marital status, age and condition of the vehicle being insured, and the area where you live as well as the type of vehicle you drive and how far you drive each day.  Maintaining a good driving record and paying your bills on time may help to reduce your premiums.

The average insurance premium in Mississippi was about $746.00 as of 2006.  Mississippi was ranked as having the 26th highest premium average in the United States.  There are numerous insurance companies approved to sell auto insurance in Mississippi but the following 83 state approved insurance companies sell both commercial and private auto liability insurance in the state of Mississippi.  They are:  Travelers Property Casualty Company of America, National Union Fire Insurance Company of Pittsburgh, PA., Employers Mutual Casualty Company, Union Insurance Company, Lincoln General Insurance Company, State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, ACE American Insurance Company, Mississippi Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, Travelers Indemnity Company, The, State Auto Property and Casualty Insurance Company,  Universal Underwriters Insurance Company, Liberty Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Travelers Indemnity Company of America, The, Continental Casualty Company, Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, The, New Hampshire Insurance Company, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Southern Fire & Casualty Company, Phoenix Insurance Company, The, Federal Insurance Company, Lafayette Insurance Company, Allstate Indemnity Company, United Fire &  Casualty Company, Commerce and Industry Insurance Company, Allstate Insurance Company, General Insurance Company of America, State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, Pennsylvania General Insurance Company, American Reliable Insurance Company, Harford Underwriters Insurance Company, American States Preferred Insurance Company, Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Company, Granite State Insurance Company, State Automobile Mutual Insurance Company, GuideOne Mutual Insurance Company, Markel American Insurance Company, Shelter General Insurance Company, Sagamore Insurance Company, Grain Dealers Mutual Insurance Company, Hartford Casualty Insurance Company, Kodiak Insurance Company, Pharmacists Mutual Insurance Company, Southern United Fire Insurance Company, Liberty Insurance Company, Electric Insurance Company, Indemnity Insurance Company of North America, Alfa Insurance Corporation, Twin City Fire Insurance Company, First National Insurance Company of America, Hanover Insurance Company, The, National Farmers Union Property and Casualty Company, Associated Indemnity Corporation, Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company, Shelter Mutual Insurance Company, Republic Underwriters Insurance Company, Integon National Insurance Company, Southern Guaranty Insurance Company, First Liberty Insurance Corporation, Pacific Indemnity Company, Farmers Insurance Exchange, American Manufacturers Mutual Insurance Company, American Motorists Insurance Company, Fidelity and Guaranty Insurance Underwriters, Inc., United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Mississippi Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, GEICO General Insurance Company, Unitrin Auto and Home Insurance Company, Virginia Surety Company, Inc., Progressive Advanced Insurance Company, Government Employees Insurance Company, Truck Insurance Exchange, American Modern Home Insurance Company, Automobile Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, The, SAFECO Insurance Company of America, Standard fire Insurance Company, The, Property and Casualty Insurance Company of Hartford, Century Indemnity Company, White Mountains Reinsurance Company of America, National Union Fire Insurance Company of Louisiana, Audubon Insurance Company, Trinity Universal Insurance Company, Security National Insurance Company, and American Home Assurance Company.

Things that can help you reduce the cost of your insurance premiums include a clean driving record, the type of vehicle you choose to drive as well as the number of miles you drive per year.  The fewer miles you put on your vehicle each year, the lower your chances are of being involved in an accident.  The reduction in accident risk can translate into a reduction in premiums.  Furthermore, a clean driving record reduces your risk of an accident.  It will be more expensive to insure a luxury car or a sports car.  You should also keep in mind that insurance premiums will be higher on vehicles which are a high priority for thieves.  The cars that made the top 10 stolen vehicles in Mississippi are:

1. 1991 Chevrolet C/K 1500 Pickup (full size)
2. 1992 Chevrolet Caprice
3. 2001 Ford F150
4. 1987 Oldsmobile Cutlass
5. 1989 Buick LeSabre
6. 1999 Ford Taurus
7. 1991 Honda Accord
8. 1989 Oldsmobile Delta 88
9. 2004 Pontiac Grand Am
10. 1994 GMC C/K 1500 Pickup (full size)

Safety devices such as anti-lock brakes side air bags, automatic seat belts and daytime running lights may also reduce your premiums along with anti theft devices like an alarm system and global positioning systems.  Parking your car in a garage or secured area is another way to reduce your premiums.  Where you live will affect your insurance rates which can be affected by weather extremes, high theft risk, and high traffic patterns.  Don’t forget to maintain a good credit record as the insurance company looks at this to determine how likely you are to pay your premiums on time.  Prior accident claims will also be a red flag to insurance companies especially if there are several claims on your past record.  The amount of your deductible is also a key factor when determining insurance rates.  The higher your deductible is, the lower your insurance rates will be.